Initial Persona

The initial Persona is the Persona that represents the most inner thought of its host. As a beginning Persona, its ability is usually relatively weak, so the mythological or historic figure that the Persona takes form is often less significant in the respective mythology or history, though there is some exception.

As the Persona "closest" to the user, the initial Persona will always be able to be summoned by the user, even if they previously returned it or transformed it into another Persona, as shown by Yukino Mayuzumi, Kei Nanjo and Eriko Kirishima having regained their initial Personas in the Persona 2 duology, the Investigation Team having regained their initial Personas in Persona 4 Arena, and the Phantom Thieves regaining these Personas in Persona 5 Strikers.

Appearances

 * Megami Ibunroku Persona
 * Persona 2: Innocent Sin
 * Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
 * Persona: Tsumi To Batsu
 * Persona 3 / FES / Portable
 * Persona -trinity soul-
 * Persona 4 / Golden
 * Persona 4 Arena / ''Ultimax
 * Persona 4: Dancing All Night
 * Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
 * Persona 5 / Royal
 * Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
 * Persona 5 Strikers

Innocent Sin

 * This is the first game in the series which has the more uniformed origins of signature Personas of the playable characters from only the Greek and Roman mythologies. All of them also have fashion design motifs.

Eternal Punishment

 * Tatsuya Suou begins with Apollo in Eternal Punishment, but Apollo is considered the ultimate Persona due to his role in Innocent Sin.

Persona 3/FES/Portable
* These characters never have their initial Persona evolved or gain more powerful ones.
 * All initial Personas of the playable characters are solely from the Greek mythology with Lucia being the odd one out.

-Trinity Soul-

 * No characters in Persona: -Trinity Soul- have a known Arcana and never have their initial Persona evolved.

Persona 4/Golden

 * This is the first game in the Persona series to feature initial Personas from ancient Japanese scriptures or beliefs.

Persona 5/Royal/Strikers

 * This is the first game to feature initial Personas mostly from modern fiction or historical figures, whether proven or contested. Persona 5 Strikers is also the first game to feature an initial Persona that isn't actually a Persona, with Pithos.
 * * Although Goro Akechi's true initial Persona in Persona 5 is heavily implied to be Loki, Robin Hood is the first Persona Akechi summons while operating as a party member, and mechanically functions as Akechi's initial.
 * ** While not actually a Persona but an entity or multiple entities very similar (making Pandora Sophia's actual first persona), Pithos is summoned in the same way as a Persona and fills the same gameplay role, being the first "Persona" Sophia summons as a party member.
 * ** While not actually a Persona but an entity or multiple entities very similar (making Pandora Sophia's actual first persona), Pithos is summoned in the same way as a Persona and fills the same gameplay role, being the first "Persona" Sophia summons as a party member.