Persona 5: The Phantom X

Persona 5: The Phantom X has arrived in western markets, and it’s proving to have the same charm as its predecessors, though a bit diluted thanks to gacha mechanics and other miscellaneous issues. Nevertheless, Persona 5: The Phantom X is yet another strong showcase of Atlus’ wild imagination, thrusting players into a world of whimsy, danger, and fantasy unlike what’s seen in most contemporary media.

And, of course, with these strengths come the same fundamental components of previous Persona and Shin Megami Tensei games. Players assume the role of Wonder, a second-year high-school student and the leader of his universe’s Phantom Thieves, who effectively fills the same role as Joker in the original Persona 5. As Wonder, players can collect a wide assortment of distinct Personas to control, with the first being Janosik, an Assassin-type Persona with a Gun affinity. While he is about as visually striking and charismatic as players would expect from a starting Persona, he is also more interesting than the vast majority of Personas and Demons in other Megaten games, being one of several such creatures modeled after real historical figures.

Persona 5 The Phantom X Lufel Morgana Comparison

How Persona 5: The Phantom X’s Lufel Compares to Morgana

Persona 5: The Phantom X introduces a new animal mascot called Lufel, who seems strikingly similar to Persona 5’s team guide Morgana.

Persona 5: The Phantom X’s Janosik Is Based On Juraj Janosik

Juraj Janosik Was Slovakia’s Robin Hood

Active from the late 17th century to the early 18th century, Janoj Janosik was a revered highwayman leader in the Kingdom of Hungary, a region that is now Slovakia. A rebel from a young age, Janosik fought alongside an anti-Hungarian insurgent group at just fifteen, before ultimately being captured and forced into military service by the Habsburg, the leaders of the Hungarian monarchy. He would eventually defect from the Habsburg army and form a highwayman group in his early twenties, and it is at this point that his legend begins in earnest.

Janosik’s group was well-known for its chivalry and honor: they were said to have only robbed rich merchants without resorting to overt or extreme violence. Legends also posit that they would share their stolen bounty with the poor and engage in an assortment of other charitable acts, which culminated in Janosik’s celebrity status at the time. He was eventually captured and sentenced to death in 1713, though the exact manner of his execution is a matter of historical ambiguity. Death did not soften Janosik’s influence, however, as he was hailed as an aspirational figure, not dissimilar to other peoples’ heroes like Robin Hood. As such, it’s not exactly surprising why Janosik would inspire a Persona in Persona 5: The Phantom X.

Juraj Janosik Embodies Persona 5: The Phantom X’s Core Themes

As is often the case with heroes of history and folklore, it’s good practice to take the legends of Juraj Janosik with a grain of salt: his chivalrous deeds were communicated through word-of-mouth, and many of the testimonies recounting such acts are secondhand accounts. Nevertheless, the character of Janosik—that is, the larger-than-life, progressive hero—is a powerful symbol for honor and fellowship, which are important themes in the Persona franchise. More specific to The Phantom X are Janosik’s traits of willpower, freedom, and passion.

The world of Persona 5: The Phantom X is plagued by apathy and resignation, with few actually taking the steps required to affect change. The Phantom Thieves are tasked with reigniting the hearts of their fellow citizens, and so it makes perfect sense for Janosik to be the first Persona the game’s main character acquires. From the time he was a boy, the real-world Janosik was fighting against the status quo, and that philosophy continued into his adult life, where he risked life and limb to be a hero of the people, rather than only looking out for himself or conforming to the expectations of controlling powers like the Habsburg army. Indeed, Janosik is a good role model for Wonder, and maybe even for players too.