How to Recruit Reiji - Persona 1 Guides
Reiji is an optional character in Persona 1 which is only available to you if you do the SEBEC Route during the main story. In order to recruit Reiji into your group you'll need to complete a series of about 10 steps in total - all of which take place during the Introduction of this game. The first 6 steps for recruiting Reiji take place before you reach the point of the game where you start getting random encounters.
Since the process of recruiting Reiji is a bit convoluted and confusing I am breaking this guide up into two parts. This top portion here is going to be a detailed hand holding guide which will navigate you through what it takes to recruit Reiji. Below you will find a list of bullet points detailing each step of how to recruit Reiji; use whichever one your prefer more.
To recruit Reiji the first things you'll need to do is speak with the Male teacher (pictured above) inside of St. Hermelin High. He'll mention someone sneaking into an empty classroom on the 2F; visit the empty classroom in the SE portion of the map on the 2nd floor, you'll meet Reiji for the first time in here.
After meeting Reiji be sure to speak with the Male student inside Classroom 2-1. Once you've done these 3 things inside the school you're free to leave. Our next stop is to Joy Street mall which is where you'll need to talk with Reiji's mother (pictured below) and a blonde man afterwards (also pictured below).
When you speak to Reiji's mother she will ask you if you know Reiji Kido. Make sure that you say "Yeah." when she asks this to you. She'll then ask you to become friends with her son, to which you'll want to respond in the affirmative that you will. Make sure you only talk to Reiji's mother ONCE otherwise you'll mess up the quest. It's super silly, I know, but old games are like this sometimes.
After talking with Reiji's mother you'll want to visit the Judgment 1999 Casino which is inside of the same mall. Inside this Casino you'll want to speak with the Blonde man (pictured above) who mentions a guy with a scar on his head. Once you've seen this dialogue you're now flagged and can meet Reiji inside of the Abandoned Factory (pictured below).
Once you've met Reiji at the Abandoned Factory you're now done with everything you need to do at this point in time. After you complete the Transformed Mikage Hospital Dungeon you'll need to immediately go to the SEBEC Building for a scene involving Reiji. On the map outside of the SEBEC Building you'll find NPCs on the World Map which are colored red; approach either of these guys for the scene.
Mark will save Reiji's life during this scene (more or less) and Reiji will leave. This is the last step that you need to go out of your way to complete for recruiting Reiji. From this point onward if you want Reiji in your party then all you need to do is refuse all of the optional 5th party members.
During the main story Brown, Elly and Ayase will try to join your party and you'll have to tell all of them no. If you messed up the Reiji quest then Ayase will force herself into your party when you have a scene with her at the Abandoned Factory later on. Otherwise, if Ayase doesn't force herself into your party and you complete the entire SEBEC Building with just 4 party members, you'll know that when you encounter Reiji later he will join you.
At Start of Game BEFORE Visiting Maki in Mikage Hospital:
1. Talk to the teacher in the 1F Teacher's Lounge; you'll find him next to the entrance/exit of the school.
2. Visit the empty classroom on the 2F to meet Reiji for the first time. The classroom that you need to enter is in the southeast portion of the map.
3. Speak with the male student inside Class 2-1.
4. Visit the convenience store at Joy Street and talk with Reiji's mother. Tell her that you know about her son and you will be happy to be his friend. Only speak with her one time!
5. Head over to the Casino inside of the same mall and talk with the blonde man here. You'll learn that Reiji likes to visit the Abandoned Factory.
6. Visit the Abandoned Factory to meet Reiji a second time; he'll leave immediately again.
After Completing Transformed Mikage Hospital Dungeon:
1. Visit the SEBEC Building and approach the guards blocking the road on the World Map. There will be a scene involving Reiji.
2. Refuse to let Brown, Elly or Ayase join your party when they ask to join.
3. After you finish the SEBEC Building you'll visit St Hermelin a second time; when clearing this dungeon you'll have a scene with Reiji. If you did everything right he'll join your party during this scene.
Return to SEBEC Walkthrough Chapter 1
Return to Persona 1 Walkthrough Index