Hallelujah
Hallelujah is a partner character in Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse. He is a member of the Ashura-kai and joins Nanashi during his journey through Tokyo.
Profile
Hallelujah is a young member of the Ashura-kai, having been adopted into the gang after being orphaned at the age of 10. He follows the lead of Abe, whom he holds immense faith in that teeters towards idolization. At first appearing awkward and timid, he expresses himself more openly as time passes. He also possesses a high level of emotional awareness and empathy, able to spot when others are going through their own turmoil and identify with their struggles. He later develops an admiration towards Nanashi for his strength in battle.
He has tanned skin, blue eyes, and tousled ash blond hair, alongside pointy ears and sharp black nails. As per the typical formalwear worn by the Ashura-Kai, his outfit consists of a 2-piece suit paired with dress shoes and a striped tie. The yellow sukajan[a] he wears over his suit gives his appearance a delinquent touch.[3] In battle, he summons his partner demon Cironnup, whom he has affectionately nicknamed "Chiro".
This section contains spoilers. (Skip Section)
When Hallelujah transforms, his physical appearance changes. His formerly tanned skin is now white, his hair is tinted rose red, and his eyes are completely red, overtaking his sclera. There are also notable cracks on his skin that emanate from his eyes.
- End of spoilers.
Gameplay
Upon joining the party, Hallelujah immediately has access to support skills that aid in survivability.
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Game Appearances
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
Hallelujah meets Nanashi and his party at the Sky Tower when the Hunter Association cooperates with the Ashura-kai to gather pieces for the Shesha Radar. As Abe deals with the angels stationed there, Hallelujah introduces himself, at first awkwardly replying to Asahi's attempts at small talk before passionately speaking about the Ashura-kai and how Abe saved the group when she asks. He then declares that the gang will save Tokyo instead of Flynn. He also notices Navarre's ghostly form.
The conversation is cut short once Abe successfully bargains with the angels to allow them inside the tower. As they ascend, the group takes a break at the observation deck to appreciate the view of the city, but are blindsided by a Rukh breaking through the glass. In the ensuing fight, Hallelujah takes note of Nanashi's combat prowess then summons Chiro for support after Asahi's insistence, revealing that he cannot fight directly. After the Rukh is defeated, Abe shames him for allowing a girl to speak to him the way Asahi did, leaving Hallelujah determined to show his competence. Once the group finds the item they were looking for further into the tower, Abe pulls Hallelujah aside and orders him to accompany the party to watch over them lest they make a mess of things. Hallelujah complies after some convincing but the party is then ambushed by Medusa and forced to fight her, all the while Abe ditches them. Once she is slain, Hallelujah asks to stay with the group and is subsequently allowed to accompany them, despite Dagda exposing his intentions to spy on them. He dubs Nanashi "Leader" from this point onwards.
The following day, when the party is tasked to escort the Crusaders to Kasumigaseki, Hallelujah points out the similarities between their leader, Gaston, and Navarre, only to have the samurai's anger directed at him. He shares the same sentiment the party has regarding Gaston's dreadful attitude and later makes quips about the man after he forces the party to bring him to Shesha. After the party defeats the serpent in Shibuya and returns to Kinshicho, he notices Asahi is still upset from Gaston's earlier tirade directed at her.
Later on, when the party infiltrates Tsukiji Konganji to rescue Flynn from the Divine Powers, Krishna reveals the truth behind Nanashi's revival and how it led to his release, causing doubt to permeate the party. Despite this revelation, Hallelujah shoots Nanashi a sympathizing glance in the moment and later offers words of solace and reassurance once they escape the temple.
