Few games can compete with Persona 5 when it comes to pure style. This is a game oozing class. It’s an artistic achieving, blending the series’ best musical score with an aesthetic that lends itself tremendously well to modern Persona. Of course, by no way does this mean that Persona 5 is exempt from criticism.
It’s quite a flawed game and while most will agree that its style is second to none, not all of its designs are that great. Even (especially) for main characters, Persona 5 can be rather hit or miss. Most of the leads are dressed appropriately, but some of the villain outfits are downright tired, capitalizing on the inherent wackiness that comes with invading a psyche at the expense of making some characters look good.
10 BEST: Shadow Futaba
Shadow Futaba really pulls of the Ancient Egypt aesthetic quite well. In general, taking players inside of a pyramid was an inspired move on Persona 5’s part, offering something unique that previous entries in the series haven’t. Shadow Futaba’s also one of the most interesting antagonists, serving up something beyond one-dimensional villainy.
Shadow Futaba’s outfit is simple, but it gets the job done. She has a regal air to her, and the under-designed aspect of her outfit really makes Shadow Futaba feel small and pathetic, a little girl who just needs her mother. It’s really great character design all around.
9 WORST: Oracle
Unfortunately, the same praise can’t be extended to Futaba’s Phantom Thieves alter-ego, Oracle (aka Navi in the original Japanese release.) The Oracle outfit gets points for those killer goggles, but it errs on the complete opposite side of Shadow Futaba, going for an over-designed approach that doesn’t do Futaba many favors.
To be fair, though, Oracle isn’t going to be seen in action all too often. Futaba will mainly appear in the corner of the screen, commenting on battles. The Phantom Thieves are all well-designed in general, so it’s strange that Oracle’s outfit would be so haphazardly put together when Shadow Futaba's was so impressive.
8 BEST: Joker
Joker’s design is cool, slick, and looks fantastic in notion. It’s easy to tell who Joker is just by looking at his silhouette. He’s the character that best exemplifies Persona 5 and his confidence can be seen quite clearly in his design. It’s not just his outfit; Joker carries himself well. The fluidity of his long coat wouldn’t mean much without his acrobatics.
The mask really sells it, though. While he’d look fine without it, Joker’s mask completes the ensemble. It turns him from a cool-looking video game protagonist into a proper cat burglar. Joker’s design is so thoughtfully composed, especially when compared to his non-Phantom Thieves self.
7 WORST: Mammon
The fifth Palace is easily Persona 5’s weakest arc. Intimately tied with Ryuji and Morgana’s falling out, this section of the game drags on considerably. Haru isn’t all that interesting a character and her dad is an even worse antagonist. Mammon’s design is charming and silly, but it outstays its welcome. Fast.
Mammon would’ve been an interesting villain earlier in the game, but this late and this goofy? The fact he’s neither well-developed or well-written doesn’t help matters either. Pretty much all his personality comes from his outfit, and while it’s good to convey personality through clothing, it should never be on the burden of an outfit alone to carry a character.
6 BEST: Skull
A leathered-up biker in a skull mask, Ryuji becomes infinitely cooler whenever he’s Skull. He’s one of the better developed characters in general, with an arc that gets some resolution in the main story, but he can be an annoying character for some. He’s dafter than most Persona bros, but he’s loyal. More so than Junpei and Yusuke, if nothing else.
Skull’s red scarf is a nice touch, especially since it helps make all the black pop. Ryuji having blond hair in particular is what really sells the design, though. Going from almost all black to red at the neck and then blond right above the silver mask makes for a visually appealing character.
5 WORST: Bael
A painfully boring design, Bael doesn’t expand about Kaneshiro in any meaningful way. Like with the fifth Palace, this portion of the game is on the weaker side. Makoto’s arc just fails to carry the momentum gained from Ann and later fumbled by Yusuke. Bael himself is a bit more grotesque when he transforms, but his human form is so plain.
Bael is purple Kaneshiro to the core, which only makes this out-of-place portion of the game feel all the stranger. The fifth Palace is messy, but Mammon’s role feels clear in the plot. Bael’s connections to the plot are superficial at best. Maybe that’s why his redesign is so surface level. The bug eyes are a nice touch, though.
4 BEST: Crow
Akechi’s design as part of the Phantom Thieves, Crow’s long nose can be a bit off-putting, but it’s a memorable (and important) visual detail that completes the outfit. Akechi looks properly regal in his white and red, perfectly contrasting Joker’s more traditional burglar outfit. That Akechi is using Robin Hood as his Persona is quite the nice touch.
Persona 5 really leans into the heroic when it comes to Crow’s outfit, but it pays off. It’s stylish and while Crow isn’t playable long, it’s genuinely nice having him in the party. He makes a good addition for his outfit, adding some variety to the party alone.
3 WORST: True Samael
Samael goes from looking like a pretty cool dictator to a full blown BDSM daddy. It’s an… interesting look, but it feels very off for the perceived final battle. Granted, Shido’s Palace doesn’t actually end up being the finale, but doesn’t that make all this a bit worse? True Samael feels like an even bigger waste.
If Persona 5 wanted to add in another villain while also tanking Samael’s design, they should have just made True Samael Yaldabaoth. It wouldn’t have done the finale many favors as its problems are inherent, but at least Shido wouldn’t go from an intimidating villain to kinky dungeon master.
2 BEST: Leviathan
Persona 5’s sixth Palace is a high point for the series, and few of the series’ antagonists are as endlessly entertaining as Leviathan. After spending an entire game being interrogated by Sae Kojima, players finally get to enter her Palace, and Leviathan does not disappoint. She’s the most dangerous villain so far, but her outfit just screams pure class.
She’s a proper casino princess, ruling with an iron fist. She has an elegance that goes unrivaled in the game. While she fills a villainous role, she’s designed in such a way where she’s visually more in-line with the Phantom Thieves than the other villains — almost like how Shadow Futaba was.
1 WORST: Akechi (Loki)
It’s sad that Akechi goes from wearing one of the best outfits in the game to the absolute worst. His Loki armor is just such a dreadful step back. It looks okay above the shoulders, but the body is horrific. Akechi looks pathetically lanky, like a little kid playing with toys. Perhaps that’s the point, but that doesn’t make it a better outfit.
It’s even worse when his helmet cracks and his creepy little face can peer through. It’s just such a massive downgrade from Crow. Hopefully Persona 5 Royal not only keeps Akechi in the party, but makes it so his nauseating Loki form doesn’t stick around longer than it needs to.