Masakado

This article is about the recurring Demon. For other uses, see Masakado (Disambiguation).

Masakado
マサカド
MT2SMT2SMT2 Masakado-samaSMT4 HeadSH1 Artwork from Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II Artwork from Shin Megami Tensei II Masakado-sama artwork from Shin Megami Tensei II Head artwork from Shin Megami Tensei IV Artwork from Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers
Other Name(s)	Taira no Masakado The Guardian of the East
Origin	Japanese history
Race(s)	FiendShin Megami Tensei: Imagine FuryShin Megami Tensei if... Shin Megami Tensei IV Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 GeneralShin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers Shin Megami Tensei Trading Card: Card Summoner Kētai Akuma Densho HeroShin Megami Tensei: J Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 Soul Hackers 2 Devil Survivor 2 Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker WargodShin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance ZealotShin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux
Alignment(s)	ChaosShin Megami Tensei IV
Arcana	Tower
Order(s)	FuryDevil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon (Ally) GeneralDevil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon (Boss)

Masakado is a Demon in the Megami Tensei franchise.

Profile

Origin

Taira no Masakado was a samurai and leader of the Taira Clan in Japan during the 10th century, notable for leading the first recorded rebellion against the government. Sources vary on what led to his uprising, with theories ranging from Masakado failing to secure a position in government which acted as an affront to his honour, to a dispute over a woman with his uncle. In 940, Masakado was killed in the Battle of Kojima, after which his head was cut from his body and taken to the emperor as proof of his defeat. His head was displayed publicly as a warning to potential dissidents.

His head eventually arrived in Edo, now modern day Tokyo, where it was buried at the Kanda shrine. After his death, a variety of calamities were attributed to his restless soul, returning to claim vengeance. This gave rise to the depiction of Masakado as a terrifying spirit that would destroy any that disrespected his resting place. To appease his spirit, Masakado was deified as a protector of the shrine and the surrounding area.

Design

As a major reoccurring demon across the Megami Tensei franchise, Masakado has received many designs across the series.

In Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II, Masakado is depicted as a decapitated purple head with long hair and a shaved top of his head. For his appearance in Shin Megami Tensei, Masakado appears as a man with red skin wearing white garments and dark samurai armour. The top of his head is shaven in style of chonmage and he has a white headband.

His first major appearance in Shin Megami Tensei II, Masakado had two designs for his incomplete and complete forms, respectively known as "Masakado" and "Masakado-sama". The incomplete form depicts Masakado as a grim human with pale skin and long hair with the top of his head shaved resembling a chonmage with the hair down. He is adorned in red kabuki makeup, which represents his role as a heroic figure who fights for justice. He is clad in dark blue plated samurai armour with gold accents and holds a katana in his right hand. His second design in contrast depicts Masakado as a man with long pale blue hair wearing a flowing yellow karaginu hunting robe for royal court members with a green over robe, red obi and ribbons around his arms, a necklace with magatama beads and another with a mirror, and white gloves and socks with wooden sandals. His face is covered with the same makeup as the previous design, and a sheathed tachi hangs from his waist.

Masakado received a redesign in Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers based on his complete form in Shin Megami Tensei II. The design depicts Masakado wearing clothing styled after noh theatre, with a white undershirt and golden robes with the Kuyō-mon (the crest of the Sōma clan, who claimed descent from Masakado) hanging from his waist. His flowing hair is now a vibrant blue and he holds his sheathed sword in his right hand. Masakado is wearing similar makeup as both designs from Shin Megami Tensei II with more details and markings, with him now having golden eyes. This is the design primarily used across the franchise.

In Shin Megami Tensei IV Masakado was designed by guest artist Yasushi Nirasawa. Nirasawa depicted Masakado as a decapitated head once more, with his appearance being more rotten and corpse like with a neck made of what resemble roots, veins, or exposed nerves. The head has glowing red eyes and is engulfed in flames. For the design of Maskado's Shadow, Nirasawa designed Masakado as a towering giant with the previous design merged with a body made of the earth and city. His body resembles the armour of a samurai with spikes and buildings jutting out of his back, and the arms transforming into a mass of trees as they get further down. His legs and chest are a mass of fire and molten materials.

Gameplay

For complete gameplay information, see Gameplay:Masakado.

