# Persona 5 Battle Menu Parodies Persona 5 Battle Menu Parodies are an exploitable photoshop meme where the stylish battle interface from the 2017 RPG *Persona 5* is superimposed onto unrelated images. The trend kicked off in April 2017, just days after the game's worldwide release, when a Twitter user posted a transparent version of the menu that anyone could layer onto photos. The result: everything from Donkey Kong to Donald Trump got the *Persona 5* treatment, and the internet couldn't get enough of it. ## Origin *Persona 5* launched in Japan on September 15, 2016, and worldwide on April 4, 2017[3]. The game's UI drew immediate praise. As Kotaku editor-at-large Kirk Hamilton wrote in his review, "*Persona 5* is one of the most stylish video games I've ever played. It restlessly pulses toward the corners of your TV screen, as if unable to contain its overabundance of verve"[1]. Four days after the global launch, on April 8, 2017, YouTuber Euphemism for Magic uploaded a "Just Give 'Em One of These" parody video using the *Persona 5* battle UI[4]. The video pulled in over 240,000 views and 380 comments within its first four days[4]. The next day, April 9, 2017, Twitter user @Brento_Bento posted a photoshop featuring an image from the *Super Mario Bros.* cartoon overlaid with the *Persona 5* menu[4]. More importantly, a transparent version of the battle menu started circulating on Twitter, giving anyone the tools to create their own edits[2]. - **Platform:** Twitter (transparent template), YouTube (first video parody) - **Creator:** @Brento_Bento (transparent menu template), Euphemism for Magic (first video parody) - **Date:** 2017 ## Overview The *Persona 5* battle menu is one of the most visually striking UI designs in gaming history. During dungeon battles, players select actions from markers arranged dynamically around each character, with bold red-and-black graphics that pulsate and react to every button press[1]. The menus give off a sense of forward momentum and kinetic energy that feels unlike anything else in the RPG genre[1]. The meme takes this distinctive interface and slaps it onto completely unrelated images. Any photo of a person, character, or animal becomes a *Persona 5* battler, complete with the game's action options. The humor comes from the absurd contrast between the ultra-stylish JRPG aesthetic and whatever mundane or ridiculous subject gets the treatment. ## How It Spread Once the transparent template hit Twitter, the floodgates opened. On April 11, 2017, Tumblr user HANDSOMEZACK posted a photoshop of a child wielding a water pistol with the battle menu overlay, which racked up over 9,000 notes in less than 24 hours[4]. That same day, both Kotaku and Mic published articles rounding up the best examples. Kotaku's piece, titled "Persona 5 Menus Make Everything Better," highlighted how the meme had spread to other video games, cartoons, and completely random images[1]. Mic's roundup showcased edits featuring Donkey Kong, Hank Hill from *King of the Hill*, a cat riding a Roomba, Donald Trump, *The Simpsons*, *Seinfeld*, and the gang from *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*[2]. People put the menu on top of other games first, which made sense[1]. But the real magic happened when creators realized the template worked on literally anything. Characters from other media, real-world politicians, pets, stock photos. The bold red-and-black aesthetic is so visually distinct that layering it over any image produces an inherently funny result[1]. The meme spread rapidly across Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube. Chris Person, video editor for Gizmodo Media Group, became particularly prolific with the format, creating multiple viral edits[1]. The meme's appeal was simple: the *Persona 5* UI is so over-the-top stylish that putting it on mundane things creates instant comedy through sheer contrast. ## How to Use Creating a Persona 5 Battle Menu Parody typically follows a straightforward process: 1. **Find a base image.** Any photo or screenshot of a person, character, or animal works. The funnier or more unexpected the subject, the better. 2. **Overlay the transparent battle menu.** The menu elements (attack options, character portrait frame, HP/SP bars) get layered on top of the base image. 3. **Position the UI elements** so they frame the subject as if they're the active party member in a *Persona 5* battle. 