Persona 5 Characters List: Meet the Phantom Thieves

The protagonist of Persona 5 – Joker – wouldn’t go far without the support of his fellow Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

Each of them plays a vital role in the main plot, and their relationships with Joker shape the emotional and moral core of the story.

Without further ado, here’s our detailed look at every playable member of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, their personalities, and their importance to Persona 5’s narrative and gameplay.

Who are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?

The Phantom Thieves of Hearts are Joker’s closest allies and the main playable characters in Persona 5.

Each member is a Persona-user aware of the Metaverse and its strange realities. Though they have different personalities and motivations, they’re united by a shared goal — to change society for the better by confronting and reforming corrupt adults who misuse their power.

With their unique abilities, the Thieves can enter distorted cognitive worlds called Palaces, confront the Shadows inside, and steal the Treasure — the physical embodiment of the Palace ruler’s warped desires. Doing so forces a “Change of Heart,” compelling the villain to repent for their sins.

The Protagonist (Joker)

Name: Customizable / Ren Amamiya / Akira Kurusu
Codename: Joker
Persona: Any (initial persona: Arsene)
Specialty: Varies (depends on equipped persona)
Weakness: Varies (depends on equipped persona)
Arcana: Fool, World

Joker serves as the silent yet charismatic protagonist of Persona 5 and Persona 5 Strikers. He’s the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. While players can choose his name, “Ren Amamiya” is commonly used in spin-offs, and “Akira Kurusu” in the manga adaptation.

Before the events of the game, Joker’s attempt to help a woman being assaulted leads to disaster when the attacker — a powerful politician named Masayoshi Shido — falsely accuses him of assault. This injustice lands Joker on probation and forces him to transfer to Shujin Academy, where he’s branded as a troublemaker and ostracized by his peers.

Despite being treated unfairly, Joker’s sense of justice never fades. When he learns that a teacher, Kamoshida, is abusing his students, he awakens to his Persona powers and decides to fight back. From that moment, he devotes himself to reforming the hearts of corrupt individuals.

Like earlier Persona protagonists, Joker is mostly silent but far from emotionless. His smirks, taunts, and gestures suggest a confident and slightly theatrical personality. As a Wildcard, he can switch between multiple Personas, giving him unmatched versatility in combat and a broad range of elemental affinities and skills.

Morgana (Mona)

Name: Morgana
Codename: Mona
Persona: Zorro / Mercurius / Diego
Specialty: Wind, HP recovery, status healing
Weakness: Electricity
Arcana: Magician

Morgana insists he’s not a cat — though everyone else would disagree. To regular humans, he appears as an ordinary feline, and only the Phantom Thieves can understand his speech.

Within the Metaverse, Morgana transforms into Mona, an anthropomorphic, cartoonish creature who serves as the group’s mascot and guide. He had already awakened to his Persona, Zorro, long before meeting Joker and Ryuji, and becomes their mentor during their first accidental trip into the Metaverse.

Morgana suffers from memory loss and longs to discover his true identity and original form. While he’s arrogant and quick to lecture others — especially Ryuji — his intentions are good. His crush on Ann adds humor and charm, though sometimes awkwardly. Despite his flaws, Morgana’s loyalty and bravery make him indispensable to the team.

Ryuji Sakamoto (Skull)

Name: Ryuji Sakamoto
Codename: Skull
Persona: Captain Kidd / Seiten Taisei / William
Specialty: Electricity, Physical, Attack buffs
Weakness: Wind
Arcana: Chariot

Ask anyone at Shujin Academy about Ryuji, and you’ll likely hear that he’s nothing but trouble. Yet beneath his loud, reckless exterior lies one of Joker’s most loyal and kind-hearted allies.

Once a star track athlete, Ryuji’s defiance against the abusive coach Kamoshida led to the dissolution of the track team and his downfall as a student. Isolated and angry, he meets Joker — another outcast — and the two quickly bond. Together, they stumble into the Metaverse and awaken their Personas for the first time. Ryuji’s Captain Kidd reflects his rebellious, courageous spirit. Despite his brashness, he’s always guided by a strong moral compass and an unshakable sense of justice.

