Who is Cthulhu: SMT Lore

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  • Опубліковано 28 чер 2024
  • Patreon: / tony4you
    Twitter: Tony4YouYT
    #mythology #smt #persona
    0:00 Intro
    1:00 Call of Cthulhu Summary
    9:39 Book Discussion
    10:14 Cthulhu in SMT and Persona
    11:44 Outro
    HP Lovecraft's mythos can be a difficult one to understand. Even after reading a few of Lovecraft's works you may not be able to fully appreciate the splendor of the scenes he describes, specifically because they are so meant to be incomprehensible. To know the unknowable, to see the unseeable, that is what Lovecraft and his mythos hopes to describe. Sneaking into Shin Megami Tensei and Persona Lore, the monster's of Lovecraft's canon and the Cthulhu mythos make a big splash. Much more than mere horror stories and monsters told of around the campfire, the Cthulhu outer gods are beings of myth and legend that will stick with you for a long time. Learning about them in Shin Megami Tensei and Persona lore is just the tip of the iceberg. There are very few names in the space of literature as well known as H.P. Lovecraft. When it comes to horror and psychologically mind bending descriptions, he reigns as king. Whether it’s creating sweeping vistas in the mind or bone chilling descriptions of beasts beyond understanding, there are countless examples in his work. So with that being the case, a game like Shin Megami Tensei based on demons and monsters, in fiction and mythology, it’s no surprise that some of the Lovecraftian canon snuck its way in there. Today we are going to be covering Cthulhu, the most recognizable of Lovecraft’s cosmic beings that appear in the Shin Megami Tensei games. Some play a small role in the narrative, while others can be blamed for causing entire worlds to end. Without any further ado, let’s talk about the Lovecraftian entities of Shin Megami Tensei and Persona.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 119

  • @Tony4You
    @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +12

    Join the discord: discord.gg/kakjGjtTyh
    Leave any video suggestions here!

    • @100Servings
      @100Servings 4 місяці тому +1

      I still say you should take a look at Orgone energy, after the Orgone Ghost demons in the original Devil Summoner. It's an interesting topic of pseudoscience that I think your audience may like. Mister Tachyon did an episode of his show on the subject if you need a reference.

  • @KrankuSama
    @KrankuSama 4 місяці тому +498

    HP Lovecraft would have loved the Megami Tensei wiki because it's very efficient at categorising races.

    • @BlankPageEmperor1334
      @BlankPageEmperor1334 4 місяці тому +65

      I HATE HOW CORRECT THIS IS

    • @tuckernutter
      @tuckernutter 4 місяці тому +16

      Shiiiit

    • @changvasejarik62
      @changvasejarik62 4 місяці тому +28

      Wonder what he would have thought of morgana.

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +57

      This is so true

    • @klaus.sfc01official30
      @klaus.sfc01official30 4 місяці тому +6

      ​@@changvasejarik62 demon spawn just a demon spawn worse than lucifer worse than the worst being in any religion ever.
      Morgana telling you to go to sleep is the worst suffering that can be unleashed upon a human being.

  • @windego64
    @windego64 4 місяці тому +168

    The way he added Sonichu so casually 😭

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +72

      Shoutout to horrors beyond mortal comprehension

    • @giovanniprovost
      @giovanniprovost 4 місяці тому +5

      Chris Chan truly is the prophet of the GREAT YELLOW ONE. @@Tony4You

    • @Fermin-hw5pd
      @Fermin-hw5pd 4 місяці тому +7

      Tony has been spicing the editing on his videos lately, I love it xd

    • @SecretRareJinzo1
      @SecretRareJinzo1 3 місяці тому

      @@Tony4YouPlease, make a video about my first two videos. Anyway, the name of channel is called, "Joe Titanium!!" I created a ORIGINAL superhero and a ORIGINAL super heroine, who can one-shot all of the gods of H.P Lovecraft. This IDEA has NEVER been done BEFORE!!

  • @lhfirex
    @lhfirex 4 місяці тому +93

    The Kaneko design sure is something. Maybe he drew it like that because he didn't want to tip anyone off about belonging to the cult of Cthulhu.

