| Naoto Shirogane | |
|---|---|
| Persona character | |
 Naoto from Persona 4 | |
| First appearance | Persona 4 (2008) |
| Designed by | Shigenori Soejima[1] |
| Voiced by |
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| Portrayed by | Various
|
| In-universe information | |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Naoto Shirogane (Japanese: 白鐘 直斗, Hepburn: Shirogane Naoto) is a fictional character in the role-playing game Persona 4. The character is an androgynous young woman who moves to Inaba in order to aid the police in investigating the ongoing serial-murder case. In an attempt to solve the murder case, Naoto uses herself as bait by appearing on TV and allowing herself to be kidnapped by the culprit. After facing her hidden feelings in the form of a "Shadow", Naoto obtains the power of a "Persona" which allows her to become a playable character alongside the rest of the cast. Naoto also can develop a bond with the protagonist though the whether or not it is intimate depends on the player's choices. The character has also appeared in the animated adaptations of Persona 4 as well as other spin-off games which use different genre rather than role-playing games.
Shigenori Soejima created Naoto under the direction of hiding her gender while also giving cues to the audience, lending a more feminine approach to her final design. While Naoto has been a popular character, there has been controversy over the nature of her gender identity not being fully explored through her social link.