Akihiko Sanada is an important character in Persona 3 Reload, and, once he joins your party, he contributes a potent mix of Strike damage, Electric damage, and healing. But after going out alone during the Dark Hour, he’s injured, and won’t be available until he’s fully recovered.
When do you get Akihiko in Persona 3 Reload?
To get Akihiko into your party in Persona 3 Reload, there’s nothing in particular you have to do, nor are there any conditions you need to meet. Him joining your party is simply a scripted event that happens on a particular date: May 23 (5/23). That’s the same day as your last midterm exam, and you can go to Tartarus with Akihiko that same evening. So, Akihiko joins the party on May 23.
Akihiko’s Persona is Polydeuces, an Emperor Persona. Its most important quality is that it can deal Electric damage, which is exceptionally valuable in Arqa, the second block of Tartarus. That’s where you’ll encounter many powerful shadows that are weak to Electric damage, like the Swift Axle and Steel Gigas.
Frustratingly, for me, May 23 was also the same day I discovered I’d reached another dead end in Tartarus. I was at Floor 42, and the second half of the Arqa block would be sealed by a closed path until the next full moon. So, although Akihiko was able to join my party, I couldn’t really put him to the test for another few weeks.
Thankfully, though, he proved a worthy addition to the party in the end. This was mainly due to his Electric damage skills, but also because his basic attacks have a decent chance of inflicting critical hits—also since his healing skills are handy when Yukari isn’t available or when you simply haven’t selected her.