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +21

      This explains so much...

    • @Abd0_25
      @Abd0_25 4 місяці тому +12

      He didn't want to "tip"...

  • @SeruraRenge11
    @SeruraRenge11 3 місяці тому +11

    Not that many of Lovecraft's protagonists actually go insane. What usually happens is they learn about something that completely shatters their conception of the world from the perspective of a white dude living in 1920's New England, and they just become really scared and paranoid about what might be out there. It's not so much that gaining forbidden knowledge drives you crazy, it just makes you wish you never learned about it. It's like if you discovered that Hell is real, but Heaven isn't, and that we all go there when we die. You'd wish that you had never learned that and feel utterly powerless to do anything about it. And it should be noted that everyone else sees you as crazy, but in your own mind you're completely lucid and rational in your thoughts.
    Lovecraft always explained what was going on in excrutiating detail, there's a story where Yog-Sothoth just outright talks to the main character and tells him what's going on. Nyarlathotep plainly states how he's been roaming around human society for millenia fucking with people basically just for his own amusement. Threats in his stories were never unknowable, and the fact of the matter is NOT knowing is infinitely less scary and less dangerous for someone living in that setting. Do you know what happens to the plucky adventurer who shoots a Deep One, has no idea what the fuck is going on, and leaves thinking he did his job? He goes home and nothing bad happens to him, he's unironically too stupid for all this cosmic shit to get to him. The researcher with him understands that the monster represents some utterly insane shit and loses his mind, being forcefully committed to an asylum as he's become a gibbering madman trying to make people understand the horrors that mortal minds fear comprehending and that we're all fools for thinking reality is what we claim it is.
    There's not really such a thing as "the unknowable", there can just be motivations that you can't understand how they logically reached that conclusion. When Lovecraft made something "unknowable", he wasn't saying we CAN'T understanding it, but rather we SHOULDN'T because it's so horrific that to understand such a truth brings one to madness. The entire point of cosmic horror is to show out pointless our existence is in the grand scheme of the universe and we could all be consumed by a giant space squid tomorrow with it just viewing us as another mouthful on his fork.

  • @mariofan105
    @mariofan105 4 місяці тому +40

    Need that Tony audio Book

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +12

      One day I want to do audiobooks, it's a dream of mine!

  • @maskedsaiyan1738
    @maskedsaiyan1738 4 місяці тому +46

    HP Lovecraft was a master at existential horror. I want Cthulhu or Azathoth for Shin Megami Tensei 5 Vengeance.

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +19

      Sadly I don't think they have the guts to make Cthulhu in to a 3D model considering the contents lol

    • @anders6326
      @anders6326 4 місяці тому +3

      Azathoth in Royal was pretty tight. They even evolved into the perfect man, too.

    • @rubenjacobs334
      @rubenjacobs334 4 місяці тому +2

      They could have Doi come up with a new design like he did for Artemis.@@Tony4You

    • @Mitarari
      @Mitarari 4 місяці тому +1

      Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't play P5/P5R yet.

    • @costelinha1867
      @costelinha1867 3 місяці тому +4

      @@Tony4You Couldn't they just... make another design? Cthulhu wouldn't be the first, nor only demon in SMT to have multiple different designs.

  • @Championoko
    @Championoko 4 місяці тому +29

    Oh nooooooooo when you know the design before watching the video!

  • @NotCatchy
    @NotCatchy 4 місяці тому +19

    Honestly the Lovecraft entities are some of my favorite SMT designs.

    • @abekvt
      @abekvt 3 місяці тому +3

      fr they got drip

  • @gustavocolomaoporto2055
    @gustavocolomaoporto2055 4 місяці тому +12

    i love hp Lovecraft, i wish horrors beyond my comprehension where real

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +5

      One day we will see them, I believe!

