The "pursuing my true self" thing has sort of been done now.
It could tie in with the "slavery" concept, though, and you're absolutely right that could go in a few different directions, particularly given Japan's general willingness to
push the boundaries of subject matter explored in video games. We could see shadows "enslaving" characters by refusing to allow their true selves to shine, for example, or by keeping them trapped in a difficult situation somehow.
We could potentially see exploration of mental health issues, too -- characters "enslaved" by depression, anxiety or self-worth issues, which then opens up the prospect of quite literally helping people overcome their demons. There's even scope for the exploration of masochistic characters who actively enjoy the prospect of being enslaved, whether it's for sexual gratification, a sense of belonging or some other reason. The last time I saw that explored in a console game was Ar Tonelico Qoga's exploration of the character Finnel, where it was extremely thought-provoking and forced me to consider an outlook on life I hadn't really contemplated before; I have no doubt that if Atlus were to turn its attention to similar subject matter, the result would be similarly intriguing. It would certainly be in keeping with the series to unapologetically and non-judgementally explore this sort of thing.
It's difficult to know exactly what sort of direction Persona 5 will end up taking, but I know one thing for sure: I'm very, very excited to find out. With Persona 3 and 4, Atlus earned my trust; I have little doubt that 5 will end up being very special indeed, and with the vastly increased recognition of the brand that's come in recent years thanks to the relentless marketing, rereleases and spinoffs of Persona 4, I'm confident that more people will pay attention to it this time around.
Read more here: http://www.usgamer.net/articles/2014-in-preview-wantemancipation-no-we-want-persona-5-