Ann Takamaki (Panther)

Name: Ann Takamaki
Codename: Panther
Persona: Carmen / Hecate / Celestine
Specialty: Fire, Healing, Debuffs, Status effects
Weakness: Ice
Arcana: Lovers

Ann’s striking appearance often makes her a topic of gossip. Her blonde hair and blue eyes, inherited from her mixed American-Japanese heritage, make her stand out in Shujin Academy’s student body. Though cheerful by nature, her frequent absences and isolation make her seem distant at first.

Ann becomes the target of Kamoshida’s harassment, enduring his unwanted advances to protect her best friend, Shiho. When Shiho’s suffering drives her to attempt suicide, Ann vows revenge. By following Joker and Ryuji into the Metaverse, she discovers Kamoshida’s distorted Palace and awakens to her Persona, Carmen. From that moment, she joins the Phantom Thieves to fight back against injustice and cruelty.

Yusuke Kitagawa (Fox)

Name: Yusuke Kitagawa
Codename: Fox
Persona: Goemon / Kamu Susano-o / Gorokichi
Specialty: Ice
Weakness: Fire
Arcana: Emperor

Yusuke is a passionate artist and pupil of the renowned painter Ichiryusai Madarame, who is later revealed to be the Phantom Thieves’ next target. Having been taken in by Madarame after his mother’s death, Yusuke idolizes his mentor — until the Thieves expose the truth: Madarame plagiarizes his students’ work and exploited Yusuke’s mother’s talent before her untimely death.

Realizing his mentor’s cruelty shatters Yusuke’s illusions, awakening his Persona, Goemon. Freed from manipulation, he continues to pursue his art with renewed independence. Though eccentric and financially struggling, his artistic passion and unique worldview make him one of the group’s most memorable members.

Makoto Niijima (Queen)

Name: Makoto Niijima
Codename: Queen
Persona: Johanna / Anat / Agness
Specialty: Nuclear, Healing, Defense buffs
Weakness: Psychic
Arcana: Priestess

Initially, Makoto opposes the Phantom Thieves. Acting on orders from Shujin’s corrupt headmaster, she spies on Joker’s group, believing she’s fulfilling her duties as the student council president. Living under pressure from her older sister, Sae Niijima, and desperate to prove herself, Makoto strives for academic perfection to ease her sister’s burden.

After discovering the Thieves’ identities, she demands that they prove their ideals by targeting the gangster Kaneshiro, who exploits students. When her plan to confront him goes wrong, her frustration and defiance spark her awakening to her Persona, Johanna. Makoto then becomes a trusted strategist and the voice of reason in the group, driven by her deep sense of justice inherited from her late father.

Futaba Sakura (Oracle)

Name: Futaba Sakura
Codename: Oracle (Navi in Japanese)
Persona: Necronomicon / Prometheus / Al Azif
Specialty: Analysis, Support
Weakness: Non-combatant
Arcana: Hermit

Futaba is a reclusive genius hacker and founder of the Medjed collective, known for exposing corporate corruption. She reaches out to the Phantom Thieves and demands they steal her own heart, unknowingly leading them to discover that Palaces aren’t limited to villains — they can also stem from deep trauma.

Haunted by false memories and guilt surrounding her mother’s death, Futaba believes Wakaba hated her. In truth, Wakaba was murdered for her research into the Metaverse, and the supposed suicide note blaming Futaba was fabricated. When the truth is revealed, Futaba awakens to her Persona, Necronomicon, and begins to heal. Though she remains socially anxious, she rejoins society and supports the Thieves as their brilliant navigator and analyst.

Haru Okumura (Noir)

Name: Haru Okumura
Codename: Noir
Persona: Milady / Astarte / Lucy
Specialty: Psychic, Gun attacks
Weakness: Nuclear
Arcana: Empress

Haru is the heiress to Okumura Foods and the daughter of the Phantom Thieves’ fifth target, Kunikazu Okumura. When Joker’s team meets her, she has already awakened her Persona and explores her father’s Palace alongside Morgana, who had temporarily left the group.

