In the almost two decades since *Persona 4* was released in 2008, the narrative of the Investigation Team has been revisited several times through a refined “definitive edition” in *Persona 4 Golden*, two anime adaptations, and a manga. The upcoming remake, *Persona 4 Revival*, slated for February, has a wealth of interpretations from the original game to draw on, and the game’s recent trailer unveiled at Anime Expo has fans optimistic that Atlus is embracing one of the community’s most cherished portrayals of Yu Narukami, the protagonist of the game and its numerous spin-offs.
*Persona 4 The Animation* was the initial anime adaptation of the game (followed by a *Golden* adaptation a few years later), and although it suffers from the typical pacing challenges that long video game adaptations face when condensed into short TV episodes, it stands out as one of the few instances of a game adaptation that I believe is effective enough that if I can’t persuade someone to actually play the game, I recommend they at least check out the anime. It delivers on the key plot points and character developments, and I watched it numerous times during my peak *Persona 4* enthusiasm in the *Golden* era.
One of its most commendable aspects is its portrayal of Yu. In *Persona 4*, Yu serves as a “silent” protagonist for the majority of the game, only voicing opinions when players encounter a dialogue choice. *Persona 4: The Animation* had to determine how to develop a character intended chiefly as a self-insert and opted for an extremely deadpan rendition of the teen whose quips and stoic awkwardness provide some of the most humorous scenes in the show.
Though this characterization hasn’t consistently been reflected in the various sequels and spin-offs of *Persona 4*, it has gained considerable popularity as one of the definitive versions of Yu throughout the series. It appears that *Persona 4 Revival* is at least partially embracing this approach.
At Anime Expo, Atlus unveiled a fresh *Revival* trailer featuring Rise, the teenage idol support character aiding the Investigation Team during battles. Yu is pictured several times, and one clip depicts him observing Rise’s performance; rather than exuberantly cheering her on, he holds up a heart-shaped sign with a vacant expression, suggesting infatuation, yet maintains his composed demeanor.
This moment may have also sparked one of the first memes for *Persona 4 Revival*, as fans are now editing images of Yu’s sign for their own humorous creations.
We will discover how much this deadpan portrayal resonates in *Revival* when it launches on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on February 18.
