The plot of Atlus's PlayStation 2 role-playing game Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 is centered on a group of high-school students dedicated to capturing the culprit responsible for the murders and kidnappings that happened in their small town of Inaba starting in April 11, 2011. The case is linked by the TV world, a dimension where the characters use alteregos known as Personas to defeat the Shadows, beings that represent people's hidden thoughts that killed the first two victims. The protagonist is Yu Narukami, a high-school student who moved into the town from the city. He is met by Yosuke Hanamura, the son of the local department store manager; Chie Satonaka, an energetic girl with a strong interest in kung fu; Yukiko Amagi, a calm and refined girl whose family owns the local inn; Kanji Tatsumi, a first-year student whose punk reputation hides a softer side; Teddie, a mysterious figure from the TV world who exists in the form of a cartoonish bear costume; Rise Kujikawa, a popular teen idol who has taken a break from showbiz; and Naoto Shirogane, a well-known junior detective who disguises her true identity by dressing as a young man.
Persona 4 has been adapted to a manga and an anime series that gave different portrayals to the game's cast, most notably the protagonist who is given his own name and a personality. The game was also ported for the PlayStation Vita as Persona 4 Golden which expanded various of the characters' stories and included a new one called Marie, a teenage girl linked with the Investigation Team. A fighting game sequel, Persona 4 Arena, features the Investigation Team in a tournament competing against each other as well as characters from the prequel Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3.