#digital devil monogatari

[pinkrosealice]

CLAMP's legacy as originally starting from doujinshi circles is really fascinating and makes a lot of sense when you understand that a lot of their manga are just straight up loose adaptations or spiritual reinterpretations of some of the most iconic pieces of 20th century japanese fiction, especially literature.

In many ways a lot of their storytelling is best described as "derivative" but I don't really like using that word because it has such a negative connotation. I think CLAMP's genius is actually their ability to iterate on the themes and ideas and character types and other inspirations that they derive from, especially in their ability to translate those elements to a visual/aesthetic format and to add themes of queerness into those stories or highlight the already present elements of queerness.

Like Tokyo Babylon is inspired by Teito Monogatari (and also Peacock King but that in of itself is a subject for a whole other post). And it's not just limited to the quick one-off comedic reference to Yasunori Katō that we see in the beginning of the manga. The title itself is a reference to the first manga adaptation of the Teito Monogatari. And that title choice for the adaptation was itself probably a combination of a deliberate reference to the Book of Revelation which was culturally relevant in Japan at the time for reasons I'll explain in a little bit, as well as the fact that the author of Teito Monogatari based Katō in part on Aleister Crowley. But Teito Monogatari and Tokyo Babylon are fundamentally stories about the exact same subject matter, that is the City of Tokyo itself.

X aka X/1999 is pretty self evidently a loose adaptation of the Digital Devil Story novels, the ones that would go on to be adapted loosely into the Megami Tensei video games. An apocalyptic battle for the fate of the entire world fought in Tokyo between two ideologically opposed groups of super powered beings, one of which is literally called The 7 Angels. There is a magic sword associated with the death of a female loved one, there are references to a whole bunch of religious and occult concepts from both the east and west, and one of the key locations for the plot is an elite private high school. X and DDS/ Megaten are both quintessential examples of media born from the Japanese Occult Boom. Bad Japanese translations of the prophecies of Nostradamus in the '70s that inspired the Book would become mixed with the social and economic chaos that was the Japanese asset price bubble and other late stage capitalist nonsense and then the financial collapse in the '90s is why you have in both Tokyo Babylon (and by extension the manga adaptation of Teito Monogatari) and X this weird obsession for the Book of Revelation in a ostensibly non-Christian cultural zeitgeist. Tokyo was both "Babylon" as in Rome or any sort of other hypothetical city / civilization that represented decadence and degeneration, and it was Tel Megiddo in the sense that it was the place where the end of days and the battle heralding the Apocalypse would commence.

And then Gate 7 is literally just one of dozens upon dozens of fanfic/ rip-off / adaptations of / works inspired by Makai Tensho which came out in the '60s and sort of is kind of the cultural grandfather of novels like Digital Devil Story, Teito Monogatari and the Onmyoji series. It's the modern source of basically every piece of Japanese pop culture that treats the notable historic figures of the Warring States Era as more than just badass warriors but literal demigods, sorcerers and super powered beings. Mirage of Blaze(which also has some pretty clear inspirations from Tokyo Babylon and it sort of exists in a trifecta with TB and Yami no Matsuei in their relation to the Onmyoji novels by Baku Yumemakura but again, that is the subject for another post), Samurai Warriors and Sengoku Basara, pretty much all of the Fate series but especially the original Stay Night and especially especially Redline/ GudaGuda and Samurai Remnant, and a whole bunch of fighting games and Ninja OVA'S are all examples of Makai Tensho's influence.

[dankocube]

day 100 of drawing everyday

Posted all the art on my Twitter (Kishibesballs) wink wink wink go follow if you care…

[slimefox]

Well I watched several OVAs and I can say they sure were what they said on the tin. Don't know what else I expected from Butt Attack Punisher Girl Gautaman, but she sure does Butt Attack Punisher. And Dark Vader is there, for some reason

[annon-guy2]

SEGA Saturn Collection Game Volume Three - Voting Poll

Note 1: Puyo Puyo and Madō Monogatari were owned by Compile until SEGA bought the rights, so it is now a SEGA owned IP.

Note 2: Atlus Games is now a subsidiary of SEGA, so Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers is included here.

Note 3: Even if you hadn't played the game yet, you can still vote for that option if it appeals or interests you.

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Saturn - Tokyo Shadow

Title: Tokyo Shadow / 東京SHADOW [シャドウ]

Developer/Publisher: Taito

Release date: 25 April 1997

Catalogue No.: T-1110G

Genre: Adventure

Take to the streets as a Tokyo detective to solve the mysterious cult that lurks in the shows of Tokyo. I was really looking forward to this title however the piss poor Japanese acting (actually it's on par with their TV dramas) really put me off. The main actress is awful which you'll pick up on straight away just from the introduction alone. Anyway, the game is a mixture of stills and live-action sequences interspersed with text options allowing you to select what happens next. If the acting was better this would have been a pretty cool suspense/horror game but as it stands, it's one for those "Everything Japanese is great" fans. The game is based on a novel by Aya Nishitani, the same lady behind the Digital Devil Monogatari novels that inspired the Megami Tensei franchise.

