WMG / Persona 4: Arena Ultimax

The game's sequel will be a crossover with BlazBlue: Persona X BlazBlue (for lack of a better Japanese sounding crossover name)

• Obviously, story's going to go the non-canon route, like the Persona characters entering the BlazBlue universe or something of the sort. Main antagonist might as well be the Nyarly, since he'd make a cool kick-ass final boss.
• The roster of the BlazBlue side would probably remain the same, with a total of 23 characters as of Chronophantasma, while the Persona crew (13 characters) would add in Minato, Minako (since it's non-canon, might as well go all out), Junpei, Ken w/ Koromaru, Yukari, Rise, Tatsuya, Maya and two more characters from either the first or fifth Persona games. If ever they would decide to add in a couple more BlazBlue fighters, my money's on Jubei, Saya or an original character like Amane, Bullet and Azrael.
• A team battle system can be implemented. One ideal system would have teams of three, with one in active combat. Teams will only be allowed to switch out with each other when a round has ended. Players will also be given the choice to fight as a solo character, and a ratio mode à la SNK vs. Capcom can be implemented for handicap battles. Fights can either be by round or elimination (where both teams fight until one side has no more active participants.)
• The story mode, as well as Abyss and Legion modes, can have customization similar to the main Persona games, with different slots that affect HP, defense, speed and attack power, with certain pieces giving unique properties, like unlimited usage of Ouroburos for Hazama or unlimited Orgia Mode for Aigis.
  • A possible story arc could involve the fighters being transported to a new dimension (ala the plot of Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney) with elements of both Persona and BlazBlue mixed with the said new setting. Nyarlothep would probably set up a fighting tournament to try and harness enough negative energy to screw up the worlds, and the fighters duel each other to earn the right to face Nyarly for whatever reason they want.
• The story will start off with two separate prologues, one for both sides. Afterwards, the game will shift between different groups ala Subspace Emissary as the story goes along, like one for Ragna. Yu, and Noel and another for Naoto, Yosuke, Tager and Makoto.
• Gameplay:
  • The game will use BlazBlue's L-M-H-Drive (Persona) button movement system.
  • The meter will be divided into four sections, so everybody, not just Jin and the Persona crew, can SB their specials. Hakumen'll still have his magatama gauge. While not necessary, the game can implement the Enhanced Specials mechanic, from Injustice: Gods Among Us, where meter will be expended only if the enhanced specials hit, although that would probably noob the game up even further.
  • All characters can use Barrier Block, with the Personas doing the blocking for their users. If the barrier gauge is depleted, Drive/Persona attacks will be rendered unusable for some time: same goes for any special attacks that need the use of the D/P button. Bursts will follow the system from Persona 4 Arena.
  • Persona characters will have their commands reassigned so they will make use of DP, HCF motions and the like. However, the timing of all special attacks will be as forgivable as P 4 A, BlazBlue characters will have some of their weirder button motions simplified (like the commands for Hazama and Tager's Astrals.)
• Music: Imagine the majesty of Shoji and Daisuke working their magic on the soundtrack. Heaven on Earth. However, considering gameplay, it's more likely that stage music will be implemented instead of character themes. Here's hoping, though.
• Arcade mode will run for 10 stages, like the first two BB games, with rival battles at stages 4 and 7. Stage 8 (in keeping up with the tournament setting) would be a regular battle (think about the final stage of CVS 2), while Stages 9 and 10 are against a sub boss (at least one BB and one Persona) and Nyarly. Philemon could function as a Superboss.
  • Great concept, yes. However, ASW/Mori Toshimichi has stated that BlazBlue won't be crossing over with anything (not even Guilty Gear, which would've made more sense) until its story is concluded. Continuum Shift is only halfway of the overall story, so them crossing over with Persona wouldn't be at that time. It may be possible, but it'll take a damn long time and by the time it comes, I think we'd be having Persona 5 or 6 or 7, where the Persona 4 cast would be considered 'old school'. But if you're still looking for a BlazBlue X Persona story... (Warning: Shameless Self Promotion!) there's fanfic...
• Blazblue Cross Tag Battle features characters from both Blazblue and Persona 4 Arena, so confirmed.