When Nanashi's trial is disrupted by the activation of the Tokugawa Mandala, Hallelujah tests out the Demon Summoning Program when prompted by a passing Hunter, only to find out the program is not working. Realizing that almost all of Tokyo is unable to summon demons outside of Nanashi, the party rushes to Kinshicho to defend its residents, which ends with the death of Asahi's dad and Asahi staying behind to mourn. Hallelujah offers his condolences to Nanashi and asks how he is faring, as the man had also been a father to him. Hallelujah then recounts his own story of parental loss—having lost contact with his mother at the age of 10—and reassures Nanashi that while their grief may not be the same, he and the rest of the party are there to support the two through their loss.[4]
After this conversation, Hallelujah is surprised by Abe's sudden arrival, who gives Nanashi Myoko's Disc to summon Tenkai for information regarding the Tokugawa Mandala. Upon arriving at Tenkai's resting place in Midtown, the party struggles to comprehend the divinity's solution, with Hallelujah assuming Nozomi would fit the criteria until Toki arrives to act as their solution. At first, he expresses distrust for her which quickly turns into concern once he realizes that she is essentially offering away her sanity. Once she finishes sealing the jars, he is the first to point out her change in demeanor when she thanks the party for saving her.
With the Tokugawa Mandala lifted, the party returns to Kinshicho to check on Asahi and Hallelujah asks her how she is dealing with the death of her father. While she reassures him on her condition and requests to rejoin the party, Gaston derides her and calls her weak, leading to Hallelujah grabbing him by his collar and punching him in the face. Angered by his callous remarks, Hallelujah berates him for his stuck-up attitude and being unable to empathize with her. Asahi has to step between them to prevent their fight from escalating.
The next day has the party head to Ikebukuro to deal with Shesha's reappearance, although with some lingering tension between Hallelujah and Gaston. After killing the serpent for a second time, a somber Hallelujah is approached by Asahi, still feeling guilty for punching Gaston and wondering if it was justified.[5] She thanks Hallelujah for coming to her defense, but does not want the two to remain at odds with each other. This prompts him to apologize to Gaston, who waves it off as unnecessary.
During the party's second escape from Tsukiji Konganji, this time with Flynn in tow, the group runs into Adramelech who wishes to take Flynn for Lucifer's forces and implicates the assistance of the Ashura-kai. Hallelujah denies the demon's assertion, stating that Abe trusts him and would let him know about the gang's movements, to which the demon retorts that it is possible the older man simply does not trust him in the way Hallelujah believes he does.
Once Flynn is returned to the Hunter Association, the ceasefire in Tokyo is called off during the following day's broadcast, meaning the Ashura-kai and Samurai have no reason to cooperate with the Hunters anymore. Despite this, Hallelujah has not gotten direct orders to stop trailing after Nanashi and the party and instead remains with them. He tries to encourage Gaston to do the same, but is frustrated when the samurai decides to follow Merkabah's orders to return to Mikado.
Afterwards, Nanashi and the party are tasked to infiltrate Mikado to learn more about Merkabah's plans; the younger members of the group resort to different methods to look older as they do not look 18, with Hallelujah donning a fake mustache. Despite making it to Mikado, the party is apprehended when Merkabah singles them out during a meeting at Aquila Statue Plaza. Although their imprisonment is shortlived, the party rushes to the Monastery to grab their confiscated equipment only to be stopped by Azrael. Nanashi attempts to fight the angel alone, but is quickly overwhelmed when reinforcements arrive.
- This section contains spoilers. (Skip Section)
Before Azrael can attack any further, Hallelujah steps forward to reject the angel's notion that humans require the Lord's guidance to survive but rather only need themselves. He then addresses the party to reassure them that he will always be on their side despite the secret he is about to expose. With his fears put aside, Hallelujah transforms into a demon, blasting away the reinforcements and supporting Nanashi in killing Azrael. Once the angel is dead, he explains that he was born a half-breed—having a human mother and a demon father he has never met. He apologizes for hiding the truth, but the party is unbothered by his background and accepts him for who he is.
When the party returns to Tokyo and prepares for Armageddon, Hallelujah receives a message from Abe stating that the Ashura-kai will side with Lucifer. Initially torn between his loyalty to the gang and his belief to do the right thing, he resolves to stay and fight with the party. As the party makes their way through Camp Ichigaya, he mediates an argument between the Ashura-kai and Ring of Gaea. He also catches a glimpse of Abe in the corridors who later questions why he is disobeying orders. Although momentarily rendered timid due to his insubordination being exposed, Hallelujah is left bewildered when Abe tells him to explain in person in return for a truth from the older man.
