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==Codex Statistics== | ==Codex Statistics== | ||
'''[[Tiering System|Tier]]:''' | '''[[Tiering System|Tier]]:''' '''Unknown-A''' | ||
'''[[Cardinality]]:''' | '''[[Cardinality]]:''' '''Unknown''' | ||
'''[[Dimensionality]]:''' '''Devoid''' (The Axiom [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 is the very being that created observation], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 which gave humans the ability to give concepts to the universe, allowing humans to assign an answer to phenomena without an answer], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 giving things without form, a certain and stable form], [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html with The Axiom existing even beyond this]<Ref>Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?<br>Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.<br>Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.<br>Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to [[YHVH]], or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.<br>Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?<br>Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)<br>Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.<br>Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make [[YHVH]] and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?<br>Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at [[YHVH]]: when he was born, humans perhaps observed [[YHVH]] himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as [[YHVH]]’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve [[YHVH]]’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of [[YHVH]].</ref>. [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html The Axiom is even less definable then demons]<Ref>Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?<br>Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.<br>Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.<br>Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to [[YHVH]], or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.<br>Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?<br>Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)<br>Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.<br>Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make [[YHVH]] and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?<br>Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at [[YHVH]]: when he was born, humans perhaps observed [[YHVH]] himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as [[YHVH]]’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve [[YHVH]]’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of [[YHVH]].</ref>, [https://youtu.be/4haQ5T9DoWk?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=881 who embody the phenomena and beliefs of humans, with their physical forms only being created due to humanity's observation locking them into these forms], [https://youtu.be/mU1bTqbGlDg?t=364 and their true forms existing as the phenomena and beliefs they reside in]. [https://youtu.be/tlSYsvtMFRE?t=427 Even attempting to say his infinitesimal lesser avatar's name, will cause a static-like sound as his mere name cannot truly be heard or comprehended]) | '''[[Dimensionality]]:''' '''Devoid''' (The Axiom [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 is the very being that created observation], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 which gave humans the ability to give concepts to the universe, allowing humans to assign an answer to phenomena without an answer], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 giving things without form, a certain and stable form], [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html with The Axiom existing even beyond this]<Ref>Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?<br>Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.<br>Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.<br>Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to [[YHVH]], or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.<br>Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?<br>Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)<br>Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.<br>Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make [[YHVH]] and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?<br>Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at [[YHVH]]: when he was born, humans perhaps observed [[YHVH]] himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as [[YHVH]]’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve [[YHVH]]’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of [[YHVH]].</ref>. [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html The Axiom is even less definable then demons]<Ref>Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?<br>Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.<br>Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.<br>Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to [[YHVH]], or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.<br>Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?<br>Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)<br>Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.<br>Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make [[YHVH]] and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?<br>Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at [[YHVH]]: when he was born, humans perhaps observed [[YHVH]] himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as [[YHVH]]’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve [[YHVH]]’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of [[YHVH]].</ref>, [https://youtu.be/4haQ5T9DoWk?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=881 who embody the phenomena and beliefs of humans, with their physical forms only being created due to humanity's observation locking them into these forms], [https://youtu.be/mU1bTqbGlDg?t=364 and their true forms existing as the phenomena and beliefs they reside in]. [https://youtu.be/tlSYsvtMFRE?t=427 Even attempting to say his infinitesimal lesser avatar's name, will cause a static-like sound as his mere name cannot truly be heard or comprehended]) | ||
'''[[Attack Potency]]:''' | '''[[Attack Potency]]:''' '''Unknown: Cosmic level''', likely '''Higher''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html The Axiom is in a state where they exist deep within the collective unconsciousness to the point that one must question if humanity was created by the Great Reason rather then the gods]<Ref>Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?<br>Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.<br>Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.<br>Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to [[YHVH]], or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.<br>Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?<br>Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)<br>Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.<br>Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make [[YHVH]] and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?<br>Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at [[YHVH]]: when he was born, humans perhaps observed [[YHVH]] himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as [[YHVH]]’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve [[YHVH]]’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of [[YHVH]].</ref>, being beyond even the likes of Matter Lucifer and [[YHVH]]. Was the very being that granted humans [[Observation (Megami Tensei)|observation]], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1YhCwcb3GM&t=1155s and tasked them with observing the universe], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2580 with the ability being the reason for Gods and demons existing]. Which [https://youtu.be/zotTNMN-Row?t=624 would include beings such as] [[Lucifer (Shin Megami Tensei)|Matter Lucifer]], [https://imgur.com/a/RaKpWpT who transcended into a higher plane of existence beyond even] [[YHVH]]. [https://youtu.be/L23HK4gdQY0?t=513 YHVH's own universe is more vague and more infinite then anything] [[Nanashi]] or [[Flynn (Shin Megami Tensei)|Flynn]] have ever seen<ref>Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse: YHVH's Universe Entrance</ref>, where they've seen [https://megatenwiki.com/wiki/Ouroboros#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV demons such as] Ouroboros, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spraSlJLBXc&list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=404s who is the embodiment] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spraSlJLBXc&list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=525s of infinity]<ref>SMT: Strange Journey REDUX - Boss: Ouroboros</ref>, making him an incomprehensibly powerful being. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=246 With even YHVH himself noting he is infinity]<ref>Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse YHVH Boss</ref>, and he exists as [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=165 an incomprehensible] [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=450 transcendent being overseeing everything in his creation]. [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html He is viewed as an omnipotent existence that created everything]<ref>Profile: The actual One God of monotheism. The One God praised by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He is the omnipotent existence that created heaven and earth and made man in his own image, but this also means that together with the angels, his bunrei [subparts], he also gave birth to demons. By giving humans bodies of flesh and bone, their lives and fears were repeated in the endless cycle of death and rebirth, restricting their range of observation.</ref> . [https://youtu.be/ijJFkJ6l058?t=85 which would mean he created]<ref>Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei II: Law Ending</ref> [http://shmuplations.com/smt/ infinite universes]<ref>([https://web.archive.org/web/20231001175136/https://shmuplations.com/smt/ Web Archive link in case link ever dies]</ref>, [https://youtu.be/ijJFkJ6l058?t=70 and exists beyond the very boundaries of time within the multiverse]<ref>Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei II: Law Ending</ref>. Which would include planes such as Akarana Corridor [https://youtu.be/haOVB8wCagU?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=957 a void that transcends time and space], [https://youtu.be/haOVB8wCagU?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=886 with it requiring a special ritual to enter], where even the Herald of Yatagarasu cannot put Raidou into this place<ref>The Herald of Yatagarsu is [https://youtu.be/SJhzC5B5HGA?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=727 capable of teleporting Raidou into] The Expanse, [https://youtu.be/8kNv01GNrpE?t=104 a place that transcends the past, present, and future] [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=98 of the multiverse] but cannot even reach this realm, along with this she [https://imgur.com/a/PxAg9xW exists a plane not apart of the human world], further showing how out of reach this plane is, [https://youtu.be/haOVB8wCagU?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=1043 it requires one normally to discard their human form and transcribe themselves otherwise they are threatened with being unstuck from time]</ref>, putting it beyond even The Expanse [https://youtu.be/8kNv01GNrpE?t=104 a place that transcends the past, present, and future] [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=98 of the multiverse]<ref>SMT IV SIDE-Quest guide: For the Past... for the Future</ref>. Viewed as so immeasurably powerful that the combined cast of SMT IV Apocalypse, [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=526 needed to] [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=637 deny his divine nature] [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=676 and form understandings] [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=853 repeatedly] through the use of [[Observation (Megami Tensei)|observation]] in order to defeat him. [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html A small glimpse of it's being] caused [[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]] [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1856 to be so powerful he could fight] off all four of the Messiahs at once) | ||
'''[[Durability]]:''' | '''[[Durability]]:''' '''Unknown: Cosmic level''', likely '''Higher''' | ||
'''[[Striking Strength]]:''' | '''[[Striking Strength]]:''' '''Unknown: Cosmic Class''', likely '''Higher''' | ||
'''[[Lifting Strength]]:''' '''Unknown''' | '''[[Lifting Strength]]:''' '''Unknown: Undefinable''' | ||
'''[[Speed|Travel Speed]]:''' '''Unknown''' (Exists deep within the collective unconscious to the point that it is nearly impossible to define them) | '''[[Speed|Travel Speed]]:''' '''Unknown: Undefinable''' (Exists deep within the collective unconscious to the point that it is nearly impossible to define them) | ||
'''[[Speed| | '''[[Speed|Attack Speed]]:''' '''Unknown: Undefinable''' | ||
'''[[Reactions|Reaction Speed]]:''' '''Unknown''' | '''[[Reactions|Reaction Speed]]:''' '''Unknown: Undefinable''' | ||
'''[[Stamina]]:''' '''Limitless''' | '''[[Stamina]]:''' '''Limitless''' | ||
'''[[Range]]:''' At least ''' | '''[[Range]]:''' At least '''Multiversal+''', likely '''Higher''' (The Axiom guides all from the plane it resides in) | ||
'''[[Intelligence]]:''' '''[[ | '''[[Intelligence]]:''' '''[[Cosmic Intelligence]]''' (The Axiom is aware of everything, being the one to fate and guide the Messiahs through their entire journey, having immutable unbroken laws, which only one who caught a glimpse of him could break. [[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]], catching a glimpse of the Axiom made him a cosmically intelligent being) | ||
'''[[Knowledge]]:''' '''[[Omniscience|Omniscient level]]''' (The Axiom is aware of everything, being the one to fate and guide the Messiahs through their entire journey, having immutable unbroken laws, which only one who caught a glimpse of him could break) | |||
---- | ---- | ||
==[[Powers and Techniques]]== | ==[[Powers and Techniques]]== | ||
<tabber> | <tabber> | ||
|-|Innate Abilities= | |-|Innate Abilities= | ||
'''[[Superhuman Physical Characteristics]]''', '''[[Nondualism]]''' ([https://youtu.be/8SV3OKgG0YI Everything within Megami Tensei is one, with one simple word binding all together, oneness]), '''[[Personal Nonexistence]]''' (Ayin; He along with [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Stephen transcends the infinite Cycle of Transmigration, a cycle of life and death]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>, reaching the realm of The Axiom and catching a small glimpse of him<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref>), '''[[Acausality]]''' (Causality Immunity; '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html gainging a small glimpse of] '''[[The Axiom]]''' required him to go beyond time and space<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref> [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html and through transcending the infinite Cycle of Transmigration]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Singular Existence]]''' (There exists only one Axiom as it is the true source of the entire multiverse and the very reason for humanity's observation), '''[[Immortality]]''' (Type 5 & 11; [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Stephen transcended the infinite Cycle of Transmigration, a cycle of life and death]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>, reaching the realm of The Axiom and catching a small glimpse of him<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref>), '''[[Transcendence]]''' & '''[[Dimensionless Existence]]''' (Non-Dimensional; The Axiom [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 is the very being that created observation], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 which gave humans the ability to give concepts to the universe, allowing humans to assign an answer to phenomena without an answer], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 giving things without form, a certain and stable form], [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html with The Axiom existing even beyond this]<Ref>Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?<br>Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.<br>Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.<br>Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to '''[[YHVH]]''', or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.<br>Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?<br>Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)<br>Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.<br>Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make '''[[YHVH]]''' and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?<br>Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at '''[[YHVH]]''': when he was born, humans perhaps observed '''[[YHVH]]''' himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as '''[[YHVH]]'''’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve '''[[YHVH]]'''’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of '''[[YHVH]]'''.</ref>. [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Humans were also originally formless beings before using their observation to create concepts and Gods such as] '''[[YHVH]]''' who gave them form, limiting their '''[[Observation (Megami Tensei)|observation]]'''<ref>Profile: The actual One God of monotheism. The One God praised by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He is the omnipotent existence that created heaven and earth and made man in his own image, but this also means that together with the angels, his bunrei [subparts], he also gave birth to demons. By giving humans bodies of flesh and bone, their lives and fears were repeated in the endless cycle of death and rebirth, restricting their range of observation.</ref>), '''[[Reality Seperation]]''' (Type 4; Exists outside of the entire Megami Tensei Multiverse), '''[[Omnipresence]]''' (Type 4; [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2547 The Axiom is a force that binds the universe], existing everywhere and nowhere throughout every existing plane), '''[[Avatar Creation]]''' ('''[[YHVH]]''' is a mere avatar of The Axiom), '''[[Power Bestowal]]''' ([https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 Granted humans the ability of observation, giving them the task of observing the universe]), '''[[Fate Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2547 The Axiom chooses messiahs], in which they are tasked with slaying '''[[YHVH]]''' through the power the Axiom provides. Further more, this protection allows the messiahs to succeed in battles in which they had no hope of winning previously, be revived if they are defeated in battle, survive events that would have lead to their demise, and unite with individuals that would further progress their journey), '''[[Life Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Death Manipulation]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Created the infinite Cycle of Transmigration]<ref>Shioda: If the Egg hatched and a new universe were born, it would take the souls with it and have them reincarnate. Does reincarnation mean the souls themselves would become immortal?<br>Yamai: Exactly. If the souls disappeared, the gods wouldn’t exist anymore either. The idea of the immortality of souls through the circle of transmigration is Buddhist and, even from '''[[YHVH]]'''’s position, (this is starting to sound a bit like Gnosticism) the existence of the circle of transmigration is a good thing, so the Great Reason created that system which perhaps '''[[YHVH]]''' too took part in.</ref>, [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2438 in which any that die return to the Axiom who controls the cycles of life and death, reincarnating all beings anew]), [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 Created humanity and gave them] '''[[Observation (Megami Tensei)|Observation]]''', which would give it: ('''[[Observation]]''' (Varies between Types 2 & 3; [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1194 Observation users consciously and unconsciously change truths around them creating Gods and demons from myths and rumors]), '''[[Negation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 The power of observation, has the ability to make something without form, be certain and stable], '''[[The Axiom]]''', [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 tasked humans with observing the universe, allowing humans to assign an answer to phenomena without an answer]. Dagda [https://youtu.be/4haQ5T9DoWk?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=881 mentions humanity's "understanding" (observation) is what's locked him and Danu in physical forms]. Nanashi [https://youtu.be/tlSYsvtMFRE?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=1431 and his party's denial of] '''[[YHVH]]''' cast him into a demonic form. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2580 Gods and demons exist within a human's observation]. [https://youtu.be/Juughi_pBu4?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=75 Demons that also exist beyond death] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Juughi_pBu4&list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&index=23 can be killed by observation users]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Personal Nonexistence]]''' (Ayin Physiology; [https://youtu.be/uJ_XbZOW-zM?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ5zUG9S3xHvXTTg6nVoSKGO&t=144 Can kill] The White and demons, [https://youtu.be/wPbwO_83Vv0?t=146 who naturally exist within the expanse], [https://youtu.be/DeMAZuyBK2I?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ5zUG9S3xHvXTTg6nVoSKGO&t=2052 which the Monochrome Forest exists within the expanse], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1101 a place that is eerily still, having no sound or smell, where even the ground itself feels unusual], [https://youtu.be/uJ_XbZOW-zM?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ5zUG9S3xHvXTTg6nVoSKGO&t=47 which demons naturally exist in]. The Forest also holds the White’s realm, [https://youtu.be/DeMAZuyBK2I?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ5zUG9S3xHvXTTg6nVoSKGO&t=1740 which is a vast, white space]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Incorporeality]]''' (Can harm and kill demons, [https://youtu.be/6vovyFwhBnU?t=636 who are beings made of data], [https://youtu.be/moAYKVTsmso?list=PLw7p9R_wZx5POaRAtktRwlkGYNQLUdlv4&t=909 that exist in a virtual world], [https://imgur.com/hBzsNkT along with being pure information]. [https://youtu.be/Xl2ZXAZeN3Q?t=19 With even the most] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP8oNYHRuJw&t=9995s basic of objects in the verse existing as data]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Abstract Existence]]''' ( | '''[[Superhuman Physical Characteristics]]''', '''[[Nondualism]]''' ([https://youtu.be/8SV3OKgG0YI Everything within Megami Tensei is one, with one simple word binding all together, oneness]), '''[[Personal Nonexistence]]''' (Ayin; He along with [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Stephen transcends the infinite Cycle of Transmigration, a cycle of life and death]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>, reaching the realm of The Axiom and catching a small glimpse of him<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref>), '''[[Acausality]]''' ('''Causality Immunity;''' '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html gainging a small glimpse of] '''[[The Axiom]]''' required him to go beyond time and space<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref> [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html and through transcending the infinite Cycle of Transmigration]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Singular Existence]]''' (There exists only one Axiom as it is the true source of the entire multiverse and the very reason for humanity's observation), '''[[Immortality]]''' (Type 5 & 11; [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Stephen transcended the infinite Cycle of Transmigration, a cycle of life and death]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>, reaching the realm of The Axiom and catching a small glimpse of him<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''', I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]'''’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref>), '''[[Transcendence]]''' & '''[[Dimensionless Existence]]''' (Non-Dimensional; The Axiom [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 is the very being that created observation], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 which gave humans the ability to give concepts to the universe, allowing humans to assign an answer to phenomena without an answer], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 giving things without form, a certain and stable form], [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html with The Axiom existing even beyond this]<Ref>Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?