[the-monkey-ruler]

Shin Megami Tensei (1992) 真・女神転生

Date: October 30, 1992 Platform: Game Boy Advance / Super Nintendo Entertainment System / PlayStation / Sega CD / TurboGrafx-CD / Wii Shop / iPhone / Android / Wii U / Nintendo Switch Developer: Atlus Publisher: Atlus Genre: Role-Playing Theme: Post-Apocalyptic Franchises: Megami Tensei / Shin Megami Tensei / Persona / 52 Games Aliases: SMT / Persona Type: Appropriation

Summary:

A long running series of JRPGs published by Atlus, almost all featuring unrelated stories and characters, but sharing common themes, chief among them being interaction with demons through fighting, diplomacy, control, and cooperation. Shin Megami Tensei is a sub series of the Megami Tensei franchise in Japan. In Japan this does not include Digital Devil Saga, Devil Summoner, or Persona. But in North America, Shin Megami Tensei covers all MegaTen releases.

In translation, Shin Megami Tensei literally means "True Goddess Metempsychosis." Philosophical jargon, "metempsychosis" refers to the unending process of birth, death, and rebirth, which is prevalent in Buddhist thought and this belief is featured quite heavily in the story line of many SMT games. Although that is the literal meaning, the meaning understood by western fans of the franchise is "The Resurrection of the Goddess". The title is taken from the original game in the Megami Tensei franchise, Digital Devil Monogatari: Megami Tensei; a game in which one of the primary characters, Yumiko Shirasagi, is the reincarnation or rebirth of the goddess Izanami in human form. The original Shin Megami Tensei was the third in the Megami Tensei series, following the Famicom releases of the original Megami Tensei and Digital Devil Monogatari: Megami Tensei II. Shin Megami Tensei first appeared on the Super Famicom in 1992. The game was followed by two more Super Famicom releases; a sequel, Shin Megami Tensei II, and a spin-off, Shin Megami Tensei: if…. All three entries were later remade for other platforms.

In 2001, Atlus released the first two Shin Megami Tensei titles on the PlayStation with a number of enhancements. The remakes introduced a "Normal" mode that reduced the difficulty for both games, while the "Expert" mode retained the original difficulty. Special FMV cinemas were included as well. The GBA remakes released in 2003 produced identical graphics to those of the PlayStation remakes, but eliminated the new difficulty level, the FMVs, and the 3D wall scrolling effect. In turn, the GBA remakes received a new Options mode that let players customize the auto-battle AI, message speed and color display. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne was released in 2003 in Japan. Nocturne surprised audiences by taking advantage of the PlayStation 2 and sticking to the classic elements of SMT's storytelling. It is also the first entry in the Shin Megami Tensei series that saw an official release in North America and Europe. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, released on the Nintendo DS in North America in 2010, is, like if…, a spin-off of the series, and moves the action from the traditional setting of Tokyo to a demon-infested dimensional rift in Antarctica. On May 30th, 2012, Atlus announced Shin Megami Tensei IV for the 3DS; the latest primary entry in the series.

Source: https://www.giantbomb.com/shin-megami-tensei/3025-711/

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amNB_zssSsQ&ab_channel=BuffMaister

[xbuster]

I’ve always said I wasn’t a big fan of dungeon crawlers, but I do really like Madou Monogatari, Etrian Odyssey, Phantasy Star, and Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei, so maybe I should try more

[nintendowife]

The Nintendo 3DS / Wii U eShop is closing down in a couple of days so I’ve been making some last minute panic purchases during March. Here’s what I got this month so far, in case some of these spark your interest.

Crimson Shroud  What is it? An experimental RPG inspired by tabletop role-playing games. Follow the tale of a young man and his team as they find themselves drawn into the mystery of the Original Gift, the Crimson Shroud. Only available digitally on Nintendo 3DS.

The Denpa Men 3: The Rise of Digitoll  What is it? RPG that uses Nintendo 3DS AR features. Find and catch Denpa Men that live among radio waves in the real world and use them in combat to explore dungeons.

Pandora's Tower What is it? An action RPG originally released on Nintendo Wii in 2011. Break a curse that threatens to transform a beloved friend into a horrific beast. Available for Wii U in the eShop.

Pocket Card Jockey What is it? Game that combines the thrill of horse racing with the classic card game solitaire. There's even a story included!

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney What is it? Visual novel adventure puzzle game where Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright work together to solve a mystery. Combines the puzzle and exploration elements of Layton series and the trial mechanics of Ace Attorney series.

Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale What is it? A farming simulation RPG where farming is mostly optional. Crossover between PopoloCrois (a popular fantasy manga from 1978) and the Bokujō Monogatari series (formerly known as Harvest Moon and now Story of Seasons). Only available digitally in Europe.

Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson What is it? A fast-paced 2.5D side-scrolling beat 'em up game with lots of playable characters. Can the Hanzo and Hebijo Shinobi Academies unite and work together to fight an army of summoned demons?

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked What is it? A tactical RPG spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei series. Demons have invaded Tokyo and the city is in lockdown. You are inside the lockdown - will you survive? Forge contracts with demons who fight by your side, make decisions that will mean life for some and death for others.

[aokozaki]

whats a recommendation for something you're quite enjoying currently for music, games and shows?

Caligula Effect Original Soundtrack

Digital Devil Saga 2

Monogatari Off & Monster Season

[toyotasoarer]

nosy

[vgprintads]

‘Digital Devil Monogatari: Megami Tensei‘ [デジタル・デビル物語　女神転生]

[FM-7 / MSX / PC-80 / PC-98 / X1] [JAPAN] [MAGAZINE, PARTIAL] [1987]

I/O, May 1987

Scanned by taihen, via The Internet Archive

[blackstoneheart]

Anime : digital devil monogatari

[layzner]

[r-specht]

Finally finished the 6 fanarts challenge. I'm glad I got some wacky suggestions!

[6ad6ro]

[ichise]