Japan-based animation studio Aniplex (Full Metal Alchemist,Great Teacher Onizuka) has declared that an anime version of the hit Playstation 2 Atlus role-playing game Persona 4 is in the works.
Launched way back in 2008, Persona 4 has garnered tremendous recognition amidst the gaming community and game media. The story revolves around the lives of a group of individuals living in a sleepy rural town called Inaba. A string of unsolvable murders have occurred which leaves the local police force baffled, and rumors around town point to an urban legend called ‘The Midnight Channel”, a TV show shown only at midnight during a rainstorm. People seen in the Midnight Channel are found after the rainstorm in grisly death positions, and by entering a huge HD TV in the local mall, you and your comrades are able to enter the said TV show to investigate.
Encounters with the TV show thrusts players in emotionally gripping situations, coming face to face with the shadows they keep and struggling to accept what they truly despise about themselves. Thus, the facade that allows one to overcome life’s hardships, known as a Persona, is born in each of the characters, allowing them to investigate the mystery deeper as to who is behind the Midnight Channel, and bring him to justice.
Despite the fact that its anime predecessor Persona: Trinity Soul was inspired by Persona 3, Persona 4 targets the more loyal fanbase with a complete adaptation of the game itself. A teaser video, dubbed “Mayonaka TV” (in reference to the television network in the game), was released earlier this month, and soon after a website has been launched for the adaptation.
Seiji Kishi (Angel Beats) takes helm as the director of the series, while visual designers Kazuma Kaneko, Shigenori Soejima and famous Atlus music composer Shoji Meguro has been announced to be closely involved with the project. The voice actors from the game are also going to play their roles in the upcoming animation.
Persona 4: the anime adaptation is slated to hit Japan later this year. Visit this site for more details: http://www.p4a.jp/