Once they find Abe in the depths of the Hall of Eternal Light, the man reveals himself to be Samyaza: a demon loyal to Lucifer and Hallelujah's father. Samyaza tries to persuade Hallelujah into siding with Lucifer, overwhelming the boy with his words. But after some reassurance from Gaston, Hallelujah reaffirms his decision to do the right thing and transforms to fight his father, mentioning that a proper father would be proud to see his son grow well. Afterwards, he is unsure if killing his father was the right thing to do, but Nozomi comforts him by saying feeling unsure is a normal reaction to have while figuring out right from wrong.
Later, when the party confronts Lucifer in the reactor room, the Ashura-Kai members present worry about the future of the gang without the demon's backing, to which Hallelujah confesses to killing Abe and declares himself the new head of the Ashura-kai. The gang members shrink away at the boy's newfound assertiveness and accept him as leader. After Armageddon, his new position is quickly instated,[6] with the shopkeepers even referring to him as "Boss".[7] Despite this, he continues to accompany Nanashi and the party as they deal with the Cosmic Egg.
Bonds Route
If Nanashi chooses to side with his friends and rejects Dagda's plans, Hallelujah and the rest of the party backs him up in the fight against Dagda. Although the party disbands after defeating Krishna and rescuing Flynn, they reunite, Hallelujah included, one last time to slay YHVH. During the fight, he calls out how much YHVH asks for the belief of people yet never gives anything back in return, seeing belief in him as pointless. Once YHVH is defeated, Hallelujah leads the Ashura-kai in rebuilding Tokyo. He notes that the job is more demanding than he originally thought, but is happy to know he is helping people out.[8]
Massacre Route
If Nanashi chooses to side with Dagda and abandon his humanity and friends, Hallelujah stands against his decision as he worries about the future of the Ashura-kai. Before he dies, he laments trusting Nanashi, believing that they were similar due to having their lives changed by demon interference. If Nanashi hesitates to kill him, he cries, confessing his jealousy of Nanashi's strength and desire to be like him.
If Hallelujah is chosen as the goddess, he is grateful to be chosen and becomes subservient to Nanashi.
- End of spoilers.
Novel Appearances
Kakusareta Ibutsu To, Kakushita Otoko
- This section contains spoilers. (Skip Section)
Hallelujah's childhood is documented in this short story written from the perspective of his mother and being read by an unknown man. At first, he is shown as a young child, giving his mother a pen and notebook which inspires her to journal her daily experiences. Her entries mention many moments with Hallelujah: he struggles to read kanji, he is curious about what lies beyond the underground district, and he wonders why his father is absent. Despite his mother hitting him twice, he is shown to deeply care for her, culminating in his demon powers manifesting for the first time to protect her from an Ashura-kai money collector.
After this incident, the story jumps ahead a couple of years into the future, with Hallelujah soon to be 10 years old. His mother tries her best to teach him about the world and notes that he has made a friend named Chiro. He also still bears a heavy attachment to her, becoming petulant when she implies he can do things on his own. However, a man who had been a client of his mother when they still lived in the underground district begins to tell Hallelujah that it was his mother's fault for why they had to leave the safety of the underground, straining their relationship. Trying to repair it, his mother confesses the truth that his father is actually a demon. However, this only serves to further distance Hallelujah from his mother, as he does not take the revelation well. A few days after this conversation, his mother leaves and never returns.
In the present, the unknown man reading the journal is revealed to be Abe, who still awaits a reply from Hallelujah.
- End of spoilers.
Other Appearances
Brave Frontier
Hallelujah was a summonable thunder 7★ unit in Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse's collaboration with the mobile game Brave Frontier. He was featured on a limited time banner alongside Gaston and Toki. His Omni Evolution unit artwork portrays him as his demon self.