<br>Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.<br>Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.<br>Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to '''[[YHVH]]''', or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.<br>Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?<br>Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)<br>Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.<br>Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make '''[[YHVH]]''' and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?<br>Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at '''[[YHVH]]''': when he was born, humans perhaps observed '''[[YHVH]]''' himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as '''[[YHVH]]'''’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve '''[[YHVH]]'''’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of '''[[YHVH]]'''.</ref>. [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Humans were also originally formless beings before using their observation to create concepts and Gods such as] '''[[YHVH]]''' who gave them form, limiting their '''[[Observation (Megami Tensei)|observation]]'''<ref>Profile: The actual One God of monotheism. The One God praised by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He is the omnipotent existence that created heaven and earth and made man in his own image, but this also means that together with the angels, his bunrei [subparts], he also gave birth to demons. By giving humans bodies of flesh and bone, their lives and fears were repeated in the endless cycle of death and rebirth, restricting their range of observation.</ref>), '''[[Reality Seperation]]''' (Type 4; Exists outside of the entire Megami Tensei Multiverse), '''[[Omnipresence]]''' (Type 4; [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2547 The Axiom is a force that binds the universe], existing everywhere and nowhere throughout every existing plane), '''[[Avatar Creation]]''' ('''[[YHVH]]''' is a mere avatar of The Axiom), '''[[Power Bestowal]]''' ([https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 Granted humans the ability of observation, giving them the task of observing the universe]), '''[[Fate Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2547 The Axiom chooses messiahs], in which they are tasked with slaying '''[[YHVH]]''' through the power the Axiom provides. Further more, this protection allows the messiahs to succeed in battles in which they had no hope of winning previously, be revived if they are defeated in battle, survive events that would have lead to their demise, and unite with individuals that would further progress their journey), '''[[Life Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Death Manipulation]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Created the infinite Cycle of Transmigration]<ref>Shioda: If the Egg hatched and a new universe were born, it would take the souls with it and have them reincarnate. Does reincarnation mean the souls themselves would become immortal?<br>Yamai: Exactly. If the souls disappeared, the gods wouldn’t exist anymore either. The idea of the immortality of souls through the circle of transmigration is Buddhist and, even from '''[[YHVH]]'''’s position, (this is starting to sound a bit like Gnosticism) the existence of the circle of transmigration is a good thing, so the Great Reason created that system which perhaps '''[[YHVH]]''' too took part in.</ref>, [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2438 in which any that die return to the Axiom who controls the cycles of life and death, reincarnating all beings anew]), [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 Created humanity and gave them] '''[[Observation (Megami Tensei)|Observation]]''', which would give it: ('''[[Observation]]''' (Varies between Types 2 & 3; [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1194 Observation users consciously and unconsciously change truths around them creating Gods and demons from myths and rumors]), '''[[Negation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 The power of observation, has the ability to make something without form, be certain and stable], '''[[The Axiom]]''', [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 tasked humans with observing the universe, allowing humans to assign an answer to phenomena without an answer]. Dagda [https://youtu.be/4haQ5T9DoWk?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=881 mentions humanity's "understanding" (observation) is what's locked him and Danu in physical forms]. Nanashi [https://youtu.be/tlSYsvtMFRE?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=1431 and his party's denial of] '''[[YHVH]]''' cast him into a demonic form. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2580 Gods and demons exist within a human's observation]. [https://youtu.be/Juughi_pBu4?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=75 Demons that also exist beyond death] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Juughi_pBu4&list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&index=23 can be killed by observation users]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Personal Nonexistence]]''' (Ayin Physiology; [https://youtu.be/uJ_XbZOW-zM?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ5zUG9S3xHvXTTg6nVoSKGO&t=144 Can kill] The White and demons, [https://youtu.be/wPbwO_83Vv0?t=146 who naturally exist within the expanse], [https://youtu.be/DeMAZuyBK2I?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ5zUG9S3xHvXTTg6nVoSKGO&t=2052 which the Monochrome Forest exists within the expanse], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1101 a place that is eerily still, having no sound or smell, where even the ground itself feels unusual], [https://youtu.be/uJ_XbZOW-zM?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ5zUG9S3xHvXTTg6nVoSKGO&t=47 which demons naturally exist in]. The Forest also holds the White’s realm, [https://youtu.be/DeMAZuyBK2I?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ5zUG9S3xHvXTTg6nVoSKGO&t=1740 which is a vast, white space]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Incorporeality]]''' (Can harm and kill demons, [https://youtu.be/6vovyFwhBnU?t=636 who are beings made of data], [https://youtu.be/moAYKVTsmso?list=PLw7p9R_wZx5POaRAtktRwlkGYNQLUdlv4&t=909 that exist in a virtual world], [https://imgur.com/hBzsNkT along with being pure information]. [https://youtu.be/Xl2ZXAZeN3Q?t=19 With even the most] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP8oNYHRuJw&t=9995s basic of objects in the verse existing as data]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Abstract Existence]]''' ('''Conceptual''', '''Primordial Source;''' [https://youtu.be/4haQ5T9DoWk?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=881 Demons embody the phenomena and beliefs of humans, with their physical forms only being created due to humanity's observation locking them into these forms], [https://youtu.be/mU1bTqbGlDg?t=364 and their true forms existing as the phenomena and beliefs they reside in]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Acausality]]''' ('''Causality Immunity;''' Can harm and kill demons, [https://youtu.be/wPbwO_83Vv0?t=146 who are natural residents of] The Expanse, [https://youtu.be/8kNv01GNrpE?t=104 a place that transcends the past, present, and future of the multiverse], [https://youtu.be/P-3HpFREL3E demons such as] Ishtar are capable of going into separate multiverses, [https://youtu.be/Rgz8XdoGSPQ along into the "real world"], [https://youtu.be/vt9F5SxUWZ4 demons such as] Demi-fiend, can exist in different universes asides from the original SMT 3 universe, [https://youtu.be/B3_OsqKXf1k?t=168 demons can exist even when the flow of time itself collapses and there is nothing left but a void]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Invulnerability]]''' ('''Metaphysical Invulnerability;''' Observation users such as Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx5b3hFhTCQ&list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=256s can harm demons with regular guns and swords], [https://bsky.app/profile/ckskies.bsky.social/post/3lbaxz36xy227 even though demons when brought into corporeal forms cannot be harmed by conventional weaponry], along with military grade weaponry<ref>[http://ddstranslation.blogspot.com/2007/03/part-2-chapter-4.html Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Part 7, Chapter 2] "A deafening explosion broke Nakajima's concentration. A star-mark-adorned F-14 jet divebombed, slicing through the clouds. Nakajima all of a sudden found himself hovering over a battlefield. Below him was a hair-raising sight. An unbelieveably large lump of flesh, a hideous tower of raw meat, was slowly writhing. Its pale green, transparent gelatinous membrane was greedily expanding at its base. Several long black rivers flowed into it. No, what looked like black rivers were actually the hair of the people heading toward the tower. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people tore off their clothes and proceeded forward completely naked. Rapid explosions echoed through the air. The SDF's F14 jets scrambled from the 7th fleet were attacking, targeting the top of the tower so as to minimize injury to the humans below. A rain of bullets from an attack helicopter's machine guns sprayed through the air. Though that ammunition was capable of penetrating tank armor, it was absorbed without any resistance into the body of the ever-expanding otherworldly creature, as if it was laughing at the pathetic attack. It was almost as if it was trying to prove that any attacks against it would be futile."</ref>), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Immortality]]''' (Ageless) & '''[[Resurrection]]''' ('''Atemporal Resurrection;''' [https://youtu.be/32JBhIqNhEM?t=410 It is noted by] Lucifer that only a human can kill gods and demons, [https://youtu.be/32JBhIqNhEM?t=426 that when gods and demons try to fight each other the most they can do is seal each other]. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2329 Permanently killed] [[YHVH]]. [https://youtu.be/uf4wQ8MsBgc?t=1050 All demons are reliant on the observation of humans to keep them existing], [https://youtu.be/Py_0MoClWdY?t=52 including even nonexistent demons such as] The White, [https://youtu.be/uf4wQ8MsBgc?t=345 allowing them to come back even if they’re erased from existence and nonexistence]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Dimensionless Existence]]''' ('''Non-Dimensional;''' [https://youtu.be/4haQ5T9DoWk?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=881 Demons only have "forms" due to the observation of humanity] [https://youtu.be/CF9IHP0s0B4?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=1053 with even some demons being in the lowest form of humanity's observation making them unseeable without help], the "true forms" of demons are in truth [https://youtu.be/6064HUSmlT8?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=1150 without the concept of form], without observation [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 they are not certain nor stable], [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 are a phenomena without an answer] [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1194 and are unbound by concepts such as truth] [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1433 completely unshaped by reality]. [https://youtu.be/spraSlJLBXc?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=525 Demons under their observation forms embody concepts such as infinity] which they are free from in their true forms), '''[[Timeless Physiology]]''' ([https://youtu.be/wPbwO_83Vv0?t=146 Demons are natural residents of] The Expanse, [https://youtu.be/8kNv01GNrpE?t=104 a place that transcends the past, present, and future] [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=98 of the multiverse]. Due to this, they do not apply by the speed formula and can appear anywhere they want in most cases), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Omnipresence]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1472 Observation can reduce one into a singular being], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=443 when the being was originally one that was everywhere within reality]), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Omniscience]]''' ([https://youtu.be/xwgnzv4PtQI?t=6658 Humanity's observation of] '''[[YHVH]]''' defies his words [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2363 and truths], [https://youtu.be/xwgnzv4PtQI?t=6431 YHVH is an all-knowing being that sets the fate of the entire world]), '''[[Irreversible Damage]]''' (Nyarlathotep [https://youtu.be/i_7wuRBoEUQ?t=1876 used a spear conjured by humanity's observation of a wound that can never heal to inflict a blow that could not be healed even by the strongest healing magic]), '''[[Existence Grounding]]''' (Observation users can bring a demon or god's existence down to their level, such as when Flynn [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFuKLmruIzQ&t=452s and his party's denial] of '''[[YHVH]]''' [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=637 as the one true god brought him] [https://youtu.be/tlSYsvtMFRE?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=1431 to the level of a demon], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=676 massively] [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=853 weakening him]. Dagda [https://youtu.be/4haQ5T9DoWk?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=881 mentions humanity's "understanding" (observation) is what's locked him and Danu in physical forms]), '''[[Power Bestowal]]''' (Gods & demons are granted by humans observations of them. [https://imgur.com/a/KR0vfjC To the point that a gods power is based off if humans still remember them]. [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1410 Observation has the ability to resurrect someone and give them strength to the point where they can fight Stephen with '''[[The Axiom]]'''s powers]), '''[[Power Nullification]]''' ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFuKLmruIzQ&t=452s Observation allows one to remove one's defenses and strengths along with some of their innate abilities]), '''[[Reality Warping]]''' ('''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1433 stated that humans have the power to shape the world]. [https://youtu.be/jxOBrI4DtvQ?t=2949 Philemon states people have tremendous power in their souls over the flow of reality], [https://youtu.be/jxOBrI4DtvQ?t=2959 with their strong wills being able to change reality]), '''[[Conceptual Manipulation]]''', '''[[Subjective Reality]]''', & '''[[Creation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 The power of observation, has the ability to make something without form, be certain and stable], '''[[The Axiom]]''', [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 tasked humans with observing the universe, allowing humans to assign an answer to phenomena without an answer]), '''[[Truth Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1194 Humans have the ability to change the answer they've found into faith, and eventually into truth]. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2363 Observation debased] '''[[YHVH]]''''s truths, removing him from everyone's mind, killing him), '''[[Memory Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/jxOBrI4DtvQ?t=2922 Through the power of observation, the ''Persona 2 Innocent Sin'' cast were able to erase their meeting during a summer evening, creating an alternate timeline]), '''[[Perspective Manipulation]]''' ([https://dijehtranslations.wordpress.com/2016/08/08/kaneko-cozy-narisawa-shin-megami-tensei-ii-interview-part-i/ The power of observation allowed humans to change the very design of] the Abyss [the Expanse] to what they perceive it as<ref>Narisawa: Now, let’s change the subject. I’d like to talk about the Abyss or the demon areas. This time the Abyss is designed like the Sephiroth Tree. We need to read the strategy guide in order to understand that, but is this how you originally envisioned it?<br>Okada: I said earlier that Tokyo Millenium and the Underworld are in contrast but generally speaking, their opposite is the Abyss. It’s like saying Lucifer is Satan’s opposite.<br>Narisawa: Kabbalah is a secret formula that belongs to humans, so how do you explain Lucifer using it to design the Abyss?<br>Itou: That is why we have opposites. We can consider the possibility of humans being the ones who were influenced. We don’t know whether they saw the Abyss’s design after a near-death experience or were telepathically struck by some waves, but if pushed to say, the Kabbalah that’s transmitted through the world right now could be a representation of what they “saw”.<br>Narisawa: It’s a reversal.</ref>), '''[[Statistics Amplification]]''' & '''[[Resurrection]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1410 Observation has the ability to resurrect someone and give them strength to the point where they can fight] '''[[Stephen (Shin Megami Tensei)|Stephen]]''' with '''[[The Axiom]]'''s powers. Isamu [https://youtu.be/WgzEtRMbxnA?t=7911 was able to survive a hit from] Thor despite being a regular human), '''[[Statistics Reduction]]''' (Flynn [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFuKLmruIzQ&t=452s and his party's denial] of '''[[YHVH]]''' [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=637 as the one true god brought him] [https://youtu.be/tlSYsvtMFRE?list=PLDwjEcGRHRZ7pABsyzZ6bOKGshMroT93E&t=1431 to the level of a demon], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=676 massively] [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=853 weakening him]. [https://youtu.be/uf4wQ8MsBgc?t=820 One's will and beliefs can lower even] a nonexistent entity's (such as The White) stats. [https://imgur.com/a/KR0vfjC Gods powers can be greatly reduced if they're forgotten]. [https://youtu.be/sBJn2IrfER4?t=169 Observation allowed Aleph and his party to harm '''[[YHVH]]''' who stated as they were his creations, there blades cannot harm him, yet they were able to]), '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Memory Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/jxOBrI4DtvQ?t=2922 Through the power of observation, the ''Persona 2 Innocent Sin'' cast were able to erase their meeting during a summer evening, creating an alternate timeline])). | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
'''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Observation (Megami Tensei)|Observation]]''' which includes: '''[[Observation]]''', '''[[Negation]]''', '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Null Existence]]''' (Type 3), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Incorporeality]]''', '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Abstract Existence]]''' (Type 1), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Acausality]]''' (Causality Immunity), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Invulnerability]]''' (Type 2), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Immortality]]''' & '''[[Regeneration]]''' (Types 1, 3, 5 & 8; True-Godly), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Dimensionless Existence]]''' (Type 2), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Omnipresence]]''', '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Omniscience]]''', '''[[Irreversible Damage]]''', '''[[Existence Grounding]]''', '''[[Power Bestowal]]''', '''[[Power Nullification]]''', '''[[Reality Warping]]''', '''[[Conceptual Manipulation]]''', '''[[Subjective Reality]]''', & '''[[Creation]]''', '''[[Truth Manipulation]]''', '''[[Memory Manipulation]]''', '''[[Perspective Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Statistics Reduction]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html The Axiom is a being unaffected by observation]<Ref>Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?<br>Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.<br>Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.<br>Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to '''[[YHVH]]''', or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.<br>Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?<br>Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)<br>Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.<br>Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make '''[[YHVH]]''' and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?<br>Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at '''[[YHVH]]''': when he was born, humans perhaps observed '''[[YHVH]]''' himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as '''[[YHVH]]'''’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve '''[[YHVH]]'''’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of '''[[YHVH]]'''.</ref>, [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 being the one that granted humans the ability of observation, giving them the task of observing the universe]) | '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Observation (Megami Tensei)|Observation]]''' which includes: '''[[Observation]]''', '''[[Negation]]''', '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Null Existence]]''' (Type 3), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Incorporeality]]''', '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Abstract Existence]]''' (Type 1), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Acausality]]''' (Causality Immunity), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Invulnerability]]''' (Type 2), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Immortality]]''' & '''[[Regeneration]]''' (Types 1, 3, 5 & 8; True-Godly), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Dimensionless Existence]]''' (Type 2), '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Omnipresence]]''', '''[[Negation]]''' of '''[[Omniscience]]''', '''[[Irreversible Damage]]''', '''[[Existence Grounding]]''', '''[[Power Bestowal]]''', '''[[Power Nullification]]''', '''[[Reality Warping]]''', '''[[Conceptual Manipulation]]''', '''[[Subjective Reality]]''', & '''[[Creation]]''', '''[[Truth Manipulation]]''', '''[[Memory Manipulation]]''', '''[[Perspective Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Statistics Reduction]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html The Axiom is a being unaffected by observation]<Ref>Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?<br>Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.<br>Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.<br>Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to '''[[YHVH]]''', or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.<br>Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?<br>Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)<br>Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.<br>Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make '''[[YHVH]]''' and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?<br>Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at '''[[YHVH]]''': when he was born, humans perhaps observed '''[[YHVH]]''' himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as '''[[YHVH]]'''’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve '''[[YHVH]]'''’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of '''[[YHVH]]'''.</ref>, [https://youtu.be/i1YhCwcb3GM?t=1155 being the one that granted humans the ability of observation, giving them the task of observing the universe]) | ||
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{{#tag:tabber| | {{#tag:tabber| | ||
