The Best Romances in Persona 5 Royal

Romance in Persona 5 Royal is simultaneously important and completely frivolous. Throughout the long, long campaign, Joker will gradually deepen his connection with a plethora of characters, some of whom can become romantic partners if their Confidant rank reaches 10. There are exactly 10 romancable characters in P5R, and you will almost certainly need to focus on one or two to max them out (although you can be bolder). If you want to experience every route in full, multiple playthroughs will be required.

While upgrading Confidant rankings is definitely worthwhile, romance is mainly just a reward for completing one of these journeys. It doesn’t impact the narrative greatly, nor does it hold much mechanical significance. Like going to the batting cage or watching a movie, romance is simply something that Joker does in his free time. It adds color to the story and grants players an opportunity to shape Joker’s personality and preferences to an extent. Still, some P5R romances are much better than others.

Updated on March 30, 2026, by Mark Sammut: Along with rewriting the intro and updating some other parts of the article, we have added a section discussing the best romance for first-time players.

Should You Even Bother With Romance In Persona 5 Royal?

Ah, the age-old question that is always asked of any RPG that incorporates dating sim elements: should you even bother? Romance is optional in Persona 5 Royal, and you do not need to engage with it to finish Atlus’ JRPG. Therefore, you are free to spurn Joker’s romantic ambition if you are just not interested at all, and you will not be playing the game wrong if you do so. You should definitely improve the protagonist’s social links, as that has a direct impact on gameplay, but you don’t need to evolve confidants into partners.

However, that does not mean romance brings no value to P5R. These routes are, first and foremost, character-driven, providing even more depth to Joker’s potential companions. By exploring a romance, you unlock unique dialogue and scenes, along with fostering a stronger emotional connection that can make a sentimental difference during the story’s final act. As we will get into shortly with the main rankings, not all romances are born equal, but they can all enhance your investment. This is extremely important for an RPG that can last more than 100 hours.

P5R demands a lot from players, and that is also true for romance. You need to invest in your social stats and reach certain thresholds, and you must carefully manage the calendar to ensure you meet the requirements. Prioritizing one character often comes at the expense of others, and the payoff might not be worth it.

10

Ichiko Ohya

Arcana: Devil

• A paparazzi who used to be a respectable journalist.

As an overall character, Ohya is a perfectly fine secondary character who does contribute in a few significant ways throughout the story. Her Conifdant path isn’t terrible either, at least in terms of her arc. While certainly not the deepest or most emotional, this route gives players a bit more insight into Ohya’s past, revealing that she used to be a proper news journalist. However, a tragedy and a cover-up led her down a terrible path, and she turned to alcohol while chasing ghosts.

Ohya’s storyline is actually quite good, but romancing her doesn’t really add much to it. Her dynamic with Joker is mostly playful and banter-heavy, and they don’t form a connection that feels like it goes further than just a friendship. Heck, even from a gameplay perspective, her Confidant perks are pretty weak.

Requirements To Romance Chihaya Mifune

• After June 23, talk to Ohya in Crossroads to start her Confidant route.
• When picking responses, don’t be overly confrontational.
• At rank 8, you will need to complete the “Fighting for Truth in Journalism” optional quest.
• At rank 9, pick “I took it seriously” and “I love you, Ichiko.”

9

Chihaya Mifune

Arcana: Fortune

• A fortune teller whose Confidant lets players enjoy a ton of benefits

While Chihaya is far from the best romanceable character in Persona 5 Royal, this is not strictly because of the quality of her romance. After all, this character is pretty endearing and a ton of fun to interact with. However, it is possible to totally miss her if players ignore the rumors of a fortune teller in Shinjuku. More than that, Joker has to pay 100,000 yen to buy an item to continue with her story, which can prove to be a major barrier that prevents people from unlocking this Confidant until a fair way in. On top of all of this, there is a moment when Chihaya will outright reject the player if they haven’t chosen specific responses beforehand, meaning that most people will definitely not unlock a romance with her unless they know what they’re doing.

She is cute and sweet, making her a pretty wholesome, albeit somewhat gullible character to fall for. As is the case with most other Confidants in the game, this character has a set of Mementos requests that players need to complete too. Perhaps the best part about leveling up Chihaya’s Confidant is that players can unlock an ability that lets them improve their relations with other Confidants without spending any time, which is bound to be useful for obvious reasons. That being said, this ability can be accessed regardless of whether the player romances her or not.

Requirements To Romance Chihaya Mifune

• Buy her Holy Stone for 100,000 yen.
• Choose “You’re just Chihaya to me” while progressing to Rank 6.
• Choose “Hell yeah I am” while progressing to Rank 8.
• Complete the Mementos request “Debunking the Psychic!”
• Choose “So I can be with you” while progressing to Rank 9.

8

Sadayo Kawakami

Arcana: Temperance

• A high-school teacher who moonlights as a maid to make some extra cash

There’s no denying that romancing Kawakami is totally wrong from an ethical point of view. Not only is she pretty old compared to Joker, but she’s also his teacher! This makes it quite a tricky thing to recommend this romance, even if Kawakami’s character is pretty entertaining. Her personal story is also pretty interesting and justifies why she’s even working part-time as a maid, to begin with.