A revised version of Persona X Blazblue - updated with information from Ultimax

• Characters: The biggest issue with regards to a crossover. The Blazblue side outnumbers the Persona side like crazy: compare the (as of the Cental Fiction Arcade version's third act) 33 fighters to Ultimax's 21. Granted, the Persona side will very well get a few new characters, but there is a limited amount of characters they can feasibly obtain from the Persona 3-4 era outside of more obvious Persona users like the P3 Protagonist and Shinjiro (both of whom are currently dead). There are two options in evening the sides out: remove some of the Blazblue cast or be creative with the characters added to the Persona side. Add in characters from Persona 5 if we follow the rumors that Atlus does not want to go anywhere near the older games out of respect for the employees who aren't with the company anymore. Resurrecting Strega (if we were to provide similar treatment for the P3 Hero and Shinjiro) could bump up their numbers. Hell, even Kanami from Dancing All Night can awaken to a Persona if Atlus and Arc Sys are that desperate to get a new fighter in.
• Gameplay: Have characters play similar to their incarnations from their source games. Blazblue has the Light-Medium-Heavy-Drive controls while Persona has the Light-Heavy-Light Persona-Heavy Persona system. Add in the Accel Flow from CF to encourage active play. Have characters retain certain mechanics from their respective games: Blazblue characters have Guard Crushes and Overdrives (increase their Heat meter to 150 to counter Persona's Awakening) and Persona characters have All-Out Attacks and Awakenings. The final game should have easier fundamentals than Blazblue while being slightly harder than Persona's learning curve.
• Tag gameplay: At this point, we can take out a page from Rival Schools and SNK vs. Capcom. Allow players to assemble at team of 3 people. Fights will have characters switch out at the end of rounds. Inactive characters will comment ala Persona's navis. To make players strategize more about team line-ups, benched fighters can provide assists and passive effects (which can be chosen) and these can be changed between rounds like Pokkén Tournament, with bonuses given to line-ups that are different from the one used in the previous round.
  • Example: Player one chooses Ragna, Jin and Chie, Player two chooses Yukari, Tager and Rise. On P1's end, Chie can boost the effects of counter hits, Jin freezes enemies on counter-hit and Ragna provides a life-stealing effect for longer combos. For P2, Yukari increases the damage on projectiles, Tager increases damage on grabs and Rise increases the speed on meter regeneration. Who goes on unused until the later parts of the fight gain more buffs both as an active combatant and an assist.
• Blazblue Cross Tag Battle features characters from both Blazblue and Persona 4 Arena, so confirmed.

The Investigation Team's reactions to the newly introduced Persona 3 characters

• Junpei & Yosuke won't like each other, but it'll be clear that it's because they subconsciously remind them of themselves, and be pointed out to them by their friends.
• At least one of the Investigation Team will turn out to have a huge pre-existing crush on Yukari.
  • Even better, Teddie will recognise her from Yosuke's magazines, much to Yosuke's horror.
• One of the Investigation Team (Probably Chie) will Squee over Yukari due to her role in Featherman.
  • Or Naoto for extra hilarity; she is outright shown to be the biggest toku nerd of the bunch, after all.
• Rise & Yukari will already be familiar with one another, due to their status as celebrities.

Additions to the update/sequel

• It was recently announced that Arena received a Japanese arcade-only patch/sequel that added the following major additions:
  • Junpei Iori and Yukari Takeba as playable characters.
  • The ability to play as each character's Shadow Self (Labrys and Shadow Labrys are still counted as different characters), being more meter-reliant (full gauge for each round) at the expense of no Burst and Awakening.)
• While there are no current plans to bring this to consoles or outside Japan, it is an inevitability that this will push though, considering that both Guilty Gear and BlazBlue have had their fair share of updates as well. Arcsys would do well to add a few additions for the consoles:
  • More characters: It would make more sense to finish the Shadow Ops/S.E.E.S. by adding Ken Amada (the final surviving member of S.E.E.S. who has not been added yet), but adding Makato Yuki, P3's main protagonist would make a welcome addition as well. While it would be a long shot, one can even try adding Shinjiro Aragaki, or even a character from previous Persona games.
    • There is a justification within the game - the Malevolent Entity taking on Shinjiro & Makoto's forms in an attempt to unnerve the former S.E.E.S. much like it took on the forms of the Investigation Team & Shadow Operative's shadows in the original Arena story mode. The normal/non-Shadow versions of the character would just be a Non-Canon Easter Egg for the fans available in versus & arcade mode, whilst the Shadow version of the characters would be what appears in the Story mode.
    • If the Maelvolent Entity takes the forms of dead characters, it could also provide a reason for the members of Strega to be playable as well.
  • Added story: Considering the new backgrounds and additional characters, it is possible that the new update takes place after Arena's story mode.
    • Or that it's expanding the original Arena story, ala BlazBlue: Continuum Shift & that game's various updates expanding the game's story mode. If so, it's possible that they'll add a True Story path.
  • More music. Aside of Junpei and Yukari getting their own theme, the Mirror Match music may get updated with the addition of Persona 4 Golden's Make History.

