persona 2 characters' descriptions
Tatsuya Suou
Protagonist of Innocent Sin and a major character in Eternal Punishment, Tatsuya is clearly the character in which the premise of Persona 2 revolves around. Suou is a distant, aloof loner who is widely considered to be the coolest boy in Seven Sisters High School for that purpose. He might seem intimidating and harsh at first glance, but underneath that exterior hides a socially awkward guy who just needs a lot of space. Few things matter to Tatsuya as much as his prized lighter, a momento from his best friend, and his motorcycle, and he's really good with machinery. In Eternal Punishment, his character is significantly more severe. No longer the silent protagonist (that role has been given to Maya, who was much more talkative in Innocent Sin), Tatsuya is an independent loner who resolves to settle the Nyarlathotep crisis on his own. He doesn't want other people, especially Maya Amano, to get involved because it's too dangerous. The death of Maya in the epilogue of Innocent Sin hits him hard, and he doesn't want Maya to have anything else to do with Nyarlathotep and JOKER in the Other Side(Eternal Punishment). Tatsuya shows a hidden sentimental side, refusing to forget his friends and indirectly placing the world in peril once again because of his actions. His arcana is Sun, fitting how he becomes increasingly assured and enlightened at the end of the games.
Maya Amano
A major character in Innocent Sin and the protagonist of Eternal Punishment, Maya is a very crucial character to the story of Persona 2. A reporter for the teenage magazine, Coolest, Maya serves as the "older sister" for the group. She's silly, funny and optimistic, her motto being "Let's think Positive!" She resolves to, unlike her father, forge a balance between work and her family, but is also unable to do so, placing her wholehearted effort in her job. Maya is also very courageous and caring, even delving into a sea of flames (her greatest fear) to rescue children and a girl who was working for the Masked Circle. Her biggest dream is to guide people to achieve their dreams; an idealist to the end. She's also the first one to believe that Jun, who was Master Joker, was not inherently evil and could be redeemed. In fact, in contrast to the quiet Tatsuya, Maya takes on the leadership role in the team, despite not being the protagonist. Her quest leads her to fight Nyarlathotep, where she meets her end, forcing the group to forget their memories to create an alternate world. Maya, in Eternal Punishment, takes on the role of the silent protagonist, but her overall likable and charismatic personality remains unchanged. Her arcana is Moon, which fits her creative, fantastical side. Like the Moon Arcana, Maya is shown to be the one that is most sensitive to the Personae and their feelings.
Eikichi Mishina
Eikichi is a major character in Persona 2: Innocent Sin, one of the individuals who played in the Masked Circle when they were younger, alongside Tatsuya, Jun, Lisa and "Big Sis" Maya. The present Eikichi is a narcissistic, loud "Boss" in Kasugayama High School, who is fond of visual kei attire. Eikichi forges a strange sort of friendship with Lisa Silverman. They squabble all day, but they're the ones who understand each other best. Eikichi leads a band, "Gas Chamber", and his attempts to recruit the stoic Tatsuya causes them to meet once again. He is extremely fearful of his father, who is a strict traditionalist, with his image even appearing as a boss battle in Xibalba. Eikichi is incredibly devoted to his loved ones and would do anything to help them, blaming himself if anything happens to them. He cries and thinks that it's his fault when his friends are claimed by Master Joker, and is heartbroken when they disappear for good. Eikichi used to be a plump, introverted and sweet kid when he was younger, and it even resulted in an incident in which his childhood sweetheart hurt his feelings about his weight. Since then, he has undergone a complete overhaul, pursuing looks and beauty above all else. His arcana is Death, showing his complete transformation, in looks with his father, and in his physique as a result from his childhood incident.
Lisa Silverman
A major character in Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Lisa is a Caucasian living in Sumaru City. Her parents are Japanophiles, forcing her to become the ideal "Japanese girl" despite being white. The rebellious Lisa does the exact opposite of what her parents want, instead learning Cantonese and inserting random Cantonese phrases into her spoken vocabulary. Lisa is a big fan of Bruce Lee and martial arts as well. She apparently harbors dreams of becoming an idol, alongside her friends Meeho and Sheba, and nurses an extremely strong crush on the cool Tatsuya because she thinks he's hot enough to boost her self-esteem. Her shadow revealed that she has experimented with drugs and compensated dating with older men as well, to rebel against her parents. Lisa frightens Tatsuya at first with her passion, forcing him to be very awkward in her presence. Despite everyone's expectations, Lisa is completely unable to speak English, which becomes a major plot point in her story arc. Lisa is cool to those she's not interested in, and is even haughty to those she dislikes, stemming from the bullying and xenophobia she experienced from the other local children when she was younger. At the end of the game, though, she matures and begins to like Tatsuya for who he really is, as contrasted to his "cool" image. It was revealed that Tatsuya was her first love when she was younger, when they were all part of the Masked Circle. Her arcana is Lovers, with the choices that she had to make in her life and how important her love for Tatsuya is to her
Yukino Mayuzumi
A returning character from Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, Yukino Mayuzumi is now the apprentice of seasoned photographer, Fuiji Shunsuke, on whom she nurses a strong crush for. Yukino remains the same passionate, decisive and strong individual she used to be alongside the St. Hermelin crew, and her previous experiences with Personae makes her an invaluable asset to the team. She tries to disguise her tomboyish traits around Shunsuke, making her seem unnatural and fake in his presence. Her story arc is seperate from the others in Innocent Sin, given that she was never a part of the Masked Circle when younger, and her story is about guiding others to find the right path. In the manner in which Ms Saeko rescued her from her delinquent past, she empathizes with Anna Yoshizaka (Queen Scorpio of the Masked Circle, a depressed teenager who joins the nihilistic Masked Circle on a quest of self-destruction) and manages to save her from herself. Her arcana is Empress, how she remains "second in command" and how she manages to guide her comrades through the crisis in the same way a "mother" would.
