Also watch for the exciting encounter with the new mysterious idol, Kisho Kitagawa! Girls' Division (暂定)'s Guide to the Life of a Phantom Thief in "Persona 5: The Phantom X" 【PR】
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/840/G084066/20251020039/
Writer: Tangshamai | 2025/10/24 05:30 (UTC)
Atlus, Sega, and Perfect World have jointly developed “Persona 5: The Phantom X” (PC / iOS / Android, hereafter P5X), an RPG set in the world of Persona 5 with a completely original story.
In this game, players can experience a stylish thief lifestyle, rich urban life, and exciting encounters with charming companions—making it enjoyable not only for Persona series fans but also for those who rarely play RPGs.
Additionally, one key point highlighted by 4Gamer Girls’ Department (pseudo) is the upcoming release of the handsome new character Koki Kitagawa on October 23, 2025. In this article, a Persona series fan writer will introduce elements worth paying attention to and highlight Koki’s appeal.
Official Website for “Persona 5: The Phantom X”
Steam Store Page for “Persona 5: The Phantom X”
Download Page for “Persona 5: The Phantom X”
Download Page for “Persona 5: The Phantom X”
A Dramatic Thief Life Restoring People’s Desires
Released in 2016, Persona 5 is a beloved RPG that follows a group of teenagers who become phantom thieves to save people from distorted desires. The franchise has expanded into anime and stage adaptations. While this game inherits the world setting of Persona 5, it features an entirely original story centered on a new protagonist—making it accessible even for those who haven’t played Persona 5.
The UI (player interface) is stylish, and fans will appreciate that the soundtrack includes both classic tracks from Persona 5 as well as newly composed songs. Image Gallery No.003 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
The protagonist, who begins to sense something strange in the world after a mysterious dream (CV: Takahiro Inoue; initial name: Ujishiro Nagisa – changeable), is led by a talking owl named Rufel into “Mementos,” a metaphysical realm where collective unconsciousness takes form.
According to Rufel, people are losing their desires. While excessive desire often carries negative connotations, it’s essential for human vitality—without it, the world teeters on the brink of collapse.
While conversing with Rufel, the protagonist is attacked by a strange enemy called a Shadow and awakens their Persona ability. This power enables one to confront difficulties—something all previous protagonists and allies in the series possess. By forming a contract with “the other self” within their heart—their Persona—they can summon it at will and fight Shadows.
The protagonist’s contracted Persona is Yanoshik. The scene where they face themselves and make the pact is particularly impressive, so be sure to watch it.
Beautifully designed Personas are another highlight of this game. Drawing inspiration from myths, legends, and stories, discovering their origins adds extra enjoyment. Image Gallery No.005 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Believing Rufel’s words, the protagonist becomes his business partner and begins a double life: by day, they are a high school student; by night, they become a phantom thief stealing back lost desires from the world. As the story unfolds, hints of mysterious forces draining humanity’s desires emerge—making future developments highly intriguing.
Rufel, now the protagonist’s business partner, moves into their home and joins them in both personal and professional adventures. His cute appearance contrasted with his old-fashioned speech pattern—and his fondness for meat, befitting a bird of prey—makes him an entertaining character. However, he appears to have lost some memories, which is concerning.
In daily life, Rufel appears as an owl, but in Mementos, he transforms into a car; within dungeons, he takes on a bipedal, plush-like form—showing off three distinct appearances. Image Gallery No.007 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo) Image Gallery No.008 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo) Image Gallery No.009 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
As the story progresses, more members join the protagonist’s thief group. Each character has their own chapter where their inner world is deeply explored—why they became a phantom thief—which makes it easy to grow fond of every member.
Image Gallery No.010 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo) Image Gallery No.011 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Current recruitable new allies include Sono Soha (CV: Fumika Hoshino), Kanou Shun (CV: Katsuaki Koishi), and Tanyamura Riko (CV: Atsumi Tanezaki)—all students at the private Gikaku High School, meaning they already have prior connections to the protagonist.
Shun is quiet and appears tough—giving a somewhat intimidating first impression. But once you talk with him, he turns out to be an incredibly passionate ramen lover, making one want to apologize for judging based on appearance alone. Despite carrying the heavy burden of being a phantom thief, they still attend classes and eat meals together—making high school life feel authentic.
Image Gallery No.012 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo) Image Gallery No.013 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Characters from the “Phantom Thieves of Hearts” in Persona 5 also appear. From the start, players can recruit iconic characters like Joker (CV: Junichi Suwabe), Ryuji Sakamoto (CV: Mamoru Miyano), Ann Takamaki (CV: Nana Mizuki), and Morgana (CV: Eiko Yamada) via gacha mechanics—fighting alongside them.
