Summary
Shin Megami Tensei (True Goddess Metempsychosis), is a long running JRPG Game Series created by Atlus. Originally based on the Digital Devil Story Light Novels, the franchise has grown to contain numerous games, spin-offs and derivative works.
The Games usually involve the sudden appearance of the supernatural on the world, with Gods, Demons and creatures from all faiths involved, and Apocalyptic scenarios soon following. Over time, the series has developed to include elements from various religions such as Judaism, Gnosticism, Hinduism and Buddhism, Jungian Psychology, and Cyberpunk aesthetics.
Thematically, the series is known for it's bleak tone, and for hardly ever presenting clear-cut moral choices. The player will find themselves split between opposing forces, Law and Chaos, both seeking to shape the world in accordance to their ideals. The player may deny both alignments, and seek the Neutral way.
Law is the path of God, with heavenly forces seeking absolute peace and order under their Lord's rule. Their victory means and end to all pain and suffering, though their means involve the genocide of all opposition, alongside the elimination of humanity's freedom of action and even will.
Chaos is the path of Lucifer, with the demons at his side desiring complete freedom above all else. Should they succeed, it will mean an end to all tyranny, as everyone shall live in a state of equality. However, that will lead to a world of unsuppressed vice, anarchy and war, with the survival of the fittest as the only way.
Neutral is the path of humans and of those who seek balance. It accepts the needs of laws to restrain anarchy, but not at the cost of one's freedom. It rejects the powers of both Law and Chaos, instead longing for the personal empowerment of mankind, and their inherent strength and individuality. It may seem to be the most ideal path, though it is the hardest to attain. Seeking neutrality will often put the protagonist against their former allies and friends, and will force them to destroy all who stand in their way. Most often than not, his victory leads simply to delaying the inevitable conflict of Law and Chaos, or even worsening it. Alternatively, it may leave humans completely by themselves in the world, with no one to guide them away from their self-destructive nature.
Credit to the Megami Tensei wiki for several of the page summaries and attack descriptions.
Power of the Verse
Shin Megami Tensei is widely regarded as one of the most powerful Video Game franchises. In the series, attacks are most often synonymous with Soul damage, and all enemy demons are in-reality Non-Corporeal entities of pure information who reside in a world beyond time. Due to the series' nature of all myths being true, as gods and demons are born from belief, it contains a multitude of entities described as creating and destroying worlds in their lore. Similarly, powerful Demon Gods contain their own universes as extensions of their true selves.
Even more impressive, the series contains various Top and God Tier Characters capable of easily creating, shaping and destroying multiverses containing countless parallel worlds, and beings who are vastly superior to them. Some of the most powerful characters can effortlessly control reality, and are existences higher than the multiverse itself. Finally, thanks to feats from SMT IV: Apocalypse, the God-Tiers can be considered Higher-Dimensional Beings, around 9th Dimensional or so, existing at several layers of reality above an infinite multiverse.
Cosmology
Work In Progress
Supporters and Opponents
Supporters
[Message Wall:FateAlbane FateAlbane]
Opponents
Neutral
Demons
Godly:
Godly (神霊?, lit. "Godly Spirit"), also known as Spirit, God (梵天, Bonten), or even Light (無尽光, Mujinkō), is the most powerful race of "Demons" in Megami Tensei. It is composed of the Creator God YHVH, beings of a similar nature, and his numerous Avatars and Manifestations.
- YHVH
- Satan
- The Demiurge
- Kagutsuchi
- Brahman
- Kuzuryu
- The Ancient of Days
- Names of YHVH
Herald:
Herald (大天使, Daitenshi)?, also known as Seraph (セラフ, Serafu)? and Hallel (熾天使, Shitenshi)? is the race of high ranking Angels / Archangels of Abrahamic Myth.
- The Merkabah
- Metatron
- Sandalphon
- Michael
- Gabriel
- Raphael
- Uriel
- Mastema
Tyrant:
Tyrant, also known as Demon King (魔王 / (大魔王, Dai Maō)), is the greatest Chaotic race, composed of major demonic lords from various mythologies. Led by Lucifer, they oppose the Forces of YHVH, Law, and the deities of their respective pantheons.
Fiend:
Fiend (魔人?, lit. "devil person") is a considerably powerful demon race, whose members generally have important roles in the games. With few exceptions, their members are clothed skeletons. This is because they are often incarnations of death or evil in various form, or closely associated with death and disaster of sorts.
- Dante
- Mother Harlot
- The Trumpeter
- The Riders
- Alice
- The Matador
Deity:
Deity, also known as Demon God (魔神 Majin) or Divinity (神性 Shinsei), is one of the most powerful races in Megami Tensei. They are often the head gods of their pantheons; generally the lord of other gods and are associated with maintenance or creation.
Fury:
Fury, also known as God of Destruction (破壊神, Hakaishin) or Destroyer, is a demon race composed of gods of wrath and destruction. The objective of this destruction can vary, however it's usually in preparation for the upcoming rebirth of the world.
