Anansi, lit. "spider", is a folk hero of the Akan peoples in West Africa. He is a trickster who's various stories, referred to as "spider tales", involve him outwitting his opponents through his cunning. He gained the title of Lord of Stories when he challenged Nyame to give Anansi his stories, with Nyame challenging him with capturing the leopard Osebo, the python Onini, the hornet Mmoboro, and the fairy Mmoatia. To achieve this, he digs a hole for Osebo to fall in and tricks him to tying his tail on a branch, asks Onini if he was longer than vines and request to measure him only to bind the snake, deceives Mmonboro into believing it is raining to force him into a gourd he then seals, and created a doll covered in webs and baiting Mmoatia into fighting with it and being caught in the webs. With the tasks complete, Nyame conceded and gifted the world's stories to Anansi.
Due to the enslavement of the people of Africa, tales of Anansi spread to America where he became a prominent figure in the culture of the enslaved people. His cunning and ability to outwit his enemies made him a symbol for resistance against enslavement, as he was able to inspire resistance and establish a connection to the culture of their homeland. As a result, Anansi endures in both his land of origin and places such as the Caribbean.
Design
Anansi was designed by Masayuki Doi for Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Due to the variety of depictions of Anansi in both Africa and the world at large, Doi chose to focus on the depictions from the Ashanti culture as theirs is considered the original interpretation.[1] As he is depicted both as a man and spider, these aspects were combined for this design. Anansi is a dark skinned man wearing African style pants and golden arm and leg bands with green hair and six spider legs growing out of his back that form various shapes, as well as six spider eyes. He wears a gourd on his head in reference to the story of Anansi took the wisdom of Onyankopon and selfishly kept it to himself in a gourd before eventually letting it go.[1]
Slight MP recovery to all allies when user uses a Magatsuhi Skill.
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A folkloric hero of the Ashanti and other tribes in West Africa. He is depicted as a trickster who gets by on his wit and cunning. Portrayed as a spider or a man, depending on interpretation.
Anansi appears in many stories, including one where he collects the people's wisdom in a gourd and attempts to hang it from a tree. But in a fit of dismay, he upends it and scatters wisdom across the world. Other stories tell of how he buys the stories of the sky god Onyankopon and makes them his own. These stories are collectively called Anansesem, or spider tales.
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Anansi appears multiple times in both the Canon of Creation and the Canon of Vengeance. He is first encountered in Shinagawa with his father Onyankopon where they are arguing over the matter of joining Bethel; Anansi was in talks with Abdiel to establish an African branch of the organisation, however it can only go through with Onyankopon's consent. After the Nahobino overhears their discussion, Onyankopon proposes a competition between Anansi and the Nahobino to see who can kill the most Basilisks, with the victor deciding if they should join Bethel or not. After beginning, Anansi secretly reveals the location of all Basilisks in the area, claiming that the Nahobino would actually work in his favour. When the Nahobino is victorious, Anansi laments his own foolishness until Onyankopon tries to comfort him, only for Anansi to twist his words into an agreement to join Bethel. Frustrated but having predicted this, Onyankopon summons a group of Nyami Nyami to bind Anansi and prevent further rebellion before departing with his son.
Depending on if the story is the Canon of Creation or Vengeance, Anansi appears in Chiyoda or Shinjuku respectively. In further rebellion, Anansi stole the Golden Stool that contains the spirits of the Ashanti people from Onyankopon in order to gain its power. When confronted, he explains that he seeks to establish a Bethel branch for all of Africa, not simply the Ashanti culture, as a way to unite the various people and pantheons after the continent was abused by colonialism and subjugated by other cultures.[2]
↑"Anansi: I am not simply aiming to join Bethel. I intend to create my own branch: Bethel Africa! Age after age, African lands have been subject to invasion, exploitation, crises of faith. I have a duty to connect the African people and their faith to the future! For that reason, the African gods must establish parity and friendship with other branches under a strong leadership." Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Developed by ATLUS.
Japanese