Compendium

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Compendium Entries
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey	A general who declared himself the new emperor of Japan, but fell to Hidesato Fujiwara and Sadamori Taira. He was enshrined to quell his spirit, and later became know as the protector god of Kanto.
Shin Megami Tensei IV	Masakado A general who declared himself the new emperor of Japan, but fell to Hidesato Fujiwara and Sadamori Taira. He was enshrined to quell his spirit, and later became know as the protector god of Kanto. According to the Otogizoshi, he was over 210 cm tall, had a body made of metal, and had two pupils in his left eye. However, he had a weakness: his temple was still made of flesh. Masakado's Shadow The body double of Taira no Masakado, which appears in the Otogizoshi. It is said there were seven doubles, or perhaps seven total with the real one included. This number comes from Myoken worship. In the Otogizoshi, the doubles were created from straw dolls, but there are legends which say the doubles were vassals who sacrificed themselves for their lord.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance	A general who rebelled against the Imperial Court in the mid-Heian period: Taira no Masakado. He succeeded in ruling Kanto and declared himself emperor, but was later defeated by Fujiwara no Hidesato and Taira no Sadamori. After death, he was enshrined as a vengeful spirit, but was later viewed as a hero and became revered as a guardian deity of the Kanto region, where he has remained to this day.
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS)	A general who declared himself the new emperor of Japan, but fell to Hidesato Fujiwara and Sadamori Taira. He was enshrined to quell his spirit, and later became know as the protector god of Kanto. According to the Otogizoshi, he stood over 6'10", had a head, arms and legs of gold, and had two pupils in his left eye. His body was made of iron, but his temple was his only weak spot.
Soul Hackers 2	A general who declared himself the new emperor of Japan but fell to Hidesato Fujiwara and Sadamori Taira soon after. He was quickly enshrined as a means of quelling his vengeful spirit, causing him to later become known as the protector god of Kanto. According to the Otogizoshi, he stood over 6'10", had a head, arms, and legs of gold, and had two pupils in his left eye. His body was made entirely of iron, save for his one weak point, his temple.
Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon	A general who declared himself the new emperor of Japan, but fell to Hidesato Fujiwara and Sadamori Taira. After death, he was enshrined to quell his spirit, and later became known as the protector god of Kanto.
Persona 3	Taira no Masakado, hero of the Heian period. He claimed the title "Shinno" (New Emperor) and rebelled against the government. He was killed, but it is said he became a demigod.
Persona 3 FES
Persona 3 Portable
Persona 3 Reload	Taira no Masakado, hero of the Heian period. He claimed the title "Shinno" (New Emperor) and rebelled against the government. He was killed, but it is said he became a demigod.
Persona 4	Taira no Masakado, hero of the Heian period. He claimed the title "Shinno" (New Emperor) and rebelled against the government. He was killed, but it is said he became a demigod.
Persona 4 Golden
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth	Taira no Masakado, hero of the Heian period. He claimed the title "Shinno" (New Emperor) and rebelled against the government. He was killed, but it is said he became a demigod.
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth	Taira no Masakado, hero of the Heian period. He claimed the title "Shinno" (New Emperor) and rebelled against the government. He was killed, but it is said he became a demigod.
Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker	A general who declared himself the new emperor of Japan, but fell to Hidesato Fujiwara and Sadamori Taira. He was enshrined to quell his spirit, and later became known as the protector god of Kanto.
Kētai Akuma Densho	平安時代中期に活躍した武将。現在でも東京の守り神、祟り神として知られている。 出身地：日本 マサカドは、平安時代中期に存在したとされる平家の武将で、鎮守府将軍の子として生まれた。下総を本拠地として勢力を伸ばした後、新皇を自称し新たな国を築くが、藤原家との戦いに敗れた後に殺害され、その首は京都へ運ばれたと言われている。また、マサカドの首は東京を目指して飛んでいったとも伝えられ、当時の江戸幕府はマサカドの霊を鎮めるために東京に七つの社を築いたと言われる。首が飛んできたとされる場所は、現在でもマサカドの首塚として大切に安置されている。 Translation:

Game Appearances

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Shin Megami Tensei

	This section contains major spoilers.
	The contents of this section cover major plot and/or character spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.