{{!}}-{{!}}Stephen= | {{!}}-{{!}}Stephen= | ||
'''[[Singular Existence]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Stephen is the same person throughout the entire series]<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?</ref>), '''[[Cosmic Intelligence]]''', '''[[Cosmic Awareness]]''', '''[[Enlightenment]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Transcended the infinite Cycle of Transmigration, which allows one to reach Nirvana and become a buddha]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Immortality]]''' (Type 5; [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Transcended the infinite Cycle of Transmigration, a cycle of life and death]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Acausality]]''' (Causality Immunity; [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Gained a small glimpse of] '''[[The Axiom]]'''<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref> [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html through transcending the infinite Cycle of Transmigration]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Transcendence]]''' & '''[[Reality Separation]]''' (Type 4; [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Gained a small glimpse of] '''[[The Axiom]]'''<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref>, reaching his realm, [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html through transcending the infinite Cycle of Transmigration]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Dimensional Travel]]''' & '''[[Time Travel]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Able to travel through various parallel worlds, and the only one to travel through various points of time and space]<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref>), '''[[Healing]]''' ([https://youtu.be/eJWllXZnHnc?t=321 Completely healed all of] Flynn and his demons wounds), '''[[Metaphysics Manipulation]]''' (Soul Manipulation; [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=136 Could salvage the SMT 1 Hero's soul after it was broken from the cycle of reincarnation by] '''[[YHVH]]'''), '''[[Link Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1404 Linked the SMT 1 Hero's soul with] Nanashi's), '''[[Statistics Amplification]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1439 With Luster Candy, boosts all stats]. [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1546 With Smile Charge, induces smirk], [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Smirk?so=search the effects of Smirking include maximizing buffs like Tarukaja (boosts attack damage), boosting critical chance of attacks to 95% and 70% for phys and gun respectively, boosting hit rate of normal attacks and physical skills to 100%, removing the unit's weakness and preventing the enemy's critical chance, and boosting evasion rate to 85% against all incoming attacks, but with no changes to ailment infliction chances]. [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=2051 With pair production, fully buffs himself by the maximum amount]), '''[[Statistics Reduction]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1444 With deabilitate, drops all stats]. [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1954 With Particle Annihilation, fully debuffs all foes by the maximum amount]), '''[[Electricity Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1470 With singularity lightning, severe elec damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Ice Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1574 With singularity hail, severe ice damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Fire Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=2172 With singularity hellfire, severe fire damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Air Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#First_Battle_ With Singularity Vortex, severe force damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Resistance | '''[[Singular Existence]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Stephen is the same person throughout the entire series]<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?</ref>), '''[[Cosmic Intelligence]]''', '''[[Cosmic Awareness]]''', '''[[Enlightenment]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Transcended the infinite Cycle of Transmigration, which allows one to reach Nirvana and become a buddha]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Immortality]]''' (Type 5; [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Transcended the infinite Cycle of Transmigration, a cycle of life and death]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Acausality]]''' ('''Causality Immunity;''' [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Gained a small glimpse of] '''[[The Axiom]]'''<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref> [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html through transcending the infinite Cycle of Transmigration]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Transcendence]]''' & '''[[Reality Separation]]''' (Type 4; [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Gained a small glimpse of] '''[[The Axiom]]'''<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref>, reaching his realm, [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html through transcending the infinite Cycle of Transmigration]<ref>Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.<br>Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.<br>Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that.</ref>), '''[[Dimensional Travel]]''' & '''[[Time Travel]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Able to travel through various parallel worlds, and the only one to travel through various points of time and space]<ref>Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.<br>Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.<br>Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?<br>Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.<br>Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.<br>Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.<br>Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.<br>Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.<br>Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.<br>Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.<br>Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?<br><nowiki>*</nowiki>From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.<br>Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.<br>Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way.</ref>), '''[[Healing]]''' ([https://youtu.be/eJWllXZnHnc?t=321 Completely healed all of] Flynn and his demons wounds), '''[[Metaphysics Manipulation]]''' (Soul Manipulation; [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=136 Could salvage the SMT 1 Hero's soul after it was broken from the cycle of reincarnation by] '''[[YHVH]]'''), '''[[Link Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1404 Linked the SMT 1 Hero's soul with] Nanashi's), '''[[Statistics Amplification]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1439 With Luster Candy, boosts all stats]. [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1546 With Smile Charge, induces smirk], [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Smirk?so=search the effects of Smirking include maximizing buffs like Tarukaja (boosts attack damage), boosting critical chance of attacks to 95% and 70% for phys and gun respectively, boosting hit rate of normal attacks and physical skills to 100%, removing the unit's weakness and preventing the enemy's critical chance, and boosting evasion rate to 85% against all incoming attacks, but with no changes to ailment infliction chances]. [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=2051 With pair production, fully buffs himself by the maximum amount]), '''[[Statistics Reduction]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1444 With deabilitate, drops all stats]. [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1954 With Particle Annihilation, fully debuffs all foes by the maximum amount]), '''[[Electricity Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1470 With singularity lightning, severe elec damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Ice Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1574 With singularity hail, severe ice damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Fire Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=2172 With singularity hellfire, severe fire damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Air Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#First_Battle_ With Singularity Vortex, severe force damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Resistance Bypassing]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1470 Attacks such as singularity lightning have a pierce effect] [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Pierce#Effect pierce allows the user's physical attacks to bypass all resistances, except for Repel]), '''[[Energy Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1473 With energy compression, a severe physical attack]), '''[[Explosion Manipulation]]''', '''[[Resistance Manipulation]]''', '''[[Power Nullification]]''', & '''[[Law Manipulation|Law Negation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1477 With calamity code, medium almighty damage with chance of charm/bind/panic to one foe]. [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Almighty_Skills?so=search Almighty damage is] done to all foes by [https://youtu.be/OzSx4S5XF58?t=26 producing a large explosion]. Modes such as [https://youtu.be/HmtYGEqWToQ?list=PLRPbxipKUZWWrTlWxEL82l7MigAG7oBfe&t=2683 Berserk Mode from] ''Digital Devil Saga 2'' [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Berserk_Mode?so=search gives all of their attacks almighty effect], [https://youtu.be/HmtYGEqWToQ?list=PLRPbxipKUZWWrTlWxEL82l7MigAG7oBfe&t=2688 where it bypasses all resistances].Almighty skills bypasses all '''[[Forcefield Creation|barriers]]''' and '''[[Attack Reflection|reflectors]]''', '''[[Invulnerability|invulnerability]]''', and '''[[Resistance|resistances]]''', as putting up barriers to reflect, void, resist, etcetera do not affect almighty attacks. Almighty attacks can even work in and affect reason bearers, [https://youtu.be/sQqsP_6X990?t=170 who can change the very laws of battle to make attacks not allowed in reality] [https://youtu.be/UFPGSQrz8zA?t=74 which if they are done then the character is sent straight to hell], showing almighty attacks are beyond even the laws of the universe), '''[[Status Effect Inducement]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1477 With calamity code, medium almighty damage with chance of charm/bind/panic to one foe]. [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=2249 With singularity brand, a heavy physical attack that inflicts the brand status], [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Status_effects#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV:_Apocalypse a status effect that reduces HP and MP recovery to one point]), '''[[Durability Negation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1512 With black body radiation, drops all foes remaining HP by half]), '''[[Power Nullification]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#First_Battle_ With dekunda, removes all stat buffs from allies]. [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=2043 With Reboot Code], [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#First_Battle_ removes all buffs, debuffs, and effects (smirk, charge, Doping) from all foes]), '''[[Law Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=149 Risked bending the very will of] '''[[The Axiom]]''', and [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1857 ended up bending the immutable laws of the universe] to fight the Messiahs), '''[[Quantum Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=2299 Shown to have control over wave functions]), '''[[Data Manipulation]]'''/'''[[Information Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=2340 With crack code, Stephen cracks and executes a code that removes 3 Press Turns at the start of the foe's next turn]), '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Superhuman Physical Characteristics|Physical Attacks]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_Apocalypse_2 Naturally resists physical attacks]), '''[[Weapon Usage|Gun Attacks]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_Apocalypse_2 Naturally resists gun attacks]), '''[[Fire Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_Apocalypse_2 Naturally resists fire elemental attacks]), '''[[Ice Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_Apocalypse_2 Naturally resists ice elemental attacks]), '''[[Electricity Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_Apocalypse_2 Naturally resists electric elemental attacks]), '''[[Air Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_Apocalypse_2 Naturally resists force elemental attacks]), '''[[Light Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_Apocalypse_2 Naturally resists light elemental attacks]), & '''[[Darkness Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Stephen#Shin_Megami_Tensei_IV_Apocalypse_2 Naturally resists darkness elemental attacks]), '''[[Plot Manipulation]]''' (Story Manipulation; Author Authority; Unaffected by '''[[YHVH]]''''s control over Akarana Corridor [https://youtu.be/haOVB8wCagU?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=957 a void that transcends time and space] [https://youtu.be/Fm1lhGxKTfs?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=1357 that controls the fundamental narrative structure of the multiverse], [https://imgur.com/a/KcT9Zm1 deciding what's "canon" and what's "retconned"], [https://imgur.com/a/K0Ksm6M with events from SMT 1 & 2 being included]) | ||
{{!}}-{{!}}General Demon Abilities= | {{!}}-{{!}}General Demon Abilities= | ||
'''[[Demon Physiology]]''' which gives: | '''[[Demon Physiology (Megami Tensei)|Demon Physiology]]''' which gives: | ||
{{#tag:tabber| | {{#tag:tabber| | ||
{{!}}-{{!}}Standard Demon Abilities= | {{!}}-{{!}}Standard Demon Abilities= | ||
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<Br><br> | <Br><br> | ||
Limited '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Observation (Megami Tensei)|Observation]]''' (Demons to an extent can resist some humans abilities of observation as [https://web.archive.org/web/20220228043007/https:// | Limited '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Observation (Megami Tensei)|Observation]]''' (Demons to an extent can resist some humans abilities of observation as [https://web.archive.org/web/20220228043007/https://bsky.app/profile/ckskies.bsky.social/post/3lbaxz36xy227 shown with] them being immune to conventional weaponry<ref>[http://menasepublications.blogspot.com/2010/12/warrior-of-demon-city.html Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 2 "To Space"] "A deafening explosion broke Nakajima's concentration. A star-mark-adorned F-14 jet divebombed, slicing through the clouds. Nakajima all of a sudden found himself hovering over a battlefield. Below him was a hair-raising sight. An unbelieveably large lump of flesh, a hideous tower of raw meat, was slowly writhing. Its pale green, transparent gelatinous membrane was greedily expanding at its base. Several long black rivers flowed into it. No, what looked like black rivers were actually the hair of the people heading toward the tower. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people tore off their clothes and proceeded forward completely naked. Rapid explosions echoed through the air. The SDF's F14 jets scrambled from the 7th fleet were attacking, targeting the top of the tower so as to minimize injury to the humans below. A rain of bullets from an attack helicopter's machine guns sprayed through the air. Though that ammunition was capable of penetrating tank armor, it was absorbed without any resistance into the body of the ever-expanding otherworldly creature, as if it was laughing at the pathetic attack. It was almost as if it was trying to prove that any attacks against it would be futile."</ref> and [https://imgur.com/a/lHRdNd7 higher-dimensional demons not being able to be perceived by some observation users]), '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Radiation Manipulation|Cosmic Radiations]]''', '''[[Biological Manipulation]]''', & '''[[Gravity Manipulation]]''' (Demons can naturally exist and breathe within the vacuum of space without any adverse effects done to them.<ref>[http://menasepublications.blogspot.com/2010/12/warrior-of-demon-city.html Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City] Chapter 6, "To Space", "Accompanied by the glittering of the stars, unending empty space surrounded Nakajima. Below his feet, the endlessly spinning shining blue globe looked up at him. It took him a few moments for him to realize that he was floating in outer space. Nakajima unfolded his arms. In them, he held the Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, emitting a strand of light in the blackness of space. Its blade twinkled and throbbed, as if responding to the tens of thousands of stars. Suddenly, a sinister psychic wave hit Nakajima from behind. It appeared as if Izanami's robe had given him the power to survive and move about in the vacuum of outer space. Nakajima slowly turned around, and found his field of vision dominated by an open, gaping red maw. It was that of an incomprehensibly enormous serpent. Though the demon had only possessed a temporary form on the surface of the earth, the natural effect of powerful magnetic field that had forced him into space had given Set a complete body. Star Scorpion's 60-foot-long solar cells spread out like wings. Now a giant snake, Set's pale green scales glimmered as he coiled around the beautiful yet functional satellite lying in dead orbit. <i>It looks like the insignificant humans had enough knowledge to summon me into this empty space.</i> The voice echoed in Nakajima's mind. <i>But the humans will soon know their folly in thinking that they have banished me. Pulling this satellite down with me to the surface is an easy task. And that is not all. Have a look at all the demons that were summoned here into space!</i> Beside Nakajima, several pale glowing things that looked like hoods floated aimlessly. <i>Soon, they will take on bodies and seek safe haven on Earth. The end of the age of the foolish humans' dominion over the earth will not be long now. Nakajima, whether or not you intended, you have become the knight that blows the trumpet signalling the beginning of the apocalypse. The only path remaining for you is to cast aside your humanity and work for me. It would be a shame to kill you. Think it over.</i> Ignoring Set's call, Nakajima focused all of his anger onto the sword he held directly in front of him. The environment of outer space that had given the demon a body had also removed all restrictions on the divine power he had been granted. The Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, now an immensely long coil of light, drew an arc like that of a whip emitting red light, and came down onto the body of the enormous serpent. <i>Fool, you do not value your life. Set lurched forward.</i> Weaving away from the enormous serpent's attacking fangs, Nakajima was enveloped by a miasma like ice. The Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi had already produced many pale sparks striking the body of the serpent coiled around the satellite. Yet the tough scales showed no sign of injury. Not only that, but the ugly faces and disgusting tentacles of materializing new demons floated like ghosts in the space around him. The noisy voices of the demons amplified like they were advancing down on Nakajima."</ref>), '''[[Death Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/xAfj8dcbEYU?t=7796 Demons can naturally exist within the] [https://youtu.be/eT69uzcI98Y vortex world] [https://imgur.com/a/CLQoVav which kills all humans who enter]), '''[[Disease Manipulation]]''', '''[[Corruption]]''', '''[[Data Manipulation]]''', & '''[[Petrification]]''' ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP8oNYHRuJw&t=1406s All demons are unaffected by the Cuvier Syndrome], [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Cuvier_Syndrome?so=search a state where corruptive data came out of the black sun, irreversible petrification]), '''[[Sealing]]''' (Demons naturally have a resistance to sealing if they’re stronger then their target, [https://youtu.be/RcS_yQPihkw?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=182 and their sealing resistance gets amplified during the full moon]), '''[[Forcefield Creation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/qaSwT4LNF3I?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=919 Demons can pass through tainted barriers that humans cannot pass through]), '''[[Elemental Manipulation]]''' (Shikimi no Kage [https://youtu.be/RcS_yQPihkw?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=591 have specific weaknesses that cannot be exploited by Raidou's gun or other things to do with their specific elemental weakness, requiring Raidou to get a demon's elemental magic to affect it]) | ||
{{!}}-{{!}}Powerful Demon Abilities= | {{!}}-{{!}}Powerful Demon Abilities= | ||
