Persona 3 The Movie: No. 1, Spring of Birth

Persona 3 The Movie: #1 Spring of Birth
Theatrical release poster. Right caption reads, "The end of everything begins..."
Directed by	Noriaki Akitaya
Produced by	Kazuki Adachi Yoshikazu Tanaka Osamu Hosokawa Akimichi Tsugawa Kozue Kananiwa
Written by	Jun Kumagai
Story by	Atlus
Based on	Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 by Atlus
Starring	Akira Ishida Megumi Toyoguchi Kōsuke Toriumi Rie Tanaka Hikaru Midorikawa Mamiko Noto Kazuya Nakai Isamu Tanonaka Miyuki Sawashiro
Music by	Shoji Meguro
Edited by	Takashi Sakurai
Production company	AIC ASTA
Distributed by	Aniplex
Release date	November 23, 2013 (2013-11-23)
Running time	91 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Box office	¥201,886,754 (US$1,956,267)

Persona 3 The Movie: #1 Spring of Birth (劇場版「ペルソナ3」第１章, Gekijōban Perusona 3 Dai Ichi Shō^?) is a 2013 Japanese animated film and the first installment in a film series based on the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 video game by Atlus. Directed by Noriaki Akitaya and written by Jun Kumagai, it is based on the original story by Atlus and distributed by Aniplex. It stars voice actors Akira Ishida, Megumi Toyoguchi, Kōsuke Toriumi, Rie Tanaka, Hikaru Midorikawa and Mamiko Noto. Set in 2009, the film follows the exploits of transfer student Makoto Yuki who, upon moving to Iwatodai City, discovers the Shadow creatures which feed on human psyche during the Dark Hour midnight phenomenon. After awakening to an ability called Persona, Yuki finds himself intertwined in the battle against the Shadows with his new schoolmates.

Development of the film was first announced in a teaser trailer during the limited theatrical release of Persona 4 The Animation: The Factor of Hope on June 9, 2012. Aniplex later announced a Fall 2013 release date and that the main voice acting cast of the original PlayStation 2 game would reprise their roles in the film. The committee that was involved in Persona 4: The Animation was selected for the film and included music composer Shoji Meguro and supervisor Seiji Kishi, both veterans in works of the Megami Tensei franchise. The film was animated by AIC ASTA. The characterization of Makoto Yuki was noted as being particularly difficult during production due to his concept in the original game.