The Best Romances in Persona 5 Royal

Updated August 10, 2026, by Mark Sammut: Besides rewriting the intro and swapping images, I rewrote Futaba's section.

Persona 5 Royal might be more than 6 years old by this point, but Atlus's perfect JRPG continues to be beloved, replayed, and discovered. The sheer quantity of content means a single playthrough never lets you experience everything, and the game's quality means you will want to do just that. P5R's romance might be a relatively minor part of the package, but it's one of the few things that really falls into the player's hands, letting them decide if and who Joker will date by the end of the game.

As we wait for Persona 6 to become a reality, this is the perfect time to revisit its predecessor for a new playthrough and a fresh love story. Which Confidant route should you pick? Makoto? Ann? Kasumi? Well, let's go through all the potential partners to find the best one.

How Does Romance Work In Persona 5 Royal?

Romance is tied directly to Persona 5 Royal's Confidant system (your social bonds with various characters). While romance doesn't alter the main storyline or affect combat stats, it unlocks unique hangout scenes, provides special items on Christmas Eve and Valentine's Day, and changes how those characters interact with you during specific calendar events.

Progression through a Confidant route requires a high Social Stat, with each character having their own preference (for instance, Kindness for Futaba and Charm for Makoto). To activate the romance option, you need to reach Confidant Rank 9 with your chosen character. At that point, the game provides a dialogue option that lets you decide whether to maintain a platonic relationship or pursue a romance. Hang out with the character again to reach Rank 10, cementing your romance in the process.

Should You Even Bother With Romance In Persona 5 Royal?

OK, we might as well answer the most important question right away: Does romance hold any value in P5R?

Well, the answer is complicated. Speaking strictly on mechanics, romance provides absolutely no rewards. Improving the Confidant ranking provides an array of positives, but picking a romantic over a platonic relationship yields no additional benefits.

However, P5R is just as much a Social Sim as it is a turn-based JRPG, and romance elevates the former. You also get to spend a bit more time with your chosen character, which is nice.

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 Confidant 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 sweet, making her a pretty wholesome, albeit somewhat gullible character to fall for. As with most other Confidants in the game, this character has a set of Mementos that players are asked to complete. 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.

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 Tae Takemi

Arcana: Death

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

One of the most popular NPCs in Persona 5 Royal, Tae Takemi has plenty of things going for her. First, she sells medicine, which you will need to use throughout the campaign. As her Confidant route focuses on expanding and improving her clinic's inventory, players are rewarded with tangible improvements that can make a notable difference to their dungeon runs.

Secondly, Tae is a goth-punk hybrid, an aesthetic that simply attracts positive attention. She not only looks the part, but she also acts cool, mainly through her willingness to stand up to corruption. Even her personality is fun, with most of her interactions with Joker having an element of humor. Really, you will want to upgrade Tae's Confidant path as soon as possible, at least until Rank 5.

Now, we get to the actual romance. Look, Tae is clearly much older than Joker, and there's even a slight power imbalance since she is his doctor. Honestly, I don't have anything more to say here; you decide.

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.

7 Sadayo Kawakami

Arcana: Temperance

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

Don't worry, we're almost done with the adult partners.

Of all the P5R romances, Sadayo Kawakami feels the most "wrong." Like, there's no way around it: a romance between a teacher and her student is the definition of taboo.

The thing is, Sadayo is one of the game's better supporting characters, and her Temperance Confidant route offers a couple of useful skills. Even at Rank 3, Joker can ask Kawakami to do his laundry or make a cup of coffee, both of which are useful in one way or another. Later on, she can make you curry or infiltration tools, which is again useful. Even her Max Rank ability, Special Massage, lets you go out at night after spending time in the Metaverse.

If we were talking about the best Confidant character, Sadayo might actually rank first.

Honestly, Sadayo's story is also pretty darn great and fits Persona 5's themes incredibly well. The teacher also works as part of a maid service to pay off the guardians of one of her former students who died, as they are threatening to sue her. All she wanted to do was help improve the student's grades, a simple act that essentially ruined her life and drowned her in guilt. Her sympathetic situation makes her easy to relate to, and you really want to help her out by the end.

However, this article is about the best P5R characters for romance, and this route is just too weird. Personally, I would max out Sadayo's Confidant Ranks but then opt against a relationship.

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.

6 Futaba Sakura

Arcana: Hermit

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

Putting aside the adult characters, Futaba tends to divide people the most, for a variety of reasons. Dealing with crippling social anxiety, Futaba's journey is defined by self-discovery, support, and growth; however, all of that works without going the romance route. Personality-wise, her super-hacker gamer girl archetype can become grating if you don't particularly enjoy this type of character, and her repetitive in-battle dialogue challenges Moragana's for the most annoying.

I will say, Futaba's dialogue works better coming from the Japanese voice actor, Aoi Yūki. That's not a criticism of Erica Lindbeck's performance, as she is fantastic, but the gamer dialogue just sounds more natural in Japanese.

Throughout her Hermit Confidant route, Futaba gradually comes out of her shell by completing a list of personal goals and facing her past trauma, with Joker's help along the way. They arguably develop the most intimate and emotional relationship in the whole game... but the jump to romance comes down to whether you interpret their dynamic as sibling-like or romantic. Futaba kind of fits the "little sister" role, although they are actually the same age.

Mechanically, Futaba's Confidant abilities are among the best in the game, offering valuable support boosts, floor mapping, and even a last-ditch save. Honestly, it's worth completing her route just for this.

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 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 but still 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 lets players 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 able 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.

4 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 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.

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 new 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 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.