Summary
ThePersonaseries has always used color as a visual representation of the major themes throughout the franchise. With a recentPersona 6rumor claiming the game will use green as its primary color motif, thePersonafan base has begun speculating as to what the use of this color could imply about the game’s story. In order to understandPersona 6’s potential narrative design, it’s important to look at the franchise’s history with color and how it impacts the major themes of each entry.
While the game has yet to be officially announced,leaks and rumors surroundingPersona 6’s developmentand potential release date have been circulating online. Among these rumors is the claim thatPersona 6will use green as its primary color motif, which makes sense followingPersona 3’s use of blue,Persona 4’s use of yellow, andPersona 5’s use of red. By looking back at each entry’s color motif, fans may be able to get a sense of howPersona 6may tie the color green into the overarching themes of its narrative.
How Color Motifs Support the Narratives of Each Persona Game
Persona 1 and 2
Persona 1and thePersona 2duologyare outliers in the series in that they don’t intertwine their color palettes with their themes as obviously as other entries. The originalPersonauses purple as its primary color motif, which could tie into the game’s themes of strength and the ambition to face a world overrun with demons.Persona 2: Innocent Sinprimarily uses the color red to convey its themes of danger and provocation associated with spreading rumors, andPersona 2: Eternal Punishmentfollows a similar color theme asPersona 1with its use of purple.
Persona 3
Persona 3is where many fans consider the modern era of the franchise to begin, along with the series' current trend of using color to visually support a game’s overarching themes. Many considerPersona 3to be the most depressing game in the series, dealing with themes of loss and grief as characters grapple with their mortality. These themes are supported by the game’s emphasis on the color blue, which is often associated with melancholy and depression, but also tranquility and acceptance.
Persona 4
Persona 4utilizes yellow as its primary color motif, which typically symbolizes happiness, energy, and positivity, but can also represent caution and deception. The duality of this color fits in withPersona 4’s outwardly upbeat appearance and emphasis on entertainment, with the TV world and an idol likeRise Kujikawaplaying major roles in the story, while also supporting its more sinister underlying theme of mystery as the investigation team works to uncover the truth behind the string of killings in Inaba.
Persona 5
The bright red used as the main color motif forPersona 5reflects the game’s emphasis on desire, authority, courage, and revenge.Persona 5focuses on the twisted desires of those in positions of authority and the negative consequences they have on society, while also showing characters developing the courage to stand up to those figures. In a corruption of this theme, red can also representGoro Akechi’s obsession with revengeand how it contrasts with the ideals of the Phantom Thieves.
What Persona 6’s Rumored Green Color Motif Could Imply
Looking at these color motifs, it’s clear that Atlus is committed to interweaving the narrative design with the visual design of thePersonaseries. When consideringPersona 6’s rumored green color motif, it seems likely the game will deal with themes such as renewal and rebirth, since green is often associated with the circle of life.Persona 6could even serve as a soft reboot for the series, given that green can often represent new beginnings, but it could also be representative of themes such as greed or envy as major motivating factors in the game’s plot.