Leveling her up as a Confidant is a little crazy, with players calling her to either do some household chores for them or hang out with Kawakami and listen to her problems. The fact that she’s Joker’s teacher makes it clear why players need a certain level of Guts score to call her. While the benefits of having Kawakami as a Confidant can be pretty great, the icky nature of this romance still persists regardless, but players who get over this hurdle will find themselves getting to know a pretty selfless and dedicated Persona 5 romance option who is earning money for a good cause.

Requirements To Romance Sadayo Kawakami

• Raise Guts to Level 3.
• Choose “Think this through more” while progressing to Rank 7.
• Complete the Mementos request “A Teacher Maid to Suffer.”
• Choose “I want to keep seeing you,” “I mean what I say,” & “I’m a man; you’re a woman” while progressing to Rank 10.

7

Tae Takemi

Arcana: Death

• A disgraced doctor who doesn’t stop believing in her experimental treatments

The woman who serves players medicine, a goth doctor, is one of the more controversial romances in Persona 5, due to Tae’s age. That said, she is a fascinating character due to how unique and mysterious she is, especially compared to the other romanceable characters in Persona 5 Royal. She may not be very plot-relevant like the Phantom Thief girls, and her age is definitely another aspect that leads to this relationship being pretty unethical in its own right.

Tae is kind and compassionate deep down, and she is a ton of fun to interact with, even if she is experimenting with drugs on a high school kid. Thankfully, her tests do end up bearing positive results, and it helps that spending time with her improves the quality of the recovery items available at the clinic.

Requirements To Romance Tae Takemi

• Raise Guts to Rank 2.
• Raise Charm to Rank 4.
• Choose “I’m glad you did” while progressing to Rank 7.
• Choose “I’m your ally” while getting the Mementos request.
• Complete the Mementos request “Bad Medicine.”
• Choose “It’s for Miwa-chan” while progressing to Rank 8.
• Choose I wanted to see you,” “I love you,” & “It isn’t a joke” while progressing to Rank 9.

6

Futaba Sakura

Arcana: Hermit

• A hikikomori who slowly gets over her trauma after the Phantom Thieves save her

Futaba is an unusual character in the fact that she actually asks Joker to steal her heart. More than that, she becomes a member of the Phantom Thieves after one of the best dungeons in the entire game. Her connection to Joker’s caretaker, Sojiro, is also very interesting. Honestly, it is kind of entertaining to romance Futaba just to see how Sojiro reacts.

By romancing Futaba, she manages to come out of her shell even more, learning to feel more comfortable with society. That involves a lot of interaction and trust with Joker, which makes her one of the best relationships. That said, compared to other girls in Persona 5, Futaba and Joker have an almost sibling-esque dynamic in their standard interactions, which can make switching to a romance feel peculiar.

Requirements To Romance Futaba Sakura

• Raise Kindness to Rank 4.
• Complete the Mementos request “Daughter’s Just a Meal Ticket.”
• Choose “Because I love you” while progressing to Rank 10.

5

Haru Okumura

Arcana: Empress

• A bubbly, kind-hearted girl who hates the evil associated with her family business

Haru is well-loved by fans, and many are disappointed that she only comes in the latter part half of the game. Many have probably already even picked their romance before meeting her. However, they miss out. She is kind, adorable, and tough all at once, and it is easy to feel protective of her.

To add a little juicy drama to her romance, she is in an arranged marriage with a total jerk. Romancing her shakes that up a little more than in the basic plot, although it’s far from the only notable thing about this character. It’s a shame that she’s the last playable character that players unlock well into the story — her allure as a Persona 5 romance option could’ve been stronger, had she appeared earlier. The fact that players need to max out their Proficiency to make more progress in a Confidant that already appears late enough as is doesn’t help things.

Requirements To Romance Haru Okumura

• Raise Proficiency to Max Level.
• Reach November 25 on the calendar.
• Choose “I like you too, Haru” while progressing to Rank 9.

4

Hifumi Togo

Arcana: Star

• A shogi prodigy who’s buckling under the weight of the pressure her mother is heaping on her

Hifumi is the only girl around Joker’s age who is not a Phantom Thief who is a romance option. She also goes to a different high school, the same one that Yusuke attends. She is a Female Shogi League Champion and teaches Joker Shoji, although her passion for the sport wanes after her oppressive mother decides to use her to compensate for her own failed hopes and dreams.

She is pretty difficult to max out and is not plot-relevant. However, she is one of the best Persona 5 romance options because she is another person in high school, like Joker. She may not be a Phantom Thief, but she has one of the best Confidant abilities in the game. She gives players the ability to swap team members in the middle of a fight, which is invaluable for obvious reasons. It also makes battles in the game quite dynamic, with players having the ability to bring new party members into battle to change the flow of battle in the blink of an eye.

