Ep 2. The Contractor's Key

After the events of the first episode, Yu Narukami, the protagonist, has decided to stay in Inaba for a while longer due to his parents' work-related reasons. He starts attending Yasogami High School, where he becomes friends with Chie Satonaka and Yosuke Hanamura. The second episode begins with the trio and another girl, Yukiko Amagi, discussing the rumor about the Midnight Channel. According to the rumor, if you stare at a turned off television screen during a rainy night, you might see your soulmate in it.

As the four of them decide to try it out, they end up seeing a strange room inside the TV. Inside the room, they find themselves face-to-face with Teddie, a mysterious bear-like entity who welcomes them to the world inside the TV. The group is confused and surprised by the discovery but manages to escape back to the real world before anything else happens.

The next day, the group discovers that Yukiko, who is the heir to a famous inn, has gone missing. Her disappearance is odd as she is supposed to take over the inn in the future, and it's unlike her to skip out on her responsibilities. The investigation team decides to look for her in the world inside the TV, as they believe that her disappearance might be related to their earlier discovery.

After agreeing to go into the TV world, the group attempts to enter it by using a special key, which Teddie describes as the "contractor's key." However, the key won't work for them, and they are partly trapped inside the TV world until they can find another way in. Upon entering the world, they meet a young girl who guides them, informing them of the dangers they are facing.

As they explore the TV world, they come across a strange and eerie castle which they decide to investigate. Inside, they split up to explore different areas of the castle. Yu, Chie, and Yosuke discover a shadow, which they battle and defeat using their newfound abilities as persona users. Meanwhile, Yukiko is located in another part of the castle, held captive by a person who is revealed to be a shadow as well. Yu and the others eventually find her locked in a room, and once they rescue her, they encounter the shadow's true form.

This episode's primary focus is on introducing the main cast, as well as the world inside the TV. Yu, Chie, Yosuke, and Yukiko's personalities are further developed through their actions and dialogue, and viewers get a glimpse of the relationships that will form between them. Additionally, the episode alludes to the overarching mystery of the series, as the group continues to uncover more information about the Midnight Channel and the TV world. The episode blends humor and mystery to set the tone for the rest of the series.