Haru’s goal is to save her father from his greed and obsession with wealth. However, his death following a public confession — caused by outside interference — devastates her. Freed from her arranged marriage to the abusive Sugimura, Haru remains a gentle but resilient ally, opening up to her teammates and growing stronger as Noir.

Goro Akechi (Crow)

Warning: This section contains major spoilers.

Name: Goro Akechi
Codename: Crow
Persona: Robin Hood / Loki / Hereward (Wildcard)
Specialty: Varies — Almighty, Bless, Curse, or Physical/Gun
Weakness: Varies depending on persona
Arcana: Justice

Akechi is a celebrated high school detective assisting prosecutor Sae Niijima in her investigation of the Phantom Thieves. Outwardly polite and intelligent, he becomes a national celebrity for his charm and insight.

Although he publicly criticizes the Thieves, he eventually joins them under the pretense of cooperation. In truth, Akechi has been using his Wildcard powers for years as an assassin for his father — Masayoshi Shido, the very politician who ruined Joker’s life. His murders, including those of Wakaba and Kunikazu Okumura, were responsible for numerous psychotic incidents.

Behind his calm demeanor lies deep resentment and loneliness. The Thieves’ compassion toward him ultimately causes Akechi to rethink his self-destructive path. In the end, he sacrifices himself to help them escape Shido’s trap, leaving a lasting impression on the group and on Joker himself.

Kasumi Yoshizawa (Violet) – Royal exclusive

Warning: Major spoilers for Persona 5 Royal.

Name: Kasumi Yoshizawa
Codename: Violet
Persona: Cendrillon / Vanadis / Ella
Specialty: Bless
Weakness: Curse
Arcana: Faith

Kasumi is a promising gymnast who transfers to Shujin Academy on an athletic scholarship. Poised, graceful, and admired, she attends regular therapy sessions with Dr. Maruki following the death of her sister, Sumire, in an accident.

During one of her Metaverse encounters with Joker, Kasumi awakens to her Persona, Cendrillon. Initially, she declines to join the Phantom Thieves. However, in the expanded Royal storyline, she later reconsiders and becomes an ally as they investigate Maruki’s Palace.

The truth eventually surfaces: Kasumi died in the accident, and it was Sumire who survived — assuming her sister’s identity out of guilt and denial. With Maruki’s guidance, her delusion persisted until she faced reality, reclaimed her identity, and awakened to her true self.

Sophia (Sophie) – Persona 5 Strikers exclusive

Name: Sophia
Codename: Sophie
Persona: Pithos / Pandora
Specialty: Bless, Healing, Debuffs
Weakness: Curse
Arcana: Faith

Sophia is an advanced AI created by Kuon Ichinose. Though designed to learn about humanity through empathy, her creator deemed her defective and replaced her with the AI system EMMA. When the Phantom Thieves encounter Sophia in Alice’s Jail, she aids their escape and manifests as a virtual companion on their phones in the real world.

Despite lacking a human body, Sophia develops genuine emotions and bonds with the group. As she begins to view herself as more than just code, she awakens her true Persona, Pandora, proving that humanity isn’t defined by flesh but by compassion and choice.

Zenkichi Hasegawa (Wolf) – Persona 5 Strikers exclusive

Name: Zenkichi Hasegawa
Codename: Wolf
Persona: Valjean
Specialty: Physical, Gun, Almighty, Buffs
Weakness: None
Arcana: Apostle

Zenkichi is a police inspector assigned to investigate a string of mysterious “Changes of Heart.” Believing the Phantom Thieves might be responsible, he coerces them into cooperating with his investigation. However, his sincerity and integrity quickly win their trust.

He’s also a devoted father to Akane, though their relationship is strained due to his perceived failures. When confronted by his daughter’s Shadow in her Jail, Zenkichi awakens to his Persona, Valjean, and helps her reconcile with her pain. He remains a grounded, intelligent, and occasionally panicky but dependable member of the team.

Now you know the Phantom Thieves of Hearts!

With each member’s story revealed, you can appreciate just how unique and powerful the Phantom Thieves truly are. To experience their adventures firsthand, dive into Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal, and Persona 5 Strikers today.

Ready to join their cause? Check out Persona 5 accounts at Gamer Choice — and start your own calling card mission!