- Mitra-Buddha
- Shiva
- Masakado (Shin Megami Tensei)
- Asura
- Susanoo
Megami:
Megami (女神), literally "Goddess", is an important demon race. They are composed of Goddeses who are the counterpart or consort of a pantheon's head god, or deities of love and fertility. They are one of the few races whose name is never translated, paying homage to the series' title Megami Tensei.
- Izanami
- Amaterasu
- Cleopatra
- Norn / The Moirae Sisters
- Laksmi
- Parvati
- Sati
- Sarasvati
- Anat
- Hathor
Lady:
Lady or Earth Mother (地母神, Jiboshin)? is a race of demons. They are commonly high ranking earth goddesses, mother goddesses and/or fertility goddesses of various pantheons, and are typically less benevolent than the Megami Race.
- Inanna
- Danu
- Kali
- Xi Wangmu
- Skadi
- Asherah
- Ishtar
- Isis
Night:
Night (夜魔, Yama) is a demon race, composed of demonic beings, entities, spirits, and deities associated with the night.
- Maya
- Lilith
- Nyx
- Succubus
- Lilim
Fairy:
Fairy (妖精, Yōsei)?, is a common demon race in, though they are not particularly powerful. Most are magic-oriented and are generally the first kind of demons encountered in the game. In lore, fairies are mischief-loving creatures. They do not have a particular preference towards good or evil and are chiefly concerned with doing as they please and having fun. Several fan-favorite and iconic demons are part of this family, including Pixie, Jack Frost and Pyro Jack.
- Titania
- Oberon
- Demonee-Ho
- Vivian
- Pixie
- Jack Frost
Genma:
Genma (幻魔, lit. Illusion Demon) or Demigod is a race of demons. Other than Demigods, this race contains important benevolent gods with human-like form. This race is usually viewed as the "upper" counterpart of the Yoma race as hinted by some of the demons swaying between these two races throughout the series.
- Baldr
- Hanuman
- Heimdall
- Ganesha
- Cu Chulainn
Snake / Drake:
Snake, or Dragon King (竜王 or 龍王, Ryūō), or Dragon (竜神 or 龍神, Ryūjin, lit. "Dragon God") , is demon race, composed of serpent-like or humanoid dragons. They are often associated with the Drake, or Evil Dragon (邪竜, Jaryū or 邪龍) race, which is composed of evil serpent-like creatures with an insatiable hunger.
- Ananta Shesha
- Ouroboros Maia
- Yamata No Orochi
- Tiamat
- Ym
- Nidhoggr
- Quetzalcoatl
Vile:
Vile, also known as Wicked Gods (邪神, jashin), is a demonic race. They are the major deities who are associated with disease, famine and other disasters brought upon mankind. They embody heterodoxy and are often vanquished or fallen gods that have become vilified by rival religions.
- Set
- Samael
- Mada
- Cthulhu
- Nyarlathotep
- Ahriman
- Noah
Others:
Humans
Human (人間/人, Ningen/Hito) is the weakest of all races in Shin Megami Tensei, being the race of the Protagonists and Player characters, rather than any demon. However, of all races it is the one with the greatest potential and capability to evolve.
Shin Megami Tensei:
- Hero / Kazuya
- Heroine
- Law Hero
- Chaos Hero
Shin Megami Tensei II:
Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne:
- Demi-Fiend
- Isamu Nitta
- Chiaki Tachibana
- Hikawa
- Yuko Takao
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey:
- Protagonist
- Commander Gore
- Zelenin
- Jimenez
Shin Megami Tensei IV / Apocalypse:
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga:
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor: Overclocked:
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker:
- The Shining One
- The Anguished One
- Miyako Hotsuin
- Yamato Hotsuin
- Io Nitta
- Daichi Shijima
- Airi Ban
- Hinako Kujou
- Fumi Kanno
- Makoto Sako
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner:
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers
- Protagonist
- Nemissa
Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha Series
Persona
Megami Ibunroku: Persona:
- Naoya Toudou
- Philemon
Persona 2:
Persona 3:
- Yuki Makoto/Minato Arisato
- Aigis
- Mitsuru Kirijo
- Yukari Takeba
- Junpei Iori
- Shinjiro Aragaki
- Fuuka Yamagishi
- Akihiko Sanada
- Ken Amada
- Koromaru
- Metis
- Ryoji Mochizuki
- Elizabeth
- Nyx
Persona 4:
- Yu Narukami
- Chie Satonaka
- Naoto Shirogane
- Yosuke Hanamura
- Yukiko Amagi
- Kanji Tatsumi
- Rise Kujikawa
- Teddie
- Margaret
- Tohru Adachi
- Izanami no Oukami
Persona 5:
- Akira Kurusu (Protagonist)
- Ryuji Sakamoto
- Ann Takamaki
- Morgana
- Goro Akechi
- Yusuke Kitagawa
- Makoto Nijima
- Futaba Sakura
- Haru Okumura
- Yaldabaoth