Persona 5 Manga Vol. 1 Pre-Orders Opened on Amazon in Late 2019
In November 2019, Amazon opened pre-orders for the English release of the Persona 5 manga, volume 1, with a listed US release date of January 14, 2020.
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In November 2019, pre-orders for the first volume of the Persona 5 manga went live on Amazon for customers in the United States. The listing for the English-language adaptation, based on the hit Atlus role-playing game, showed a scheduled release date of January 14, 2020. The product page also featured the front cover art and a detailed synopsis of the plot contained within the first installment.
An Adaptation of the Game’s Narrative
The manga follows the storyline of the Persona 5 video game, which centers on a group of high school students leading double lives as supernatural thieves. The official description provided with the pre-order listing introduces the protagonist as Akira Kurusu. His story begins after he is arrested and forced to transfer to Shujin Academy, a new high school in Tokyo.
While living under strict probation, Akira is given the goal of rehabilitation. He soon awakens to a mysterious new power: the ability to summon a Persona, described as the power of one’s true self. Using this ability and a strange navigation application called “Momentos,” Akira and his friends form a vigilante group known as the Phantom Thieves. Their mission is to enter a cognitive world and reform society by “stealing the hearts” of individuals corrupted by twisted desires.
The First Volume’s Inciting Events
The plot of Volume 1 focuses on the protagonist’s turbulent arrival in Tokyo and the discovery of his powers. Akira Kurusu believed he was doing the right thing when he intervened to save a woman who was being attacked, but his actions led to his expulsion from school and being sent away from home. His new life at Shujin Academy begins under the cloud of probation.
Trouble finds him almost immediately on his first day of school when he crosses paths with Ryuji Sakamoto, another student with a reputation as a delinquent. Together, the two somehow stumble into an alternate reality that takes the form of a massive castle. They are soon captured by the castle’s tyrannical king, a distorted version of their own schoolteacher, Kamoshida. It is during this perilous confrontation that Akira discovers his powerful will to rebel against injustice, which in turn awakens his Persona and sets him on the path to becoming the leader of the Phantom Thieves.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Persona 5 manga first come out in English?
The first volume of the Persona 5 manga was scheduled for an English-language release in the United States on January 14, 2020. Pre-orders for this release went live on retailers like Amazon in November 2019, allowing fans to reserve a copy of the video game's adaptation ahead of its official launch.
What is the story of the Persona 5 manga about?
The manga follows the plot of the video game. A high school student, Akira Kurusu, is wrongfully put on probation and transferred to a new school in Tokyo. He and his friends awaken to supernatural powers, becoming the Phantom Thieves. They venture into a cognitive world to steal the corrupt desires from the hearts of adults.
Who is the main character in the Persona 5 manga?
The protagonist of the Persona 5 manga is named Akira Kurusu. This name was established for the manga adaptation. The story begins with his transfer to Shujin Academy on probation, where he meets Ryuji Sakamoto and awakens his Persona after stumbling into an alternate reality controlled by the teacher Kamoshida.
What happens in the first volume of the Persona 5 manga?
The first volume covers the start of the story. It details Akira Kurusu's arrival at Shujin Academy, his meeting with Ryuji Sakamoto, and their accidental discovery of a mysterious castle in another reality. Inside, they confront a twisted version of their teacher, Kamoshida, which triggers the awakening of Akira's Persona.