Again, claiming that Female Protagonist is not as crucial as The Answer is purely opinion. In my mind, the "more" complete version is the version with the Female Main Character. I gain a lot more content, and lose some lower quality content.
That's because you are refusing to acknowledge that the Female storyline is irrelevant to the overall Persona continuity. With the male protagonist you get The Journey, The Answer, P4: Arena, P4: The Ulimax Ultra Suplex Hold, and possibly even Persona Q(if this game is revealed to be canon). With the Female MC, you just get The Journey...


While we're at it, you should realize that the definitive version of the game usually features the best combat and gameplay, in which case P3P still beats out FES.
Combat-wise yes, but everything else was dumbed down.


Which ones would you choose given the options? The ones which were replaced for party members were Star (which became Akihiko), Justice (Ken Amada), Magician (Junpei), and Moon (Akihiko).
I hate Akihiko with a passion, so I definitely don't want a social link with him. Ditto for Ken, and I'm indifferent towards Junpei. I'd keep Shinjiro's, since he's awesome and well deserving of a social link.

Heck, I'd take away Mitsuru's social link as well; since I hate her guts too. lol



Ok, so what is the issue? For a definitive version, the "most" complete would be the one with the most content. So, it's P3P.
Is the Female MC really more content when you think about it though? The story is nearly the exact same thing, save for a few events and a few new social links. That is not more content than The Answer offers.

Not to mention all the content you get once you factor in that the Male MC's path leads into all the spin-offs/sequels.

If ATLUS ever actually declared that a particular story was canon, yes, it would be canon. But they didn't. They chose a single path to use for the follow up games, but that's not the same thing.
They used the Male MC in the sequels. That alone makes him canon. It's exactly the same thing. The male MC's path is what is being used in the official sequels. Therefore, the Male MC is the official/canon protagonist. Doesn't get any more simple than that.


It's like arguing that in Mass Effect, the canon story is that Wrex dies, because that's what happens when you start up Mass Effect 2 with a new game.
Not the same thing at all. Mass Effect lets you transfer over your choices, and adjusts the story accordingly. If they make a Mass Effect 4 and it follows a certain Mass Effect 3 ending no matter what, then that particular ending was canon.


ATLUS has never declared an official version of their stories for the most part.
Don't need to, when the sequels are following a certain path.


In Persona 4 Arena, none of your choices from Persona 3 or Persona 4 matter.
Your choices do not, however the MC is clearly stated to be a "him". So it was officially revealed that male MC is canon. Not only that, but you see the male MC's picture in the credits.







ATLUS hasn't revealed an official version of most of the stories.
Indeed, but when they do, that is the canon path. Just as the "True Ending" of P4 is canon, and the "Fight Nyx" ending of P3 is canon.


The closest they've gotten is in writing the neutral path as the "True" ending in most of the Shin Megami Tensei games. They needed to choose a path going forward to minimize expenditure of resources and keep their writing focused. That is not the same thing.
The reasoning behind the choice doesn't matter. It's still canon, no matter Atlus' reasoning for following a particular ending.


I have Catherine, but I haven't played it yet.
Best puzzle game ever. Oh, and it hasn't been revealed, but I'd bet you anything that the "True Katherine Ending" is the canon path. =P


Catherine is in canon with Persona, though. Did you know that? Another way in which P3P is more "definitive" than FES.
A random Vincent cameo hardly proves your point.


Canon-wise it doesn't really matter if you can select between male or female if the main story of the game plays out the exact same for both. At the same time, it brings more replay value, and an option for people to choose a gender that they might more easily identify with. After all, there is quite a bit of female gamers in the world these days, and while I'm sure not all of them care if they control a male or a female, I am sure that a lot of them would like to at least have the option in a world where they most of the time have no choice but to play a guy.
If that alone can stop someone from enjoying a game, then they were never interested in it to begin with. To be honest, that sounds more like a feminist agenda than anything.