Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne/Characters


List of character for Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne.

Humans and Manikins

Main Character

The protagonist of Nocturne. His human name is up to the player. He's known as the Demi-Fiend around the game (the Hito-Shura in the Japanese Version).

He was originally a normal high school student until he is caught at the eye of the Conception and dragged into the Vortex World. During this time, he is found by the Young Child and forcefully implanted with a parasite known as a Magatama. This transforms his body into a demon, while his heart remains human.

He soon discovers that his identity in the Vortex World is the "Demi-Fiend", a prophesied figure said to hold the key to the Vortex World's recreation.

Depending on which Reason he supports, he can create one of three new worlds at the end of the game. He can also choose to reject the laws of the Vortex World, returning the world to normal, keeping the world trapped as the Vortex World for eternity, or destroying the cycle of death and rebirth itself.

  • And Your Reward Is Clothes: Subverted. During a New Cycle, you have the option of giving him a leather jacket instead of the hooded jacket at the start. The costume change only lasts until the Conception (about fifteen minutes), but the true effect of the new jacket is reflected in the status parameters, which will be slightly different than the base stats of the hooded jacket (the leather jacket has slightly more magic and less strength).
  • The Antichrist: The True Demon ending has you become this.
  • Badass: If you've go for the True Demon ending, by the end of the game, you' fight Lucifer, and depending on your interpretation, you've either become his Dragon, or have outright replaced him as the leader of all demons. Either way, you lead said army and start marching up against no less than God.
  • The Cameo: Makes an appearance as a Bonus Boss in Digital Devil Saga episode 1, where he is infamously hard.
  • Canon Name: Naoki Kashima, which was used as his name in the Audio Novels.
  • Chosen One: And this time, it isn't much of a revelation.
  • Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Aside from beating the crap out of several mythological figures around the game, you get to defeat Kagutsuchi - responsable for the world's reborn - at the end of the game. And if that wasn't enough, if you went for the True Demon Ending, you fight Lucifer right after. And then you finally go for God in the ending.
  • Half-Human Hybrid
  • Meaningful Name: Explained by the game creators, Hito-Shura means one who bears demonic skin with human heart. Demi-Fiend comes to be a proper adaptation.
    • The original, Hitoshura (人修羅) means "human shura", with a shura being a Hindu deity most commonly associated with war and violence.
  • Mythology Gag: The demon motif in his jacket sleeves are icons that were used to indicate demon numbers and status in the classic Megami Tensei games.
  • Nice Guy: Isamu says he was trusting and naive... Though whether he is or not... Depends on you.
  • Not So Different: Is compared to Lucifer in the Freedom ending by Kagutsuchi and Lucifer. Who says that he is drunk on freedom/walk the path of thorns like Lucifer.
  • Otaku: Though his personality is basically up to the player, Chiaki's insult around the beginning of the game would suggest that he likes video games and dabbles in the occult.
  • Power Tattoo: Inverted, as his tattoos are a by-product of his power he loses his tattoos but not all his powers in the Freedom ending.
  • Unwitting Pawn: One possible interpretation of his character, lampshaded by Isamu at one point.
  • Walking Shirtless Scene: After the End. Interestingly enough, according to Word of God this was inspired by, of all things, the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Yuko Takao

A teacher at the high school that the main character attends.

She is popular with the students because she emphasizes logical thinking over rote memorization. She joins forces with Hikawa to bring about the Conception because she is tired of the world, which she sees as full of people meaninglessly wasting their potential, without the energy or drive to make a difference.

As the Maiden of the Vortex World, she expected to be the cornerstone of a world of freedom, but finds herself betrayed by Hikawa and used as a mere tool in his quest for a world of stillness. Her failing is a lack of self-esteem in her own power and ability to change the world. This causes her to be easily swayed by those who possess the confidence and conviction that she lacks, such as Hikawa. In her mind, she was only one small person unable to make a significant difference to a big world. In reality, she was well respected by her students and was already influencing their lives in a positive way: a good example of this is Chiaki's desire to ask Yuko for advice on what she should do after graduation.

She is eventually possessed by a "goddess" from another dimension called Aradia. She continues to rely on Aradia, expecting to be given a Reason and not realising that Aradia is incapable of doing so. In the end, Yuko fails to create her own Reason and is sacrificed by Hikawa to bring his own Reason to fruition.

  • Be Careful What You Wish For: She jumped at the opportunity Hikawa gave her to "become the pillar of the new world"... and she literally ends up as one to help drain Magatsuhi as part of Hikawa's Nightmare System.
  • Demonic Possession: By Aradia.
  • Locked Out of the Loop: She isn't aware that she is the one that has to establish a Reason, not vice versa. Of course, no one ever told her that.
  • Psychologist Teacher: Cruelly subverted.
  • Unwitting Pawn: Not just by Hikawa, but implied to be Aradia's pawn in an attempt to gain power and become a real being.

Chiaki Hayasaka/Tachibana

A classmate of the main character.

