Persona 3 The Movie: No. 4, Winter of Rebirth

Plot

The movie started with flashback of the car accident that killed Makoto's parents ten years ago. After his parents died, child Makoto watched the battle between Aigis and Ryoji, who back then was a Shadow known as Death. Unable to defeat Death, Aigis sealed the Shadow into Makoto, who then lost the memories of the incident. Back at present time, Makoto remembered the incident and then the rest of SEES members arrived. Upon finding out Ryoji's true identity, they attacked him, but was easily defeated. Before leaving, Ryoji revealed that a being known as Nyx will come and bring the end of the world. Ryoji gave them one month to decide whether to kill him which will resulted in their memories being erased and they can live the remainder of their lives in bliss or keep living in fear knowing their end will soon come.

The revelation drove everyone into depressions as they noticed more people around them began to show the signs of falling into Apathy Syndrome. The SEES members then discussed what Mitsuru has found from Ikutsuki's files that confirmed the existence of Nyx and the choice that Ryoji has given to them, but the discussion broke the team apart due to their respective fear. At December 20, Aigis regained her consciousness after her battle against Ryoji and apologised for what happened ten years ago. Not wanting to see her friends suffering, Aigis pleaded Makoto to kill Ryoji, surprising Makoto. The next day, Mitsuru and Akihiko visited a church and found both Takaya and Jin were spreading the knowledge of Nyx's arrival. At December 22, Yukari's Persona suddenly went out of control and attacked Yukari, leading her to be hospitalized as Mitsuru revealed that if they don't have concern for their own consciousness they may be attacked by their own Persona, in Yukari's case, her depression caused her to neglect eating for days which caused the attack.

While imagining the days he will spend with his friends if they just erase their memories, Makoto was approached by Elizabeth who asked him to give her a tour around the town. As they reached their last destination, Elizabeth questioned how Makoto feels after spending time in the town for whole year. As Makoto reminisced his times in the town, he came to realization that the times he spent with his friends has made him feel truly alive for the first time after the incident ten years ago, and he regained his resolve to live. At the same time, the other SEES members also regained their respective resolve to keep living not only for themselves but also for their loved ones. At the promised day, Ryoji came to hear their answer, and Makoto decided he won't kill him because he wants to live more regardless of the odds against him. Respecting his decision, Ryoji told SEES that Nyx will appear at the top of Tartarus in January 31. Horrified by her friends' choice, Aigis ran away to Gekkoukan High where both she and Makoto talked out about the meaning of her existence as well as her confusion that even though her enemy was no more, she still wants to be by Makoto's side. Understanding that she is still herself even though she's a machine, Aigis found her resolve to fight. Realising that they may lose their memories of their battles, Makoto and his friends make a promise to gather at school rooftop on graduation day as a sign that they remember what they have gone through.

At the day of Nyx arrival, the SEES fought the Shadows as they were heading to the top of Tartarus, also encountering Takaya and Jin on the way. While the SEES members fighting the swarm of Shadows and Takaya and Jin, Makoto went ahead to confront Nyx alone. After much struggle, the rest of SEES members able to defeat their enemies with their newly transformed Personas and reached Makoto. However, Makoto was still unable to defeat Nyx and the moon started to fall as people became Shadows. The SEES were rendered immobile by Nyx's massive gravitational wave, worsened with another swarm of Shadows coming towards them. Determined to go through with his decision, Makoto fused Orpheus and Thanatos into Messiah and flew towards the moon where Nyx's core is located. With powers and encouragement from his friends, Makoto seals Nyx away and eliminates both Tartarus and Dark Hour.

A month after the battle against Nyx, Makoto and the others head to school to attend Mitsuru and Akihiko's graduation ceremony, having lost all memories of the Dark Hour after the battle. Makoto spots Aigis and regains his memories, stumbling to the roof where Aigis is waiting to fulfill the group's promise; not long after, the rest of SEES regain their memories and also head the roof. The movie ends with a smiling Makoto watching the rest of his friends arrive as he falls asleep in Aigis's lap, having finally fulfilled their promise.

After the ending credits, Elizabeth is seen leaving the Velvet Room, which has stopped now that Makoto's contract has been fulfilled.

Previews

#4 Winter of Rebirth was first teased at the end of the Persona 3 The Movie: #3 Falling Down feature film which began screening in Japan from April 4, 2015.

Reception

As of January 24, 2016, the film had grossed US$361,950 in Japan.