In the sequel/update to Arena there will be several new characters.

• These characters being Makoto, Shinjiro, Chidori, Mitsuo, Adachi and Margret. In the story the Malevolent Entity will take on their forms to screw with the other playable characters. It will go Makoto for Aigis, Yukari and Mitsuru, Shinjiro for Akihiko, Chidori for Junpei, Mitsuo for Yukiko, Adachi for Yu, Yosuke, Chie, Naoto and Kanji and finally Margret for Teddie and Elizabeth.
  • That seems a little unlikely, considering the Shadows are confirmed to be in the game & would easily serve that same purpose.
• An older Ken Amada will be added, to round out the members of the Persona 3 cast.
  • Confirmed, and he also fights alongside Koromaru.
• Margaret would be a conservative guess for a new character, considering the updated cast's emphasis on Persona 3 characters.
  • The "emphasis" is only because the entire Investigation Team is already in the game, whilst only a handful of Persona 3 characters were in the original game.
  • In the boxart for Persona 4 Arena Ultimax that was released after Adachi's announcement as DLC and before Marie's, Marie and Margaret can be seen. Seeing how Marie was just confirmed, it's possible that Margaret will be the next and last DLC Character.
    • Yep, Margaret confirmed.
• Marie from Persona 4 Golden - if Labrys can make it into the original game & have only appeared in a Drama CD previously, there's no reason Marie, a character who actually appeared in a game, couldn't make an appearance.
  • The fact that Adachi made it into the game makes Marie's inclusion a bit more likely.
    • Confirmed. Marie is going to be included as a DLC character.

Sho Minazuki is…

• The Eerie Voice - In Persona 4 Arena, when Labrys was hijacked by the Eerie Voice, and her eyes turned Gray. Now, in the latest PV of it's sequel, a newly introduced character has Gray eyes.
  • Possibly Confirmed. Sho does taunt Labrys by saying that he was the one who took control of her, proving that she's a 'puppet.' Still it's best to take all of his claims with a grain of salt.
• A Persona 5 character making an Early-Bird Cameo. Hey, what better way to start building hype for the Persona 5 release than to introduce one of the characters beforehand in the P 4 A sequel?
  • Jossed.
• Daidara (The weapon shop shopkeeper in Inaba), or somehow related to him. They both have red hair and a distinct cross shaped scar on their faces.
  • That doesn't make any sense, scars aren't genetic.
    • Character traits are, sometimes. Maybe he got some of Daidara's passion (Daidara loves his art) and ended up having an accident in his youth. Of course, this assumes that Daidara is his dad or granddad...
    • I was thinking perhaps some time highjinks.
• In possession of the Persona Theseus, and will obtain Dionysus at the end of the game. Ariadne, Labrys's Persona, fell in love with Theseus, but was abandoned by him unwittingly, allowing Dionysus to step in and replace him as her lover. His character arc could have him befriend Labrys, betray her unknowingly, and have him reconcile with her, leading to Theseus evolving into Dionysus.
  • Dionysus has traditionally been of the Moon Arcana, which represents a lack of certainty. Since Theseus brought several of his enemies down through trickery, he could make a good fit for that arcana.
  • Jossed. Sho's actual Persona is Tsukuyomi.
• Ryoji Mochizuki. Both seem to have a connection with the P3 cast. Both have the word 'moon' in their names. Sho's weapons are dual blades that looks like the ones Thanatos wields. Very flimsy evidence but it's all I got.
  • Jossed. Sho's backstory makes him more akin to Strega's members.
• An Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon, created by Master Daidara. Somebody sold him 8 plumes of darkness, likely Akihiko in order to get his protein fix, and he was inspired to create a self portrait in weapon form.
  • Jossed. He was a human test subject of Ikutsuki.

