Persona 4 Arena and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax manga translations will be released in English over a decade after their initial Japanese debuts. When the first Persona 4 Arena was published, it was accompanied by a three-volume manga adaptation written and drawn by Aiya Kyu that followed the events of the game. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax got a manga adaptation shortly after its debut, this time by Rokuro Saito, which was published monthly until 2018.
Rokuro Saito would later be in charge of the manga translation and spin-off manga Persona 5: Mementos Mission, which didn’t get an English version until last year. Similarly, the Persona 4 Arena manga was never released in English and is only accessible via unauthorised fan translations. Udon Entertainment has planned an English adaptation of these mangas for publication next year, after the recent transfers of Persona 4: Arena Ultimax to current platforms.
This was confirmed on both Udon Entertainment’s official Twitter account and website, announcing that the manga adaptations of Persona 4 Arena and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax would be published during 2023. Udon has also released the covers for all three volumes of Persona 4 Arena: The Manga, which all feature some of Persona 4 Arena’s playable characters. Arena’s first three volumes will be published in February, with further volumes following bimonthly.
Only the first cover of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax was displayed, with Udon stating that the first volume would be released on August 20, 2023. The website does not give a release date for the next volumes, but it does provide sample pages for this manga adaptation. These mangas are now available for pre-order at major anime and book retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, RightStuf, and others. Udon Entertainment’s website has a complete list.
Despite the long time span between the original game’s debut and its subsequent platform versions, Persona 4 Arena’s legacy is still felt today. It was successful in breaking the Persona series out from the JRPG genre, resulting in numerous subsequent spin-offs. It also brought together the characters of Persona 3 and Persona 4, enabling them to share continuity and operate as a direct successor to both games. It also added to the franchise’s legacy, not just by giving newcomers like Labrys and Sho Minazuki distinct character arcs, but also by fleshing out the tales of veterans like Elizabeth. This comic should be a pleasant depiction of both games’ events for both new and veteran fans to enjoy.
Persona 4 Arena: The Manga and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax: Persona 4 Arena Ultimax: Persona 4 Arena Ultimax: Persona 4 Arena Ultima The English translations of the manga will be available until 2023.