'''[[Power Bestowal]]''' ([https://youtu.be/DEVhTWI-Xhw?t=89 Demons can grant others their powers and strength]), '''[[Reality Warping]]''', '''[[Space-Time Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Creation]]''' (All powerful and god level demons sustain a colloidal conglomeration of countless mini-universes, each centered around a powerful demon that is sustained by said demon and destroyed upon their death.<ref>[http://menasepublications.blogspot.com/2010/12/return-chapter-1.html Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City] Chapter 4 "Quickening" "I don't think so. From what I've just seen, there's no mistake that a magnetic field suitable for summoning a demon was set up. It may be that the reason no demon appeared was that it might have arrived in the Assiah world via a different magnetic field."<br>"There’re still some details about the mechanism for demon summoning that I don't really understand yet."<br>"Unusual words, coming from the genius that was the first to successfully summon a demon via a computer." Feed grinned broadly, but his expression soon turned grave as he looked directly at Nakajima.<br>"The last demon to appear called himself Set, correct?"<br>"Yes, that's right."<br>"While it's too dangerous to try and conjecture the state of affairs in the demon world based on our own knowledge of this one, my theory is that the demon world is like a colloidal conglomeration of countless mini-universes, each centered around a powerful demon. Most likely, with Loki's death, the mini-universe in contact with Japan or Tokyo vanished, and Set's mini-universe entered to take its place. Demon summoning is just opening a contact point between the two worlds at the same time."<br>"So what would happen if two contact points were opened at the same time?"<br>"The demon would decide where it wanted to appear. However, there are some examples in medieval records of demon summonings that report that when the difference in strength of the two magnetic fields was great enough, the demon would be pulled to the stronger field, regardless of which it wanted to go to..."</ref> Demons such as Morax [https://youtu.be/DBcnBEyAp1c?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=517 have created] [https://youtu.be/JFbJuVsI3WU?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=781 and ruled over their own realms within the] Schwarzwelt, [https://youtu.be/DBcnBEyAp1c?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=1580 and controlled their own sectors], [https://youtu.be/DBcnBEyAp1c?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=828 being noted] [https://youtu.be/DBcnBEyAp1c?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=544 to be the energy source] [https://youtu.be/VMJCaN4nv3E?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2201 the Strange Journey team were looking for], [https://youtu.be/VMJCaN4nv3E?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2445 said energy source is noted to control the entire sector], [https://youtu.be/VMJCaN4nv3E?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2374 and be linked to the sector like a magnet]. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2279&v=VMJCaN4nv3E&feature=youtu.be Each sector is a space-time plane layered atop each other], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMJCaN4nv3E&list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2212s being planes outside of the human worlds local space-time existing in a quantum tunnel], [https://youtu.be/KHbrN8kIyq0?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=946 along with being noted as parallel universes] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHbrN8kIyq0&list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2173s and other] [https://imgur.com/a/iAwBHgJ dimensions overlapping being isolated in time and space by enormous power] [https://youtu.be/JFbJuVsI3WU?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=764 being connected by quantum tunnels]. Demons such as Set with enough Magnetite gathered can merge entire worlds.<ref>[http://menasepublications.blogspot.com/2010/12/warrior-of-demon-city.html Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City] Chapter 5, "He Who Calls" "Isma had realized that the bizarre life form that had torn itself out of Ohara's belly was a temporary body for Set, who had been planning to take form by possessing Loki's child. According to his theory, summoning a demon via a computer would require creating a magnetic field with which to summon the demon and the processing of the demon's data to be materialized, both of which would have to be done at virtually the same time. If the magnetic field was weak, the point of connection between the demon's world and the Assiah world would narrow, constraining the amount of data that could be processed. On the other hand, no matter how powerful the magnetic field was, unless the digital data could be processed quickly and concisely, the demon would never be able to take form. It was quite possible that even a supercomputer would not be able to handle the massive amount of data that would be needed to materialize a high-ranking demon. Despite that fact, the high-ranking demon Set was able to to take form in the Assiah world, even if it was only in a makeshift body. Something must have added a great deal of power in setting up the necessary magnetic field for a summoning; this in turn would ease the restraints on the data processing. Isma was convinced that something was Yumiko. Most likely, the high concentration of biological Magnetite within her body had been a major player in creating the magnetic field for the summoning. The divine constitution that she had inherited from Izanami was nothing but a giant retention of that highly concentrated Magnetite. While meager in comparison to that of Yumiko, ordinary humans also retained some biological Magnetite. If enough of it was collected, it might be able to create a permanent overlap of the Atziluth and Assiah worlds entirely. Therefore, having already formed a contract with Set, Isma borrowed his power to summon many people and attempt to create a tower of human flesh. And everything was proceeding just according to plan. Even know the heavens split with a terrible thundering, and Set's most powerful servant, the great serpent Typhon, reared its head into the air as if slithering from behind a black curtain, knocking over the Soga Forest's trees as it went. "Typhon, welcome. Breathe deeply and take in the air of the Assiah world." Isma looked kindly at the enormous snake. "Take a look, your first victim awaits in the shadow of that tree." As Isma pointed to the copse where Officer Nimura was, Typhon vanished beyond the trees. Meanwhile, Set had transformed into a gigantic, vile pillar of flesh, his sinister, red glowing eyes at its peak darting all around the area. Typhon's presence is proof that the demon world Set rules is starting to meld with the Assiah world. Now all that remains is to gather more biological Magnetite and solidify the connection... Isma's eyes shimmered even brighter with madness."</ref>), | '''[[Power Bestowal]]''' ([https://youtu.be/DEVhTWI-Xhw?t=89 Demons can grant others their powers and strength]), '''[[Reality Warping]]''', '''[[Space-Time Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Creation]]''' (All powerful and god level demons sustain a colloidal conglomeration of countless mini-universes, each centered around a powerful demon that is sustained by said demon and destroyed upon their death.<ref>[http://menasepublications.blogspot.com/2010/12/return-chapter-1.html Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City] Chapter 4 "Quickening" "I don't think so. From what I've just seen, there's no mistake that a magnetic field suitable for summoning a demon was set up. It may be that the reason no demon appeared was that it might have arrived in the Assiah world via a different magnetic field."<br>"There’re still some details about the mechanism for demon summoning that I don't really understand yet."<br>"Unusual words, coming from the genius that was the first to successfully summon a demon via a computer." Feed grinned broadly, but his expression soon turned grave as he looked directly at Nakajima.<br>"The last demon to appear called himself Set, correct?"<br>"Yes, that's right."<br>"While it's too dangerous to try and conjecture the state of affairs in the demon world based on our own knowledge of this one, my theory is that the demon world is like a colloidal conglomeration of countless mini-universes, each centered around a powerful demon. Most likely, with Loki's death, the mini-universe in contact with Japan or Tokyo vanished, and Set's mini-universe entered to take its place. Demon summoning is just opening a contact point between the two worlds at the same time."<br>"So what would happen if two contact points were opened at the same time?"<br>"The demon would decide where it wanted to appear. However, there are some examples in medieval records of demon summonings that report that when the difference in strength of the two magnetic fields was great enough, the demon would be pulled to the stronger field, regardless of which it wanted to go to..."</ref> Demons such as Morax [https://youtu.be/DBcnBEyAp1c?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=517 have created] [https://youtu.be/JFbJuVsI3WU?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=781 and ruled over their own realms within the] Schwarzwelt, [https://youtu.be/DBcnBEyAp1c?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=1580 and controlled their own sectors], [https://youtu.be/DBcnBEyAp1c?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=828 being noted] [https://youtu.be/DBcnBEyAp1c?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=544 to be the energy source] [https://youtu.be/VMJCaN4nv3E?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2201 the Strange Journey team were looking for], [https://youtu.be/VMJCaN4nv3E?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2445 said energy source is noted to control the entire sector], [https://youtu.be/VMJCaN4nv3E?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2374 and be linked to the sector like a magnet]. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2279&v=VMJCaN4nv3E&feature=youtu.be Each sector is a space-time plane layered atop each other], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMJCaN4nv3E&list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2212s being planes outside of the human worlds local space-time existing in a quantum tunnel], [https://youtu.be/KHbrN8kIyq0?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=946 along with being noted as parallel universes] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHbrN8kIyq0&list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=2173s and other] [https://imgur.com/a/iAwBHgJ dimensions overlapping being isolated in time and space by enormous power] [https://youtu.be/JFbJuVsI3WU?list=PLAV-xzjVBR0UtRCaE75gwmT465Rq_PTQ0&t=764 being connected by quantum tunnels]. Demons such as Set with enough Magnetite gathered can merge entire worlds.<ref>[http://menasepublications.blogspot.com/2010/12/warrior-of-demon-city.html Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City] Chapter 5, "He Who Calls" "Isma had realized that the bizarre life form that had torn itself out of Ohara's belly was a temporary body for Set, who had been planning to take form by possessing Loki's child. According to his theory, summoning a demon via a computer would require creating a magnetic field with which to summon the demon and the processing of the demon's data to be materialized, both of which would have to be done at virtually the same time. If the magnetic field was weak, the point of connection between the demon's world and the Assiah world would narrow, constraining the amount of data that could be processed. On the other hand, no matter how powerful the magnetic field was, unless the digital data could be processed quickly and concisely, the demon would never be able to take form. It was quite possible that even a supercomputer would not be able to handle the massive amount of data that would be needed to materialize a high-ranking demon. Despite that fact, the high-ranking demon Set was able to to take form in the Assiah world, even if it was only in a makeshift body. Something must have added a great deal of power in setting up the necessary magnetic field for a summoning; this in turn would ease the restraints on the data processing. Isma was convinced that something was Yumiko. Most likely, the high concentration of biological Magnetite within her body had been a major player in creating the magnetic field for the summoning. The divine constitution that she had inherited from Izanami was nothing but a giant retention of that highly concentrated Magnetite. While meager in comparison to that of Yumiko, ordinary humans also retained some biological Magnetite. If enough of it was collected, it might be able to create a permanent overlap of the Atziluth and Assiah worlds entirely. Therefore, having already formed a contract with Set, Isma borrowed his power to summon many people and attempt to create a tower of human flesh. And everything was proceeding just according to plan. Even know the heavens split with a terrible thundering, and Set's most powerful servant, the great serpent Typhon, reared its head into the air as if slithering from behind a black curtain, knocking over the Soga Forest's trees as it went. "Typhon, welcome. Breathe deeply and take in the air of the Assiah world." Isma looked kindly at the enormous snake. "Take a look, your first victim awaits in the shadow of that tree." As Isma pointed to the copse where Officer Nimura was, Typhon vanished beyond the trees. Meanwhile, Set had transformed into a gigantic, vile pillar of flesh, his sinister, red glowing eyes at its peak darting all around the area. Typhon's presence is proof that the demon world Set rules is starting to meld with the Assiah world. Now all that remains is to gather more biological Magnetite and solidify the connection... Isma's eyes shimmered even brighter with madness."</ref>), '''[[Sheer Will]]''', '''[[Resurrection]]''', & '''[[Transformation]]''' (Permanent Transformation; [https://youtu.be/B1y-LMn7zkk?t=1478 Some fiends are born from men that die in competitive sports]), '''[[Curse Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/ydHa_VntN5U?t=1749 Gods such as Anahita can remove curses]). | ||
<br><br> | <br><br> | ||
'''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Physics Manipulation]]''' ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V27awFqH14k&t=1267s A god's divine energy isn’t bound by the laws of physics]) | '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Physics Manipulation]]''' ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V27awFqH14k&t=1267s A god's divine energy isn’t bound by the laws of physics]) | ||
| Line 117: | Line 118: | ||
'''[[Higher-Dimensional Existence]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/lHRdNd7 God Tier demons are higher dimensional beings that cannot be perceived by lower one's Burroughs, requiring them to come down into the lower dimensions for the character to perceive them]), '''[[Madness Manipulation]]''' (God Tier Demons such as [https://imgur.com/a/5UeJPOt Kagutsuchi's light can cause demons to grow more hostile towards others, making it impossible for negotiation and to escape from them. They'll also calm down once a New Phase passes]). | '''[[Higher-Dimensional Existence]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/lHRdNd7 God Tier demons are higher dimensional beings that cannot be perceived by lower one's Burroughs, requiring them to come down into the lower dimensions for the character to perceive them]), '''[[Madness Manipulation]]''' (God Tier Demons such as [https://imgur.com/a/5UeJPOt Kagutsuchi's light can cause demons to grow more hostile towards others, making it impossible for negotiation and to escape from them. They'll also calm down once a New Phase passes]). | ||
<br><br> | <br><br> | ||
'''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Erasure]]''' (Conceptual Erasure; The strongest and highest level demons can survive '''[[Kagutsuchi (Shin Megami Tensei)|Kagutsuchi]]''''s [https://youtu.be/105HNY0pQcs light], [https://youtu.be/wf1Hp_51Tpk?t=104 which can wipe one from existence]) | '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Erasure]]''' ('''Conceptual Erasure;''' The strongest and highest level demons can survive '''[[Kagutsuchi (Shin Megami Tensei)|Kagutsuchi]]''''s [https://youtu.be/105HNY0pQcs light], [https://youtu.be/wf1Hp_51Tpk?t=104 which can wipe one from existence]) | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{!}}-{{!}}YHVH= | {{!}}-{{!}}YHVH= | ||
{{#tag:tabber| | {{#tag:tabber| | ||
{{!}}-{{!}}True Self= | {{!}}-{{!}}True Self= | ||
'''[[Large Size]]''' (Type 10; [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=447 YHVH's presence is felt everywhere throughout the world], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=466 every emotion, concept, and feeling he is there to witness and exists in], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1192 noting he's with them every step of the way]. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=602 Notes that he is existence himself]), '''[[Omniscience]]''', '''[[Freedom of Manifestation]]''' (YHVH is a rogue avatar of [[The Axiom]], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2533 who tasks Messiahs with killing YHVH due to this]), '''[[Aura]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=18 Noted to have an angelic aura]), '''[[Transcendence]]''' ([https://youtu.be/ijJFkJ6l058?t=85 YHVH is a being who created] [http://shmuplations.com/smt/ infinite universes], [https://youtu.be/ijJFkJ6l058?t=70 and exists beyond the very boundaries of time within the multiverse], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=246 The multiverse and his manifestation head are infinitesimal in size compared to him], and he exists as [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=165 an incomprehensible] [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=450 transcendent being overseeing everything in his creation]. [https://youtu.be/L23HK4gdQY0?t=516 His universe is a place beyond reality that is more vague and more infinite then anything the cast has seen before] [https://youtu.be/8kNv01GNrpE?t=104 which includes areas such as the expanse] and Akrana Corridor, and his single manifestation head), '''[[Omnipresence]]''' (Type 3; [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=447 YHVH's presence is felt everywhere throughout the world], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=466 every emotion, concept, and feeling he is there to witness and exists in], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1192 noting he's with them every step of the way]. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=602 Notes that he is existence himself]), '''[[Reality Seperation]]''' (Type 4; [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=452 YHVH exists outside of reality within his own realm]), '''[[Universal Creation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/ijJFkJ6l058?t=85 Regarded as the creator of] [http://shmuplations.com/smt/ all infinite universes]), '''[[Immortality]]''' (Type 8; [https://youtu.be/Ajh6RtXbxME?t=482 His single manifestation heads are a single part of his true self that controls the entire cosmos]. [https://dijehtranslations.wordpress.com/2016/08/08/kaneko-kazuma-comments-on-nocturne-demon-design/ All gods are avatars of YHVH, including the likes of] '''[[Kagutsuchi (Shin Megami Tensei)|Kagutsuchi]]'''. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBJn2IrfER4&t=682s As long as people continue to seek his salvation], '''[[The Axiom]]''' will repeatedly resurrect him), '''[[Avatar Creation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/Ajh6RtXbxME?t=482 His single manifestation heads are a single part of his true self that controls the entire cosmos]. [https://dijehtranslations.wordpress.com/2016/08/08/kaneko-kazuma-comments-on-nocturne-demon-design/ All gods are avatars of YHVH, including the likes of] '''[[Kagutsuchi (Shin Megami Tensei)|Kagutsuchi]]'''), '''[[Healing]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Shin_Megami_Tensei:_20XX_Devil.27s_Colosseum With Mediarahan, fully restores HP]), '''[[Parallel Existence]]''' ([https://youtu.be/Ajh6RtXbxME?t=482 All YHVH manifestation heads are a single part of his true self that controls the entire cosmos], [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html with each head having control over a universe]<ref>He had a strong impact in the previous games, so I just followed the basic model. His image as the Father and main god was emphasised by the stern expression on his aged face. The panels with three angles in the middle of his face are there to portray him as a 3D representation. I showed multiple faces every time he appeared, in order to show he has all the universes under his rule. The true number of these faces is the number of stars, rather than just the number of lives we can observe.</ref>), '''[[Immortality Negation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=124 Broke] the SMT 1 Hero's cycle of reincarnation which is a cycle [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2438 where one is sent back to] '''[[The Axiom]]''' and resurrected), '''[[Darkness Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=22 Massive dark energy tinged from his massive doors]), '''[[Sleep Manipulation]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/kL9usXz Placed Set into a deep slumber until he was needed again]), '''[[ | '''[[Large Size]]''' (Type 10; [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=447 YHVH's presence is felt everywhere throughout the world], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=466 every emotion, concept, and feeling he is there to witness and exists in], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1192 noting he's with them every step of the way]. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=602 Notes that he is existence himself]), '''[[Omniscience]]''', '''[[Freedom of Manifestation]]''' (YHVH is a rogue avatar of [[The Axiom]], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2533 who tasks Messiahs with killing YHVH due to this]), '''[[Aura]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=18 Noted to have an angelic aura]), '''[[Transcendence]]''' ([https://youtu.be/ijJFkJ6l058?t=85 YHVH is a being who created] [http://shmuplations.com/smt/ infinite universes], [https://youtu.be/ijJFkJ6l058?t=70 and exists beyond the very boundaries of time within the multiverse], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=246 The multiverse and his manifestation head are infinitesimal in size compared to him], and he exists as [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=165 an incomprehensible] [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=450 transcendent being overseeing everything in his creation]. [https://youtu.be/L23HK4gdQY0?t=516 His universe is a place beyond reality that is more vague and more infinite then anything the cast has seen before] [https://youtu.be/8kNv01GNrpE?t=104 which includes areas such as the expanse] and Akrana Corridor, and his single manifestation head), '''[[Omnipresence]]''' (Type 3; [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=447 YHVH's presence is felt everywhere throughout the world], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=466 every emotion, concept, and feeling he is there to witness and exists in], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1192 noting he's with them every step of the way]. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=602 Notes that he is existence himself]), '''[[Reality Seperation]]''' (Type 4; [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=452 YHVH exists outside of reality within his own realm]), '''[[Universal Creation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/ijJFkJ6l058?t=85 Regarded as the creator of] [http://shmuplations.com/smt/ all infinite universes]), '''[[Immortality]]''' (Type 8; [https://youtu.be/Ajh6RtXbxME?t=482 His single manifestation heads are a single part of his true self that controls the entire cosmos]. [https://dijehtranslations.wordpress.com/2016/08/08/kaneko-kazuma-comments-on-nocturne-demon-design/ All gods are avatars of YHVH, including the likes of] '''[[Kagutsuchi (Shin Megami Tensei)|Kagutsuchi]]'''. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBJn2IrfER4&t=682s As long as people continue to seek his salvation], '''[[The Axiom]]''' will repeatedly resurrect him), '''[[Avatar Creation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/Ajh6RtXbxME?t=482 His single manifestation heads are a single part of his true self that controls the entire cosmos]. [https://dijehtranslations.wordpress.com/2016/08/08/kaneko-kazuma-comments-on-nocturne-demon-design/ All gods are avatars of YHVH, including the likes of] '''[[Kagutsuchi (Shin Megami Tensei)|Kagutsuchi]]'''), '''[[Healing]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Shin_Megami_Tensei:_20XX_Devil.27s_Colosseum With Mediarahan, fully restores HP]), '''[[Parallel Existence]]''' ([https://youtu.be/Ajh6RtXbxME?t=482 All YHVH manifestation heads are a single part of his true self that controls the entire cosmos], [https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html with each head having control over a universe]<ref>He had a strong impact in the previous games, so I just followed the basic model. His image as the Father and main god was emphasised by the stern expression on his aged face. The panels with three angles in the middle of his face are there to portray him as a 3D representation. I showed multiple faces every time he appeared, in order to show he has all the universes under his rule. The true number of these faces is the number of stars, rather than just the number of lives we can observe.</ref>), '''[[Immortality Negation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=124 Broke] the SMT 1 Hero's cycle of reincarnation which is a cycle [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2438 where one is sent back to] '''[[The Axiom]]''' and resurrected), '''[[Darkness Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=22 Massive dark energy tinged from his massive doors]), '''[[Sleep Manipulation]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/kL9usXz Placed Set into a deep slumber until he was needed again]), '''[[Battlefield Removal]]''' (Type 1; [https://imgur.com/a/AQppUyn YHVH casted all other Gods into the abyss], [https://youtu.be/sBJn2IrfER4?t=713 along with the likes of] Lucifer), '''[[Metaphysics Manipulation]]''' (Soul Manipulation; [https://youtu.be/IQNfOr4GJlE?t=23464 Gave] Zayin his soul), '''[[Empathic Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/ipgiAgekNgY?t=378 The voice of the lord pacifies those and become his believers and followers] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDsibplcORA&t=685s and erases hostility from the world]), '''[[Power Nullification]]''' ([https://eirikrjs.blogspot.com/2016/08/apocalypse-artbook.html Can give one a physical form greatly weakening their abilities and restricting their range]<ref>Profile: The actual One God of monotheism. The One God praised by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He is the omnipotent existence that created heaven and earth and made man in his own image, but this also means that together with the angels, his bunrei [subparts], he also gave birth to demons. By giving humans bodies of flesh and bone, their lives and fears were repeated in the endless cycle of death and rebirth, restricting their range of observation.