The Demi-fiend is a recurring character in the Megami Tensei franchise and the protagonist of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. He was an ordinary boy who survives the world's destruction caused by The Conception and is forced to ingest a parasitic Magatama by the Blond Child, transforming him into a half-demon, half-human entity. With his newfound strength, he ventures into the post-apocalyptic Vortex World.
The Demi-fiend has also appeared in other Megami Tensei games since, either as an ally or as a difficult, optional boss. In his other appearances, he is known only by his title. The protagonist's real name, along with his nickname used by friends, is not given and is left up to the player to name in Nocturne.
Profile
The Demi-fiend is a high-school-aged youth with short black hair who wears black shorts and running shoes. His body is covered in black tattoos that extend across his chest and stomach, run the full length of his arms and legs, and descend along each side of his face. The tattoos possess a glowing outline that appears blue when he is healthy and red when his health is low. According to artist Kazuma Kaneko, the markings were intended to evoke tribal shaman tattoos while also giving the Demi-fiend a digital aesthetic that reflected the concept of the protagonist as a “human computer.”[1] However, he also stated the tattoo itself has no meaning.[2] Kaneko cited the body-horror imagery of David Cronenberg’s film Videodrome as an influence on the design; he initially considered depicting organic computer-like elements emerging from the Demi-fiend’s body before instead representing the idea through tattoo patterns.[3]
The book Shin Megami Tensei Grimoire: Chaos Museum notes that the tattoos incorporate imagery resembling the jewel elements of a stupa, which appear on the Demi-fiend’s abdomen, back, shoulders, and palms. A stupa traditionally consists of five elements: jewel, half moon, triangle, circle, and square. The book states that these elements symbolize the universe and that the Demi-fiend’s body represents a microcosm of the cosmos. In addition, he has a spike protruding from the base of his head that is stated to act as a sensory organ,[4] and his eyes are yellow. In battle, he relies primarily on his physical strength, fighting with his bare hands in a somewhat unrefined manner, though certain attacks demonstrate precise technique.
Prior to his transformation, his appearance is identical except that he lacks the tattoos, has grey eyes instead of yellow, and wears a jacket. In the initial release of Nocturne, this outfit consists of a black jacket with white and blue stripes. From Maniax onward, he instead wears a grey hoodie with a green hood and blue stripes down the arms featuring demon icons.
As a silent protagonist, the Demi-fiend’s personality in Nocturne is largely determined by the player. However, his appearances in later titles provide some insight into his character. In several depictions he is portrayed as leaning toward the Chaos alignment and as having achieved the Destruction Ending, and he is consistently depicted as an extremely powerful entity capable of overpowering other notable characters. In the Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse DLC Messiahs in the Diamond Realm, he speaks bluntly, behaves arrogantly, and displays a hot-headed and combative attitude.[5] In Shin Megami Tensei V and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, he is shown to respect the strength of others, including the Nahobino, whom he acknowledges after being defeated in battle and later fights alongside in Vengeance.[6]
Gameplay
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Demi-fiend is able to be recruited as a Guest ally once he is defeated by speaking to him in the Hall of Chaos.
The Demi-fiend begins the fight with two demons. Then, whenever one of his demons die, he uses Summon to replace them. He always summons demons in a fixed order: Cu Chulainn, Girimehkala, Pixie, Arahabaki, Titania, Parvati, then repeating. On a demon's 31st turn, they will cast Recarmdra, though turns spent casting Dekaja or Dekunda are not counted.
The first character to get an action when the Demi-fiend's HP first falls below 9000 will try to cast Mediarahan. Regardless of whether it was cast successfully or not, the Demi-fiend's party can only do this once.
Whenever one of his demons uses Dormina, or if the party does not kill any of them for long enough, the Demi-fiend will use Gaea Rage. Additionally, if one of the player's characters becomes immune to any attribute, such as via Passives or Shields, he will begin repeatedly using a special version of Gaea Rage that deals a fixed 9999 damage.
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Level
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HP
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MP
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| Demi-fiend
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99
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18000
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18000
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| Basic Attack
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Attribute
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Target
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| Physical
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Single enemy
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Compendium
| Compendium Entries
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| Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
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The 18-year-old protagonist of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. Once an ordinary high schooler, he was transformed into a demon in the Vortex World, where he continues to fight alone.
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| Shin Megami Tensei V
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Once an ordinary high school student, now the bane of God's creation. On the whim of a certain blond-haired child, he was made to survive the Conception, but at the cost of a gruesome transformation. After emerging from the Shinjuku Medical Center with the body of a demon, he became the Demi-fiend of legend, as prophesied in the Scripture of Miroku.
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Game Appearances
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During the Challenge Quest "Messiahs in the Diamond Realm", Stephen transported the Demi-fiend's soul to the Diamond Realm alongside the Hero, Aleph, and Flynn. Each of them met an unavoidable fate in their original worlds as a result of YHVH's machinations; in the Demi-fiend's case, he was killed by Lucifer after defeating Kagutsuchi. Nanashi would eventually restore the bodies and memories of the four messiahs, culminating in a fight against Stephen himself. Once the battle was over, a portal opened in the Diamond Realm, allowing Demi-fiend and the other messiahs to return to their original worlds.
