| All previous powers and abilities to a infinitely greater extent, except for [[Observation (Megami Tensei)|Observation]] [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1859 due to reaching such a state where he is no longer truly human], [[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]] (Type 5. [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>), [[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), [[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 Negation]] ([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 in Persona bypasses all [[Forcefield Creation|barriers]] and [[Attack Reflection|reflectors]], [[Invulnerability|invulnerability]], and [[Resistance|resistances]]. Almighty attacks are able to hurt someone wielding the Omnipotent Orb, [https://imgur.com/Mo6OkLw which bends the rules of reality to defend the user from attacks]), [[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]), [[Velocity Manipulation]] ([https://youtu.be/dnVoPk9R4z4?list=PLYtggmS_d2CgniWl4RQwuyv48CzAYbdit&t=924 When attacks are nullified or avoided, the enemy will forcibly forfeit their turn to move, allowing one to attack sooner], this extends further with absorbing attacks completely ending an opponents turn regardless of how fast they are), [[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]] (Type 5. 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]), [[Corruption]] (Capable of traveling in the Expanse for long periods of time [https://imgur.com/Zf1krPK which the Expanse slowly makes one more violent overtime]) | | All previous powers and abilities to a infinitely greater extent, except for [[Observation (Megami Tensei)|Observation]] [https://youtu.be/defQEm2-A3g?t=1859 due to reaching such a state where he is no longer truly human], [[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]] (Type 5. [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>), [[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), [[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 Negation]] ([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 in Persona bypasses all [[Forcefield Creation|barriers]] and [[Attack Reflection|reflectors]], [[Invulnerability|invulnerability]], and [[Resistance|resistances]]. Almighty attacks are able to hurt someone wielding the Omnipotent Orb, [https://imgur.com/Mo6OkLw which bends the rules of reality to defend the user from attacks]), [[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]), [[Velocity Manipulation]] ([https://youtu.be/dnVoPk9R4z4?list=PLYtggmS_d2CgniWl4RQwuyv48CzAYbdit&t=924 When attacks are nullified or avoided, the enemy will forcibly forfeit their turn to move, allowing one to attack sooner], this extends further with absorbing attacks completely ending an opponents turn regardless of how fast they are), [[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]] (Type 5. 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]), [[Corruption]] (Capable of traveling in the Expanse for long periods of time [https://imgur.com/Zf1krPK which the Expanse slowly makes one more violent overtime]) |