  • @ocelot-sensei4384
    @ocelot-sensei4384 4 місяці тому +13

    I had a little brainstorming session few days ago where I came up with a hypothetical setting for Shin Megami Tensei spin-off or perhaps even a numbered title or sequel where alongside Law, Chaos and Neutral there would be a fourth one dubbed "Void", which is represented by all kinds of Lovecraftian and Cosmic abominations hellbent on transforming reality itself into their own unfathomable image where not even gods or demons matter to them, unknowingly led by Azatoth, the one whose dream the reality itself is alongside Lucifer, YHWH and even the Great Will or Axiom as it's also known as are.
    The Law and Chaos alignment factions are at such a critical point where even they have to form a temporary alliance to oppose the Void faction as it alone is much more powerful than neither on their own.
    The main character of course can join this new alignment and in its ending, transcende into a conscious level of a Cosmic Abomination where no Earthly needs nor wants matter any longer. Makes a tyrant like YHWH seem like a bargain at that point, but this of course comes down to philosophical preference; are you able to sacrifice everything you've cherished and understood till that point for something that may lead to a new way of perceiving the entirety of reality itself.

    • @anders6326
      @anders6326 4 місяці тому +2

      That’s one hell of a pitch - I love it!
      We would’ve actually gotten a great antagonist in Nyarly had Atlus chosen to remake the correct Persona game. But naw, we just got depressed high school simulator with no engaging plot for 1/3 of the game, instead.
      Hopefully, we get a new mature game with adults in the near future. Poor Baofu. ._.

  • @kurenian
    @kurenian 4 місяці тому +16

    Great video! Would like to see the other Old Ones in SMT biographed

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +2

      I hope to cover more for sure!

  • @RigalicReign
    @RigalicReign 4 місяці тому +44

    The first thing I think of when I hear HP Lovecraft is his cat, it had a funny name. I would like to pet it.
    Meme aside tho I think Cthulhu has become incredibly overhyped but by that same token being in the Narylethotep fan is becoming about as overhyped these days.

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +12

      Nyarlethotep clears Cthulu but in terms of name recognition it is no contest

    • @masterseal0418
      @masterseal0418 4 місяці тому +3

      If you're not black, don't mention it by name only.

    • @greasysmith3150
      @greasysmith3150 4 місяці тому +7

      I am black and i thibk you should say it. Shout it!

    • @miso.1993
      @miso.1993 4 місяці тому

      ​@@greasysmith3150yeah lol if they are bold enough to say that shit. im black too and i hope they dont

    • @DronesOverTheMoon
      @DronesOverTheMoon 4 місяці тому

      ​@@masterseal0418🥷Man

  • @zeitcrystal4403
    @zeitcrystal4403 4 місяці тому +8

    The Dx2 story event for Cthulhu is really cool imo. The protag and two others get attacked in their dreams and the protag kinda goes crazy.

    • @darklordliam
      @darklordliam 3 місяці тому +1

      And it ends with Cthulhu actually catching the protagonist, also seemingly letting us go (as if Cthulhu understood our role in that game’s approaching apocalypse)
      One of the better event storylines of that game, along with the Demiurge and Moloch stories.

  • @tinybee7780
    @tinybee7780 4 місяці тому +6

    The unique designs that H.P. Lovecraft managed to come up with is definitely one of my favorite things about the mythos, especially those inspired from the creatures of the deep ocean.
    I really hope we get to see Soejima's interpretations once they decide to incorporate more H.P. Loveraft creatures or gods, or themes in SMT.

  • @klaus.sfc01official30
    @klaus.sfc01official30 4 місяці тому +3

    Today i learned that cthulhu is in SMT because of course it is :)
    Can i just state how SMT manages to make every religion work at the same time without disregarding anything? I just love that about this series.

  • @EinSilverRose
    @EinSilverRose 3 місяці тому +1

    Cthulhu and the other gods don't immediately destroy a human if the person sees them. In some of Lovecraft's works a human does indeed see the true form of a god and they survive. It's really only a matter of whether or not can handle seeing such a colossal and strange looking being. Someone has even seen Azathoth and was only bed ridden in a hospital for a few days.
    Another example is how Nyarlohotep has a familiar who acts as his Earthly avatar and the only way to banish it is for someone to see Nyarlohotep's true form and not go insane which has been done a few times within the Lovecraft works.

