#SMTIVA

[yarrayora]

how to educate your kids

#shin megami tensei #shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #smtiva #smt4a #shin megami tensei apocalypse #smt iv apocalypse #smt iv final #shin megami tensei iv #smtiv #smt iv #smt4 #smt nanashi #smt asahi #asahi smt #nanashi smt #abbot hugo #smt boss #boss smt #smt jonathan #jonathan smt #smt isabeau #isabeau smt #smt navarre #navarre smt #yarra makes comics #yarra draws stuff

[rustyburacedraws]

Handle your ghostly friends gently

#shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #smtiva #smt4a #navarre #smt #megaten #smtiv #Rusty Squiggles

[thishappenedinsmt]

#thing i made #based on something i tagged on an earlier post. do NOT ask how long this took if you want to remain proud of me as like. a person #smtiv #smtiva #megaten #shin megami tensei #uhhhh i foget the tags. ummm #anyway i couldnt rest until i completed this and got it OUT OF MY BRAIN

[furinana]

The downplayed significance of Nanashi's family dynamic with Boss and Asahi

Before we start, let's cut the main root of concern for many people: The concept of Nanashi and Asahi being a possible romance option. Would it be taboo in Japan?

From a legal viewpoint: No. According to Article 734, Paragraph 1 of the Civil Code, marriage is legally recognized for non-blood adoptive siblings.

[Panel from Neko no Otera no Chion-san]

For historical background, here's a translated excerpt from Oshiete (Q&A Japanese website):

"[...] Before the war, it seems that there were many cases where daughters were adopted by families with the intention of becoming their sons' wives in the future. Also, if a girl was born as a biological child after a boy was adopted, there were inheritance issues, so the two would often be set off to marry. Nowadays, parents are no longer allowed to decide to whom a child will marry, but they cannot stop their children from wanting to get married as well".

Asahi and Nanashi are basically in a gray zone where they ''could'' be called siblings by social definition but nobody-cares-or-thinks-it's-a-big-deal if they decide to marry, specially given their circumstances of growing in a devastated Tokyo.

[Puppy love... everything goes back to Asahi being a Pascal reference.]

They don't call each other or are referred to in any way by words synonymous to brother and sister. Despite the elephant in the room that Boss took care of both, nobody raises a brow because they aren't blood-related. The best you could say is that they're technically an example of this trope.

Gender roles be damned, one could go as far as think that Boss's constantly telling Nanashi to look after Asahi (repeating it even in his last breath) enforces the incredibly narrow line between adoptive father and father-in-law...

[Three different instances prior to the unseal of Krishna where the same dynamic plays. In the first one, Nanashi complies to what Boss asks of him in both options; from then on, the option box doesn't show anymore, with the third instance being the most indicative that Nanashi being obedient to his father's figure (thus contrasting with Asahi's impulsiveness) is an established fact.]

Now, if we were to comment on Nanashi's individual relationship with Boss through the clues we were given... Nanashi certainly felt distant given that he only referred to the man that raised him as "Asahi's dad" and moved on rather quickly compared to Asahi (or that's how the world he lives in expects him to).

Hallelujah is the only character that was able to sense that Nanashi might hide unsolved feelings underneath his composed persona, and it says a lot considering how Hallelujah would often be in awe of how reassuring his peer felt compared to himself.

Hallelujah's friendship with both Nanashi and Asahi is earnestly felt through the story but it's particularly intimate in this part.

That being said... while Boss would be shown as more protective of Asahi, an attentive player would notice the few glimpses where he also displayed fatherly feelings towards Nanashi.

The most subtle and yet telling example is Nanashi's design itself. What would come first to someone's mind over Nanashi's punk attires and fondness for those lyrics from a John Lennon song would be that they come from his own preferences alone. But then one of the relic descriptions reveals this:

And yet, Boss was also the guy that lacked self-awareness regarding his partiality towards his own daughter compared to the unnamed orphan he took care of... well, it's complicated. Certainly not a black-or-white relationship.

[Similarly to Asahi, Boss reacts in a more positive tone if Nanashi decides to stay 'nameless' as he's been since birth. Manabu and the rest of the cast are impartial to what Nanashi chooses]

It's ironic that the people Nanashi felt the closest to were the ones that grew attached to his lack of name. We have seen fair reasons for Nanashi to be read as a protagonist that perceived a clear distinction between him and Asahi but hints of family affection from Boss are felt nonetheless.

Am I insecure and have attachment issues from being an orphan? Despite everything, was I still a child blessed with love from those around me? This is the turmoil inside our protagonist's mind where it's our role as the player to figure out which answer he would give. And just like the middle ground tends to be the biased view for the SMT4 duology instead of relying on extremes, you could conclude that both statements can be applied for Nanashi's background.

