Shin Megami Tensei and her personality The spinoffs may seem like separate worlds, but they share a roster of recognizable monsters to face in turn-based battles. described as demons Shin Megami TenseiThese creatures are typically drawn from various mythologies and religions, namely Judeo-Christian beliefs and eschatology. Yet one example, though the design of the beast is rather confusing, comes from Greco-Roman fables instead.
Since the original Shin Megami TenseiCerberus has been one of the monsters that players fight when deciding between order and chaos. But despite its name, this mighty dog only has one of its three iconic heads. There are actually several different explanations for this, one of which is tied to the franchise history on the Super Famicom.
Cerberus Didn’t Always Have Three Heads in Greek Mythology
Although Cerberus is best known as a three-headed dog, various stories depict him with all sorts of skull combinations. For example, the first written version of Cerberus (or Kérberos in Greek) was in the book of Hesiod. theogony. There, the beast dog had fifty heads, while his poet friend Pindar described it as having 100 heads. Horace would simplify things a bit by giving him a single head, even though his back is covered with numerous snakes. Apollodorus used the same snack back, despite the more common three-head association.
In historical art, Cerberus had no more than three heads. One of his first artistic depictions was on a single-headed cup found in Argos. The relationship with snakes also depended on it. theogony, where Cerberus was the child of Echidna, the half-snake. This is reflected in the creature’s design. Shin Megami Tensei franchise and its spinoffs, here the dog has a long, reptilian tail. Cerberus also looks a bit more cat-like in appearance in later games, but his origins in the series definitely make him a one-headed dog.
Shin Megami Tensei’s Cerberus Was Originally an Ordinary Dog
Firstly Shin Megami Tensei In the game, the protagonist has a dog named Pascal, whose nickname is based on a programming language. Players can recruit Pascal to their demon faction after defeating the hero’s mother’s killer. Combining the dog with any demon will result in the creation of the mighty Cerberus demon, which is actually stronger than normal. Given that the creature is the “enhanced” form of a normal pet dog, it’s understandable why it only has one head. Pascal would return Shin Megami Tensei II, survived the events that killed his former master. Therefore, the depiction of Cerberus since then can be seen as a throwback to Pascal.
However, there are exceptions to this design in the franchise, namely in the spin-offs. For example, in Person 3Cerberus actually has three heads, and his gray and blue lithe form contrasts sharply with Cerberus’ white lion-like design in other games. He’s in the game as Persona for Koromaru, who is also a dog. The classic version of Cerberus is still accessible in the game, but for this the player must use a cheat device. Will be brought back for this design Person 4 and Person 5.
Changes to Cerberus were also present in the original. Soul Hackers. Despite retaining the white color scheme and reptilian tail, this Cerberus also had three heads, making it a first in the series to match the more common depiction of the dog. Generally, Shin Megami Tensei The franchise plays fast and loose in how it portrays the protector of the Underworld, but that’s not unexpected given how it uses elements from other mythologies.