  • @ahmedfalahy9337
    @ahmedfalahy9337 4 місяці тому +3

    There is a dungeon crawler RPG called *The Lost Child* featuring The Old Ones, including Cthulhu and the others, as the main bosses
    Design is very interesting, look it up when you have the chance

  • @jasonblundelldobebussing
    @jasonblundelldobebussing 4 місяці тому +8

    Cthulhu is uncle grandpa from 3rd Подъезда, located at Пушкина Street, Бабушкина House, 8.

    • @Fermin-hw5pd
      @Fermin-hw5pd 4 місяці тому +2

      Uncle Grandpa is Cthulu's far relative

  • @100Servings
    @100Servings 4 місяці тому +2

    This was a great one Tony! You covered so much, but still left plenty for fans to research on their own. I also appreciate that you focused on the monster, and not Lovecraft himself. He's become rather controversial in the modern day, but we're not here to talk about that.
    When I was in the Navy, my primary job was basically oceanography, which in the modern day meant I did very little oceanography and a lot of boarding operations. Regardless, we gather data all over the world as our ships go about, usually related to temperatures and depths. I read years ago that a Navy ship got strange readings while passing over the supposed location of R'lyeh. I've never looked into it more, but perhaps I should.
    Also, I still love the graffiti from the book Needful Things by Stephen King. Painted on a wall in spray paint is "Yog-Sothoth Rules", named after Cthulhu's grandfather. There's about a thousand questions about who made it and how it got there, but since Stephen King is a hack, he offered no explanation.
    Keep up the good work! I liked your religion seminar in KHC's Linda3 video. You just can't help yourself...

  • @Stray_waif
    @Stray_waif 4 місяці тому

    Banger video as always!!!

  • @rexailos475
    @rexailos475 4 місяці тому

    I did not watch the video yet but I have a feeling it's gonna be a hit in terms of views. Keep it up!

  • @alucard002x
    @alucard002x 3 місяці тому +1

    Great summary from The Cthulhus mythos, love Tony's thoughts about the book and how out of nowhere this little guy with a very noticeable stinger appears. Talk about whiplash!
    Anyways, Tony I think a Nyarlathotep video is mandatory at this point... Gonna be hype for sure.

  • @bubbletea_
    @bubbletea_ 4 місяці тому +2

    looks like villgax from ben 10, although he was pretty intimidating (in the original series at least).

  • @JackieJKENVtuber
    @JackieJKENVtuber 3 місяці тому +1

    Please make a video on the gods and demons of Catherine!

  • @EhurtAfy
    @EhurtAfy 4 місяці тому

    Great video, also SMT V Vengeance hype 😁

  • @stuntmankelp3198
    @stuntmankelp3198 4 місяці тому

    Tony? For me? (I think this every upload and it never gets old)

  • @PyrZero72
    @PyrZero72 4 місяці тому

    As a huge Lovecraft fan I look forward to you covering the other outer gods and great old ones.

  • @angwelio
    @angwelio 4 місяці тому +3

    If sonichu and Cthulhu got into a fight
    Which one is the most incomprehensible being for the human mind

  • @fireorb2
    @fireorb2 4 місяці тому

    I think it's amazing that such a guy who had an emotionally depressive life, in addition to a deep fear of the ocean, created something that basically was true to his own personal fears and anxieties.

  • @nahidahamed1742
    @nahidahamed1742 4 місяці тому

    finally some HP Lore

  • @grandsome1
    @grandsome1 3 місяці тому

    To be fair Cthulhu looking grotesque is pretty much on brand you're suppose to say WTF when you see a Old One...then be afraid and then lose your mind.

  • @boyyladd
    @boyyladd 3 місяці тому

    Now I need a video covering Nyarlathotep :)))

  • @LassBisharp
    @LassBisharp 3 місяці тому +1

    Can you do a video on Cthulu's brother? The King in Yellow himself? Hastur?

