Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne/Characters

List of character for Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne.

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.

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 * 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).
 * Badass: If you've go for the True Demon ending, by the end of the game,
 * 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: And if that wasn't enough,
 * 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 in the Freedom ending by Kagutsuchi and Lucifer. Who says that he is drunk on freedom/walk the path of thorns like.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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.

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 * Be Careful What You Wish For: She jumped at the opportunity Hikawa gave her to "become the pillar of the new world" . ..
 * 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

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.

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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".


 * Break the Cutie: She's genuinely scared/much, much nicer during the start of the game, but then having find her Reason and getting, added with the pressure the Vortex World give to her really do the job.
 * Dub Name Change: Her last name is changed because of character limits.
 * Eyes of Gold:
 * Red Right Hand:
 * Social Darwinist
 * White Haired Pretty Girl:

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.


 * Batman Gambit:
 * Complaining About Rescues They Don't Like
 * : See the spoilered section above.
 * Nice Hat
 * Walking Shirtless Scene: After ... though considering what's underneath, you'd probably wish he wasn't.

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.


 * Bait and Switch Boss: After he delivers his speech to you upon meeting in the Assembly, he deserts and leaves behind Ose, one of his servants.
 * Big Bad: Initially.
 * The Chessmaster
 * Even Chaos Has Standards: He was considered a heretic even among the Gaea Cult, so he made sure all his rivals were wiped out before the game even began.
 * Morally Ambiguous Widow's Peak
 * Puzzle Boss:
 * World of Silence: What he hopes to achieve.

Jyoji Hijiri


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.

Completing the optional Fourth Kalpa dungeon reveals that.


 * Brilliant but Lazy: He's arguably one of the most knowledgeable characters in the game, if not the most, but he doesn't put much of his knowledge to use.
 * :  One has to wonder what he did to deserve something like that. (Assuming the Epileptic Tree mentioned above isn't true.)
 * Intrepid Reporter: He was a journalist pre-Conception, but keeps investigating the world after it takes place.
 * Nice Hat: It doesn't get a Memetic Mutation status like Isamu's, though.
 * Nice Hat: It doesn't get a Memetic Mutation status like Isamu's, though.

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. . 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.


 * Awesome but Impractical: He cannot learn Pierce, so he's not all that great to use against Lucifer. In random battles he's a godsend because of his incredible resistance to everything except almighty attacks.
 * Badass: This is Dante we're talking about.
 * Badass Longcoat
 * BFS: Rebellion.
 * Blue Eyes: Icy and piercing.
 * Composite Character: He has the look and weapons from Devil May Cry 2, but his personality is like that of his Devil May Cry 1 self.
 * Defeat Means Friendship
 * Demon Slayer
 * Guest Fighter
 * Guns Akimbo: Ebony & Ivory.
 * Half Human Hybrid
 * Non Elemental: Stinger, Show Time
 * No Sell: He's one of the very rare party members that's immune to Death, Expel and Status Ailments.
 * One Hit KO: Stinger has a chance to cause instant death. If it doesn't, it still deals heavy almighty damage.
 * Recurring Boss: He's fought twice, at least. Although any occasion other than those two necessary ones ends up in a Curb Stomp Battle in his favor.
 * Status Buff Dispel: Holy Star, which works the same as Dekunda.
 * Throwing Your Sword Always Works: And comes with two elements:
 * Blow You Away: Whirlwind
 * Shock and Awe: Roundtrip
 * White Haired Man

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.


 * Badass
 * Badass Cape
 * Hello Insert Name Here: Raidou the 14th is his title, not his name. His real name is created by the player in his home games.
 * Heroic Mime
 * Hotblooded Sideburns
 * The Musketeer
 * Nice Hat
 * Non Human Sidekick: Gouto.
 * Summon Magic
 * Suspiciously Similar Substitute
 * Sword and Gun
 * Voice for The Voiceless: Gouto speaks for him.

Heeho/
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,


 * Evil Makeover:

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.


 * The Evils of Free Will
 * Elemental Powers: Uses all four elements during both fights.
 * Knight Templar
 * Light Is Not Good
 * That's No Moon: Though it does act as one for a similar moon phase system during the game.

Samael
One of Hikawa's followers who appears with him at the Diet Building. If the Demi-Fiend attempts to interfere with, 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.


 * 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.
 * The Dragon: Literally one to Hikawa

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.


 * Establishing Character Moment: His aforementioned beating-up of Isamu. To further establish his character, he throws you into prison as well.
 * Judge Jury and Executioner: The Mantra Army Court he presides.
 * Shock and Awe: It's Thor, what do you expect?
 * The Dragon: To Gozu-Tennoh and later, sorta.
 * Win Your Freedom: Sure. He can respect ya. Just prove you're not a wimp.