The Demi-fiend is the final boss that can be faced in the subquest "Return of the True Demon," where after defeating the various fiends who allude to his power, he will appear in the Hall of Chaos. He fights alongside the demons Cu Chulainn, Girimekhala, Pixie, Cerberus, Thor, Jack Frost and Parvati, which are replaced upon defeat in a set order. After being defeated, he drops the Demi-fiend Essence, and remains in place to be refought should the Nahobino wish for it. The subquest becomes available upon purchase of the downloadable content of the same name.[7]
After defeating him, the Nahobino can have the Demi-fiend join his party as a guest. In Demon Haunts, he remains silent and has his Pixie speak for him.
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In Digital Devil Saga, the Demi-fiend appears as an optional super boss in Anahata in New Game+. He fights alongside the demons Cu Chulainn, Girimehkala, Pixie, Arahabaki, Titania, and Parvati, which are all summoned as duos during different phases of the fight. After defeating him, it is implied that he was just a hallucination caused by the gas in the area, though a message is left behind on the floor, which says: "Death's vastness holds no peace. I come at the end of the long road--neither human, nor devil... All bends to my will."
Audio Drama Appearances
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Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Drama CD
Manga Appearances
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Appearances in Non-Megami Tensei Media
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The Demi-fiend, along with Teddie in his iteration from Persona 4 Golden, are featured as selectable portraits for characters via DLC.[8]
Trivia
- In the English localization of Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, Demi-fiend's Hunter Database entry states that he is 18 years old.[9] However, his age is not mentioned at all in the original Japanese script.[10]
Nomenclature
According to Kazuma Kaneko Works III, Demi-fiend's Japanese name Hitoshura, which translates to "Human-Asura", plays upon the concept of how the word Asura refers to evil demons in India, but its Iranian cognate Ahura refers to good gods amongst the Persians.[11]
Gallery
Reference
- ↑ "From a design standpoint, I could have made him look like a monster, but I thought that was too common. Instead, I overlaid the image of a shaman with the main character's demon-user side. Shamans around the world have one thing in common: tattoos. I emphasized the transition from a normal human to a special being by adding a full body tattoo to the character design. By doing so, I believe I was able to portray both the mysterious and sensual appeal of a demon." Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne. Archived: [1]. Retrieved January 22, 2025. 1up.com.
- ↑ "模様の意味は、作っていた段階ではいろいろとあったんですけど、できたデザイン自体に関しての理由や意味はないですね。" Dengeki PlayStation. Published by MediaWorks. Japanese. No. 227 Page 88. Cover date January 17, 2003.
- ↑ "The protagonist becomes a demon himself and has tattoos on his body.
Kaneko: I didn’t want to include the demon summoning program at first, but I wanted to give him a digital feeling instead, so I turned the protagonist into a sort of human computer, similar to the special make-up used in Cronenberg’s “Videodrome“.
Similarly to using a keyboard directly on the skin, like bones coming out?
Kaneko: Yes, a 1980s cyber style. I had a feeling I’d be scolded that it looks kind of gross though, so I turned it into tattoos (laughs)." Published by Kazuma Kaneko Works III. Translation by dijeh.
- ↑ "As I mentioned before, the theme of this game is energy, but it is also about a human that has gained superhuman powers. I gave him tattoos and a spike on the back of his head. The tattoos over his body are more like stigmas than tattoos, and the channels and lymph vessels show that he is not a human. That is why they change colors when he is low on hit points. Also, the spike is a type of sensory organ, representing a primitive brain being possessed by a Magatama. It is through the evolution of this sensory organ that the player can talk to demons and use super powers. There is a theory that a person’s aura, when viewed from the side, protrudes backward like a shark fin. That was my inspiration for the spike." 1UP: “In Character: Kazuma Kaneko”. Retrieved January 23, 2025. 1up.com.
- ↑ "Demi-fiend: Don't whine and say it's unfair later, okay?" Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse (3DS). Developed by ATLUS.
- ↑ "Pixie: So this is how it goes, huh? You come here with your demons for a little chat? Well, too bad! [The Demi-fiend]'s not much of a talker. Don't expect to get much out of him. But don't worry! it's not like he hates you or anything. Actually, after you showed him how strong you are, he might even have taken a shine to you!" Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Developed by ATLUS.
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ Etrian Odyssey II HD Character Portrait DLC Set. Retrieved December 5, 2024. Nintendo.com.
- ↑ "Hunter Database - Demi-fiend The 18-year-old protagonist of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. Once an ordinary high schooler, he was transformed into a demon in the Vortex World, where he continues to fight alone." Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse. English.
- ↑ "人修羅 《真・女神転生Ⅲ》の主人公。元々は普通の高校生だったが、 ボルテクスと呼ばれる世界で悪魔にされ、孤独な戦いを続けている。" Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse. Japanese.
- ↑ "人間にしてアクマという属性を有するため、“人修羅”と呼ばれる。修羅すなわち阿修羅とは、インドでは魔族アスラ、ペルシアでは善なる神族アフラとされたアーリア人の神で、善悪の両性で揺れる存在である。人とアクマの狭間で揺れる主人公に、ふさわしい呼称といえる。" Kazuma Kaneko Works III (2008). Published by Shinkigensha. Japanese. p. 14. ISBN-13: 978-4-7753-0609-3.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Drama CD
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