Highlights

  • Aika Nakamura, an anime-exclusive character from Persona 4, could potentially make a gaming debut in a future remake.
  • Aika's gimmick of delivering food offers a unique opportunity for a new Social Link feature in a Persona 4 remake.
  • While Aika's limited personality in the anime may pose a challenge, her blank slate gives writers room for creative storytelling.

If Persona 4 gets its own remake in the vein of Persona 3 Reload, one anime-exclusive character would be a perfect addition. Even though Persona 3 Reload did not make a lot of drastic changes to the story, that doesn't mean that future remakes will not make significant moves. Since Persona 4 has already been remade once as Persona 4 Golden, it's worth asking what new things that a second remake could bring to the table. There is at least one character that missed out on Persona 4 Golden that may be able to make the cut.

Between the release of the upgraded Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 getting another spin-off with Persona 5 Tactica, Persona 4 has been left on the backburner for a while now. Despite the game being a phenomenon in its own right, its cast hasn't been featured in a new game since 2018's Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, not counting 2023's rerelease of Persona 4 Golden. However, Persona 3 Reload gives reason to suspect that Persona 4 could be in line for its own next-gen remake somewhere down the line. After all, Persona isn't the only series that has been able to thrive from nostalgic remasters.

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While Persona 4 Golden has lost its spotlight somewhat in the wake of successful games that followed, the Investigation Team are landmark characters.

Persona 4's Aika Nakamura Could Make the Jump Into the Games

Aika Nakamura Was Made For the Persona 4 Anime

On the chance that Persona 4 gets its own Persona 3 Reload, there is one character who could potentially find a spot in the game. In the anime adaptation of Persona 4, a new character, Aika Nakamura, was introduced. Aika works for Aiya, a Chinese restaurant that the player can visit in Inaba, as a delivery girl. Her primary character gimmick is showing up to deliver food no matter where the protagonists may happen to be, most famously in the middle of a chase scene. For a character made specifically for the anime, Aika proved to be an entertaining addition to the story.

Aika is mentioned by Aiya's owner in Persona 4 Golden , but never makes an actual appearance.

A new Persona 4 could probably find a place for Aika. A new Social Link in Persona 4 would be one of the most natural ways to work her into the game. With her job being the main thing that she's known for, players could probably find her hanging around Aiya between shifts in order to start her Link. Leveling up Aika's Social Link could even come with a bonus reward similar to the Fox. While the Fox offers healing withing the TV world, Aika could perhaps offer food deliveries outside of Junes in the form of increasingly useful healing items.

Aika's Personality Offers Writers a Blank Slate to Work With

The main difficulty with adding Aika to a Persona 4 remake may come with writing her. While Persona 3 Reload's treatment of Strega showed a willingness to expand on past games, Aika may prove a bit more difficult. In the anime, she doesn't actually speak or emote very much. Admittedly, this unflappability makes her delivery gimmick amusing, but it doesn't offer much insight into her actual personality. At the same time, it makes her something of a blank slate. If the writers come up with something good for Aika, then she could be a valuable addition to the next version of Persona 4.

Aika can be an entertaining yet challenging addition to a Persona 4 Remake!

Aika has never appeared in the games, but that shouldn't mean that she will never be able to do so. If Persona 4 follows in Persona 3 Reload's footsteps, then Aika could very well make her proper gaming debut. Her addition might require players to play a little tighter with their Social Link schedules, but the reward would probably be worth it. Aika was a fun character to add to the anime adaptation of the game. If Persona 4 gets its own remake, then she could likewise be an entertaining addition there too.