</ref>. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2_WH4yrwAk&t=75720s His song can negate] Mem Aleph into a physical form. [https://youtu.be/tlSYsvtMFRE?t=427 Even attempting to say his name will cause a static-like sound as his mere name cannot truly be heard or comprehended]. [https://youtu.be/nD-1IsA6fQg?t=720 Robbed all other Gods of their knowledge, debasing them into their infinitely weaker states]), '''[[Transmutation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/nL4mXlNsUGo?list=PL4UpCLbFZpJEkD608a0CZJ6zhet5nziuF&t=881 Dethroned all of the world's old gods, transforming them into demons]), '''[[Existence Erasure]]''', '''[[Information Manipulation]]''', & '''[[Conceptual Manipulation]]''' (Type 4; [https://youtu.be/ipgiAgekNgY?t=484 The song of the lord negates a demons existence], [https://imgur.com/a/6Ofsexj and returns them back to their pure natural state]. [https://youtu.be/nD-1IsA6fQg?t=720 Robbed the other gods of their knowledge, debasing them into their infinitely weaker states]), '''[[Fusionism]]''' ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQNfOr4GJlE&t=15371s Forcibly fused Ashtar and Ishtar in response to his followers turning from his wrath to Ishtar's kindness]), '''[[Severing]]''' ([https://youtu.be/HUYqiYbbWU8?list=PL4UpCLbFZpJEkD608a0CZJ6zhet5nziuF&t=1216 Sundered apart Beelzebub and Bael from each other, putting them in far weaker forms and removing their godhoods]), '''[[Infinity Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=237 YHVH embodies and manipulates the concept of infinity]), '''[[Plot Manipulation]]''' (Story Manipulation; Author Authority; As YHVH created and embodies everything, he also created and embodied the Akarana Corridor [https://youtu.be/haOVB8wCagU?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=957 a void that transcends time and space] [https://youtu.be/Fm1lhGxKTfs?list=PLZ-IDxWdqee_02DqvdXSdY3BjrLzAaxAY&t=1357 that controls the fundamental narrative structure of the multiverse], [https://imgur.com/a/KcT9Zm1 deciding what's "canon" and what's "retconned"], [https://imgur.com/a/K0Ksm6M with events from SMT 1 & 2 being included]), '''[[Law Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Order Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=242 YHVH is the embodiment of and can manipulate the concept of law and order]), '''[[Truth Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2259 Controls truths, and forces all to follow them]), '''[[Personal Domain]]''' & '''[[Higher-Dimensional Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=250 Has a personal realm] [https://youtu.be/L23HK4gdQY0?t=516 which is his own universe], [https://youtu.be/L23HK4gdQY0?t=828 which contains brane layers] [https://youtu.be/L23HK4gdQY0?t=1253 with each layer being linked to a higher dimension, reaching another plane of his universe]), '''[[Mimicry]]''' (Physiology Mimicry) & '''[[Illusion Creation]]''' (Type 3; [https://youtu.be/L23HK4gdQY0?t=1186 YHVH creates illusionary copies] [https://youtu.be/L23HK4gdQY0?t=875 of previous bosses] [https://youtu.be/L23HK4gdQY0?t=1222 and can recreate anyone they've fought]), '''[[Creation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=594 Is the creator of the universe], [https://youtu.be/jNgSo-PKz3I?t=177 can create an infinte amount of Metatron's as he pleases]), '''[[Fate Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=273 YHVH is the guidance of all mankind, guiding them through their destiny]), '''[[Power Bestowal]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=402 The likes of] Metatron and Satan are under YHVH's protection), '''[[Velocity Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=434 YHVH always strikes first at the beginning of battle regardless of the protagonists speed]), '''[[Statistics Amplification]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=435 With Luster Candy, amplifies all stats]. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=883 With Smile Charge, induces smirk] [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Smirk?so=search the effects of Smirking include maximizing buffs like Tarukaja (boosts attack damage), boosting critical chance of attacks to 95% and 70% for phys and gun respectively, boosting hit rate of normal attacks and physical skills to 100%, removing the unit's weakness and preventing the enemy's critical chance, and boosting evasion rate to 85% against all incoming attacks, but with no changes to ailment infliction chances]), '''[[Statistics Reduction]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=633 With Debilitate, decreases all stats]), '''[[Holy Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=729 With divine wave, a holy attack]), '''[[Resistance Bypassing]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=783 His attacks have a piece effect] [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Pierce#Effect pierce allows the user's physical attacks to bypass all resistances, except for Repel]), '''[[Ice Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=783 With Hailstorm of God, heavy ice damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Fire Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1087 With Inferno of God, heavy fire damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Electricity Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ With Lightning of God, heavy elec damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Air Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ With Tornado of God, heavy force damage to all foes, pierces resistances]), '''[[Explosion Manipulation]]''', '''[[Resistance Manipulation]]''', '''[[Power Nullification]]''', & '''[[Law Manipulation|Law Negation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=922 With planned chaos, induces medium almighty damage], [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Almighty_Skills?so=search Almighty damage is] done to all foes by [https://youtu.be/OzSx4S5XF58?t=26 producing a large explosion]. Modes such as [https://youtu.be/HmtYGEqWToQ?list=PLRPbxipKUZWWrTlWxEL82l7MigAG7oBfe&t=2683 Berserk Mode from] ''Digital Devil Saga 2'' [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Berserk_Mode?so=search gives all of their attacks almighty effect], [https://youtu.be/HmtYGEqWToQ?list=PLRPbxipKUZWWrTlWxEL82l7MigAG7oBfe&t=2688 where it bypasses all resistances].Almighty skills bypasses all '''[[Forcefield Creation|barriers]]''' and '''[[Attack Reflection|reflectors]]''', '''[[Invulnerability|invulnerability]]''', and '''[[Resistance|resistances]]''', as putting up barriers to reflect, void, resist, etcetera do not affect almighty attacks. Almighty attacks can even work in and affect reason bearers, [https://youtu.be/sQqsP_6X990?t=170 who can change the very laws of battle to make attacks not allowed in reality] [https://youtu.be/UFPGSQrz8zA?t=74 which if they are done then the character is sent straight to hell], showing almighty attacks are beyond even the laws of the universe), '''[[Status Effect Inducement]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=922 With planned chaos, medium almighty damage that inflicts charm/bind/panic to a foe]), '''[[Durability Negation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1180 With Miracle], [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1520 instantly reduces foes HP to 1, and greatly reduces their MP]), '''[[Paralysis Inducement]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1271 YHVH's glare can freeze one in place]), '''[[Power Nullification]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1271 Can inflict mute on all party members, making them unable to use abilities along with decreasing their stats]. [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1544 With Divine Harmony, removes all buffs, debuffs, and other effects (smirk, charge, Doping) on all foes]), '''[[Death Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1488 With Mouth of God], [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ an almighty-type attack that can induce instant kill]), '''[[Fear Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ With Authorative Stance, instills an authorative aura on the user, removing 3 of their press turns]), '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Superhuman Physical Characteristics|Physical Attacks]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ Naturally resists physical attacks]), '''[[Weapon Usage|Gun Attacks]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ Naturally resists gun attacks]), '''[[Fire Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ Naturally resists fire elemental attacks]), '''[[Ice Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ Naturally resists ice elemental attacks]), '''[[Electricity Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ Naturally resists electric elemental attacks]), '''[[Air Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ Naturally resists force elemental attacks]), '''[[Light Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ Naturally resists light elemental attacks]), & '''[[Darkness Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_1_ Naturally resists darkness elemental attacks]) | ||
{{!}}-{{!}}Deformed YHVH= | {{!}}-{{!}}Deformed YHVH= | ||
All previous powers and abilities to a lesser extent [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1619 due to being reduced to a weaker state] with the exception of '''[[Omnipresence]]''', '''[[Immortality]]''', etcetera. '''[[Infinity Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Statistics Amplification]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1654 With Infinite Power, can buff all of his statistics and give himself the smirk status]), '''[[Black Hole]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2115 With black hole, creates a black hole that steals MP]), '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Superhuman Physical Characteristics|Physical Attacks]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists physical attacks]), '''[[Weapon Usage|Gun Attacks]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists gun attacks]), '''[[Fire Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists fire elemental attacks]), '''[[Ice Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists ice elemental attacks]), '''[[Electricity Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists electric elemental attacks]), '''[[Air Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists force elemental attacks]), '''[[Light Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists light elemental attacks]), & '''[[Darkness Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists darkness elemental attacks]) | All previous powers and abilities to a lesser extent [https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1619 due to being reduced to a weaker state] with the exception of '''[[Omnipresence]]''', '''[[Immortality]]''', etcetera. '''[[Infinity Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Statistics Amplification]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=1654 With Infinite Power, can buff all of his statistics and give himself the smirk status]), '''[[Black Hole]]''' ([https://youtu.be/dFuKLmruIzQ?t=2115 With black hole, creates a black hole that steals MP]), '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Superhuman Physical Characteristics|Physical Attacks]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists physical attacks]), '''[[Weapon Usage|Gun Attacks]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists gun attacks]), '''[[Fire Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists fire elemental attacks]), '''[[Ice Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists ice elemental attacks]), '''[[Electricity Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists electric elemental attacks]), '''[[Air Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists force elemental attacks]), '''[[Light Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists light elemental attacks]), & '''[[Darkness Manipulation]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/YHVH?so=search#Form_2_ Naturally resists darkness elemental attacks]) | ||
| Line 129: | Line 130: | ||
'''[[Absorption]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Clarion absorbed all of the poisoned MAG from] Behemoth), '''[[Light Manipulation]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Appeared as light so bright] Gotou thought it was sunlight), '''[[Possession]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Possessed] Abe Seimei), '''[[Fear Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Aura]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM His mere appearance and aura caused a primal terror that shook] Goutou and Raidou's souls), '''[[Body Control]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Could freely control his body to look like a head, when in reality he was a giant tentacle monster]), '''[[Telekinesis]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Telekinetically controlled a myriad of meteors to attack the captial]), '''[[Fusionism]]''' ([https://imgur.com/necxfgk Was going to fuse and become one with the planet earth]), '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Heat Manipulation|Extreme Heats]]''' ([https://imgur.com/InGGwgP Hid behind the sun without any heat]) | '''[[Absorption]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Clarion absorbed all of the poisoned MAG from] Behemoth), '''[[Light Manipulation]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Appeared as light so bright] Gotou thought it was sunlight), '''[[Possession]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Possessed] Abe Seimei), '''[[Fear Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Aura]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM His mere appearance and aura caused a primal terror that shook] Goutou and Raidou's souls), '''[[Body Control]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Could freely control his body to look like a head, when in reality he was a giant tentacle monster]), '''[[Telekinesis]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/Gn5N9aM Telekinetically controlled a myriad of meteors to attack the captial]), '''[[Fusionism]]''' ([https://imgur.com/necxfgk Was going to fuse and become one with the planet earth]), '''[[Resistance]]''' to '''[[Heat Manipulation|Extreme Heats]]''' ([https://imgur.com/InGGwgP Hid behind the sun without any heat]) | ||
{{!}}-{{!}}Kagutuschi= | {{!}}-{{!}}Kagutuschi= | ||
'''[[Creation]]''', '''[[Space-Time Manipulation]]''', '''[[Gravity Manipulation]]''', '''[[Concept Manipulation]]''', '''[[Law Manipulation]]''', '''[[Transmutation]]''', '''[[Metaphysics Manipulation]]''' (Soul Manipulation), '''[[Explosion Manipulation]]''' and '''[[Reality Warping]]''' (As the name implies, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5svMpecJNJY the Conception's purpose is to bring forth a new world, with new laws determined by a Reason]. [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Conception?so=search The Conception is set in motion by Hikawa, who strives to create a world of perfect stillness. After being set in motion, everyone outside of the hospital is killed instantly and turned into Magatsuhi or souls. Tokyo is uprooted and twisted into a spherical world known as Vortex World. His power shapes and defines the laws of reality within a given universe and can remake them in the image of a specific philosophy should he so desire]), '''[[Holy Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/i7jFy187Fvk?t=537 Is an avatar of YHVH]), '''[[Chaos Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Summoning]]''' ([https://youtu.be/xAfj8dcbEYU?t=2691 Through the Conception, it spread chaos throughout the world and summoned demons as a result]. There are many high leveled demons encounter in the Tower of Kagutsuchi), '''[[Fate Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Empowerment]]''' ([https://youtu.be/xAfj8dcbEYU?t=2817 Selected a few to survive the conception, a multiversal nuke, among these being] '''[[Demi-fiend]]''' of which Kagutsuchi guides and allows him to [https://youtu.be/xAfj8dcbEYU?t=2322 survive circumstances] [https://youtu.be/ZKMbpo8GfPk?t=610 that would have ended his journey or put a hinderance on.] [https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=439 Stated to be destiny and the truth.] Capable of empowering those who hold a reason, including Gods fused with humans, to contend with Demi-fiend), Limited '''[[Probability Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Statistics Amplification]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Moon_Phase_System Kagutsuchi's phases affect the probability of obtaining item of higher value from any mystic treasure chest. Full phase guarantees rarer item, while new phase does the exact opposite. Slight modifier of all damage dealt in battle, the fuller the higher, and vice versa. Activator of skills such as Bright Might, Dark Might, and Dark Pledge. Several puzzles and locations in the game require the use of the Kagutsuchi phase, as well]), '''[[Telepathy]]''' ([https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=144 Able to read what's inside people's heart]), '''[[Causality Manipulation]]''' (Erased the Sangai, the past, present and future of the universe, in order to construct the Vortex World in its foundations, while keeping select few lifeforms of his choosing alive even under those conditions), '''[[Existence Erasure]]''' (Type 3; [https://youtu.be/wf1Hp_51Tpk?t=104 Threatened to wipe Demi-fiend out of existence with his light]), '''[[Resurrection]]''' ([https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=598 Able to bring back everyone that previously died back to life in the Freedom ending]), '''[[Transformation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=395 After taking hits in his first phase, he will transition to his second phase]), '''[[Abstract Existence]]''' and '''[[Incorporeality]]''' (Type 1; Exist as the source to creation. [https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=437 Is said to be "destiny" and the "truth"] although this most likely just him monologuing or in reference to the Great Will), '''[[Power Bestowal]]''' (Can grant users the ability to create a new world from their own vision), '''[[Omnipresence]]''' (Type 2; [https://youtu.be/i7jFy187Fvk?t=518 Exist throughout all of Time and Space] [https://youtu.be/i7jFy187Fvk?t=987 and the infinite universes that exist within the Amala universe]), '''[[Mind Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Madness Manipulation]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/5UeJPOt Kagutsuchi's light can cause demons to grow more hostile towards others, making it impossible for negotiation and to escape from them. They'll also calm down once a New Phase passes]), '''[[Cosmic Awareness]]''' (Oversees all of creation), '''[[Immortality]]''' (Type 9; [https://youtu.be/i7jFy187Fvk?t=987 Has infinite versions of himself that share the same consciousness]), '''[[Acausality]]''' (Causality Immunity; Demons, despite being created by observation, existed prior to creation and are unbounded by it as they are not affected by the destruction of the Multiverse. Furthermore, they exist in the Expanse, a higher plane of existence that transcends past, present, and future with demons such as [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Ishtar?so=search Ishtar] being able to exist outside of both realities of SMT and Persona), '''[[Fusionism]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/isoUifN Merged the Demon World and the Divine World into the remnants of the human realm to create the Vortex World]), '''[[Non-Standard Interaction]]''' (Can interact with demons, which are formless abstract entities made of data. Should scale to Flynn, who can strike down formless, nonexistent entities such as The White), '''[[Power Nullification|Illusion Negation]]''' (During one of Kagutsuchi's phase, it'll [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Moon_Phase_System expose Ongyo-Ki from his illusions during his boss fight]), '''[[Resistance Manipulation]]''' (Can erase demons from existence once they are defeated in battle, which already naturally resist these effects), '''[[Magic]]''' & '''[[Elemental Manipulation]]''' which includes: '''[[Fire Manipulation]]''' (via Maragidyne, which deals heavy fire damage to all foes), '''[[Ice Manipulation]]''' (via Mabufudyne, which deals heavy ice damage to all foes with a 15% chance to freeze all foes), '''[[Electricity Manipulation]]''' (via Maziodyne, which deals heavy electric damage with a 15% chance to shock all foes), '''[[Air Manipulation]]''' (via Mazandyne. Deals "force" (wind) damage to all foes), '''[[Explosion Manipulation]]''', '''[[Law Manipulation|Law negation]]''', '''[[Resistance Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Power Nullification]]''' (via Megidola. Which deals heavy Almighty damage to all foes by [https://youtu.be/OzSx4S5XF58?t=26 producing a large explosion].Almighty skills bypasses all '''[[Forcefield Creation|barriers]]''' and '''[[Attack Reflection|reflectors]]''', '''[[Invulnerability|invulnerability]]''', and '''[[Resistance|resistances]]''', as putting up barriers to reflect, void, resist, etcetera do not affect almighty attacks. Almighty attacks can even work in and affect reason bearers, [https://youtu.be/sQqsP_6X990?t=170 who can change the very laws of battle to make attacks not allowed in reality] [https://youtu.be/UFPGSQrz8zA?t=74 which if they are done then the character is sent straight to hell], showing almighty attacks are beyond even the laws of the universe), '''[[Purification]]''' (via Dekunda, which removes all debuffs from all allies), '''[[Power Nullification|Stat Nullification]]''' (via Dekaja, which removes all stat buffs on all foes), '''[[Time Manipulation]]''' (via Phase Shift, which shifts Kagutsuchi phase forward by 2 instantly), '''[[Power Nullification|Evasion Negation]]''' & '''[[Light Manipulation]]''' (via Vast light and Infinte light. Overwhelms the characters with a glorious beam of light that deals Mega almighty damage to all foes. Undodgeable and costs 2 turn icons), '''[[Fear Manipulation]]''' (via Dragon Eye. a simailar ability to Beast eye, this skill grants user's team four blinking turn icons [https://youtu.be/zIjVvnO5lgM?t=39 allowing them to perform any actions with the opponent forced to wait and unable to do anything until they use up their turns]) | '''[[Creation]]''', '''[[Space-Time Manipulation]]''', '''[[Gravity Manipulation]]''', '''[[Concept Manipulation]]''', '''[[Law Manipulation]]''', '''[[Transmutation]]''', '''[[Metaphysics Manipulation]]''' (Soul Manipulation), '''[[Explosion Manipulation]]''' and '''[[Reality Warping]]''' (As the name implies, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5svMpecJNJY the Conception's purpose is to bring forth a new world, with new laws determined by a Reason]. [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Conception?so=search The Conception is set in motion by Hikawa, who strives to create a world of perfect stillness. After being set in motion, everyone outside of the hospital is killed instantly and turned into Magatsuhi or souls. Tokyo is uprooted and twisted into a spherical world known as Vortex World. His power shapes and defines the laws of reality within a given universe and can remake them in the image of a specific philosophy should he so desire]), '''[[Holy Manipulation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/i7jFy187Fvk?t=537 Is an avatar of YHVH]), '''[[Chaos Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Summoning]]''' ([https://youtu.be/xAfj8dcbEYU?t=2691 Through the Conception, it spread chaos throughout the world and summoned demons as a result]. There are many high leveled demons encounter in the Tower of Kagutsuchi), '''[[Fate Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Empowerment]]''' ([https://youtu.be/xAfj8dcbEYU?t=2817 Selected a few to survive the conception, a multiversal nuke, among these being] '''[[Demi-fiend]]''' of which Kagutsuchi guides and allows him to [https://youtu.be/xAfj8dcbEYU?t=2322 survive circumstances] [https://youtu.be/ZKMbpo8GfPk?t=610 that would have ended his journey or put a hinderance on.] [https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=439 Stated to be destiny and the truth.] Capable