Lovers Arcana

The Lovers Arcana or  is a recurring Arcana in the Persona series.

Overview
In tarot readings, the Lovers Arcana initially represented two paths life could lead to, and thus a symbol of standing at a crossroad and needing to make a decision. Today, however, it is portrayed more of a symbol of love and romantic relationships, although it can also be a symbol of finding agreement with an ordinary friend or even two conflicting elements within.

This can explain that the designs of the card for most Persona entries are centered around a male and female character, though the original card shows a man who must choose between one mature and serious woman and a young and beautiful woman, with Cupid above his head preparing to shoot a single arrow. This drawing is more representative of the idea of hesitation and decision between the "right" way and the "easy" way.

Gameplay-wise, the Personas of the Lovers Arcana are commonly associated with Support-Healing attributes; these Personas are usually fairies or important figures in history or mythology that were known as the wife (or husband) of another figure. Though in some cases, they are beings associated with the union of two people, or in a more general term, deities/beings that are associated with love and/or union.

A commonality among individuals of the Lovers Arcana is their popularity, cheerfulness, and their emphasis on social interaction. Lovers characters are almost always the "popular" ones, if not, then they are the "spirited" ones. The protagonist's bond with them centers around helping them understand what they want to do with their lives, often by helping them realize their true feelings for what they've been doing up until that point.

With the exceptions of Megami Ibunroku Persona and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, the first female party member seen in a Persona game is always of the Lovers Arcana. (Although Chie Satonaka is the first female party member the protagonist meets in Persona 4, Rise is first seen in a commercial on a train as the player heads to Inaba.)

Since Persona 3, the protagonist at some point gets the option to hug the female party member of the Lovers Arcana either in a canon scene or in order to start dating the girl.

Appearances

 * Megami Ibunroku Persona
 * Persona 2: Innocent Sin
 * Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
 * Persona 3 / FES / Portable
 * Persona 4 / Golden
 * Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
 * Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
 * Persona 5 / Royal 
 * Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight
 * Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
 * Persona 5 Strikers

List of Personas
In Megami Ibunroku Persona and Persona 2, this Arcanum corresponds to the Fairy race.

Megami Ibunroku Persona
The protagonist can guarantee a fusion accident resulting in a Lovers Arcana persona by starting from a "hard reset" (as in not already in mid-game and loading a save or selecting "Return to Title") and performing a White Fusion after taking exactly 275 steps in an area where no enemies will attack, such as the Mikage Sun Mall.

Innocent Sin
The Lovers Tarot is the arcana of the playable character Lisa Silverman, as well as her initial Persona, Eros. Lisa can both obtain Eros Prime if certain requirements are fulfilled, and her ultimate Persona, Venus, if the party collects the Pink Argus Mask.

Persona 3
The Lovers Arcana Social Link is represented by Yukari Takeba, a member of SEES and the classmate of the protagonist. The Social Link can be initiated after July 23rd, furthermore, the protagonist must have his Charm status maxed out before creating the Lovers Arcana social link with Yukari. The Lovers Arcana powers up every time the protagonist interacts with Yukari, where he helps her mend her relationship with her mother and cope with her father's death.

Completing the Lovers Social Link allows Yukari to start accepting her mother and fall in love with the protagonist. Yukari would then grant the protagonist her Cellphone-strap, bestowing the ultimate form of the Lovers Arcana, the Earth Mother, Cybele.

In FES, the Lovers Arcana remains relatively the same as Persona 3, however, an exclusive Persona, Alp was added in the Lovers Arcana repertoire. In Portable, Tam Lin was added as well.

Persona 4
The Lovers Arcana is represented by Rise Kujikawa, a teen-idol enrolling in Yasogami High School and a member of the Investigation Team. After rescuing Rise from the Midnight Channel, Rise took an apparent liking to the protagonist, but does not create any Social Link until July 23rd, the day after their first-term examinations.

As mentioned above, the Lovers Arcana Social Link is automatically initiated during the storyline, where the Investigation Team meets up in the Junes Food Court after the examination. There, Rise expresses her interest in the protagonist, and requests the protagonist take her to "cool places" around Yasoinaba, since she, as an idol felt awkward to visit Yasoinaba alone.

Through the protagonist's interaction with Rise, Rise reveals her conflicted urge of returning to showbiz, in which the protagonist helps her to understand her true desires. By the end of the Social Link, Rise realizes that "Risette" isn't a fabricated personality, but one of her many traits. Upon her realization, Rise exclaims that she would return to showbiz, hoping to show the world her other traits other than Risette. With Rise finally finding her resolution, her Persona transmogrifies into Kanzeon. Rise would also grant the protagonist her signed photo, bestowing the ultimate form of the Lovers Arcana, Ishtar, the Goddess of Love.

In Persona 4 Golden, Rise can unlock a third-tier persona: Kouzeon. This is done by initiating Social Link meeting at any point after 1/10 if the Lovers Arcana is at Rank 10. ​​​​

Persona 4 Arena
The Lovers Arcana is represented by Rise Kujikawa, and Yukari Takeba with her Persona Isis.

Persona 5
The Lovers Arcana is represented by the Confidant with Ann Takamaki, which ranks up as the protagonist interacts with her. This Confidant unlocks improvements in negotiations during Hold Up and various team member skills for Ann as it ranks up. Ann's Confidant revolves around her modeling career and her rivalry with fellow model Mika, as well as her finding inner strength for her friend Shiho's sake, who is in physical therapy after her suicide attempt. Ann comes to the realization that she wants to devote herself to becoming a real model to give others the same strength.

As the Confidant reaches maximum Ann's Persona, Carmen, will transmogrify into Hecate. Completing the Lovers Arcana Confidant will also bestow the ultimate form of the Arcana, Ishtar.

In Persona 5 Royal, if the Lovers Arcana confidant is maxed out and the protagonist chooses to reject the false reality during the events of the third semester, Ann Takamaki will unlock her third tier Persona: Célestine, by fusing Carmen and Hecate.