Trivia
- During the developmental phase, Hallelujah had originally been conceptualized as half-Japanese and half-Black.[9]
- There is a discrepancy in the English localization's script regarding whether or not Hallelujah knows if his mom died or not. During his introduction, he says his mom died,[10] but this conflicts an anecdote later in the game where he says he does not know what happened to his mom.[11] The Japanese script lacks this discrepancy, as he only introduces himself as an orphan with no mention of his mother.[12]
- While Hallelujah's adoption by Tayama is only mentioned in passing in his Hunter Database entry, the design documents for Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse elaborates on how he ended up under Tayama's care. The idea was that, after losing his mother, Hallelujah had been sent to Reverse Hills to be used as an ingredient for the Red Pills. However, the researchers there found him unsuitable for the production process, instead informing Tayama about him, leading to his adoption by the older man.[13]
Nomenclature
Hallelujah is a Hebrew exclamation meaning "praise Yah."
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese
|
ハレルヤ Hareruya | Hallelujah |
Gallery
Notes
- ↑ A sukajan is a type of jacket inspired by baseball jackets that is best identified by it's elaborate embroidery with heavy Japanese design influences.
References
- ↑ "Hunter Database - Hallelujah Hallelujah was adopted into the Ashura-kai by Tayama when he was an orphan and has been a member ever since." Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.
- ↑ 真・女神転生IV FINAL 公式コンプリートガイド, Weekly Famitsu. Published by KADOKAWA. 101. ISBN-13: 978-4047331334.
- ↑ "Character File: ハレルヤ 阿修羅会らしさをスーツで表しつつ、不良の子供らしさをスカジャ ンで表現しています" 真・女神転生IV FINAL 公式設定資料集+神話世界への旅. Published by Ichijinsha. Japanese. (1st ed.) 18. ISBN-13: 978-4758014953.
- ↑ "No. 27 - You're not alone Seems like Asahi's got a lot going on right now... You shouldn't be so hard on yourself either. . . Look, at least you've got me. And Nozomi. And Gaston, sorta? Navarre, too. I can only imagine what it's like, to watch your dad die... Just remember that you and Asahi aren't alone, okay?" Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.
- ↑ "No. 31 - I should apologize Did I go too far, punching Gaston like that? I should apologize, right? But... what should I say? I don't think I did anything wrong." Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.
- ↑ "No. 55 - This is kind of embarrassing . . .After I left you, things got pretty crazy. Some of the higher-ups were pissed. They swarmed me, saying that if I wanted to be the official leader of the Ashura-kai I needed to do this and that and that and this... I spent hours going through a whole mess of boring paperwork. . ." Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.
- ↑ "Shopkeeper: Welcome to the official Ashura-kai shop! Wait, Boss!? It's an honor to have you visit, sir!" Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.
- ↑ "No. 68 - This isn't what I had in mind at all... Running the Ashura-kai's a tough job. . . Of course, it's not like I'm doing all that alone, but I still need to approve every aspect of our operation, not to mention handle inspections and deal with people... Honestly, the gig's a lot different than I'd imagined. But I'm not complaining. Sure it's a pain sometimes, but it feels good to do something meaningful, something that helps people. . ." Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.
- ↑ "ギャップという点では、“覚醒”を見せるハレルヤにも背景がありますね。彼は当初、日本人と黒人のハーフという設定でした。" [1]. Published April 13, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2023. Famitsu.
- ↑ "Hallelujah: Didn't have much of a choice, you know, mom's dead and they just kind of took me in. Can't leave now." Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse. English.
- ↑ "Hallelujah: But when I was 10, my mom disappeared. She might have died or she might have just abandoned me. Just... Poof, y'know? It didn't feel real." Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse.
- ↑ "ハレルヤ: ･･･阿修羅会が孤児だったオレを拾って それでそのまま居ついてるだけだよ" Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse. Japanese.
- ↑ "程なく、ハレルヤはタヤマに拾われる。赤玉の材料にされるためである。 タヤマはすぐ後、ハレルヤの神経伝達物質が玉に使えないことを知らされる。 逆さヒルズの研究員は、ハレルヤ ■であるという調査レポートを提出した。 タヤマはハレルヤを逆さヒルズの実験室から解放し、自らの傍に小間使いとして置いた。 「いつか利用できる」と考えたためである。" "真・女神転生IV FINAL が紡いだもの", Shin-Megamitensei Series 25th anniversary Memorial Book: Megaten Maniacs. 170.