For newcomers unfamiliar with Persona 5, the “Strange Tales” section in the menu allows players to consume items to view a digest of Persona 5’s story. Watching Joker’s team in action there before starting can be a great way to prepare for P5X.
Additionally, various content features interactions between characters from both Persona 5 and P5X, including special events like “The Moment of Fateful Collision.”
Players who grow attached to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts in this game are encouraged to check out “Persona 5 Royal” (PC / PS5 / Xbox Series X|S / Nintendo Switch / PS4 / Xbox One), which adds many new elements to Persona 5. Playing it enhances understanding of the world setting and makes enjoying P5X even more rewarding.
In this game, players explore Mementos and palaces—dungeons with multiple areas. The party consists of four members (including the protagonist) plus one support character.
The thief costumes are stylish, and during exploration, team members communicate using code names to keep their identities hidden—a quintessential phantom thief touch. Image Gallery No.016 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Dungeons contain various puzzles and challenges that must be solved to progress. Players encounter thrilling, acrobatic thief-style moments involving jumps or wire hooks—executing these actions with simple controls delivers a fantastic sense of satisfaction.
Shadows inhabit the dungeons, triggering battles upon encounter. Using cover actions (hiding) allows players to exploit enemy weaknesses and gain an advantage—adding a thrilling undercover thief experience.
Battles proceed in order based on the sequence displayed in the top-left corner. Fast-forward and auto modes are available for comfort during gameplay.
Each time an ally acts, a gauge (star-shaped meter at bottom-right) fills up. When full, players can unleash “Highlight,” a powerful special move unique to each character—offering beautiful and dazzling visual effects.
Multiple elemental types—such as fire and ice—are present, with each Persona and Shadow having specific weaknesses and resistances. Attacking a Shadow using its weakness results in “1MORE,” allowing an additional turn—a mechanic that makes exploiting enemy vulnerabilities highly strategic.
The protagonist is unique among Persona users, possessing the rare “Wild” ability to switch between multiple Personas (while each ally has only one). This key combat skill makes balancing elemental strengths and weaknesses across your party highly recommended for tackling any Shadow.
When all Shadows are defeated, players unlock the “All-Out Attack” opportunity! This attack deals massive damage to all enemies. Moreover, if a Shadow is finished off with an All-Out Attack (eliminated), a special cinematic cutscene plays—so aim for it!
Besides the companions and Phantom Thieves of Hearts, players can also form a party with “Phantom Idols,” unique characters in this game. The term “phantom idol” combines thief × idol—but these are not traditional performers; rather, they represent cognitive constructs (idols) imagined by the protagonist.
These phantom idols are all compelling individuals. As manifestations of the protagonist’s cognition, their true forms may differ from how they appear. Meeting them in person during the main story is incredibly exciting. Image Gallery No.023 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Here, we introduce male phantom idols and their special finisher illustrations during All-Out Attacks.
Kurogawa Kiyoshi (CV: Yuusuke Kobayashi)
Code Name: Key
Persona Duo: Shukai
He refers to himself as a “chosen being,” which contributes to his limited social circle (a classic example of “middle-school syndrome”). He sees the protagonist as another “chosen one” and shows affection—adding an endearing side.
Somi Shunya (CV: Junya Enoki)
Code Name: Sepia
Persona Duo: Gorugira
A young man who appears at a fishing pond and is known as the “Fishing Sage.” Calm and dependable, he earns deep trust from regulars—but rumors suggest he’s fleeing something…
Kamiyama Reo (CV: Maki Itō)
Code Name: Leon
Persona Duo: Elyteia
He became obsessed with the tokusatsu series “Featherman” as a child and once dreamed of becoming a suit actor. Currently, he’s staying at the home of his relative, Yoshino Kao.
Shiratori Seiji (CV: Ryō Hayami)
Code Name: Fleur
Persona Duo: Leukotear
A second-year student at a different high school. He’s the ace of the fencing team but is so serious about training that he struggles to get along with other members. A fan of author “Mokuriya” and an avid reader.
Palaces are divided into multiple areas, and progressing through them often requires raising the protagonist’s level. As the protagonist levels up, allies’ and Personas’ level caps also increase—significantly boosting overall party strength.
Players gain experience points by completing missions (both main and side) or achieving specific goals. Once enough EXP is accumulated, leveling up occurs. Among these, certain content provides highly efficient EXP gains—and playing them daily is strongly recommended for rapid progress.