But the rather understated yet possibly most important element from this discussion is the "untold" consequence of the act of Nanashi sticking with his placeholder name behind the themes of the main antagonist of the game. As YHVH's power is amplified through his followers' fear of pronouncing his name (thus staying unreachable and not be at risk of being distorted as other deities), the parallel in the Massacre ending becomes intrinsic as the one who snatches YHVH's throne for himself is none other than our John Doe Protagonist, going from an anonymous human to an anonymous God.

Perhaps Nanashi unintentionally turned out to be the ultimate form of protection a father could give to his neglected adopted son.

#smtiva #shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #smt iv apocalypse

[rustyvanburace]

#shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #smtiva #smt4a #jack frost #megaten

[sorenblr]

For me personally Apocalypse will always rank above V because V suffers from something worse than choosing friends or The Edge: Boring. It’s boring, and it manages to completely fall flat on its face with its themes for each route that it only makes being boring worse. I was always entertained by Apocalypse, good or bad that I liked about it, which made its flaws something I can digest. V doesn’t have that.

(In response to this post from last month)

Fair enough! I think, at least, that IVA will be the more interesting game to look back on a decade from now, for representing such a bizarre attempt at genericizing the series. I mean that in the literal sense, i.e. by importing all these self-conscious genre tropes that the series has traditionally defined itself against. So it's at least novel in that context, whereas V and its thoughtless recitation of series-specific tropes is anything but. That's obviously an infamous distinction, but you really have to work the angles when it comes to these two games.

#ask #smt #megaten #smtv #smtiva

[cake-apostate]

It occurred to me that if you count IF and Strange Journey, Nanashi is the seventh mainline Shin Megami Tensei protagonist.

(For context, the number seven keeps showing up around him. 'Nana' in Japanese is seven, he gets seven partners, his starting stats are all sevens, etc.)

#shin megami tensei #shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #smt4a #smt nanashi #nanashi smt #shin megami tensei apocalypse #smtiva #smt iv apocalypse #smt iv final

[thebladeblaster]

In case anyone ever needs information on the Demon Gene here

Warning: Spoilers for Shin Megami Tensei IV, Apocalypse, Demonic Gene, and Prayers

Things to know:

-The pandemic variant seems to be completely different than if it was triggered individually

Pandemic variant (As seen in the dlc)

-Causes a demonic transformation

-Very significant power boost

-Everyone becomes a hive mind mindlessly serving YHVH

-It’s contagious and you can catch it even if you don’t have the DG because it’s implied that Nanashi can catch it

-Their souls can’t be messed with by anyone who isn’t YHVH. Dagda tried but he couldn’t affect them with his powers.

-Someone has to agree to start it for everyone

-If the one who agreed to trigger it dies or as Hugo calls himself “the voice of God” dies everyone infected dies

-Everyone’s souls are linked together

Normal variant (As seen in IV, the Demonic Gene, and Prayers manga)

-Causes a demonic transformation

-Triggers within an individual if they feel very extreme negative emotions which is usually triggered by literature

-Very significant power boost

-Not contagious

-No forced obedience or linkage if anything it is the complete opposite wherein they become extremely rebellious and radical

-In the mangas only it seems that those with the DG become stronger from consuming/absorbing demons (This is shown in both Demonic Gene and Prayers)

Very significant power boost

For comparison a Walter (probably level 1-5) who was regularly using a demon as weak as Centaur was able to defeat Yaso Magushi effortlessly. Issachar who has never fought any demon was able to fight four prentice Samurai at once but he did ultimately lose.

Minotaur is a level 14 demon and he got oneshot. So considering how much stronger Issachar got that isn’t too ridiculous.

However Yaso Magatsuhu is level 46 and was defeated in an instant. That implies a much more significant boost similar to the one Hope and Hugo got. They got boosted from being practical fodder to being able to fight Anarchy Nanashi and at least hurt him. Hugo was implied to formerly be a Samurai so he would have some strength at least.

Not confirmed (but probably true AKA headcanon)

It seems like the power boost is either some sort of multiplier since depending on the base the person seems to become more powerful the stronger they are.

For example

Note: This is not the multiplier this is just an example to illustrate my point.

Assume Issachar is a 1, Walter is a 5, and Hope and Hugo are 10s. If the multiplier was 5 then it would be like this.

Issachar: 5

Level 1-5 Walter: 25

Hope: 50

Hugo: 50

Or it could be completely different depending on the person. Who knows.

-Likely the reason they can use magic

-Can easily learn skills from demons

-Become stronger or weaker depending on their emotional states

#shin megami tensei #smt iv #SMTIV #smt4 #smt iv apocalypse #smtiva #smt4 final #abbot Hugo #dagda #commander hope #walter smt #asuma smt #nanashi smt #ys smt #issachar #gina smt #Yaso magasuhi #minotaur #demonic gene #prayers #manga

[oozmium]

SMT4F Collaboration Cafe Menu PT. 2

Translator: @twilightmalachite

ENG Proof: Elegy

This is a translation of the demon cocktail menu, which was separate from the character cafe menu. This allowed you to "fuse" demons via mixing alcohol and cocktail, alongside the extra addition of a "stat incense".