of empowering those who hold a reason, including Gods fused with humans, to contend with Demi-fiend), Limited '''[[Probability Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Statistics Amplification]]''' ([https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Moon_Phase_System Kagutsuchi's phases affect the probability of obtaining item of higher value from any mystic treasure chest. Full phase guarantees rarer item, while new phase does the exact opposite. Slight modifier of all damage dealt in battle, the fuller the higher, and vice versa. Activator of skills such as Bright Might, Dark Might, and Dark Pledge. Several puzzles and locations in the game require the use of the Kagutsuchi phase, as well]), '''[[Telepathy]]''' ([https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=144 Able to read what's inside people's heart]), '''[[Causality Manipulation]]''' (Erased the Sangai, the past, present and future of the universe, in order to construct the Vortex World in its foundations, while keeping select few lifeforms of his choosing alive even under those conditions), '''[[Existence Erasure]]''' (Type 3; [https://youtu.be/wf1Hp_51Tpk?t=104 Threatened to wipe Demi-fiend out of existence with his light]), '''[[Resurrection]]''' ([https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=598 Able to bring back everyone that previously died back to life in the Freedom ending]), '''[[Transformation]]''' ([https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=395 After taking hits in his first phase, he will transition to his second phase]), '''[[Abstract Existence]]''' and '''[[Incorporeality]]''' (Type 1; Exist as the source to creation. [https://youtu.be/9C9UB49Brgs?t=437 Is said to be "destiny" and the "truth"] although this most likely just him monologuing or in reference to the Great Will), '''[[Power Bestowal]]''' (Can grant users the ability to create a new world from their own vision), '''[[Omnipresence]]''' (Type 2; [https://youtu.be/i7jFy187Fvk?t=518 Exist throughout all of Time and Space] [https://youtu.be/i7jFy187Fvk?t=987 and the infinite universes that exist within the Amala universe]), '''[[Mind Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Madness Manipulation]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/5UeJPOt Kagutsuchi's light can cause demons to grow more hostile towards others, making it impossible for negotiation and to escape from them. They'll also calm down once a New Phase passes]), '''[[Cosmic Awareness]]''' (Oversees all of creation), '''[[Immortality]]''' (Type 9; [https://youtu.be/i7jFy187Fvk?t=987 Has infinite versions of himself that share the same consciousness]), '''[[Acausality]]''' ('''Causality Immunity;''' Demons, despite being created by observation, existed prior to creation and are unbounded by it as they are not affected by the destruction of the Multiverse. Furthermore, they exist in the Expanse, a higher plane of existence that transcends past, present, and future with demons such as [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Ishtar?so=search Ishtar] being able to exist outside of both realities of SMT and Persona), '''[[Fusionism]]''' ([https://imgur.com/a/isoUifN Merged the Demon World and the Divine World into the remnants of the human realm to create the Vortex World]), '''[[Non-Standard Interaction]]''' (Can interact with demons, which are formless abstract entities made of data. Should scale to Flynn, who can strike down formless, nonexistent entities such as The White), '''[[Power Nullification|Illusion Negation]]''' (During one of Kagutsuchi's phase, it'll [https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Moon_Phase_System expose Ongyo-Ki from his illusions during his boss fight]), '''[[Resistance Manipulation]]''' (Can erase demons from existence once they are defeated in battle, which already naturally resist these effects), '''[[Magic]]''' & '''[[Elemental Manipulation]]''' which includes: '''[[Fire Manipulation]]''' (via Maragidyne, which deals heavy fire damage to all foes), '''[[Ice Manipulation]]''' (via Mabufudyne, which deals heavy ice damage to all foes with a 15% chance to freeze all foes), '''[[Electricity Manipulation]]''' (via Maziodyne, which deals heavy electric damage with a 15% chance to shock all foes), '''[[Air Manipulation]]''' (via Mazandyne. Deals "force" (wind) damage to all foes), '''[[Explosion Manipulation]]''', '''[[Law Manipulation|Law negation]]''', '''[[Resistance Manipulation]]''' & '''[[Power Nullification]]''' (via Megidola. Which deals heavy Almighty damage to all foes by [https://youtu.be/OzSx4S5XF58?t=26 producing a large explosion].Almighty skills bypasses all '''[[Forcefield Creation|barriers]]''' and '''[[Attack Reflection|reflectors]]''', '''[[Invulnerability|invulnerability]]''', and '''[[Resistance|resistances]]''', as putting up barriers to reflect, void, resist, etcetera do not affect almighty attacks. Almighty attacks can even work in and affect reason bearers, [https://youtu.be/sQqsP_6X990?t=170 who can change the very laws of battle to make attacks not allowed in reality] [https://youtu.be/UFPGSQrz8zA?t=74 which if they are done then the character is sent straight to hell], showing almighty attacks are beyond even the laws of the universe), '''[[Purification]]''' (via Dekunda, which removes all debuffs from all allies), '''[[Power Nullification|Stat Nullification]]''' (via Dekaja, which removes all stat buffs on all foes), '''[[Time Manipulation]]''' (via Phase Shift, which shifts Kagutsuchi phase forward by 2 instantly), '''[[Power Nullification|Evasion Negation]]''' & '''[[Light Manipulation]]''' (via Vast light and Infinte light. Overwhelms the characters with a glorious beam of light that deals Mega almighty damage to all foes. Undodgeable and costs 2 turn icons), '''[[Fear Manipulation]]''' (via Dragon Eye. a simailar ability to Beast eye, this skill grants user's team four blinking turn icons [https://youtu.be/zIjVvnO5lgM?t=39 allowing them to perform any actions with the opponent forced to wait and unable to do anything until they use up their turns]) | ||
}} | }} | ||
</tabber> | </tabber> | ||
| Line 362: | Line 363: | ||
</td></tr></table> | </td></tr></table> | ||
</td></tr></table> | </td></tr></table> | ||
{{!}}-{{!}}Second Form= | {{!}}-{{!}}Second Form=<br> | ||
<br> | |||
*Kagutsuchi Phase is permanently fixed at Full during this battle, and it takes normal damage from all attacks. | *Kagutsuchi Phase is permanently fixed at Full during this battle, and it takes normal damage from all attacks. | ||
*Kagutsuchi's regular Attack is Almighty element, and will hit all foes in a similar manner to the Attack All passive skill. | *Kagutsuchi's regular Attack is Almighty element, and will hit all foes in a similar manner to the Attack All passive skill. | ||
| Line 525: | Line 526: | ||
</td></tr></table> | </td></tr></table> | ||
}} | }} | ||
|-|Stephen First Battle= | |-|Stephen First Battle=<br> | ||
<br> | |||
*'''Energy Compression:''' Severe physical damage to one foe. | *'''Energy Compression:''' Severe physical damage to one foe. | ||
*'''Singularity Brand:''' Heavy physical damage to one foe, chance of brand. | *'''Singularity Brand:''' Heavy physical damage to one foe, chance of brand. | ||
| Line 540: | Line 541: | ||
*'''Dekunda:''' Negates all stat debuffs from all allies. | *'''Dekunda:''' Negates all stat debuffs from all allies. | ||
*'''Reboot Code:''' Removes all buffs, debuffs, and effects (smirk, charge, Doping) from all foes. | *'''Reboot Code:''' Removes all buffs, debuffs, and effects (smirk, charge, Doping) from all foes. | ||
|-|Stephen Second Battle= | |-|Stephen Second Battle=<br> | ||
<br> | |||
*'''Energy Compression:''' Severe physical damage to one foe. | *'''Energy Compression:''' Severe physical damage to one foe. | ||
*'''Convergence:''' 8 hits of heavy physical damage to multiple foes. | *'''Convergence:''' 8 hits of heavy physical damage to multiple foes. | ||
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</tabber> | </tabber> | ||
---- | ---- | ||
==Other== | ==Other== | ||
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[[Category:Persona Characters]] | [[Category:Persona Characters]] | ||
[[Category:Game Characters]] | [[Category:Video Game Characters]] | ||
[[Category:Evil Characters]] | [[Category:Evil Characters]] | ||
[[Category:Lawful Evil Characters]] | [[Category:Lawful Evil Characters]] | ||
[[Category:Corrupted Characters]] | [[Category:Corrupted Characters]] | ||
[[Category:Non-Playable Characters]] | [[Category:Non-Playable Characters]] | ||
[[Category:Omnipresent Characters]] | |||
[[Category:Game Bosses]] | [[Category:Game Bosses]] | ||
[[Category:Final Bosses]] | [[Category:Final Bosses]] | ||
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[[Category:Sega]] | [[Category:Sega]] | ||
[[Category:Atlus]] | [[Category:Atlus]] | ||
[[Category:Tier | [[Category:Unknown Tier]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Unknown-A]] | ||
[[Category:Superhumans]] | [[Category:Superhumans]] | ||
[[Category:Reincarnation Users]] | [[Category:Reincarnation Users]] | ||
[[Category:Reliance Users]] | |||
[[Category:Immortals]] | [[Category:Immortals]] | ||
[[Category:Undead Physiology Users]] | [[Category:Undead Physiology Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Abstract Entities]] | [[Category:Abstract Entities]] | ||
[[Category:Dimensionless Entities]] | [[Category:Dimensionless Entities]] | ||
[[Category:Dimensionless Existence Users]] | |||
[[Category:Timeless Physiology Users]] | [[Category:Timeless Physiology Users]] | ||
[[Category:Personal Nonexistence Physiology]] | [[Category:Personal Nonexistence Physiology]] | ||
[[Category:Nonduality Users]] | [[Category:Nonduality Users]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Hive Minds]] | ||
[[Category:Self-Sustenance Users]] | [[Category:Self-Sustenance Users]] | ||
[[Category:Accelerated Development Users]] | [[Category:Accelerated Development Users]] | ||
[[Category:Adaptation Users]] | [[Category:Adaptation Users]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Berserk Mode Users]] | ||
[[Category:Extrasensory Perception Users]] | [[Category:Extrasensory Perception Users]] | ||
[[Category:Corrosion Users]] | [[Category:Corrosion Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Hell Users]] | [[Category:Hell Users]] | ||
[[Category:Sealing Users]] | [[Category:Sealing Users]] | ||
[[Category:Empathic Users]] | [[Category:Empathic Users]] | ||
[[Category:Size Users]] | [[Category:Size Users]] | ||
[[Category:Statistics Amplification Users]] | [[Category:Statistics Amplification Users]] | ||
[[Category:Technology Users]] | [[Category:Technology Users]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Shapeshifting Users]] | ||
[[Category:Hackers]] | [[Category:Hackers]] | ||
[[Category:Necromancers]] | [[Category:Necromancers]] | ||
[[Category:Personal Domain Users]] | [[Category:Personal Domain Users]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Battlefield Removal Users]] | ||
[[Category:Pocket Reality Users]] | [[Category:Pocket Reality Users]] | ||
[[Category:Subjective Reality Users]] | [[Category:Subjective Reality Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Velocity Users]] | [[Category:Velocity Users]] | ||
[[Category:Teleportation Users]] | [[Category:Teleportation Users]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Telepathy Users]] | ||
[[Category:Bestowal Users]] | |||
[[Category:Power Bestowal Users]] | [[Category:Power Bestowal Users]] | ||
[[Category:Absorption Users]] | [[Category:Absorption Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Creation Users]] | [[Category:Creation Users]] | ||
[[Category:Resistance Users]] | [[Category:Resistance Users]] | ||
[[Category:Resistance | [[Category:Resistance Bypassing Users]] | ||
[[Category:Reality Warpers]] | [[Category:Reality Warpers]] | ||
[[Category:Space-Time Users]] | [[Category:Space-Time Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Law Users]] | [[Category:Law Users]] | ||
[[Category:Transmutation Users]] | [[Category:Transmutation Users]] | ||
[[Category:Explosion Users]] | [[Category:Explosion Users]] | ||
[[Category:Reality Warpers]] | [[Category:Reality Warpers]] | ||
[[Category:Holy Users]] | [[Category:Holy Users]] | ||
[[Category:Chaos Users]] | [[Category:Chaos Users]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Summoning Users]] | ||
[[Category:Fate Users]] | [[Category:Fate Users]] | ||
[[Category:Empowerment Users]] | [[Category:Empowerment Users]] | ||
[[Category:Probability Users]] | [[Category:Probability Users]] | ||
[[Category:Statistics Amplification Users]] | [[Category:Statistics Amplification Users]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Telepathy Users]] | ||
[[Category:Causality Users]] | [[Category:Causality Users]] | ||
[[Category:Erasure Users]] | [[Category:Erasure Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Abstract Entities]] | [[Category:Abstract Entities]] | ||
[[Category:Incorporeal Characters]] | [[Category:Incorporeal Characters]] | ||
[[Category:Incorporeality Users]] | |||
[[Category:Bestowal Users]] | |||
[[Category:Power Bestowal Users]] | [[Category:Power Bestowal Users]] | ||
[[Category:Transcendence Users]] | [[Category:Transcendence Users]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Omnipresence Users]] | ||
[[Category:Mind Users]] | [[Category:Mind Users]] | ||
[[Category:Madness Users]] | [[Category:Madness Users]] | ||
[[Category:Cosmic Awareness Users]] | [[Category:Cosmic Awareness Users]] | ||
[[Category:Reincarnation Users]] | [[Category:Reincarnation Users]] | ||
[[Category:Reliance Users]] | |||
[[Category:Immortals]] | [[Category:Immortals]] | ||
[[Category:Undead Physiology Users]] | [[Category:Undead Physiology Users]] | ||
[[Category:Acausal Characters]] | [[Category:Acausal Characters]] | ||
[[Category:Acausality Users]] | |||
[[Category:Non-Standard Interaction Users]] | [[Category:Non-Standard Interaction Users]] | ||
[[Category:Negation Users]] | [[Category:Negation Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Electricity Users]] | [[Category:Electricity Users]] | ||
[[Category:Air Users]] | [[Category:Air Users]] | ||
[[Category:Nullification Users]] | |||
[[Category:Power Nullification Users]] | [[Category:Power Nullification Users]] | ||
[[Category:Purification Users]] | [[Category:Purification Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Healers]] | [[Category:Healers]] | ||
[[Category:Sleep Users]] | [[Category:Sleep Users]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Battlefield Removal Users]] | ||
[[Category:Empathic Users]] | [[Category:Empathic Users]] | ||
[[Category:Infinity Users]] | [[Category:Infinity Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Transcendence Users]] | [[Category:Transcendence Users]] | ||
[[Category:Dimensionless Entities]] | [[Category:Dimensionless Entities]] | ||
[[Category:Dimensionless Existence Users]] | |||
[[Category:Timeless Physiology Users]] | [[Category:Timeless Physiology Users]] | ||
[[Category:Life Users]] | [[Category:Life Users]] | ||
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[[Category:Negation Users]] | [[Category:Negation Users]] | ||
[[Category:Irreversible Damage Users]] | [[Category:Irreversible Damage Users]] | ||
[[Category:Bestowal Users]] | |||
[[Category:Power Bestowal Users]] | [[Category:Power Bestowal Users]] | ||
[[Category:Nullification Users]] | |||
[[Category:Power Nullification Users]] | [[Category:Power Nullification Users]] | ||
[[Category:Reality Warpers]] | [[Category:Reality Warpers]] | ||
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[[Category:Statistics Reduction Users]] | [[Category:Statistics Reduction Users]] | ||
[[Category:Dimensionless Entities]] | [[Category:Dimensionless Entities]] | ||
[[Category:Dimensionless Existence Users]] | |||
[[Category:Timeless Physiology Users]] | [[Category:Timeless Physiology Users]] | ||
[[Category:Universal Creation Users]] | [[Category:Universal Creation Users]] | ||
Latest revision as of 14:00, 21 November 2024
|
"Mature Content" |
| This character or verse has mature themes and concepts, thus those of young age are ill-advised to look through these. |
Background
The Axiom is the creator and overseer of the Megami Tensei Multiverse and a being often associated with YHVH, once its most prominent avatar and currently its enemy.
Their avatars' personalities are often very similar to YHVH. They appear as godly beings that stand on a high moral ground and present themselves as the road to salvation, but are ultimately ruthless, arrogant and cruel, only caring for their power and long standing regardless of any cost. Most of them are extensions of YHVH's will rather than separate from him, and as such often act on YHVH's behalf. Those that are not tend to take YHVH's place as the God of Law and are similar in personality. Though the true nature of Axiom is revealed within Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, where Stephen notes that the Axiom chooses Messiahs to defeat YHVH or other beings similar to him. Specially choosing two Messiahs (Flynn and Nanashi) to kill him in Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.
Usually, avatars of the Axiom appear as the final boss of the games they are in, as well as their main antagonist. However, a few appear as recurring endgame bosses.
It is implied that, blinded by presumptuousness, YHVH and his avatars/extensions do not fully grasp the Axiom as they claim. They acknowledge that the Axiom produced them to rule the universes on its behalf, but fail to understand that their eventual demises at the hands of the protagonists is also the will of the multiverse, as explained by Stephen in Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse.
General Information
Name: The Axiom, The Great Will (Though this is sometimes referring to YHVH also), The Universal Will (Though this is also sometimes referring to YHVH also)
Origin: Megami Tensei
Sex: Sexless (It is a non-physical being with no true sex)
Age: Inapplicable (The Axiom precedes even[1] YHVH and other demons in existence, who are natural residents of The Expanse, a place that transcends the past, present, and future of the multiverse)
Classification: God, Supreme Being, Creator of Observation
Species: Axiom
Occupation: None
Status: Alive
Alignment: True Neutral (The Axiom is a neutral benovelent creature that gives people the ability to defeat YHVH with Observation, but never directly interfering themself)
Codex Statistics
Tier: Unknown-A
Cardinality: Unknown
Dimensionality: Devoid (The Axiom is the very being that created observation, which gave humans the ability to give concepts to the universe, allowing humans to assign an answer to phenomena without an answer, giving things without form, a certain and stable form, with The Axiom existing even beyond this[2]. The Axiom is even less definable then demons[3], who embody the phenomena and beliefs of humans, with their physical forms only being created due to humanity's observation locking them into these forms, and their true forms existing as the phenomena and beliefs they reside in. Even attempting to say his infinitesimal lesser avatar's name, will cause a static-like sound as his mere name cannot truly be heard or comprehended)
Attack Potency: Unknown: Cosmic level, likely Higher (The Axiom is in a state where they exist deep within the collective unconsciousness to the point that one must question if humanity was created by the Great Reason rather then the gods[4], being beyond even the likes of Matter Lucifer and YHVH. Was the very being that granted humans observation, and tasked them with observing the universe, with the ability being the reason for Gods and demons existing. Which would include beings such as Matter Lucifer, who transcended into a higher plane of existence beyond even YHVH. YHVH's own universe is more vague and more infinite then anything Nanashi or Flynn have ever seen[5], where they've seen demons such as Ouroboros, who is the embodiment of infinity[6], making him an incomprehensibly powerful being. With even YHVH himself noting he is infinity[7], and he exists as an incomprehensible transcendent being overseeing everything in his creation. He is viewed as an omnipotent existence that created everything[8] . which would mean he created[9] infinite universes[10], and exists beyond the very boundaries of time within the multiverse[11]. Which would include planes such as Akarana Corridor a void that transcends time and space, with it requiring a special ritual to enter, where even the Herald of Yatagarasu cannot put Raidou into this place[12], putting it beyond even The Expanse a place that transcends the past, present, and future of the multiverse[13]. Viewed as so immeasurably powerful that the combined cast of SMT IV Apocalypse, needed to deny his divine nature and form understandings repeatedly through the use of observation in order to defeat him. A small glimpse of it's being caused Stephen to be so powerful he could fight off all four of the Messiahs at once)
Durability: Unknown: Cosmic level, likely Higher
Striking Strength: Unknown: Cosmic Class, likely Higher
Lifting Strength: Unknown: Undefinable
Travel Speed: Unknown: Undefinable (Exists deep within the collective unconscious to the point that it is nearly impossible to define them)
Attack Speed: Unknown: Undefinable
Reaction Speed: Unknown: Undefinable
Stamina: Limitless
Range: At least Multiversal+, likely Higher (The Axiom guides all from the plane it resides in)
Intelligence: Cosmic Intelligence (The Axiom is aware of everything, being the one to fate and guide the Messiahs through their entire journey, having immutable unbroken laws, which only one who caught a glimpse of him could break. Stephen, catching a glimpse of the Axiom made him a cosmically intelligent being)
Knowledge: Omniscient level (The Axiom is aware of everything, being the one to fate and guide the Messiahs through their entire journey, having immutable unbroken laws, which only one who caught a glimpse of him could break)
Powers and Techniques
Limited Resistance to Observation (Demons to an extent can resist some humans abilities of observation as shown with them being immune to conventional weaponry[48] and higher-dimensional demons not being able to be perceived by some observation users), Resistance to Cosmic Radiations, Biological Manipulation, & Gravity Manipulation (Demons can naturally exist and breathe within the vacuum of space without any adverse effects done to them.[49]), Death Manipulation (Demons can naturally exist within the vortex world which kills all humans who enter), Disease Manipulation, Corruption, Data Manipulation, & Petrification (All demons are unaffected by the Cuvier Syndrome, a state where corruptive data came out of the black sun, irreversible petrification), Sealing (Demons naturally have a resistance to sealing if they’re stronger then their target, and their sealing resistance gets amplified during the full moon), Forcefield Creation (Demons can pass through tainted barriers that humans cannot pass through), Elemental Manipulation (Shikimi no Kage have specific weaknesses that cannot be exploited by Raidou's gun or other things to do with their specific elemental weakness, requiring Raidou to get a demon's elemental magic to affect it)
Resistance to Physics Manipulation (A god's divine energy isn’t bound by the laws of physics)
Resistance to Erasure (Conceptual Erasure; The strongest and highest level demons can survive Kagutsuchi's light, which can wipe one from existence)
All previous powers and abilities to a lesser extent due to being reduced to a weaker state with the exception of Omnipresence, Immortality, etcetera. Infinity Manipulation & Statistics Amplification (With Infinite Power, can buff all of his statistics and give himself the smirk status), Black Hole (With black hole, creates a black hole that steals MP), Resistance to Physical Attacks (Naturally resists physical attacks), Gun Attacks (Naturally resists gun attacks), Fire Manipulation (Naturally resists fire elemental attacks), Ice Manipulation (Naturally resists ice elemental attacks), Electricity Manipulation (Naturally resists electric elemental attacks), Air Manipulation (Naturally resists force elemental attacks), Light Manipulation (Naturally resists light elemental attacks), & Darkness Manipulation (Naturally resists darkness elemental attacks)
Equipment
Nothing notable.
Notable Techniques
- Mediarahan: Restores all HP.
- Agidyne: Massive fire damage.
- Ziodyne: Massive electric damage.
- Megido: Medium Almighty damage to all foes.
