Anyway, the animation is much improved from the last one, though that's pretty much expected. The opening scene is pretty wild. I'm not sure why they chose to kick off the movie with that one, but anyway, that's beside the point because I couldn't care less about that one fan service moment, even though it’s pretty funny. I still don't like the Japanese dub that much, but I think the voice actors all did a great job regardless—probably because I'm too used to the English dub. I wish there were a fan dub for this one like the first movie, but that's still fine. I'm watching to see where this second movie leads from the first. The action scenes are also better; it’s like they took a step forward from the previous movie in a lot of ways. As a Persona fan, I’ve enjoyed this movie so far in many aspects. The fan service feels unnecessary in some parts, though. The opening music is a banger, even though I still prefer Burn My Dread from the previous movie.
Makoto just had character development in this movie when he should have already been able to get along with others in the previous one. Now, he’s learning to have fun and showing slightly more personality around his friends at the dorm. I don’t hate it—I’m even happy they took a step forward with his character—but I just wish they had done it earlier so they didn’t have to lazily drag it out to the second movie just to eventually make him more charismatic. It makes sense regardless, because by the end of the first movie, Makoto had become more comionate and started caring for his friends, rather than just following commands as if he were assigned to do so. Yukari was able to get over the fact that SEES was using Makoto and such, and now she feels more like a happy, well-adjusted woman who can get along with others in this movie. This is a step forward from the first movie. I was thinking they could have added the part where she was worried about always being the one who needed saving and never being able to save others herself. Then, she could have overcome her anxiety to awaken her Theurgy attack. Junpei has a much better portrayal in this movie; his character feels more balanced, lively, and not as gloomy as in the game. Compared to the first movie, where he was portrayed as too ruthless and vigilant, this is a welcome change. Character development shows a lot more in this movie, indicating that the first movie didn’t do a good enough job, so they had to bring all of that into the second movie of the trilogy to make everything feel more lively and sensible in of character. I wish Akihiko were cooler and calmer, but this movie kind of makes him feel like a side joke character. I don't really mind, though; it's nice to see one of my favorite characters have some fun for a change, so thanks to this movie for that. I don't know why, but Akihiko's summer outfit is diabolical. They could have made a change in the adaptation, but no, this man is wearing something that looks like underwear and comes across as some kind of freak. This is one of the reasons why I don't really want to sit through the summer parts of anime—they either end up being outrageous fan service or something I just can't be bothered with at all. Aegis's presentation and portrayal, right down to her writing in this movie, is insanely good, and I’m not trying to be hyperbolic just because she’s my favorite Persona character—it’s actually really well done. In contrast to all the other characters, they introduced her to the series as if she’s Rei Ayanami to Makoto’s Shinji Ikari. They kind of rushed Ken's introduction, showing him as just a kid who can walk around during the Dark Hour, and suddenly he’s able to use Persona powers. However, I do like the backstory where he gets to avenge his mother’s death by defeating the exact Shadow that killed her two years earlier. While he might initially seem like he doesn't have much information or reasons for us to care about him, his backstory is simple yet well-written. Strega's introduction is also rushed, making them seem like typical evil villains who kill people and enjoy manipulating the Dark Hour, turning it into their playground but I think every character still has a good portrayal regardless. Takaya's introduction is simple but well done, and the same goes for Jin. His persona is pretty cool too.
I have to it that before this point, the rest of my writing was done while I was still watching the movie, jotting down my thoughts as they came. So, from this message onward, I'll be sharing my final thoughts after having finished the movie. First of all, the ending was very impactful and painful for me, especially as someone who really likes Shinjiro. What I appreciate most about this movie, and what probably makes it the best among the Persona 3 films, is that it is the most balanced in of pacing and emotional shifts. The tone and all the elements it offers are well integrated. Ken’s storyline, especially the revelation about the true culprit behind his mother’s death, is surprisingly well-written. I was impressed by how the movie made Ken seem like a good character for the first time. I’ve never liked Ken and have always found him annoying, but the way his story intertwines with Shinjiro’s was very well done, and it actually resonated with me. While some parts of the movie felt rushed, I appreciated that this one made an effort to incorporate the social links into the overall narrative, unlike the first movie where they were barely touched upon. Aigis adds a lot of humor and joy to the film, and Junpei is much better portrayed this time around, as I mentioned earlier. Shinjiro’s voice acting is a major reason why I care about the Japanese dub of Persona 3. It's the same voice actor as Zoro, and I love hearing him as Shinjiro too. Overall, this movie is easily the best of the series because everything just seems to work much better than in the first movie, which felt boring and too straightforward, lacking in character development. As for Strega, they are actually a solid group of villains. Although they didn’t get as much screen time as they deserved, they were still effective in their roles. Takaya, in particular, became even more hateable after what he did.
Easily their best one but I’ll come back and edit if my opinions change whatsoever.
