Everyone just wants a chance at true love, right? There’s not a single gamer who knows this better than those who play the Persona games. Shin Megami Tensei either had a streak of brilliance or a streak of cruelty when they decided certain characters in Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5 could be romanced, leaving it up to the discretion of the player who they chose. When it comes to being an in-game harem or a protagonist with a heart of gold, the choice belongs to the player.
So who, then, is the best character to romance in Persona 3? Depending on the choice of protagonist, players have access to several romance options in Persona 3. Regardless of what choice players make, there’s no denying that the writing for each romance option is pretty solid and will reward any player who decides to invest their valuable free time into leveling their Social Links and forming memorable romantic relationships with them. For all Male protagonist options, entries will be based on Persona 3 Reload, as the fully voiced social links do a lot to make each character more enduring.
Updated on August 9, 2025, by Joshua Leeds: Persona 3 Reload is just one of the multiple versions of this game worth playing. The addition of fully voiced social links does a lot for all the romanceable girls on this list, slightly influencing their positions on the list. While major details of the character and their romance are unchanged, some slight variations are worth mentioning. For every romance that appears in Reload, a small section has been added to the end of each entry to state how those changes benefited the character.
***** This Article Contains Spoilers For All Versions Of Persona 3 *****
13
Theo
Let Him Explore Various Hotspots In Tatsumi Port Island Before Bringing Him Back To The Room
- Arcana: N/A
- Social Link Start: Accept Velvet Room Requests
- Romance Requirements: Complete all her Velvet Room outings
- Unlocks: Kartikeya (70)
The opposite character of Theo would be Elizabeth, who is also noted to be romanceable in Persona 3. The reality of Theo’s Social Link is that, similar to Elizabeth, he requires completed side quests in order for the relationship between him and the protagonist to improve. By completing his requests, the protagonist will grow closer to Theo. This seems a bit odd considering most Persona games that came before didn’t allow as much independent interaction between the Velvet Room characters and the protagonist, at least not to the point of being this personal.
The romantic interaction that players can engage in with Theo isn’t all that official, meaning that most players will be disappointed if they want a more meaningful bond to form after taking him out so many times. Still, it’s a nice side story that fleshes out the story of the Velvet Room attendant, which means that most players will look forward to their interactions with this character as they create Personas with Igor. Much like his sister, Theo serves as a secret boss to be fought at the end of Persona 3 Portable, and stands as the ultimate challenge for the player after completing his hangouts.
12
Elizabeth
She Requests The Player To Explore The City Before Asking For A Personal Tour Of His Room
- Arcana: N/A
- Social Link Start: Accept Velvet Room Requests
- Romance Requirements: Complete all her Velvet Room outings
- Unlocks: Kartikeya (70)
Elizabeth plays an important role in the player’s journey throughout Persona 3, serving as the main Velvet Room attendant. She is also a romance option for the male MC, though it is worth noting that she isn’t technically a Social Link. Players can progress through her story by completing the myriad of requests she has available. Completing each one gets the player a certain reward.
The completion of Elizabeth’s final dating request, available on December 12th in the game, allows the player to fuse Kartikeya. Players share a meaningful and intimate moment with her, even if things don’t really amount to anything significant. She’s also a hidden boss that players can fight against, but it’s important to keep in mind that the protagonist needs to be alone for this encounter, and the fight itself is devilishly hard. This fight is the hardest fight in the game and requires the perfect Personas in order to win.
11
Ken Amada
Ken Gets Weirdly Possessive If The FeMC Decides To Date Him
- Arcana: Justice (P3P)
- Social Link Start: September 1st
- Social Link Requirements: Max Courage
- Unlocks: Melchizedek (59)
Ken plays an important role in the original Persona 3, but his character is expanded upon considerably in Portable. Ken is given a Social Link in the female MC route, occupying the Justice arcane link instead of Chihiro. Like most of the male SEES members, Ken is a possible romance option in Portable. Ken’s Social Link really provides some much-needed insight into his past and how it affected him going into the events of the game.
While this Persona 3 romance option is certainly an interesting choice, the age gap is what most players will find hard to wrap their heads around. This is the biggest hurdle surrounding this romance that makes it a bit icky for players who don’t want to encroach upon an area that is better off avoided. It is also something the game doesn’t steer away from, as both characters make comments about how unnatural this relationship is.
10
Bebe
Help Him Make A Kimono To Prove His Love For Japanese Culture
- Arcana: Temperance
- Social Link Start: May 29th
- Social Link Requirements: Academics Rank 2
- Unlocks: Byakko (56), Yurlunger (64)
Bebe’s Social Link is accessible by both male and female MCs. While he’s not technically a romance option for either, the end of his link in the female MC’s route reveals a fondness not apparent in the male MC’s.
Once the player completes Bebe’s Social Link, he moves back to France due to familial circumstances. At the end of the female MC’s Social Link, she will receive a letter from Bebe, telling her of his feelings for her. So, while the romance isn’t pursuable in-game, it’s still written into the link. He may not be the most interesting Social Link in the game, but it’s still heartwarming to get this letter.
9
Fuuka Yamagishi
Help Her Perfect Her Cooking With A Ton Of Guts
- Arcana: Priestess
- Social Link Start: June 15th (Portable), June 19th (FES/Reload)
- Social Link Requirements: Max Courage
- Unlocks: Scathach (64)
Fuuka is an interesting character. Not only is her design the most visually intriguing, but her romance route is a bit of a humorous one. Fuuka requires a full Courage stat max-out, mainly because the real challenge lies in the protagonist having to eat her cooking. This isn’t a skill she’s great at, and this, interestingly enough, mirrors one method of maxing out ‘Guts’ in Persona 5 by completing the Big Bang Burger challenge. What is it with these games and needing the courage to eat massive amounts of food?
