Magician Arcana

The Magician Arcana is a recurring Arcana revolving the Persona franchise.

Overview
In tarot readings, the Magician Arcana is commonly associated with action, initiative, self-confidence, immaturity, manipulation, and power (more specifically, the power to harness one's talents).

Personas of the Magician Arcana are commonly Personas that excel at Magic, particularly with Fire-based spells. As the name suggests, mythological figures associated with the Magician Arcana are often associated with magic themselves, though there are some fire deities mixed in as well.

Characters of the Magician Arcana are, as of Persona 3, typically the first male friend (and Social Link) of the protagonist, and are typically perverted male characters, with the only exception to this being Yuka Ayase, the female Magician character from Megami Ibunroku Persona. Furthermore, they also serve as the best friend, right-hand man and/or second-in-command to the protagonist.

The common problem shared between members of the Magician Arcana is their questioning the basis of their overall self-esteem against their circumstances, causing them to suffer a severe inferiority complex: this is a question that all characters of the Magician Arcana may have to face. Otherwise, their certainty in themselves might be put into question by having their plans directly crushed, such as with Kenji Tomochika, who did not realize the teacher he had a crush on was about to get married to someone else. That being said, these characters always rediscover their self-esteem, usually thanks to the help of their friend: the respective protagonist.

An ongoing theme that is related to all Magician Arcana Social Links is the tragedy that befalls the social link character related to their romantic interest. Junpei Iori's romantic interest Chidori dies when she sacrifices her life to save his life, plus in the case she's brought back to life she won't have any memory of him. Kenji is devastated to learn that the woman he is interested in already has a fiance and is about to be married. Yosuke Hanamura's romantic interest Saki dies a tragic death at the hands of the murderer while also learning that she hated him (though whether or not she truly disliked him, or if this was a product of Yosuke's own fear that she did, remains ambiguous) Morgana's romantic interest in Ann is entirely unrequited.

Appearances

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

Megami Ibunroku Persona
The protagonist can guarantee a fusion accident resulting in a Magician Arcana Persona by starting from a "hard reset" (as in, not already mid-game and loading a save or selecting "Return to Title") and performing a White Fusion after taking exactly 333 steps in an area where no enemies will attack, such as the Mikage Sun Mall.

According to the Persona World guide, the Magician Arcana represents the Genma race.

The Magician Arcana is represented by Yuka Ayase.

Persona 2
In addition to Genma, The Magician in this game also includes famous wizards, both real and fictional.

Persona 3
The Magician Arcana is the second Arcana the protagonist creates after Fool Arcana. The Magician Arcana Social Link is represented by Kenji Tomochika, a classmate of the protagonist. Similar to the Fool Arcana, the Magician Arcana will be initiated regardless of the protagonist's actions and decisions.

The Magician Arcana powers up everytime the protagonist interacts with Kenji, where the protagonist helps Kenji to establish a relationship with a teacher. Upon completing the Social Link, Kenji will give the protagonist his hand-made choker, bestowing the ultimate form of the Magician Arcana, Surt, Lord of Fire.

The Magician Arcana is also the Persona Arcana of Junpei Iori, one of the members of SEES.

FES
The Magician Arcana remains relatively the same as Persona 3, however, an exclusive Persona, Hua Po was added in the Magician Arcana repertoire.

Portable
While pursuing the female protagonist's path, Junpei Iori will serve as the Magician Arcana Social Link character instead of Kenji Tomochika. Junpei develops a brotherly friendship with the female protagonist that, thanks to his relationship with Chidori later in the game, cannot be made romantic. During the events of the social link, pictures are floating about the protagonist in her gym wear. Junpei is infuriated by this and takes charge of tracking down the perpetrator. In the end, Junpei gives the protagonist the key holder to his home and tells her that he's going to see his father, and that her holding the key holder will be like she has his back. He then tells the female protagonist that he's there for her as she is for him.

Persona 4
The Magician Arcana Social Link is represented by Yosuke Hanamura, a classmate of the protagonist. The Social Link is the first Social Link forged storyline wise, where it was initiated after the protagonist and Yosuke ventures into the Midnight Channel to investigate the death behind Saki Konishi.

Through the protagonist's interaction with Yosuke, Yosuke reveals the pressure of being a son of the manager of Junes, especially since Junes was viewed with distrust in the small town. He is burdened by the various complaints of his coworkers and them only being friendly with him in order to get a raise or more break-time. Yosuke also has to deal with the stress of Junes' tedious sudden sales, sometimes asking the protagonist for help.

Leveling the Magician Arcana up to Lv. 3 allows Yosuke to learn his distinct follow-up move, Yosuke Strike, where Yosuke delivers a flurry of strikes on another active enemy with 100% critical rate. However, the protagonist must first knock down the target.

By the end of the Social Link, Yosuke reveals that deep down inside, he didn't really trust the protagonist, and confesses that he was more or less jealous of the protagonist and his talents in combat and being the leader of the Investigation Team. Revealing his feelings, Yosuke then proceeds to request to protagonist to punch away the "crap" he's been hiding. The protagonist eventually brawls with Yosuke, with the fight ending with a tie. Meeting his resolution, Yosuke exclaims that he will live as his true self from now on and cherish every day he spends with the others.

With his inner psyche changed, Yosuke's Persona, Jiraiya will transmogrify into Susano-o. Completing the Magician Arcana Social Link will also bestow the ultimate form of the Arcana, Mada the Intoxicator.

In Persona 4 Golden, Yosuke can unlock a third-tier persona: Takehaya Susano-o.This is done by initiating Social Link meeting at any point after 1/10 if the Magician Arcana is at Rank 10.

Persona 4 Arena
The Magician Arcana is represented by Yosuke Hanamura and Junpei Iori with their personas, Jiraiya and Trismegistus.

Persona 5
The Magician Arcana is represented by the Confidant with Morgana, which ranks up automatically starting April 15th as the story progresses. This Confidant unlocks crafting recipes for use in the Palace, the ability to steal items via melee attacks, and various team member skills for Morgana as it ranks up.

As the Confidant reaches maximum on December 23rd, Morgana's Persona Zorro will transmogrify into Mercurius. Completing the Magician Arcana Confidant will also bestow the protagonist the ability to fuse the ultimate form of the Arcana, Futsunushi.

Persona 5 Royal
In Persona 5 Royal, if the Magician Arcana Confidant is maxed out and the protagonist chooses to reject the false reality during the third semester, Morgana will automatically unlock his third tier Persona: Diego, by fusing Zorro and Mercurius.

Additionally, the Magician Arcana has been rearranged significantly with the addition of Forneus from the Hierophant Arcana and Cait Sith.