Born and raised in an upper-class family, she has a habit of talking down to people. Like Isamu Nitta, she is also drawn to the Conception. Though confused and scared at first, she quickly adapts to the law of the Vortex World and resolves to find answers with her own power.

She is heavily traumatised by her weakness at the hands of the demonic populace, being thrust from a world where she always got her own way to one where she is powerless and abused. Her key fault is pride, for if she had sought help from anyone at any point, she may have realized her own weaknesses and grown as a person. Instead, she struggled alone through the Vortex World, and grew to despise the lower class that she has been dumped into, vowing never to be placed into that same situation again. The result is the Reason of Yosuga: a world without a lower class for her to fall to, where the strong reign supreme and the weak elements of society are purged. This would theoretically create a world where she was eternally safe.

It is interesting to note that in the entire game, Chiaki is one of the only beings that is ever explicitly referred to as "evil".

Isamu Nitta

A classmate of the main character.

He has a relaxed personality; however, he has a tendency to be cocky. He is also very fond of his teacher Yuko Takao. Before the Conception, he is confident and independent, shown by him going off on his own to search the deserted hospital for his missing teacher. In the immediate aftermath of the Conception, however, he struggles to cope with the new world and instinctively seeks out Yuko and the main character for support and help.

He fails to find Yuko and loses all faith in other people, severing all ties to his friends and drawing upon himself for comfort and strength. He resolves to create a world where the Self is absolute, and no-one can interfere with anyone else, thus creating the Reason of Musubi.

Isamu does not seem to be aware of the inherent contradictions between his philosophy and actions. He proclaims that individuals should be inherently isolated, but constantly relies on other characters (the player in particular) for emotional support, help and power in establishing his Reason. Isamu is ultimately spoiled; his desire for a world of Musubi is not because he believes in individuality, but simply because he wants a world where he can do whatever he wants without consequence.

Hikawa

Chief Technical Director of a large communications company called Cybers, and a high-ranking officer of the Gaea cult.

He is said to be the one actually responsible for the occurrence of the Conception. After the emergence of the Vortex World, he organizes the Assembly of Nihilo, which becomes one of the two strongest demonic forces (the other being the Mantra). His dream is a World of Silence, where the dangerous passion of man is neutralized, and everyone is at one with the world: this, he calls the Reason of Shijima.

Hikawa is a mysterious man because he deliberately stays underneath the radar. He was able to hold a powerful position in a prominent communications company without leaking a hint as to his true belief. After the Conception occurs, many believe it to have been the work of the ancient Assembly of Nihilo; no-one suspects that it was actually Hikawa.

He is a man devoted to the Reason of Shijima from the very beginning and acts accordingly. Every move he makes is calm and calculated as he swiftly moves his way towards realizing his vision of a new world. But also like Shijima, he is utterly emotionless in his actions, using Yuko as his pawn and destroying all resistance with no hesitation and minimal effort. Despite his belief that uncontrolled passion and emotion was the source of all destruction, he never seems to connect that it was his own cold desire that led to more destruction than any other human could ever have caused.

Jyoji Hijiri/Aleph

A writer for an occult magazine.

He meets the main character while collecting data for an article on the riot at Yoyogi Park. Even after the Conception, his sense of duty as a reporter pushes him to investigate further. He considers himself too weak to survive in the Vortex World, so he stays within the Terminal Room, studying the Terminals and their connection to the mysterious Amala Network.

Hijiri's main motivation is to discover the truth. Even after the Conception, this goal does not change. He does not pursue Hikawa out of a sense of moral righteousness, but simply because he wishes to learn the meaning behind the Vortex World.

Soon, knowledge becomes everything to him, from him disregarding the worth of human life in the Vortex World to bribing the Demi-Fiend with the facts that he has discovered through the Amala Terminals. With knowledge comes power, and with power comes corruption. However, Hijiri does not seem to realize that he could create a new world until he learns this information through the Amala Terminal. It is also notable that he never mentions the dream that the Demi-Fiend, Chiaki and Isamu all share upon entering the Vortex World.

Completing the optional Fourth Kalpa dungeon reveals that Hijiri actually died when the Conception occurred, having failed to reach the hospital in time. However, he continues to exist in the Vortex World as his punishment for committing the "ultimate sin". Hijiri's punishment is to be trapped in an endless cycle of suffering, death and rebirth, being forced to witness the creation and destruction of each world without having any chance to affect the outcome. Because of this, there is speculation that Hijiri is a Reincarnation of Aleph, the main character of Shin Megami Tensei II, who committed the "ultimate sin" by defeating YHVH at the end of the game.

Futomimi

The leader of the Manikins. He has the ability to tell the immediate future. After he and the other Manikins imprisoned in Mizuchi's mirage had been freed, Futomimi was grateful to the Demi-Fiend.

His visions led the Manikins in their path to find their Reason, wishing to make a world full of Manikins where they were no longer just slaves (or worthless mud dolls as Chiaki liked to claim), starting with the exodus that led to the creation of their village in Asakusa, with him meditating in seclusion in their holy land, Mifunashiro. Sadly, his defeat at the hands of Chiaki (or the Demi-Fiend if he chose to align with Yosuga) left the Manikins without hope, left to watch the new world's birth with no way to control it.

