Persona 3 was the first game in the series to introduce Social Links. This aspect of gameplay has mostly worked the same ever since it was implemented in 2007 when the RPG was released on the PS2 in Japan. Players could befriend certain NPCs and raise their bonds with them, which affected Persona growth and fusion.

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Persona 3 Reload doesn’t add a lot of new material to the Social Links formula that it originated, but it does streamline a lot of the business around it. Of the many characters part of the Social Link quest, these are the ones to finish.

Updated May 31, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Social Links have been a major part of the Persona series ever since the third game set the formula. While this title may not have tied Social Link progress to the many new abilities players can use, that doesn't take away anything from the amazing work put into fleshing them out and giving an amazing story to these highlighted characters.

While not all Social Links enjoy the same heights of excellence, there's no denying that Persona 3 Reload features some memorable Social Links that players will love to see to completion.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead

11 Nozomi Suemitsu

The Moon

• Available On: Monday-Saturday (After School)
• Location: Paulownia Mall

Nozomi is one of Persona 3 Reload’s easiest Social Links to start, as he can be found chilling at the Paulownia Mall every day after school, and is only absent on Sundays. He is ready to do anything, and he’s one of the funniest characters in the game, let alone the series.

Nozomi has an obsession with food, and every time players hang out with him, it involves food followed by stomach problems. He also makes a lot of dark jokes about his brother being dead, which makes it seem like this Social Link is heading toward discussing that trauma. It kind of does, but it throws a curveball at the end and adds cults to the mix, in a wild kind of story.

10 President Tanaka

The Devil

• Available On: Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday (Evening)
• Location: Paulownia Mall

President Tanaka owns the shopping network that pops up on Sunday mornings in the game. On a few evenings during the week, players can spot him by the fountain at the Paulownia Mall. He’s not a good person as his greed knows no bounds, hence his association with The Devil Arcana.

However, interacting with him is quite funny. Deep down, he is a desperate man as well, who wants to impress the hero at any cost. He’ll even offer to lick his shoes, which players can agree to, although the game won’t show anything.

9 Akinari Kamiki

The Sun

• Available On: Sunday
• Location: Naganaki Shrine

Akinari is one of the saddest Social Links in the game. He can be discovered through hanging out with Maiko, but he won’t be available to become a solo Social Link until August. He’s the only Social Link that has a definite timetable attached because he is gravely ill.

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Once players unlock his storyline in August, they should put all morning plans on Sundays aside if they can. It’s not going to be a happy journey, but players will definitely get something sentimentally from the time they spend with Akinari, as tragic as it might be.

8 Andre Laurent Jean Geraux (Bebe)

Temperance

• Available On: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday (After School)
• Location: School

Andre Laurent Jean Geraux is a French exchange student in Persona 3 Reload who introduces himself as Bebe. He is obsessed with Japan and is constantly asking Makoto questions about etiquette, fashion, customs, and so on. He means well, which is why he sticks out along with his overwhelming positivity.

That is, until his aunt dies, which sends Bebe into a spiral. Thankfully, players can help convince him that his passion needs to live on in memory of his aunt. How that plays out will be a mystery for now, but it is quite the rollercoaster as a Social Link.

7 Maiko Oohashi

The Hanged

• Available On: Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday (After School)
• Location: Naganaki Shrine

Persona 3 Reload has more than peers for Makoto to hang out with, as Maiko is a young girl. She starts hanging out at Naganaki Shrine because her parents want to get a divorce, and she is clearly tired of them fighting. There is even some domestic abuse going on, which might make some players uncomfortable as Maiko reveals more.

It’s also a bit odd to be hanging out with a child, but big brother characters in anime are a common trope. Maiko has a grim beginning but a sweet end and is just an all-around cute kid with wonder in her eyes.