Requirements To Romance Hifumi Togo

• Raise Charm to Level 3.
• Raise Knowledge to Max Level.
• Complete the Mementos request “Upstaging the Stage Mother.”
• Choose “I want to stay by your side” & “I want us to date” while progressing to Rank 9.

3

Kasumi Yoshizawa

Arcana: Faith

• A gymnast whose past holds a ton of revelations that players uncover during the Epilogue

Persona 5 Royal‘s only new romanceable character is the graceful gymnast, Kasumi Yoshizawa. Although many hoped to finally be able to go on a romantic pancake date with Akechi, Royal‘s newest party member provides one of the most wholesome relationships out of the main cast and beyond.

Kasumi is polite, shy, and confident, and watching her shell slowly break open as Joker gets to know her is nothing short of heartwarming. Her rank 9 and 10 Confidants are quite a treat, especially in rank 9, with Joker showing his true colors as the rebellious trickster by pulling off some genuinely suave moves after the two profess their love for one another.

Requirements To Romance Kasumi Yoshizawa

• Reach Rank 9 of Maruki’s Confidant before November 18.
• Choose “I love you too” while progressing to Rank 9.

2

Makoto Niijima

Arcana: Priestess

• A member of the student council who finally decides to fight back against her oppressors

Makoto is considered a queen by her fans. People who like her really like her, and even consider her to be the canon romance of the game. She is also relatively easy to romance and is incredibly plot-relevant. After all, it is her sister who is interrogating Joker throughout the game. She is a very important asset to the Phantom Thieves. Also, her Persona is a motorcycle. That fact pushes her to the epitome of coolness.

While her character is typically composed and a little uptight, Joker gets to see a more flustered and shy side of her if she is romanced. It’s an endearing change that adds to the notion of Makoto being one of the best Persona 5 romance options by a country mile.

Requirements To Romance Makoto Niijima

• Raise Knowledge to Rank 3.
• Raise Charm to Max Level.
• Choose I’ll be your study partner” & “I do” while progressing to Rank 10.

1

Ann Takamaki

Arcana: Lovers

• A misunderstood student who aspires to be a successful model

Ann is the first female Phantom Thief, so Joker interacts with her more than any other girl. Characters like Ryuji and Morgana have huge crushes on her. In fact, those crushes can get pretty annoying as players progress through the game; heck, some might argue that the most fun part of romancing Ann is to get at Ryuji and Morgana.

While Persona 5 Royal lets you romance all these characters, Ann feels like the girl P-Studio wants you to pick as Joker’s partner. Along with being the first female character introduced, she was featured heavily in the marketing for the original game, way more so than the other characters. Besides that, her romance route exposes more of her backstory, showcasing that she is quite complex. Ultimately, the developer might be correct, and Ann is the best girl to romance in Persona 5.

Requirements To Romance Ann Takamaki

• Raise Kindness to Level 2.
• Choose “You have me.” while progressing to Rank 10.

Can You Just Date Everyone In Persona 5 Royal?

Do you dare do it? Do you dare go for the harem ending? Yes, technically, Joker can try to romance all available partners in P5R, arguably pulling off the most absurd feat in the entire story. The game does not lock you into one romance; once a Confidant relationship reaches rank 9, you will be given the option to pursue a romance. While Joker can and probably should decide to focus on just one character, he can initiate as many romances as he wants.

P5R does not punish players who try for a harem in any meaningful way. Romance is, at best, a side distraction, so your decision will not impact stats or result in any tangible gameplay drawbacks. For the most part, there are no true consequences, at least from a mechanical perspective. However, from a story perspective, Joker’s shenanigans have dire consequences, and it will all come to a head on Valentine’s Day.

I am not going to spoil the ending, but it is probably the most memorable “romance” scene in the entire game.

Best Romance for First-Time Players

Considering our rankings, you would assume that the answer to this question would be Ann. After all, she is not only the best romancable partner, but she is also the first, meaning players have plenty of time to complete her Confidant rankings. While none of the romances are canon, the story seems to suggest that Ann is the top pick for a girlfriend.

The thing is, romance is one area that simply shouldn’t be overthought. Go with your heart and pick the character that resonates the most with you. If it is Ann, then it is Ann. If it is Makoto, then make it Makoto. If you find that you prefer a partner who is introduced fairly late in the story, you will need to focus on them quite a bit to maximize their Confidant relationship, but that isn’t impacted by what you did before.

Putting aside a few mechanical improvements, the best reward for romancing a P5R character is that you get to spend more time with them. You get to witness a couple of scenes that otherwise would have been kept away from you. That is valuable and worthwhile.

Best Romance For Each Player Type

We have finished ranking all of Joker’s potential romantic partners in Persona 5 Royal, with Ann taking the top spot. While we stand by the above list, we can also acknowledge that personal preference is also a big factor, and not every player prioritizes the same thing or gravitates towards the same personality. Consequently, this section seeks to provide more specific recommendations based on the player’s wants rather than just the overall quality of the romance.

While repeats might happen, we are going to try to avoid them whenever possible.