WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS for Persona 5 Tactica ahead. Proceed at your own risk.
Summary
There’s no denying thatPersona 5 Tacticadiffers greatly from otherPersona 5spinoffs mechanically. As it dives into the strategy genre, it puts new spins on just about everyPersonaconvention, from Persona use toAll-Out Attacks, and largely to great effect. However, it’s worth acknowledging that the story is very different from its peers as well. It’s still all about the Phantom Thieves espousing the virtues of rebellious spirit and willpower; however, the Phantom Thieves are arguably peripheral to the plot. From beginning to end,Persona 5 Tacticais really about series newcomers Erina and Toshiro.
Both characters make their debut early on. Erina serves as the Phantom Thieves' latest spunky temporary ally, not unlike Sophia inPersona 5 Strikers, while Toshiro adds the perspective of an adult to contrast with the team’s ideals, also likeP5S’s Zenkichi Hasegawa. Unlike Sophia and Zenkichi, however, Toshiro and Erina are in the spotlight the entire time, driving the plot and defining the lore more than even Joker does. While it was a risk to make the ever-popular Phantom Thieves play second fiddle to a couple of strangers, it ultimately pays off and makesPersona 5 Tacticatell a refreshing story that paints the themes ofPersona’s current generation in a new light.
Toshiro and Erina are Persona 5 Tactica’s Real Main Characters
Persona 5 Tactica Doesn’t Prioritize the Phantom Thieves
Overall, the Phantom Thieves have a surprisingly limited role inTactica’s story. While they go on all kinds of adventures to defeat the rulers ofPersona 5 Tactica’s Kingdomsand find a way home, none of them have any real character arcs. This stands in sharp contrast to other spin-offs likePersona 5 Strikers, which devoted multiple story arcs to developing characters like Haru and Yusuke.Tactica’s side quests provide some minor character moments, but these generally open and close over the course of a couple of minutes and are a far cry from Toshiro and Erina’s 30-hour journey of self-discovery.
In contrast, the game is constantly revealing things about Toshiro and Erina. Toshiro starts the game as a coward with little backbone, but he gets braver as he sees the Phantom Thieves fight valiantly for freedom. He also has a rich backstory that constantly defines the game, given that all the Kingdoms are formed from his life. Similarly, Erina aspires to be more likethe Phantom Thieves, and learns she’s actually a reflection of Toshiro’s lost friend Eri Natsuhara. The game is packed with revelations about these two characters, and all the while the Phantom Thieves are mostly just there to support them.
This is a stark contrast to a lot of otherP5spin-offs.Strikers' guests get screentime, but only alongside the Phantom Thieves' personal quest.Persona Q2also introduces characters, but it andPersona 5: Dancing in Starlightemphasize the Phantom Thieves interacting with pastPersonateams. Through and through,Persona 5 Tacticais all about Toshiro and Erina; the Phantom Thieves prop up their character growth rather than take the spotlight with arcs of their own.
Toshiro and Erina Use P5’s Themes of Rebellion in Great Ways
In the end, this makesPersona 5 Tacticaan excellent departure from normalP5stories, playing onP5ideas while focusing on new characters. Toshiro’s blend of mature, political struggles and trauma from youth make him well-rounded and relatable. Although his backstory is partially a cautionary tale about the risks of overthrowing a corrupt establishment – something the unshakable Phantom Thieves rarely discuss – that only makes his choice to fight injustice and live freely more poignant.
Similarly, Erina is a very different kind of non-human party member, which pays off her character arc quite well. Erina spends the game idolizing the ideals that Joker’s team is built upon, which makes her true identity as a combination of Toshiro’s Persona and a cognition of Eri all the better. She is the manifestation of the exact rebellious will she adores, and wears the face of a righteous young woman who would’ve made a great Phantom Thief.
It’s hard to say ifPersona 5 Tactica’s storytelling model says something about the shape offuturePersonaspin-offs. Regardless, Toshiro and Erina taking the lead was exactly whatTacticaneeded. The Phantom Thieves are popular, but to keep them interesting, Atlus needs to put them in new situations.Tacticawas undoubtedly a new story for this group, and hopefully that means they’ll be the subject of more experiments with rich new characters and stories in the future.
