Every Persona game comes with some top tier waifu material, and Persona 5 was no disappointment in that regard. Carrying on the success from Persona 4 Golden several years earlier (and this year, it seems), Persona 5 took a slightly different approach to their romance options. Not only was there the usual party member romance options available, but some distinctly more mature options for the high schooled Joker to try to woo.

With this unique set of datable characters available, it can be overwhelming to know who is your best bet, but that’s why we’re here: to be your guide to the waifu world. As always, these are just opinions and a bit of fun, so don’t worry too much about it!

The Persona 5 Royal Waifus

Chihaya Mifune

Of all the characters in Persona 5, Chihaya is the only one that I fine genuinely boring, particularly at the start. She is easy to forget about, even as she drops hints at a sinister organisation manipulating her.

Futaba Sakura

I adore Futaba as a character. Her journey is one of the most emotional and fulfilling in the whole game. If this were a list of who I would want to hang out with, she would be near the top. Futaba must be protected at all costs, but she fits more neatly into the Little Sister role for me than a romanceable character.

Hifumi Toga

Hifumi is one that I should be more excited about than I actually am. She’s sharp and vulnerable at the same time, trying to do what’s right for everyone and forgetting about herself. Again, if this were about who I’d want to be friends with, our favourite shoji idol might be higher on this list, but among the packed waifu field of Persona 5, she just fades into the background.

Ichiko Ohya

I love a hard-nosed reporter trying to clear their partner’s name, fighting against the systems that seek to keep them down all the while. More than most of the older romance options in the game, Ohya embodies the spirit of rebellion that is the central theme of Persona 5. Unfortunately, the benefits you get for maxing out her confidant just aren’t as useful as some of the other characters, so she is one that just slips by the wayside for me.

Makoto Niijima

Let’s get one thing straight right now: I love Makoto. From the moment her persona explodes forth in the form of a motorcycle with a face to her post-apocalyptic biker chick out, Makoto is absolutely my favourite blend of tea. And if her storyline lived up to the promise of her first awakening or her badass design, she would easily top this list. But Persona 5 is a game with more waifus than it knows what to do with and Makoto just doesn’t get the kind of development of some of the others.

Haru Okumura

Haru is a sweetheart wielding a giant battle axe and a grenade launcher. She’s equal parts adorable and scary, which is a potent combination. However, she suffers from a late game introduction, giving you very little time to build her confidant up to romancing levels. However, once you get there, she can have a very fulfilling storyline of learning who she can and can’t trust within the shady corporate world she has been thrust into.

Tae Takemi

A punk/goth doctor operating in a back alley near Le Blanc, Tae is visually the most appealing romance option in Persona 5 for me. Her story about fighting corruption within the medical field and saving a young girl’s life is so on brand for the game. Add in the fact that unlocking her higher confidant ranks unlocks some great rewards and she is a great romance choice for your playthrough.

Sadayo Kawakami

I feel like Kawakami is the most controversial romance option in Persona 5. She is your teacher who is moonlighting as an in-house maid service because of a debt she feels she owes to the family of a former student. There are a lot of boundaries that are getting ignored here and its important to acknowledge that. However, she is also the best example of a character growing and developing into a far better version of herself by the end of the game.

With Joker’s help, she reignites her passion for teaching, pushing her students to grow and try harder all the time and I love to see this change in her. Of all the mature options, Kawakami is the best one.

Kasumi Yoshizawa

Introduced exclusively for Persona 5 Royal, Kasumi is, well, she’s a mystery in a lot of ways. She’s fun and enthusiastic, resisting the call to join the Phantom Thieves for most of the year until some dark secrets from her past are revealed. I love her character design and I love what they do with her in the new semester that is added for Royal. Going into it too much would delve into spoiler territory, but even if you do see it coming you’ll still be able to enjoy the way it plays out.

Ann Takamaki

Ann is part of the original party, so she gets the most time to develop as a character. From the incredible first dungeon straight to the end, Ann is one of the most fun characters in the game. Her story is as much about discovering the person she wants to be as it is growing beyond the trauma she suffered at the hands of her abuser. She becomes a force to be reckoned with both within the Phantom Thieves and within her modelling career. By the end of the game, you are left with no doubt that Ann will change the world, so she manages to edge out the competition to claim my top spot.

Her cat-suit design with the whip and the fluffy twin-tails don’t hurt her case either.

So, what do you think? Who is your top waifu in Persona 5? If I’ve besmirched your favourite, be sure to let me know in the Rice Digital Discord server!

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