[Recommended Content to Level Up the Protagonist]
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Complete Daily “Phantom Pass” challenges
Clearing four daily objectives grants large amounts of experience points and items. -
Challenge the “Territory of Subjugation”
This stage consumes stamina (restores every 6 minutes) and rewards training materials and EXP.
Additionally, beyond leveling up the protagonist or allies, numerous other enhancement options—such as weapons and skills—are available to strengthen your party. These make battles much easier, so be sure not to overlook them.
Enjoy the Highly Customizable Urban Life
One of the defining features of the Persona series is its highly customizable student life. In this game, players can enjoy a rich urban experience in Tokyo. You’re free to dress up the protagonist with new clothes, grow plants, craft useful exploration items—whatever you wish.
The cityscapes of Shibuya and Shinjuku are rendered almost identical to real-life locations. Image Gallery No.029 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Spending action points allows you to take on part-time jobs, watch movies, and more. These actions reward money or items—and increase the protagonist’s human parameters. These parameters are required to raise the “Synergy” rank in character-specific events.
Action points regenerate every day at 5:00 PM—up to a maximum of 20. Image Gallery No.030 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Completing certain side missions unlocks Synergy events with companions and phantom idols, offering deeper character stories. Spending time together or giving gifts raises the Synergy rank—eventually leading to friendship, or even romance for female characters. As of October 2025, players can unlock Synergy content with Rufel, Kanou, Kurogawa, and the new character Koki Kitagawa. Other phantom idols will be revealed in future updates.
Raising Synergy ranks grants beneficial effects during city activities and thief missions. Image Gallery No.031 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
By the way, even in positions without Synergy or phantom idols, players may still encounter unique and lovable characters through side missions. Be sure to try out various quests!
Seasonal events also take place. The event “Summer! Swimwear! SEA TIME!” running until October 23 allowed players to obtain new outfits, face beach anomalies with companions, and enjoy plenty of fun activities.
Special side stories with companions were also included, creating lasting memories. For example, bonding with Kanou over his quirky (and stylish?) ramen necklace—proving to be a fun moment.
Each companion has three event episodes, and completing all of them unlocks a shared fireworks viewing—making it a peaceful and beautiful moment with cherished friends. The future events are equally exciting to anticipate.
Koki Kitagawa Joins on October 23!
Starting October 23, 2025, players can form a contract with the new phantom idol Koki Kitagawa.
Image Gallery No.035 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo) Image Gallery No.036 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Koki Kitagawa (CV: Shinnosuke Tachibana)
Code Name: Messer
Persona Duo: Harpuya
A 25-year-old male working as a trainee doctor at a hospital in Tokyo. There’s clearly a reason behind his dream to become a physician—but what could it be? While deeply passionate about learning various medical cases, he also has playful tendencies—such as playing pranks using toy eyeballs. He feels that patients are losing their desire to live—and wants to change this world.
Furthermore, the side mission “The Oddball Gunner,” unlocking Koki’s Synergy in the event “A New Promise,” is now available for everyone to enjoy and interact with him.
After watching Koki play gun shooting games, the protagonist decides to try it too. But when they do, Koki challenges them—only for their match to be postponed due to prior commitments.
Perhaps he sensed something in the protagonist—a fellow phantom thief who handles guns with skill. Image Gallery No.038 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Koki has a firm principle: he never lets anything that interests him go unnoticed. This reliability as a trainee doctor is admirable—but it also extends to his rivalry with the protagonist, making their future interactions something to look forward to.
It’s cute that one of Koki’s favorite things (and ideal gifts) is mochi-like cushions. Image Gallery No.039 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo) Image Gallery No.040 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
As relationships progress, exclusive content featuring Koki’s voice lines will become available. Image Gallery No.043 thumbnail / New idol thief Koki Kitagawa joins! Recommended lifestyle as phantom thieves by Girls’ Department (pseudo)
Those who find Koki intriguing are encouraged to form a contract with him and enjoy an even more exciting high school and thief life.
Official Website for “Persona 5: The Phantom X”
Steam Store Page for “Persona 5: The Phantom X”
Download Page for “Persona 5: The Phantom X”
Download Page for “Persona 5: The Phantom X”
(C) Perfect World Adapted from Persona5 (C)ATLUS. (C)SEGA.
(C) Perfect World Adapted from Persona5 (C)ATLUS. (C)SEGA.
(C) Perfect World Adapted from Persona5 (C)ATLUS. (C)SEGA.