There will be a Persona 4: Arena 3

• And following the same lines as BlazBlue: Chronophantasma, will feature redrawn character sprites (The Investigation Team's new looks in the epilogue to Golden) & close out the Arena sub-series.
• With the entire Persona 4 party & the bulk of the Persona 3 party already in Ultimax, the roster will add whoever's left from Persona 3 (Barring anyone who's dead), characters from Persona 5, and maybe Persona & the Persona 2 duology. Perhaps even a guest or two from other parts of the MegaTen franchise?
• With Ultimax seemingly having it's battles take place in the real world whilst adding more of the Persona 3 cast, a third game will be a Crisis Crossover across the entire Persona franchise, with everyone from Tatsuya to Adachi being liable to turn up for the fight.
• Only problem is Ultimax is considered the finale. But let's not worry, Atlus always finds a way to justify sequels.
• Semi-confirmed; Blazblue Cross Tag Battle features characters from Persona 4 Arena, making it the closest thing to an official third installment.

Sho is a Big Bad Wannabe

• Sho is known to like fighting. At the same time, he is willing to let every one know that he was behind the Red Mist. As such, him trying to make other fight him by framing himself as the culprit behind the mist (Like how Mitsuo claimed to be the culprit behind the murders to get attention) is really likely. His two titles also reflect this: "The Lawbreaking Pun Machine" makes him seem more like a punk than a real bad guy and "Defaced Dark Messiah" makes him seem like he is claiming to be a serious threat even though is clear that he isn't that.
• Confirmed. He was possessed by the Malevolent Entity.
  • Actually, jossed. He was working with Malevolent Entity for the entire time out of his own will, and was even the one who threw Labrys into the TV and made her fight others as the Eerie Voice.

Sho Minazuki will perform a Heel–Face Turn, gaining his Persona in the process.

• While it's clear that Sho has been Sho-wn (he's apparently a pun machine, may as well get the ball rolling) to be somebody claiming villainy, his design is so obviously screaming "Hey, I'm an evil guy." that you just know he won't be the main villain. His title with a Persona, the "Defaced Dark Messiah", despite the usual negative connotations we apply to Dark Messiah on here, could be a nod at him becoming something of an Anti-Hero. Sho'll probably undergo the basics of what happens to somebody who claims the whole I Work Alone bit: Can hold his own, eventually gets his ass kicked, friendship shows him up, joins up with friendship. It's also possible his being able to match the Persona-users without using one himself comes from somebody (the Malevolent Entity, or perhaps Sho's shadow) empowering him.
  • Same guy here. Recent developments have only made this more likely in my mind, what with Sho having an evil second personality, which could very well lead to an Enemy Mine situation that develops into a full-on Heel–Face Turn. Just a guess for the console version.
  • Psuedo-confirmed. The prologue has Sho walking out of the Velvet room, only for Igor to say he'll be back eventually; So somewhere down the line Sho will be a) joining Team Philemon b) getting a Persona of his own. Rumor has it this is being saved for Persona 5.

Adachi will be playable in the console version of P 4 U 2 as the True Final Boss.

• If Sho w/ Tsukuyomi is the last slot on the current Arcade character select and doesn't share with regular Sho, then for now the rather static and lifeless single-frame sprite Adachi seen in Yukari's Arcade Mode is likely just The Cameo. However, his involvement must have some significance- possibly as the True Final Boss for the Arena saga. He could either use Magatsu Izanagi as his Persona again, or alternatively it could be the Big Bad Malevolent Entity/good old Nyarly for a true Big Bad Duumvirate (as the biggest Walking Spoiler of all time). Or Demonic Possession or Teeth-Clenched Teamwork or whatever as a fitting duo of antagonists. Like Mu-12, he could unlock upon attaining the ending. I don't even like Adachi, but based on how he has 'business at the top of Tartarus' according to early reports from the Arcade it's entirely possible.
• Semi-confirmed. Adachi will be playable with Magatsu Izanagi as his Persona, but will be available as DLC, which kills the True Final Boss aspect of this WMG.