Jun Kurosu
The most plot important character in the story of Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Jun Kurosu has an alter-ego as Master Joker, a jester-like antagonist that is rumored to be able to grant wishes when one dials their own telephone number and participates in the Joker game. He leads the organization, Masked Circle, to collect Ideal Energy for his own purposes. It is revealed, later on, that Joker is Jun Kurosu, the forgotten best friend of Tatsuya Suou. It is often remarked that Jun has the beauty and looks of a goddess, being prettier than actual females like Maya Amano and Lisa Silverman. Jun is a victim of the nefarious Nyarlathotep, who manipulated his memories and convinced the innocent, idealistic Jun that Tatsuya and co. were the ones responsible for the burning in the Alaya Shrine years ago, when they were all children, and for the "death" of Maya Amano, prompting his quest for vengeance against them. Jun has extensive knowledge of astrology and flower language, learnt from his father. As the Joker, Jun believes that he's doing the right thing, that he was following Maya's example and helping people achieve their dreams while exacting revenge on Tatsuya for the "sin" they committed. When Nyarlathotep finally releases his hold on Jun, he harbors a great deal of guilt and self-loathing for the actions he undertook as the Joker, and joins Tatsuya once again, hoping to make amends for his actions. Jun's most special item would have to be the silver wristwatch that Tatsuya gave him when they were children, showing the strong bond between the two, with Maya even calling them "dopplegangers". His arcana is the Wheel of Fortune, showing how he was ultimately the puppet of Fate.
Katsuya Suou
A major character in Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, Katsuya Suou is a by-the-books sergeant from the Konan Police Department. He is Tatsuya Suou's older brother and has followed in his father's footsteps to join the police force. When first seen in Innocent Sin from the point of view of Tatsuya Suou, Katsuya is a harsh, perfectionistic older brother who never seems pleased with Tatsuya no matter what he does. It is apparent that relations between the two are strained at best, and that it is Katsuya's fault for being so strict on his younger brother. However, in Eternal Punishment, Katsuya is revealed to be a caring older brother deep down, having given up his dreams of becoming a desert chef for his family. He has a strong sense of justice and upholds the law to the end, even wondering whether the penal code applies to demons. Katsuya develops a rivalry with the unorthodox, shady Baofu, and is revealed to nurse a crush on Maya Amano in the same manner that Tatsuya does. The true reason behind his joining of the police force is to clear his father's name from the frame-up orchestrated in Eternal Punishment. His arcana is Justice, to reflect his law-abiding, strict self with a strong sense of right and wrong.
Baofu
A major character in Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, the shady Baofu is a rumormonger, a extortionist and a Tap Buster. He is first seen in Innocent Sin as a rumormonger who has his own website, with his face never shown to Tatsuya and co. In Eternal Punishment, Baofu joins the party under the pretence of uncovering the truth behind the serial murderer JOKER and his connection to the insane pyromaniac, Tatsuya Sudou. His true purpose is to find Yung Pao, a Taiwanese Mafia Boss who has connections to Tatsuzou Sudou, the foreign minister of Japan. He was originally Kaoru Saga, a genius prosecutor who was marked for death alongside his assistant for their investigation into the Taiwanese Mafia. Kaoru survives with the power of Persona, but Miki does not. Kaoru has since lived with regret in his heart and promises to avenge her, even if it means pursuing the Mafia through illegal methods. His arcana is the Hanged Man, being bounded by his thirst for revenge.
Ulala Serizawa
A major character in Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, Ulala is Maya's roommate and best friend. She is obsessed with fortune telling and loves to go to matchmaking parties, despite her bad luck with men. In Innocent Sin, Ulala is first seen being a victim of a conman, who is coincidentally a member of the Masked Circle. Ulala has low self-confidence, usually depending on men to boost her self-esteem. She is a habitual drinker and is the one who does the cleaning and cooking for Maya. Secretly, she is jealous of Maya for being so popular and attractive, and drunk dials JOKER to kill Maya. After that, she is able to speak honestly with Maya, resolving her envy issues and becoming closer friends with Maya. Her arcana is Star, showing how Ulala eventually regains her self-confidence and hope.
Eriko Kirishima
A returning character from Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, Kirishima is now living her dream of being a model, gaining popularity in her chosen career. In Innocent Sin, she takes on a supporting role, helping the party uncover the clues left behind by King Leo of the Masked Circle with her abundant knowledge of the occult. In Eternal Punishment, Eriko becomes a playable character, to bring the party to Sumaru TV station to investigate Chizuru Ishigami's connection to the New World Order. In a reverse dimension, Eriko is revealed to have become a victim of a stalker and her unrequited love for Naoya Toudou of Persona fame comes back to haunt her yet again. She is still the courageous, knowledgeable ally she was before, proving to be a great asset to the party.
Kei Nanjou
A returning character from Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, Kei Nanjou is still the wealthy scion of the Nanjou conglomerate. Prior to Eternal Punishment, Kei was studying abroad in Oxford University, furiously pursuing his dream of becoming the "No. 1 Man in Japan". Kei still mentions his beloved butler, Yamaoka, who was killed in the events in Mikage-cho, and intends to honor his promise that he made years ago to become number one in Japan. In Eternal Punishment, Nanjou proves useful to the group as a party member, taking the party to a Science Lab run by Sudou and funded by the Nanjou Group, where victims of the JOKER curse are kidnapped and drained of Kegare "Sin Energy". His arrogance and snobbishness from the first game is more toned down, and he conducts himself with the behaviour of a man in his position and power.
Credit: These descriptions were written by steer2justice