- Megidolaon: Heavy Almighty damage to all foes.
- Dekaja: Removes all buffs, all foes.
- Rikaja: Removes all debuffs, all allies.
- Maragidyne: Massive Fire damage (all enemies).
- Bufudyne: Massive Ice damage (2-4 enemies).
- Maziodyne: Massive Elec damage (all enemies).
- Divine Wave: Heavy phys damage to one foe.
- Inferno of God: Heavy fire damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Hailstorm of God: Heavy ice damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Lightning of God: Heavy elec damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Tornado of God: Heavy force damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Mouth of God: May instantly kill one foe. Almighty-type.
- Planned Chaos: Medium almighty damage with chance of charm/bind/panic to one foe.
- Miracle: Drops all foes' HP to 1. Almighty-type.
- Luster Candy: Buffs party's attack, defense and agility by 1 level.
- Debilitate: Debuffs all foes' attack, defense and agility by 1 level.
- Divine Harmony: Removes all buffs, debuffs, and other effects (smirk, charge, Doping) on all foes.
- Authoritative Stance: Removes 3 Press Turns at the start of the foe's next turn.
- Smile Charge: Bestows the user with smirk. Cannot be used if the user has ailment(s).
- Holy Stigmata: Heavy physical damage to one foe, chance of Brand.
- Crush: Severe physical damage to one foe.
- Rampage: 6-8 hits of medium physical damage to multiple foes.
- Inferno of God: Heavy fire damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Hailstorm of God: Heavy ice damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Lightning of God: Heavy elec damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Tornado of God: Heavy force damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Mouth of God: May instantly kill one foe. Almighty-type.
- Black Hole: Forms a black hole that steals MP from all foes.
- Supernova: Severe almighty damage to all foes.
- Infinite Power: Fully buffs (+3) self and gains smirk.
- Unending Curse: Fully debuffs (-3) all foes, chance of Mute.
- Planned Chaos: Medium almighty damage with chance of charm/bind/panic to one foe.
- Miracle: Drops all foes' HP to 1. Almighty-type.
- Luster Candy: Buffs party's attack, defense and agility by 1 level.
- Debilitate: Debuffs all foes' attack, defense and agility by 1 level.
- Divine Harmony: Removes all buffs, debuffs, and other effects (smirk, charge, Doping) on all foes.
- Authoritative Stance: Removes 3 Press Turns at the start of the foe's next turn.
- Smile Charge: Bestows the user with smirk. Cannot be used if the user has ailment(s).
- Holy Stigmata: Heavy physical damage to one foe, chance of Brand.
- Unlike the rest of the battles, Kagutsuchi Phase is shifting automatically by 2 every turn. It can further push forward with the skill "Phase Shift."
- Kagutsuchi's regular Attack is Almighty element.
- Kagutsuchi's defense is tied to its Phase. All damage taken receives the following modifiers based on the Phase:
- Full: 50% damage
- 6/8: 75% damage
- Half: 100% damage
- 2/8: 150% damage
- New: 200% damage
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Kagutsuchi Phase is permanently fixed at Full during this battle, and it takes normal damage from all attacks.
- Kagutsuchi's regular Attack is Almighty element, and will hit all foes in a similar manner to the Attack All passive skill.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Energy Compression: Severe physical damage to one foe.
- Singularity Brand: Heavy physical damage to one foe, chance of brand.
- Singularity Hellfire: Severe fire damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Singularity Hail: Severe ice damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Singularity Lightning: Severe elec damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Singularity Vortex: Severe force damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Calamity Code: Medium almighty damage with chance of charm/bind/panic to one foe.
- Black Body Radiation: Drops all foes remaining HP by half. Almighty-type.
- Smile Charge: Bestows the user with smirk. Cannot be used if the user has ailment(s).
- Luster Candy: Buffs party's attack, defense and agility by 1 level.
- Debilitate: Debuffs all foes' attack, defense and agility by 1 level.
- Dekunda: Negates all stat debuffs from all allies.
- Reboot Code: Removes all buffs, debuffs, and effects (smirk, charge, Doping) from all foes.
- Energy Compression: Severe physical damage to one foe.
- Convergence: 8 hits of heavy physical damage to multiple foes.
- Singularity Brand: Heavy physical damage to one foe, chance of brand.
- Singularity Hellfire: Severe fire damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Singularity Hail: Severe ice damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Singularity Lightning: Severe elec damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Singularity Vortex: Severe force damage to all foes, pierces resistances.
- Calamity Code: Medium almighty damage with chance of charm/bind/panic to one foe.
- Black Body Radiation: Drops all foes remaining HP by half. Almighty-type.
- Black Hole: Steals MP from all foes.
- Wave Function: Severe almighty damage to all foes.
- Singularity Wave: Incredibly severe almighty damage to one foe.
- Particle Annihilation: Fully debuffs (-3) all foes.
- Pair Production: Fully buffs (+3) self and gains smirk.
- Reboot Code: Removes all buffs, debuffs, and effects (smirk, charge, Doping) from all foes.
- Crack Code: Removes 3 Press Turns at the start of the foe's next turn.
Other
Standard Tactics: The Axiom has shown to never directly interfere himself, and rather creates Messiahs to stop the foes in question, regardless of what the Messiah does to the world, their mission will be completed.
Weaknesses: Nothing notable.
References
- ↑ Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?
Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.
Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.
Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to YHVH, or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.
Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?
Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)
Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.
Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make YHVH and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?
Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at YHVH: when he was born, humans perhaps observed YHVH himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as YHVH’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve YHVH’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of YHVH. - ↑ Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?
Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.
Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.
Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to YHVH, or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.
Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?
Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)
Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.
Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make YHVH and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?
Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at YHVH: when he was born, humans perhaps observed YHVH himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as YHVH’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve YHVH’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of YHVH. - ↑ Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?
Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.
Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.
Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to YHVH, or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.
Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?
Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)
Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.
Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make YHVH and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?
Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at YHVH: when he was born, humans perhaps observed YHVH himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as YHVH’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve YHVH’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of YHVH. - ↑ Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?
Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.
Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.
Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to YHVH, or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.
Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?
Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)
Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.
Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make YHVH and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?
Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at YHVH: when he was born, humans perhaps observed YHVH himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as YHVH’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve YHVH’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of YHVH. - ↑ Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse: YHVH's Universe Entrance
- ↑ SMT: Strange Journey REDUX - Boss: Ouroboros
- ↑ Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse YHVH Boss
- ↑ Profile: The actual One God of monotheism. The One God praised by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He is the omnipotent existence that created heaven and earth and made man in his own image, but this also means that together with the angels, his bunrei [subparts], he also gave birth to demons. By giving humans bodies of flesh and bone, their lives and fears were repeated in the endless cycle of death and rebirth, restricting their range of observation.
- ↑ Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei II: Law Ending
- ↑ (Web Archive link in case link ever dies
- ↑ Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei II: Law Ending
- ↑ The Herald of Yatagarsu is capable of teleporting Raidou into The Expanse, a place that transcends the past, present, and future of the multiverse but cannot even reach this realm, along with this she exists a plane not apart of the human world, further showing how out of reach this plane is, it requires one normally to discard their human form and transcribe themselves otherwise they are threatened with being unstuck from time
- ↑ SMT IV SIDE-Quest guide: For the Past... for the Future
- ↑ Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.
Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.
Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that. - ↑ Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.
Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.
Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?
Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.
Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.
Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.
Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.
Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.
Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.
Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.
Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?
*From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.
Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.
Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way. - ↑ Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.
Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.
Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?
Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.
Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.
Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.
Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.
Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.
Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.
Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.
Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?
*From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.
Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.
Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way. - ↑ Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.
Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.
Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that. - ↑ Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.
Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.
Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that. - ↑ Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.
Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.
Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?
Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.
Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.
Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.
Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.
Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.
Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.
Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.
Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?
*From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.
Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.
Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way. - ↑ Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?
Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.
Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.
Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to YHVH, or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.
Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?
Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)
Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.
Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make YHVH and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?
Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at YHVH: when he was born, humans perhaps observed YHVH himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as YHVH’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve YHVH’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of YHVH. - ↑ Profile: The actual One God of monotheism. The One God praised by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He is the omnipotent existence that created heaven and earth and made man in his own image, but this also means that together with the angels, his bunrei [subparts], he also gave birth to demons. By giving humans bodies of flesh and bone, their lives and fears were repeated in the endless cycle of death and rebirth, restricting their range of observation.
- ↑ Shioda: If the Egg hatched and a new universe were born, it would take the souls with it and have them reincarnate. Does reincarnation mean the souls themselves would become immortal?
Yamai: Exactly. If the souls disappeared, the gods wouldn’t exist anymore either. The idea of the immortality of souls through the circle of transmigration is Buddhist and, even from YHVH’s position, (this is starting to sound a bit like Gnosticism) the existence of the circle of transmigration is a good thing, so the Great Reason created that system which perhaps YHVH too took part in. - ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Part 7, Chapter 2 "A deafening explosion broke Nakajima's concentration. A star-mark-adorned F-14 jet divebombed, slicing through the clouds. Nakajima all of a sudden found himself hovering over a battlefield. Below him was a hair-raising sight. An unbelieveably large lump of flesh, a hideous tower of raw meat, was slowly writhing. Its pale green, transparent gelatinous membrane was greedily expanding at its base. Several long black rivers flowed into it. No, what looked like black rivers were actually the hair of the people heading toward the tower. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people tore off their clothes and proceeded forward completely naked. Rapid explosions echoed through the air. The SDF's F14 jets scrambled from the 7th fleet were attacking, targeting the top of the tower so as to minimize injury to the humans below. A rain of bullets from an attack helicopter's machine guns sprayed through the air. Though that ammunition was capable of penetrating tank armor, it was absorbed without any resistance into the body of the ever-expanding otherworldly creature, as if it was laughing at the pathetic attack. It was almost as if it was trying to prove that any attacks against it would be futile."
- ↑ Narisawa: Now, let’s change the subject. I’d like to talk about the Abyss or the demon areas. This time the Abyss is designed like the Sephiroth Tree. We need to read the strategy guide in order to understand that, but is this how you originally envisioned it?
Okada: I said earlier that Tokyo Millenium and the Underworld are in contrast but generally speaking, their opposite is the Abyss. It’s like saying Lucifer is Satan’s opposite.
Narisawa: Kabbalah is a secret formula that belongs to humans, so how do you explain Lucifer using it to design the Abyss?
Itou: That is why we have opposites. We can consider the possibility of humans being the ones who were influenced. We don’t know whether they saw the Abyss’s design after a near-death experience or were telepathically struck by some waves, but if pushed to say, the Kabbalah that’s transmitted through the world right now could be a representation of what they “saw”.
Narisawa: It’s a reversal. - ↑ Shioda: Is it correct to think that humanity was created by the Great Reason rather than by the gods?
Yamai: In the beginning, I believe, pure humans were made as observers of the universe. Then, as time passed, gods and polytheism appeared as the result of their perception of the surrounding world.
Miyata: Nozomi says at some point that it’s all right for people to be unsure, but in the underground it is believed that the gods are one of the answers hypothesised by humans. From her point of view, the gods are a symbol of the ideal imagined by humans and the perfect form envisioned by them as their target, their final point. Monotheism, on the other hand, only has one final target, but there are many ideals to pursue. This is tied to Nozomi’s lines above. It’s all right if there are bad guys and if there are good people, there will also be fickle ones. Nozomi’s credo is that everyone should choose their own destination.
Yamai: Even when talking about the creation of the universe, I think the birth of the Great Reason is beyond our ideals. The universe we can observe stretches over 130 billion light years, but we don’t know how it managed to appear from nothing. Gods like Izanagi, who birthed out of his eyes and nose, were perhaps a symbol of a farming culture, but they had a power that surpassed the humans’ power of understanding and I dare say that in the case of the Great Reason too, if emotions were to arise, those emotions themselves would become gods. I’m talking about that kind of creation. For example, the wish to be worshipped gave birth to YHVH, or seeing the fights between humans signified the appearance of Lucifer. I think this is similar to the trends and movements born out of people’s shared consciousness nowadays. Let’s look at Japan’s concept of cuteness: if it spread throughout the whole world, maybe it would lead to the birth of a new god. I had this vague thought that the backbone of the Great Reason would begin like a pure baby who would pick up various emotions through touch, gradually learning about its surroundings.
Shioda: So it’s something along the lines of a god born out of the collective unconscious which came from shared awareness?
Yamai: That’s right, don’t you all just love it? (laughs)
Miyata: I certainly think there is some sort of huge collective unconscious, but I never really thought it might be connected to the Great Reason. And speaking of shared awareness, the scale would be quite small depending on the surroundings; the Japanese would have their shared awareness, but it would be different from that of foreigners. For example, even if the Japanese saw themselves as without religion, they’d look Buddhist to foreigners. This kind of thing leads me to think that the Great Reason is not at the surface of shared awareness, but belongs instead to an extremely deep part of the origin.
Shioda: I personally think that the term ‘bunrei’ [spirit divisions] often used to name gods in the story is extremely important in this game. The Great Reason is the origin. Does that make YHVH and all the other gods ‘bunrei’?
Yamai: Yes, it does. I think we can explain the existence of ‘bunrei’ through polytheism resulted from human perception. In the Celtic world, the druids saw Dagda as the forefather of sorcerers, but this was different for the Norse people or the Germanic culture. The people of each civilisation would see things as it fit them, so we got Odin instead. ‘Bunrei’ are born like this, but then again, treating Dagda and Odin as identical is wrong. Their powers and responsibilities are different, so it’s better for them to be thought of as different entities. Let’s have a look at YHVH: when he was born, humans perhaps observed YHVH himself, but once the scriptures were written, Uriel would be the one to be noticed and maybe that’s why he made so many appearances in their pages. Uriel frequently appearing as YHVH’s messenger also kind of feels like an accessory that comes to the front in order to preserve YHVH’s solemnity. But that is the result of the perception of later people, so we can also say that Uriel is a part [bunrei] of YHVH. - ↑ Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.
Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.
Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?
Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.
Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.
Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.
Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.
Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.
Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.
Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.
Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason? - ↑ Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.
Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.
Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that. - ↑ Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.
Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.
Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that. - ↑ Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.
Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.
Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?
Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.
Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.
Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.
Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.
Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.
Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.
Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.
Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?
*From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.
Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.
Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way. - ↑ Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.
Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.
Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that. - ↑ Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.
Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.
Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?
Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.
Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.
Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.
Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.
Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.
Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.
Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.
Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?
*From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.
Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.
Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way. - ↑ Yamai: When you reach the battle with VISHNUFLYNN, there is a reference point of the soul, where it either enters or departs from the circle of transmigration. Nanashi is in the middle of that circle, he is a human just like us. That is the reference. Beings like Stephen, Mido, or the Count of Saint Germain left the circle of transmigration, and I think that is why they could get in contact with the Great Reason.
Shioda: In Buddhism, leaving the circle of transmigration equals reaching Nirvana and becoming a buddha.
Yamai: That’s right. This time, in order for the Divine Powers to succeed, various currents of thought from all kinds of countries and religions come into play. The Buddhist view on reincarnation is one of them and our setting is not biased towards it, but the soul itself is something important for the gods. Shin Megami Tensei IV adopts a quantum theory approach according to which gods exist thanks to human perception, and religious beliefs are one part of that. - ↑ Shioda: Professor Matsuda didn’t even have a character design in the preliminary stages.
Miyata: It’s shocking that so few people realised professor Matsuda was actually Stephen.
Shioda: That was shocking indeed, and they even had the same voice actor (laughs). What kind of device is the Shesha radar in Hibiya?
Miyata: I saw news the other day about the success of the detection of gravitational waves and this radar works on the same principle. There is a huge empty lot underneath Hibiya named ‘multi-purpose underground utility conduit’ and it is presumed that that is where Stephen built his detector.
Yamai: Because the device related to the elementary particles is extremely big.
Miyata: He also needed a secure place, and the underground was much safer than the streets dominated by demons. It is explained in the beginning of SMT4A that the multi-purpose underground utility conduit has been abandoned because of the battle of gods and the underground empty space remained as it is. I figured it was just right, since the new headquarters of the Hunter Association in Kasumigaseki is close enough, but I didn’t think gravitational waves would be discovered so fast when I was writing the setting.
Yamai: Stephen travels through various parallel worlds, so I believe it is possible for him to discover gravitational waves, since he makes contact with all kinds of technological developments.
Miyata: Gravitational waves appear anywhere in the universe when stars reach the end of their lives and explode, but every time Shesha warped to a different universe and a different dimension, there were weak gravitational waves released possible to detect.
Shioda: Since Stephen is also the creator of the terminals and the Demon Summoning Program, related to the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, it’s easy to say he is the biggest mystery of the Megaten series.
Yamai: What is clear is that Stephen is the same person across the series. Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II are related, while Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV are each in their own universes, but we can argue that he is the only one to cross space and time and visit each universe. I think the beginning was the universe created in Shin Megami Tensei, but we have no intention to give a clear answer on such a personal matter. As for the details of his arrival in the Shin Megami Tensei IV world, when he was researching the Demon Summoning Program and the Matter Transfer System he got connected by coincidence to the Expanse, demons showed up and hurt him badly, which led to him being now dependent on a wheelchair.
Shioda: This time he talks about the aim of the Great Reason in the end. Do you think he has met the Great Reason?
*From Dijeh (Basically just a translators note): The term used here is NOT the Great Will. The Japanese for Great Will [of the Universe] is either “宇宙の大いなる意志” or just “大いなる意志” in previous games in the series, while in SMT4F and this interview, the term is 大いなる理; the kanji used are easily distinguishable: 意志 vs. 理. For more about the distinction, see Will and Li.
Yamai: From the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei, the Stephen of Shin Megami Tensei IV is one of the possibilities, but we can say it was possible for him to have met the Great Reason. Of course, from the perspective of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s Stephen, I think we can say Shin Megami Tensei is also a possibility.
Miyata: Stephen’s position allows him to catch a glimpse of a small part of the Great Reason’s movement. When he passed through time and space and made contact with the Great Reason, he interpreted things in his own way. - ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 6 "To Space", The glitter of the stars and the unending void surrounded Nakajima. Below his feet, the endlessly spinning blue globe shone up at him. It took him a few moments to realize that he was floating in outer space. Nakajima unfolded his arms. The Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi he held emitted a strand of light in the inkwell of space. Its blade twinkled and throbbed, responding to the tens of thousands of stars.
It seemed that Izanami's robe had given him the power to survive and move in the vacuum of outer space. Suddenly, a sinister psychic wave hit Nakajima from behind. Swinging his sword, Nakajima slowly turned around, and found his field of vision dominated by an open, gaping red maw.
An incomprehensibly enormous serpent; though the demon had only owned a temporary form on the surface of the earth, the powerful magnetic field that had forced him into space had given Set a complete body.
Star Scorpion's 60-foot-long solar cells spread out like wings. Set's pale green scales glimmered as he coiled around the beautiful, practical satellite lying in medium Earth orbit.
It looks like the insignificant humans had enough knowledge to summon me into this empty space.
The voice echoed in Nakajima's mind.
But the humans will soon know their folly in thinking that they have banished me. Pulling this machine down with me is an easy task. And that is not all. Have a look at all the demons that were summoned here!
Several pale glowing things that looked like hoods aimlessly floated beside Nakajima.