Adachi's purpose is to protect Inaba, under orders from Marie/Izanami

At the end of Persona 4 Golden, Marie recombines with Izanami as the deity who protects and fulfills the wish of humans. There's no way she will let a huge incident like this slide, especially in her domain. However, because she is not in a complete state yet, she has to seek help from someone else. This person ends up being Adachi.

• Jossed. Sho sets him free to distract the Investigation Team.

Natsuki from Persona 3 will involve herself in the plot of Ultimax somehow

• (Note: The WMG will present itself as serious, but is in fact just a silly fluff scenario I came up with while bored, so let's not take things too seriously)
• Now, something I noticed that despite being a minor character, Natsuki actually has a portrait. And throughout the game she manages to involve herself in things way beyond her understanding:
  • First, she wanders into Tartarus during the Dark Hour(and doesn't turn into a coffin) and finds Fuuka simply out of wanting to find her to apologize.
  • Second, it's Natsuki, not a fellow member of SEES, that awakens gives the push needed for Fuuka's resolution that grants her a new Persona(which admittedly, was mostly about Fuuka wanting to stay connected to her friends).
  • Finally, Natsuki shows up out of nowhere during the climax of the game to cheer on Fuuka, and looks up while doing so which seems to indicate that she is at least subconsciously aware of what's going on.
• Now, how is this relevant to Ultimax? Well, the preview of the game shows that Fuuka is among those that have been kidnapped and crucified. Therefore, it follows that Natsuki will wander into the events of the game(as story mode is still being developed) and become entangled in the plot in her quest to find her friend. Now, the real question is how she will become an effective part of the plot, but I think I will leave this to my fellow tropers to see what kind of scenarios we can come up with. Let's have us some off the wall guessing!

Teddie has a Plume of Dusk in him.

• That's how he can be the only friendly Shadow. Either the Kirijo group somehow got inside the Midnight Channel and planted one in a Shadow, or threw one in accidentally, or the Plume got inside a different way from wherever they originate.

The Shadow Operative's helicopter is sentient.

• Everything that's had a Plume of Dusk in them has developed a personality. At one point someone says that a Plume of Dusk was put in the helicopter which is why it can still work in the Midnight Channel, unlike all the other machinery. So, like like Labrys and Minazuki, the helicopter can think. But it doesn't have a mouth or something similar so it cannot express itself.

The Shadow Operatives' headquarters is really close to Inaba.

• That's the only way the Shadow Operatives could get back by limo, debrief, go through all their Arena epilogues, their Ultimax prologues, and get back to Inaba by limo during the day.

The Public Safety Division is being set up as the Big Bad of Persona 5

• They're a mysterious, Ambiguously Evil (or at the very least corrupt) organization, and the subplot about them isn't fully resolved by the end of the game. (Naoto's epilogue has her continuing to investigate them) They supposedly distrust the Shadow Operatives due to their activities being kept secret from Muggle Police... but there are a lot of hints they know more about them than they're letting on. A name like theirs evokes a Knight Templar organization focused on maintaining order at any cost. And if the theme of Persona 5 is escaping metaphorical prisons, wouldn't it make sense for the villains to be police?
  • Jossed, but given Shido's Corrupt Cop connections, it's possible they may have had some behind-the-scenes involvement in the conspiracy.

Labrys' mother was really Niko from Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

• They have essentially the exact same backstory. The only difference is that Niko didn't have a Kansai accent anymore by the time she died - which can easily explained when you realize how long Niko must have been in treatment in Inaba. Given how young she was when she was hospitalized and how her family and everyone else connected to her Kansai roots eventually abandoned her, her accent would have eventually disappeared.

Adachi is still half-possessed by Ame-no-Sagiri

• This is the only way his sudden growth of a rule-abiding, promise-keeping honor code isn't pure Character Derailment. It's also supported by one of his eyes turning yellow for his super portrait.