Futomimi is to be later reborn, called back into the Vortex World by the Afterlife Bell. His imprisoned spirit as a wild and rebellious but repentant yanki in the previous life can be liberated from the Maze of Hell in the 4th Kalpa of the Labyrinth of Amala. He will gain new powers and will become part of the Kishin clan, able to be summoned in the Cathedral Of Shadows as the Demi-Fiend's minion.

An interesting attribute of Futomimi is that he is the only Manikin that does not have constant involuntary spasms. This may be because of the purity of his spirit, or possibly because he was born from a single person's emotions (as opposed to other Manikins, who were born from many different people's emotions).

Dante

The protagonist of the Devil May Cry series appears in the game as a guest character.

Dante is an accomplished practitioner of demon-slaying. His business of hunting devils shares the same name as his series. Wielding his custom twin handguns "Ebony & Ivory" and the large sword "Rebellion", no demon is safe from him. Dante is also half-demon himself; however, he uses his demonic powers for protecting humanity. Though he often acts cocky and can be quite a smartass, he hates evil with a burning passion.

Somehow, he's found his way into the Vortex World by mysterious means. He often appears to the Demi-fiend to challenge him to battle (he's classified as a Fiend and thus is in possession of a candelabra needed to advance deeper into the Kalpas). Of course, it turns out he's most definitely not on Lucifer's side. If the Demi-fiend manages to enter the Fifth Kalpa, Dante will offer to join up with him... and won't budge until you say yes. Dante will then flip a coin: if it's heads, you'll only have to pay him 1 Macca to hire him. If tails, then he will take half of your Macca. It's always heads, due to it being a double-sided coin. When all is said and done, Dante will join your party's ranks, regardless of Demi-fiend's alignment or level.

In Chronicle Edition, Dante is replaced by Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th.

Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th

Dante's replacement in the Japan-only release Chronicle Edition.

The protagonist of Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Soulless Army and Raidou Kuzunoha vs King Abaddon, this young man is the newest Devil Summoner to inherit the title of Raidou. As a Devil Summoner, he has the ability to see and hear demons (which are invisible to normal people in his world), along with being able to negotiate with and capture demons to serve as his familiars. He can call on these demons for investigation and combat, as Raidou's day job is that of a detective working for the Narumi Detective Agency. His primary weapons are a katana, a pistol and a collection of summoning tubes hidden within his cape.

Raidou is a silent protagonist, with his feline sidekick Gouto speaking in his stead. Raidou's special attacks mirror Dante's, but have new names. He also can gain the ability "Pierce", a skill unavailable to Dante.

Demons

Heeho/Black Frost

Proprietor of the Junk Shop in Shibuya. He wants to grow strong, and eventually leaves for Ikebukuro, where he contemplates joining the Mantra. He gets imprisoned by them for loitering, but is let off after the Nightmare System is fired. Later on, he ingests a Magatama and transforms into Black Frost, who then freezes and takes over Kabukicho Prison, with several Jack Frosts as servants. You can then face him as a Bonus Boss who can then be recruited as an Optional Party Member.

Kagutsuchi

The mysterious, sentient sun that eternally casts its light over the Vortex World. The Vortex World's denizens measure the time based on the brightness of Kagutsuchi, which is measured in a continuous eight-stage cycle. According to legend, once the Vortex World's Reasons have been assembled, their leaders must ascend to Kagutsuchi itself in order to determine which Reason will become the basis of the new world. It is actually an avatar of YHVH, which he created to oversee the cycle of destruction and recreation of worlds that do not meet his ridiculously skewed standards, with the ultimate goal of eventually creating a world that is fully subservient to YHVH's will.

Samael

One of Hikawa's followers who appears with him at the Diet Building. If the Demi-Fiend attempts to interfere with Yuko's sacrifice, then Samael will step forward to try and stop him. Side with Hikawa, on the other hand, and he will join you on your journey through the Tower of Kagutsuchi.

  • The Dragon: Literally one to Hikawa and should you side with Shijima, he'll become your dragon.
  • Fallen Angel: Depending on the game. If he is, then he is usually part of the Fallen Clan. When he's a Angel, he tends to be part of the Vile Clan.
  • Meaningful Name: Poison of God. His name being one reason why he is part of the Vile Clan in some games.
  • Our Dragons Are Different: A serpent-like dragon that is also an angel.
  • Standard Status Effects: His attack God's Curse can inflict different status effects onto his enemies.
  • Status Buff: Tends to Rakukaja a lot during his fight.

Thor

Gozu-Tennoh's right-hand man in the Mantra Army and also the head jailer in Ikebukuro. He is first seen draining Magatsuhi from and imprisoning Isamu. Thor deserts after the Nightmare System is launched, saying that he has no interest in a dead city and that the Mantra were wrong all along. He shows up again in the Tower of Kagutsuchi regardless of your Reason and will fight you to test your strength. Thor dies after this battle.

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