Soon, they will take on bodies and seek safe haven on Earth. The end of foolish humanity’s dominion over the earth will not be long. Nakajima, whether or not you intended, you have become the knight that blows the trumpet signaling the beginning of the apocalypse. The only path remaining for you is to cast aside your humanity and work for me. It would be a shame to kill you. Think on it.
Ignoring Set's call, Nakajima focused all of his anger onto the sword he held directly in front of him. The environment that had given Set a body had also removed all restrictions on the divine power Nakajima had been granted. The Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, now an immensely long coil of light, drew a whip-like arc that emitted red light, and came down onto the body of the enormous serpent." - ↑ Note: Demons normally showing these contradictions is due to the observation of humanity affecting them.
- ↑ Digital Devil Story Chapter 4, "Sword of Flame", Page 55 "RAUIERE!" Yomotsu-Shikome tried to tell him something in a foreign tongue. She could sense that this intruder possessed a power much different and far greater than the human tomb robbers that had foolishly wandered in before. If possible, she wanted to repel him without having to fight. Caught off guard, Loki stood still and narrowed his jet-black eyes, as if sizing up the power of this new arrival. Then, he started to walk forward calmly, an arrogant smirk on his face.
- ↑ Digital Devil Story Transfer, Chapter 1, Page 28 "Hashiguchi abruptly noticed that the display looked like it was damp, as if it was covered in a layer of condensation. As he tried to wipe the screen off with his hand, he felt something stick to his fingertips, and jumped back in surprise. Something slimy was stuck to his fingers; as he shook them violently, a heavy, disgusting jelly-like substance fell to the floor with a splat.
"Ugh! What the hell is this!?"
Inoue turned around at Hashiguchi's cry and froze in shock. Beneath the skin of the pink protoplasm, a mesh of green-colored veins spread out as the whole blob pulsated like an organ torn out of its host. The repulsive lump of flesh made a squishing sound as it started to approach the two men. Backing up, Inoue stumbled over a chair and sprayed the contents of his stomach all over the floor.
"Inoue! Get a hold of yourself!" Grabbing his coworker's arm to keep him standing, Hashiguchi started to run toward the door. As he turned, the gelatinous blob lashed out; tentacles covered in a viscous sticky fluid like red jam grabbed onto the legs of both men in an instant.
"Shit!" Hashiguchi cursed as he grabbed files and the phone off his desk--any object within reach--and began throwing them at his attacker. When it showed no fear, he grabbed a chair, lifted it over his head, and brought it crashing down on top of the thing. However, the skin of the gelatinous blob simply pulled the steel chair into its body, where it was quickly dissolved right before Hashiguchi's eyes." - ↑ Digital Devil Story Possession, Chapter 2, Pages 36 "However, just as Yumiko tried to stagger away and flee, a strange sound came from Loki's arms. For a moment they looked like they were beginning to melt, and then they changed into giant, jiggling, pink-colored blobs of protoplasm. From their tips, multiple tentacles lashed out and wrapped around Yumiko's limbs.
"No, stop!" The tentacles gripping the crying Yumiko's limbs pulled her up into the air, toward the body of the blob. A new pink tentacle sprouted and wrapped around Yumiko's body, and the liquid leaking from its membrane melted her clothes, latched onto her now-exposed skin and started writhing along her slender body." - ↑ Digital Devil Story Chatper 2, Sword of Flame, Page 53 "At that time, Loki swiftly entered Shirasagi Mound, and was standing before the passageway that Nakajima had passed through earlier. "Just you wait, Nakajima. Soon, I will defile your precious woman before your very eyes before devouring you whole." With a twisted smile on his face, Loki transformed himself into an amorphous blob and oozed into the tunnel. Loki descended the passageway that took Nakajima hours to traverse in mere minutes. Soon the blob of flesh made a squishing sound as it dropped to the stone floor of the plaza before the burial pathway. At that instant, its outer membrane hissed and gave off smoke as it started to melt. "Damn you!" Loki quickly transformed back into his bronze body, and kneeling on the ground, let loose a terrible howl. Most likely, he could not stand the chemical reaction that took place when his protoplasmic body came into contact with the mercuric sulfide. Even now, the one gelatinous place of his body between his eyes throbbed and pulsated. Gritting his teeth and standing, Loki stared solemnly at the crimson burial road."
- ↑ Digital Devil Story Possession, Chapter 2, Pages 37 "Leaving his handsome face intact, Loki started to change into a cylindrical lump of flesh that sprouted countless small tentacles. The pink protoplasm started to glow and the movement of the tentacle fondling Yumiko's body became faster and rougher.
Yumiko lost all will to resist, and her head fell to the side limply as she passed out. Loki started to pull her doll-like body into his own; he failed to notice that Ohara was glaring furiously at Yumiko even as she was enveloped within the protoplasm.
Many women could not resist the allure of demons. Even if they despised them normally, they’d fall madly in love with them if they had sex with them even once. For Ohara, who had devoted herself body and soul to Loki, watching him have sex with one of her students in front of her eyes was an unbearable humiliation. Once Yumiko's slender white legs had sunk into the protoplasm and she was inside Loki up to her chest, Ohara went mad with jealousy, grabbed Yumiko’s head, and started to twist it. - ↑ "Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 2, "Conflicts" "Crying out, Typhon whipped and spasmed. Sword and all, Nakajima was thrown aside, but Kerberos leaped into the air and caught him. Right then, Nakajima got the sense that he heard Yumiko's voice from far away. Looking around in confusion, the image of Yumiko, bound to a cross and writhing in agony, appeared in his mind. Most likely, Set had sent him the picture of her current state as the core of his enormous protoplasmic temporary body. Nakjima noticed that one of the eyes in her lovely, terrified face was dripping blood."
- ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 6, "To Space" "However, he could not stop fighting. As minor demons from Set's world continued wriggling while trying to enter the Assiah world, an unmistakably familiar voice echoed in Nakajima's mind. Nakajima! I'm here! Aim for here! Yumiko! Is that you!? The instant Nakajima heard the voice, the Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi regained a shine like a nova as it tore through the air. Stab your sword in the direction of my voice! Nakajima quickly noticed a pale, white, phosphorescent glow on a part of the enormous serpent's scale-encased body. Yes, I'm inside the demon! If we attack from inside him and outside him at the same time, we might be able to defeat Set... Led by Yumiko's voice, Nakajima stabbed his blade toward the phosphorescent glow. But an instant before the tip reached it, the tail of the giant snake forcefully knocked the blade aside and sent Nakajima flying far back. Flipping over and regaining his composure, robe fluttering behind him, Nakajima saw the rolling form of Set uncoiling, as if swimming through the vacuum. Foolish girl! To think you would let me know that you still live! Now I no longer have to depend on this irritating machine!
- ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of Demon City Chapter 2 "Conflicts" "Isma's body appeared to float in the air as he laughed, and two unusual lights appeared by his feet. Covered in jet-black scales, the great black serpent Typhon stared at Nakajima with its golden eyes, Isma riding on its back, as it slowly rose into the air, towering like an enormous tree. With its head nearly extended to the full height of the tower of flesh, the huge serpent shuddered and assaulted Nakajima. The lower half of Isma's body had been fused into Typhon's; perhaps it was another sort of fusion the demon could do in addition to its innate ability to absorb the earth and the air into its own body."
- ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 6 "Quickening" "Matoba was taking a nap on the sofabed in the study next to his office. The heavy black bags under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion from his nonstop efforts to bring his party together and block the National Secrets Protection Act from being passed. Taking advantage of the fact that the world stage was becoming a war of information, the restrictions in the act clearly indicated that the Liberal Party was veering further and further to the right. As the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, that was hard for Matoba to allow.
A quiet breeze blew into the room through the air conditioner that Matoba had left on. Not even disturbing the sound of that breeze, the snake slipped into the room through the slit under the door. It raised its head, fixating on its prey. Its small red eyes looked over the snoring, sleeping form of Matoba. Wiggling its body rapidly, the white snake slithered across the floor, effortlessly climbed up the sofabed and dove into the V-neck of Matoba's exposed undershirt, clearly by his unfastened tie.
Without any hesitation, the pale serpent bit into the exaggeratedly expanding and contracting fat stomach before it. Like a sharp drill, the slender body of the snake tunneled into Matoba's gut. As if he felt no pain whatsoever, Matoba slept on peacefully.
A minute or so later, Matoba suddenly twisted up from the sofabed as if a wave of high-voltage electricity was running through him. His body started to spasm wildly. However, it appeared that the Apep had gained full control of his nervous system; he soon started snoring again and fell into a deep sleep. Strangely enough, the wound on his stomach had sealed, as if cured by some sort of magic. Only moments later, the light sound of a Cedric driving away could be heard from the front of Matoba's manor. - ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Part 2: Chapter 2, ""I made it back to Toyoashihara..." His lips trembled with relief. Opening his arms wide, the youth took a deep breath of the humid air, pursed his lips forcefully, turned around, and sat down. For a while, he stared at the form of the grotesque woman chasing him, then shook his head sadly and closed his eyes. The youth started to meditate. When the woman had gotten within reach of a stone's throw, his body seemed to float slightly in midair for a moment, and then there was a huge undulation in the atmosphere. As if a huge invisible power had been released, the earth shook, and the fissure that appeared directly beneath the youth spread to the surrounding moutains, and countless rocks started to fall on the path. As the woman stopped, a giant boulder rolled in front of the path in front of her eyes, sealing it off. "Izanagi! I will come to you! Even if it takes hundreds or thousands of years!" The sound of the woman's bitter cries rose from beyond the towering pile of earth. "Forgive me, Izanami..." Plugging his ears with his hands, the youth staggered into the wetlands, the tall reeds rising even above his height."
- ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 2 "To Space" "A deafening explosion broke Nakajima's concentration. A star-mark-adorned F-14 jet divebombed, slicing through the clouds. Nakajima all of a sudden found himself hovering over a battlefield. Below him was a hair-raising sight. An unbelieveably large lump of flesh, a hideous tower of raw meat, was slowly writhing. Its pale green, transparent gelatinous membrane was greedily expanding at its base. Several long black rivers flowed into it. No, what looked like black rivers were actually the hair of the people heading toward the tower. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people tore off their clothes and proceeded forward completely naked. Rapid explosions echoed through the air. The SDF's F14 jets scrambled from the 7th fleet were attacking, targeting the top of the tower so as to minimize injury to the humans below. A rain of bullets from an attack helicopter's machine guns sprayed through the air. Though that ammunition was capable of penetrating tank armor, it was absorbed without any resistance into the body of the ever-expanding otherworldly creature, as if it was laughing at the pathetic attack. It was almost as if it was trying to prove that any attacks against it would be futile."
- ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 2 "To Space" "A deafening explosion broke Nakajima's concentration. A star-mark-adorned F-14 jet divebombed, slicing through the clouds. Nakajima all of a sudden found himself hovering over a battlefield. Below him was a hair-raising sight. An unbelieveably large lump of flesh, a hideous tower of raw meat, was slowly writhing. Its pale green, transparent gelatinous membrane was greedily expanding at its base. Several long black rivers flowed into it. No, what looked like black rivers were actually the hair of the people heading toward the tower. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people tore off their clothes and proceeded forward completely naked. Rapid explosions echoed through the air. The SDF's F14 jets scrambled from the 7th fleet were attacking, targeting the top of the tower so as to minimize injury to the humans below. A rain of bullets from an attack helicopter's machine guns sprayed through the air. Though that ammunition was capable of penetrating tank armor, it was absorbed without any resistance into the body of the ever-expanding otherworldly creature, as if it was laughing at the pathetic attack. It was almost as if it was trying to prove that any attacks against it would be futile."
- ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 2 "To Space" "A deafening explosion broke Nakajima's concentration. A star-mark-adorned F-14 jet divebombed, slicing through the clouds. Nakajima all of a sudden found himself hovering over a battlefield. Below him was a hair-raising sight. An unbelieveably large lump of flesh, a hideous tower of raw meat, was slowly writhing. Its pale green, transparent gelatinous membrane was greedily expanding at its base. Several long black rivers flowed into it. No, what looked like black rivers were actually the hair of the people heading toward the tower. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people tore off their clothes and proceeded forward completely naked. Rapid explosions echoed through the air. The SDF's F14 jets scrambled from the 7th fleet were attacking, targeting the top of the tower so as to minimize injury to the humans below. A rain of bullets from an attack helicopter's machine guns sprayed through the air. Though that ammunition was capable of penetrating tank armor, it was absorbed without any resistance into the body of the ever-expanding otherworldly creature, as if it was laughing at the pathetic attack. It was almost as if it was trying to prove that any attacks against it would be futile."
- ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 6, "To Space", "Accompanied by the glittering of the stars, unending empty space surrounded Nakajima. Below his feet, the endlessly spinning shining blue globe looked up at him. It took him a few moments for him to realize that he was floating in outer space. Nakajima unfolded his arms. In them, he held the Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, emitting a strand of light in the blackness of space. Its blade twinkled and throbbed, as if responding to the tens of thousands of stars. Suddenly, a sinister psychic wave hit Nakajima from behind. It appeared as if Izanami's robe had given him the power to survive and move about in the vacuum of outer space. Nakajima slowly turned around, and found his field of vision dominated by an open, gaping red maw. It was that of an incomprehensibly enormous serpent. Though the demon had only possessed a temporary form on the surface of the earth, the natural effect of powerful magnetic field that had forced him into space had given Set a complete body. Star Scorpion's 60-foot-long solar cells spread out like wings. Now a giant snake, Set's pale green scales glimmered as he coiled around the beautiful yet functional satellite lying in dead orbit. It looks like the insignificant humans had enough knowledge to summon me into this empty space. The voice echoed in Nakajima's mind. But the humans will soon know their folly in thinking that they have banished me. Pulling this satellite down with me to the surface is an easy task. And that is not all. Have a look at all the demons that were summoned here into space! Beside Nakajima, several pale glowing things that looked like hoods floated aimlessly. Soon, they will take on bodies and seek safe haven on Earth. The end of the age of the foolish humans' dominion over the earth will not be long now. Nakajima, whether or not you intended, you have become the knight that blows the trumpet signalling the beginning of the apocalypse. The only path remaining for you is to cast aside your humanity and work for me. It would be a shame to kill you. Think it over. Ignoring Set's call, Nakajima focused all of his anger onto the sword he held directly in front of him. The environment of outer space that had given the demon a body had also removed all restrictions on the divine power he had been granted. The Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, now an immensely long coil of light, drew an arc like that of a whip emitting red light, and came down onto the body of the enormous serpent. Fool, you do not value your life. Set lurched forward. Weaving away from the enormous serpent's attacking fangs, Nakajima was enveloped by a miasma like ice. The Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi had already produced many pale sparks striking the body of the serpent coiled around the satellite. Yet the tough scales showed no sign of injury. Not only that, but the ugly faces and disgusting tentacles of materializing new demons floated like ghosts in the space around him. The noisy voices of the demons amplified like they were advancing down on Nakajima."
- ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 4 "Quickening" "I don't think so. From what I've just seen, there's no mistake that a magnetic field suitable for summoning a demon was set up. It may be that the reason no demon appeared was that it might have arrived in the Assiah world via a different magnetic field."
"There’re still some details about the mechanism for demon summoning that I don't really understand yet."
"Unusual words, coming from the genius that was the first to successfully summon a demon via a computer." Feed grinned broadly, but his expression soon turned grave as he looked directly at Nakajima.
"The last demon to appear called himself Set, correct?"
"Yes, that's right."
"While it's too dangerous to try and conjecture the state of affairs in the demon world based on our own knowledge of this one, my theory is that the demon world is like a colloidal conglomeration of countless mini-universes, each centered around a powerful demon. Most likely, with Loki's death, the mini-universe in contact with Japan or Tokyo vanished, and Set's mini-universe entered to take its place. Demon summoning is just opening a contact point between the two worlds at the same time."
"So what would happen if two contact points were opened at the same time?"
"The demon would decide where it wanted to appear. However, there are some examples in medieval records of demon summonings that report that when the difference in strength of the two magnetic fields was great enough, the demon would be pulled to the stronger field, regardless of which it wanted to go to..." - ↑ Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City Chapter 5, "He Who Calls" "Isma had realized that the bizarre life form that had torn itself out of Ohara's belly was a temporary body for Set, who had been planning to take form by possessing Loki's child. According to his theory, summoning a demon via a computer would require creating a magnetic field with which to summon the demon and the processing of the demon's data to be materialized, both of which would have to be done at virtually the same time. If the magnetic field was weak, the point of connection between the demon's world and the Assiah world would narrow, constraining the amount of data that could be processed. On the other hand, no matter how powerful the magnetic field was, unless the digital data could be processed quickly and concisely, the demon would never be able to take form. It was quite possible that even a supercomputer would not be able to handle the massive amount of data that would be needed to materialize a high-ranking demon. Despite that fact, the high-ranking demon Set was able to to take form in the Assiah world, even if it was only in a makeshift body. Something must have added a great deal of power in setting up the necessary magnetic field for a summoning; this in turn would ease the restraints on the data processing. Isma was convinced that something was Yumiko. Most likely, the high concentration of biological Magnetite within her body had been a major player in creating the magnetic field for the summoning. The divine constitution that she had inherited from Izanami was nothing but a giant retention of that highly concentrated Magnetite. While meager in comparison to that of Yumiko, ordinary humans also retained some biological Magnetite. If enough of it was collected, it might be able to create a permanent overlap of the Atziluth and Assiah worlds entirely. Therefore, having already formed a contract with Set, Isma borrowed his power to summon many people and attempt to create a tower of human flesh. And everything was proceeding just according to plan. Even know the heavens split with a terrible thundering, and Set's most powerful servant, the great serpent Typhon, reared its head into the air as if slithering from behind a black curtain, knocking over the Soga Forest's trees as it went. "Typhon, welcome. Breathe deeply and take in the air of the Assiah world." Isma looked kindly at the enormous snake. "Take a look, your first victim awaits in the shadow of that tree." As Isma pointed to the copse where Officer Nimura was, Typhon vanished beyond the trees. Meanwhile, Set had transformed into a gigantic, vile pillar of flesh, his sinister, red glowing eyes at its peak darting all around the area. Typhon's presence is proof that the demon world Set rules is starting to meld with the Assiah world. Now all that remains is to gather more biological Magnetite and solidify the connection... Isma's eyes shimmered even brighter with madness."
- ↑ He had a strong impact in the previous games, so I just followed the basic model. His image as the Father and main god was emphasised by the stern expression on his aged face. The panels with three angles in the middle of his face are there to portray him as a 3D representation. I showed multiple faces every time he appeared, in order to show he has all the universes under his rule. The true number of these faces is the number of stars, rather than just the number of lives we can observe.
- ↑ Profile: The actual One God of monotheism. The One God praised by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He is the omnipotent existence that created heaven and earth and made man in his own image, but this also means that together with the angels, his bunrei [subparts], he also gave birth to demons. By giving humans bodies of flesh and bone, their lives and fears were repeated in the endless cycle of death and rebirth, restricting their range of observation.
Explanations
The following is an explanation of the various status effects of Megami Tensei
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Battle Records
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