6 Bunkichi & Mitsuko

The Hierophant

• Available On: Tuesday-Sunday (After School)
• Location: Iwatodai Strip Mall

Bunkichi and Mitsuko are a sweet old couple who run a bookstore in Iwatodai Strip Mall. Unlike other entries in the series, players can’t buy books here, but they can converse with this old couple. What starts as a friendly chat about books turns into a confession about dead sons.

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Players have to help the pair save a persimmon tree that was planted in Persona 3 Reload’s school, Gekkoukan High School. Can players help prevent this tree from getting cut down, or is there another lesson to be learned from this Social Link quest?

5 Aigis

Aeon

• Available On: Monday to Saturday after 1/8 (After School)
• Location: School

Aigis is one of the most beloved characters in Persona 3 Reload, and players can't wait to check out the epilogue that gives her the Wild Card that is coming out soon. Sure, this addition to the story may have its fair share of issues, but players won't mind as long as they get to see Aigis in such a pivotal role.

The love that players have for this character is further enhanced with a Social Link where players see her explore their humanity, despite being an android who shouldn't harbor such conflicting feelings. It's a touching tale that players will be eager to see to completion, even if this Social Link is unlocked pretty late and mandates that fans spend as much time as possible with her.

4 Chihiro Fushimi

Justice

• Available On: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (After School)
• Location: School

The social aspect of the game is kind of like a dating sim, except not all Social Links can be “dated.” Of the many in Persona 3 Reload, Chihiro is the most stereotypical character in these types of experiences. Players will first meet her during School Council meetings, which begin as a Social Link with Hidetoshi (aka The Emperor).

Chihiro is afraid of boys, but slowly she starts to become at ease around them, especially Makoto, as she starts falling for him. She’s a shy girl, and it’s kind of brutal if players refuse her affection.

3 Mitsuru Kirijo

Empress

• Available On: Monday to Saturday after 11/21 when the protagonist has maxed out Academics (After School)
• Location: School

At a glance, it's easy to write off Mitsuru as an elegant character archetype who has everything set up for her to succeed as the heir to one of the most valuable companies in Japan. However, it's infinitely clear after a point that there's more to this character than what meets the eye, especially if players unlock her Social Link.

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Mitsuru is a deeply introspective character who's a blast to engage with, and players will become invested in her struggles after she becomes the heir apparent to the Kirijo Group. Saving her from the person she's been slated to marry and initiating a romantic relationship with her is one of the best highlights of any Social Link.

2 Yuko Nishiwaki

Strength

• Available On: Wednesday and Saturday (After School)
• Location: School

Yuko begins her relationship with Makoto during track meets as part of Kazushi’s Social Link (aka The Chariot). Yuko is the coach of the team and enjoys doing it, but is unsure of her career, especially after getting teased by other teen girls, who prove to be worse than some of the monsters in the game.

Yuko also doesn’t seem to know how to act toward kids, but Makoto and some local children help broaden Yuko’s horizons. She’s not the most fun Social Link in the game and her story isn’t as deep as others, but she’s a solid hang who genuinely seems to admire Makoto’s friendship. Yuko can also turn into a romantic interest in Persona 3 Reload.

1 Yukari Takeba

Lovers

• Available On: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday after 7/25 when the protagonist has maxed out Charm (After School)
• Location: School

Players who weren't sold on Yukari's character in Persona 3 will love the many small and meaningful ways that this character is improved upon in Reload, ranging from her character design to the many additional interactions that add a lot more to her character. This, coupled with the fact that she's positioned to be the main character's canon love interest makes it clear why her Social Link is such a blast to engage with.

Watching her reveal the hatred she has for her absent mother before finally making amends with her surviving parent makes for a great time, especially once Yukari gets to bid farewell to her father in a poignant moment. It's a wonderful Social Link that players must max out their Charm for if they want to unlock it as soon as possible.

Persona 3 Reload

Platform(s)

PC , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Xbox One , PS4 , PS5

Released

February 2, 2024

Developer(s)

P-Studio

Genre(s)

JRPG