Base 1

Odin (Gin)

Cu Chulainn (Vodka)

Adramelech (Rum)

Sukuna-Hikona (Tequila)

Tenkai (Whiskey)

Medusa (Blackcurrant Liqueur)

Alice (Peach Liqueur)

Inanna (Campari)

Maitreya (Lychee Liqueur)

Centaur (Tiffin)

+

Base 2

Chironnupu (Tonic)

Jack Frost (Soda)

Pyro Jack (Cola)

Napaea (Orange Juice)

Mermaid (Grapefruit Juice)

Pixie (Lemon Juice)

EXTRA

St Incense (Orange Curaçao)

Dx Incense (Herbal Tea)

Ma Incense (Blue Curaçao)

Ag Incense (Mallow Blue Tea)

Lu Incense (Pernod)

#smtiva #smt iv apocalypse #smt4a #smtivf #megaten #translations

[navarresimp]

Gaston hitting the Willem Dafoe and also my completed collection of SMT IV duology manga(the second demonic gene manga was a nightmare to find online and took 3 months of shipping and had been sent from Japan to Germany twice for whatever reason)

#smt iv #smt iv apocalypse #shin megami tensei 4 #shin megami tensei iv #smt4 #gaston smt #smtiva #shin megami tensei iv final #shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #demonic gene #smt iv prayers

[windupvivis]

smt:iva redraw (we love u flynn)

#flynn smt #smtiv #smt4 #smt iv final #smt iv apocalypse #smtiva #smt iva #flynn my bestie #my oomfie #smt #shin megami tensei 4 #shin megami tensei apocalypse #smt fanart #smt art #smtiv flynn #my art

[yarrayora]

nanashi WISHES he has aogami instead

#smt nanashi #smt dagda #nanashi smt #dagda smt #shin megami tensei #shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #shin megami tensei iv final #smtiva #smt4a #smt iv final #smt iv apocalypse #yarra makes comics #yarra draws stuff

[rustyburacedraws]

[ SMT IVA ] Asahi

#shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #smtiva #smt iv apocalypse #asahi #megaten #smt4a #rustyburacedraws #smtiv

[thishappenedinsmt]

NANASHIPOSTING ! 2 !!!!

feat. some demons also

#smtiv #smtiva #smt iv apocalypse #nanashi smt #thing i made #the demon ones ive been sitting on for a min bc i couldnt find a good way to incorporate them soooo #i LOVE projecting onto protags its my favorite activity #megaten

[furinana]

damn straight

#smtiva #shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #it's fun to imagine crossdressing nanashi picking toki for aesthetic reasons because they'd look like two little gothic lesbians

[rustyvanburace]

I think one of the unsung morals in SMT IV Apocalypse is the danger of placing all your hopes or entire worth into another person. What might be called a parasocial relationship.

The Real Flynn is by no means self-centered or hostile since he does very much care for the people of Tokyo. All the same though, while good and necessary that he revived their hopes in IV's neutral route, his celebrity status posed a problem as people began investing all their hopes and expectations in him. That when he was kidnapped by Krishna, it immediately led to defeated anguish and fearful uncertainty. It also motivated some Hunters to take action, but there was nonetheless a permeating sense of doubt and loss of direction.

Flynn inspiring hope in the hearts of Tokyo was never meant to rally people around him as their one and only savior, but to encourage them to take charge in their own lives for a better tomorrow. Nonetheless though, the former was what ultimately happened. And I think it was that loss of a savior and the desperation to have him back that made Tokyo so especially vulnerable to Shesha Flynn's manipulation.

What especially stands out to me is during Armageddon at Camp Ichigaya when "Flynn" rallies his Hunters to recklessly charge at Merkabah and Lucifer, essentially throwing their lives away out of thoughtless, blind trust. Nanashi can try to stop them, but it just angers the Hunters and gets him accused of protecting their enemies. The Hunters are not thinking for themselves whatsoever.

IVA stresses throughout the game the importance of thinking for ourselves and making our own decisions. There are many who fall victim to blindly following the angels or demons. And there are also far too many who blindly follow Flynn as their sole savior, which the Divine Powers took advantage of.

A recurring theme in IVA is possession and I would think this to be an extension of that. IVA cautions us not to deeply invest in someone at the cost of our own needs or independence. Whether that person is a celebrity, a politician, a friend, a relative, or anyone else. Even if that person isn't actually taking advantage of us, the one sided'ness and worshipping in any relationship is all the same still unhealthy and dangerous.

#Disclaimer that I'm not arguing that the Real Flynn actually is manipulative or taking advantage of the people #He isn't but that doesn't mean the blind following is healthy either #shin megami tensei iv apocalypse #smtiva #smt4a #smt iv final #smt4a spoilers #megaten #rusty's analyses