Regardless, the somewhat humorous nature of this romance itself makes it well worth the investment, not to mention the various bonuses that can be attained from leveling up her Social Link in the game. That being said, a lot of people aren’t huge fans of romancing this character, feeling that the other options in the game are more well-written and emotionally engaging.
Changes in Persona 3 Reload
Slight changes in dialogue were given to Fuuka both in and out of her social link. Some of these changes highlighted her growth outside of the social link, and made her progression clearer before the social link starts, since it happens much later in the game from her introduction. Her voice acting in the early ranks also gives better hints that her goal of being a better cook has more meaning than just being self-sufficient.
8
Yuko Nishiwaki
Encourage Her To Become A Trainer For A Group Of Kids
- Arcana: Strength
- Social Link Start: Ask Her To Walk Home Twice After Joining A Sports Club
- Social Link Requirements: N/A
- Unlocks: Siegfried (55)
Where sports are concerned, Yuko is the top star athlete. With no prerequisites beforehand, players will find it easy to max out a Social Link with Yuko and, from there, will have the option to proceed as a romantic interest. Regardless of this fact, maxing out her Social Link is extremely helpful in the game.
She’s far from the most complex character in the game, but Yuko still does a great job of endearing herself to players with her hot-temperedness and passionate attitude. She’s a fun character to interact with, with her insecurities feeling rather realistic and making her struggles more relatable in the eyes of the player. Yuko is also one of the biggest examples used online about the changes with Persona 3 Reload, as a lot of small tweaks to her Social Link made her a much more interesting character than in the original game.
Changes in Persona 3 Reload
Yuko arguably benefits the most from the fully voiced social link in Reload. A lot of her emotion is conveyed very differently, which gives her more depth, even though the story remains mostly unchanged. Despite the stakes of the social link still being small, her care for the children and desire to want to grow as a person to help them is much more evident.
7
Chihiro Fushimi
She Is Falsely Accused And Gathers The Confidence To Clear Her Name
- Arcana: Justice
- Social Link Start: May 28th (Must Be Spoken To 3 Times Before)
- Social Link Requirements: N/A
- Unlocks: Melchizedek (59)
What can be said about Chihiro? As cute as she is, she’s incredibly socially awkward around boys and gets flustered and nervous. Her Social Link, while not as important as the others, is pretty easy to max out as well. Since she’s the student council treasurer, it makes sense that the player would need to pass a round of questions before having full access to her Social Link.
Upon providing three correct answers, she’s then available throughout the entire game with no additional limitations. The fact that she makes a special appearance in Persona 4 also shows just how beloved this character is, and most Persona fans would’ve loved her cameo because of how surprising yet pleasant her presence feels in the game, no matter how brief it may be.
Changes in Persona 3 Reload
At the start of the social link, Chihiro can barely form a sentence and struggles to talk to the protagonist at all. Her voice in Reload makes this much more evident than just reading the stutters, making her growth throughout the social link much more evident. Her outburst to defend herself is a much more powerful moment, as even the player really hears her voice for the first time at such a volume and strength.
6
Ryoji Mochizuki
No Matter What, This Romance Always Ends On A Tragic Note
- Arcana: Fortune
- Social Link Start: November 9th Onwards
- Social Link Requirements: N/A
- Unlocks: Norn (62)
In Persona 3 Portable, players were given the option to choose the route of a female protagonist. This opened up an entirely new world, including the option to romance male characters. Among those characters is Ryoji, whose story ends in tragedy no matter which route the player takes.
With that being said, his storyline is one of the most emotional and quite different from the usual romances in Persona 3. The player has just under two months in-game to max out his Social Link as much as possible, which can be pretty hectic but is well worth the effort because of this character’s fascinating origins.
5
Akihiko Sanada
Opens Up About His Sister And Becomes Confused About His Feelings For The FeMC
- Arcana: Emperor (Original Release & FES), Star (P3P)
- Social Link Start: May 24th
- Social Link Requirements: Charm 4
- Unlocks: Helel (88)
Akihiko is a bit of a challenge as well, only because his Social Link requires a higher Charm level as well as correct responses during his dialogues. This can be pretty annoying, but most players like Akihiko’s character enough to bear the early trials and tribulations before opening the doors for a potential relationship.
Whether or not to take on a romance with Akihiko is another story, as his social rank must be at a level nine in order to do so. However, there’s no denying that dating this workout fanatic makes for an entertaining chapter in the FeMC’s life.
4
Shinjiro Aragaki
Denies His Feelings For The Longest Time Before Eventually Proclaiming His Love For The FeMC
- Arcana: Hierophant (Original Release & FES), Moon (P3P)
- Social Link Start: September 7th Onwards
- Social Link Requirements: N/A
- Unlocks: Sandalphon (74)
The female protagonist’s route is filled with challenges, mainly consisting of nearly unrealistic time frames. While it’s possible to max out Shinjiro and make it to his romance link, the player must do so on the three days he’s available, in the span of roughly one month.
However, this effort is certainly a worthwhile endeavor to make, especially since the player can potentially save his life with the pocket watch they give him after they max out his Social Link. This does fundamentally change a lot of his story in the game, and while he is not a present force for the final few months, his “death” doesn’t have the same effect. Along with this, the FeMC can initiate a romantic relationship with him after stubbornly rejecting his attempts to distance himself, which leads to him confessing his true feelings to the main character in a heartwarming moment that humanizes Shinjiro’s dark and brooding character.
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