4. **Optional:** Add custom text to the menu options for extra humor (e.g., replacing "Attack" with something relevant to the subject). ## Cultural Impact The meme drew coverage from major gaming outlets within a week of *Persona 5*'s western release. Kotaku and Mic both published dedicated roundups on April 11, 2017[1][2], treating the trend as a notable cultural moment in gaming. The speed of adoption was striking: the game had been out for only seven days in the West before the meme exploded. The Persona 5 Battle Menu Parodies also fed back into appreciation for the game's design itself. Kotaku's coverage emphasized how the meme proved just how distinctive the UI was, noting that the style was so unique that "plunking it on top of other media is just inherently funny"[1]. In a sense, the meme became free marketing for *Persona 5*, spreading awareness of its visual identity far beyond the JRPG audience. *Persona 5* went on to sell over 10.45 million copies (including Royal) by March 2025[3], and while the battle menu meme was just one factor in its cultural footprint, the viral photoshop trend helped cement the game's reputation for unmatched style. ## Fun Facts - The meme went from zero to Kotaku coverage in just seven days after *Persona 5*'s worldwide release[1]. - Tumblr user HANDSOMEZACK's water pistol kid edit hit 9,000 notes in under 24 hours, making it one of the fastest-spreading early examples[4]. - Mic's roundup included a Garfield edit "channeling Sojiro Sakura from early on in the game," blending *Persona 5* lore with another internet-favorite character[2]. - *Persona 5*'s UI was designed by Masayoshi Suto, though the meme community largely credits @Brento_Bento for making it accessible as a template[4]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Persona 5 Battle Menu Parodies? It's a photoshop meme where the battle interface from the RPG *Persona 5* is superimposed over unrelated images, making any subject look like a character in the game[4]. ### Where did Persona 5 Battle Menu Parodies come from? The meme started in April 2017, days after *Persona 5*'s worldwide release. YouTuber Euphemism for Magic posted the first video parody on April 8, and Twitter user @Brento_Bento shared a transparent menu template on April 9[4]. ### What does Persona 5 Battle Menu Parodies mean? The meme plays on the extreme stylishness of *Persona 5*'s UI by applying it to absurd or mundane contexts. The joke is the contrast between the game's intense aesthetic and whatever random subject gets the overlay[1]. ### How do you use Persona 5 Battle Menu Parodies? Find any image of a person, character, or animal, then layer the transparent *Persona 5* battle menu elements on top. The subject becomes the "active party member" in a mock battle screen[2]. ### Is Persona 5 Battle Menu Parodies still popular? The meme peaked in April 2017 when both Kotaku and Mic covered it[1][2]. It still appears occasionally when *Persona* content trends, though the initial viral wave has passed. ### Who made the transparent template? Twitter user @Brento_Bento is credited with posting the transparent version of the battle menu that enabled the meme to spread widely[4]. ### What was the first Persona 5 Battle Menu Parody? The earliest known example is a video by YouTuber Euphemism for Magic, uploaded on April 8, 2017, which used the battle UI in a "Just Give 'Em One of These" format[4]. ### Why did this meme spread so fast? The *Persona 5* battle menu has an extremely distinctive red-and-black visual style that clashes with almost any other image. That visual contrast made edits instantly recognizable and funny, and the transparent template lowered the barrier to creation[1]. ### What are the most popular Persona 5 Battle Menu edits? Notable examples include Donkey Kong, Hank Hill from *King of the Hill*, a cat on a Roomba, Donald Trump, *The Simpsons*, and a *Seinfeld* edit[2]. ## References 1. ['Persona 5' Memes: The funniest battle menu parodies from around the net]() 2. [Persona 5 Menus Make Everything Better - Kotaku]() 3. ['Persona 5' Memes: The funniest battle menu parodies from around the net]() 4. [Persona 5 Battle Menu Parodies - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Paris Hilton]() 6. [Persona 5]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/persona-5-battle-menu-parodies Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library