Persona 3 The Movie No 1 Spring Of Birth

Okay, let's be real. Remember when Persona 3 The Movie: No. 1, Spring of Birth came out? Everyone was hyped. And, like, I was too...mostly.

But watching it back now? A few things strike me. Maybe it's just me, but... I have *opinions*. Prepare yourselves.

The Protagonist: A Walking Mood Ring

Our boy, Makoto Yuki. He's supposed to be this stoic, cool dude, right? The strong, silent type. But sometimes? He just looks...bored.

I get it. He's seen some stuff. But the monotone voice and thousand-yard stare? It's a lot. Honestly, my default facial expression in Monday morning meetings is more expressive.

Like, give us *something*, dude. A smirk? A raised eyebrow? ANYTHING! I swear, the wind rustling his hair has more personality.

Fashionably Late to the Party (and Battles)

Let's talk about those Shadow battles. They are the main focus of the movie. Cool music, slick animation... totally awesome!

Except for one tiny detail. Why does everyone wait for Makoto to do EVERYTHING? Is he the only one who knows how to hold a Persona?

It's like, "Oh no, a giant monster! Let's just stand here awkwardly until the blue-haired emo kid decides to do something." Seriously, SEES, teamwork!

Animation: Pretty, But is it Enough?

Okay, the animation is GORGEOUS. Seriously, the fight scenes? Chef's kiss. Especially when Orpheus shows up.

But pretty pictures can't save everything. Sometimes I felt like I was watching a really long, beautifully animated cutscene. Not a fully realized story.

Like, where's the meat? The emotion? Give me some real character development beyond "emo kid becomes less emo."

The Ending: Slightly Anti-climatic?

So, the movie ends with the team gearing up for the future. It has a cliffhanger. It's supposed to be impactful and emotional.

But, I don't know. Maybe I was just expecting more. The final battle felt rushed. And the whole "friendship is magic" moment? A little cheesy, even for me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for a good power-of-friendship trope. But it felt...forced. Like they ran out of time and just slapped it on the ending.

Unpopular Opinion: Overrated (Just a Little)

Look, I know I'm probably going to get some hate for this. Persona 3 is a beloved game! And the movie definitely had its moments of awesome.

But honestly? I think the first movie is a bit overrated. It's pretty and has cool fights, but the story felt rushed and the characters weren't fully fleshed out.

But hey, maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm too cynical. Or maybe I just wanted more Minato Arisato character development. Either way, it's still worth watching!

Am I the only one who feels this way? Sound off in the comments! (Or don't. I'll be over here, rewatching the opening cutscene because it's still awesome.)