Summary
Persona 3 Reloadlooks to expand upon the originalPersona 3and bring it in line with modernPersonagames likePersona 5. To this end, Atlus is clearly going beyond what the original game included and adding new content like fully-voiced Social Links, improved combat mechanics, and overhauled visuals while still remaining faithful to the original release. As a part of this effort to further flesh out the experience,Persona 3 Reloadwill include new character side stories and dorm activities to help players grow closer to the game’s characters, but one often overlooked member of SEES also deserves this same attention.
Atlus has been putting a spotlight on each of theplayable members of SEESleading up to the release ofPersona 3 Reload, releasing a special trailer for each one. The originalPersona 3gave most of these characters their own in-game story arcs for players to get to know them better, and it seems like these will be expanded inPersona 3 Reload. However, SEES' canine mascot Koromaru gets somewhat overlooked in the original release, soPersona 3 Reloadneeds to make sure he gets the character development he deserves.
Koromaru is a dog who joins SEES after defeating a rogue Shadow that attacked his master’s shrine. Players learn that Koromaru was once the dog of a monk who tended this shrine, but when the monk passed away, Koromaru continued to wait at the shrine and guard it until his master returned. It’s clear that this incident unlocked Koromaru’s potential to summon a Persona, and after he is injured in the fight against the shadow, SEES takes him in and develops a special Evoker for him so thatKoromaru can aid in their infiltration of Tartarus.
ThePersonaseries tends to feature one playable character who acts as an animal mascot for the game, such asPersona 4’s Teddie andPersona 5’s Morgana. However, despite filling this role inPersona 3, Koromaru never ends up getting the same level of character development as his counterparts from other entries in the series. Now thatPersona 3 Reloadis set to add new contentlike additional side stories and dorm activities, the game needs to take advantage of these features to further flesh out Koromaru’s story.
There are some clear parallels between Koromaru’s story and the famous story of the dog Hachiko, who was said to have waited by the train station every day for his owner to return from work, even after the owner tragically passed away. There is now a statue dedicated to this loyal dog atShibuya Crossing in Tokyo, making Hachiko a well-known figure in Japanese culture.Persona 3 Reloadcould lean into the connections between Koromaru and Hachiko, further exploring the relationship with his owner, perhaps even tying it to why he can use a Persona and how he was able to single-handedly defeat a Shadow that attacked his master’s shrine.
From Koromaru’s introduction trailer forPersona 3 Reload, it appears there will be more opportunities for players to deepen their bond with this canine, potentially giving him greater character development as well. In past releases ofPersona 3, players can take him for walks in the evening inPersona 3 FES, andPersona 3 Portablefeatures him as the Strength Social Linkfor the female protagonist. His introduction trailer shows him spending time with the protagonist doing different activities, like playing shogi or sharing his food with another dog, which is a good sign that Atlus will give him some well-deserved attention.