If the Hero is on the Neutral route after Tokyo gets flooded, he can visit the Imperial Palace and venture down into B5F where he can meet Masakado. Masakado will say that his duty as a guardian of Tokyo is drawing to an end due to it being worthless to defend in its current state. He notes that instead the Hero can take that role as his power surpasses even the Four Devas that protected Tokyo, and so he gives him his Katana and bids him farewell.

After this, multiple pieces of Masakado's equipment surface in the water where Devas' Halls are submerged for the Hero to pick up.

Shin Megami Tensei II

Prior to the events of the story, Masakado's body was cut into six pieces as a consequence of trying to mediate the dispute between the Amatsukami and Kunitsukami, with the latter trying to overthrow the former and gain back their superiority. The Kunitsukami were being used by the forces of Law and Chaos however, and so once the Amatsukami were overthrown, they tore Masakado apart and then betrayed the Kunitsukami, with the forces of Law then sealing them away in shrines around Tokyo so that no one could get in the way of constructing their Millenium Kingdom. Realizing their mistake, the Kunitsukami secretly collected pieces of Masakado's body in the hope of one day being freed and redeeming themselves.

When Aleph visits the Underground, he is asked by Hiruko to retrieve the six pieces so that Masakado may be revived. After visiting each shrine and collecting the pieces from the freed Kunitsukami, the pieces are taken to the Cathedral of Shadows and fused together into his body, though Mido notes that something is still missing. Upon returning to Hiruko, he will give Aleph the soul of Masakado, finally resurrecting him. He thanks Aleph and heads towards Sealed Iwato. Upon reaching the cave, Masakado will open the entrance, allowing Aleph passage inside so that he may free the Amatsukami from their imprisonment. He then grants him the Sun Pillar, as well as his Katana. He leaves shortly after to rest in order to recover his strength.

Visionaries

Masakado is featured in one Visionary cutscene in the Game Boy Advance and iOS versions of the game.

In "Netsuke of Ren'ami", Masakado is shown in an unknown spiritual realm, it presumably being his soul after being killed in his failed rebellion in Kyoto. He laments his failure and then seems to predict the destruction and conflicts Tokyo will face in the future, wishing for any warriors that will appear to protect Tokyo to be granted his spiritual power to fulfill his will. He determines that even if a million years pass, this oath must be protected.

End of spoilers.

Shin Megami Tensei IV

Masakado is the leader of the National Defense Divinities tasked with protecting Japan prior to God's Plan. His Katana, which acted as his medium, was held by a young man that was a part of the Counter-Demon Force. When God's Plan occurred and ICBMs were launched at Tokyo, this young man sacrificed his life to fuse with Masakado and become the firmament above Tokyo, shielding the city from calamity at the cost of his own life. The damage from the ICBMs left Masakado dormant, with his medium being taken by Skins for safe keeping.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

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Masakado is exclusive to the Canon of Creation. During the battle of Armageddon, Masakado defended Tokyo with unrelenting ferocity, slaughtering countless of the forces of Chaos. Terrified of his power, the armies of Chaos sealed him away in Chiyoda rather than confront him directly. He remains in this state for 18 years until the Nahobino arrives to invade the Demon King's Castle. After fulfilling Yoshitsune's request to challenge Atavaka, the latter mentions a powerful warrior that is sealed within the Chiyoda area, being Masakado. Possessing a group of Miman, he has the Nahobino break the seal on him so that he can finally be free by walking along a particular path to break the spell.

Trivia

• There is leftover unused data for Masakado as a demon in Shin Megami Tensei: Nine. He is of the Fiend race and is level 80.
• Kazuma Kaneko has stated that he has a personal respect for Masakado.

Nomenclature

Names in Other Languages

Language	Name	Meaning
English	Masakado
Japanese	マサカド Masakado
	マサカドさまShin Megami Tensei Masakado-sama	Esteemed Masakado
	将門公Shin Megami Tensei II Masakado Kō	Lord Masakado
Simplified Chinese	将门 Jiàngmén	Masakado
Traditional Chinese	將門Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Soul Hackers 2 Jiàngmén	Masakado
	平將門Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 Persona 3 Reload Píng Jiàngmén	Taira no Masakado
French	Masakado
German	Masakado
Italian	Masakado
Korean	마사카도 Masakado
Polish	Masakado
Brazilian Portuguese	Masakado
Russian	Масакадо Masakado
Peninsular Spanish	Masakado
Turkish	Masakado

Gallery

See Gallery