  • @dragowolfraven3806
    @dragowolfraven3806 4 місяці тому

    H.P Lovecraft would love the SMT series. I have a book full of his stories. Waiting for SMT V: Vengeance.

  • @alang.bandala8863
    @alang.bandala8863 Місяць тому

    Ironic, a great old one powerful enough to drive to madness everyman... its slayed by a boat

  • @czms922
    @czms922 3 місяці тому

    Hp Lovecraft when he runs into XP HATECRAFT

  • @hayaokakizaki4463
    @hayaokakizaki4463 4 місяці тому +1

    "When HP Lovecraft's name is said, the first thing you think of is probably Cthulhu"
    Haha....

  • @user-bj5bo9ei9l
    @user-bj5bo9ei9l 4 місяці тому

    Teehee you said dripping 3:27

  • @jasonblundelldobebussing
    @jasonblundelldobebussing 4 місяці тому +2

    Tony4Cthulussy

  • @johanandersson8252
    @johanandersson8252 4 місяці тому +3

    A big squiddly boy 🦑

  • @BlankPageEmperor1334
    @BlankPageEmperor1334 4 місяці тому

    TONY 4 MY PERSONAL INTERESTS TONY FINALLY EXAMINES /MY/ PERSONAL BELIEFS IN A REASONABLE, ACADEMIC, AND SYMPATHETIC MANNER *capslock off* but I am definitely very sorry about H.P. Lovecraft. You know why.

  • @cgcurctct8ccottccricorc8rc86
    @cgcurctct8ccottccricorc8rc86 3 місяці тому +2

    Hp lovecraft characters losin their mind bcuz they saw a big fish

  • @diavolo5997
    @diavolo5997 4 місяці тому

    I would love to see an actual SMT game where the typical forces of chaos are replaced with the gods of Lovecraft such as in The Lost Child.

  • @giovanniprovost
    @giovanniprovost 4 місяці тому

    Can you please explain Scathach mythology and her relationship to the other dieties in that area of the IRL world? Love me some floaty thigh witch. :)

    • @Fermin-hw5pd
      @Fermin-hw5pd 4 місяці тому +1

      Explain every irish mitology in 1 video Tony, we dare you

  • @AlonzoTompkins
    @AlonzoTompkins 2 місяці тому

    Still one of my favorite lesser used mythologies in SMT. Not enough love for the cosmic horrors in games.

  • @Vailsiren
    @Vailsiren 4 місяці тому

    man, watching this video is like watching a masteful shitpost
    with the funkopop, sonichu, honkai star rail's nihility Aeon (IX), and of course Lovecraft's Cat...
    well done Tony4You, very based

  • @dimis_plays
    @dimis_plays 3 місяці тому

    I had to do a double take when I saw sonichu show up

  • @absoul112
    @absoul112 4 місяці тому

    So I wasn’t seeing things, and that was a phallus in the design.

  • @jasonblundelldobebussing
    @jasonblundelldobebussing 4 місяці тому +3

    Justin Trudeau - Prime Minister of Canada - vs. Cthulhu in SMT when? 😂

  • @dantemustdie00
    @dantemustdie00 4 місяці тому

    I'm hoping Doi can do hom justice with a proper redesign, cause yeah Kaneko's version ij u st looks like something different

  • @thekidnexttome1
    @thekidnexttome1 4 місяці тому +2

    Tony4Youlhu

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому

      Shoutout great old ones!

  • @scientistservant
    @scientistservant 4 місяці тому

    I want Sonichu in SMT

  • @mps51297
    @mps51297 4 місяці тому

    "The first thing you think of when it comes to Lovecraft is probably Cthulhu"
    Nah it's what he named his cat for sure 😂

  • @TheGajknight
    @TheGajknight 4 місяці тому

    Everyone always asks who is Cthulhu but no-one ever asks how is Cthulhu. 😢

  • @someguy4852
    @someguy4852 4 місяці тому

    Does Chathulu only appear in Dx2?

  • @anungunrama8882
    @anungunrama8882 4 місяці тому

    Boat >

  • @magnawaves
    @magnawaves 4 місяці тому +1

    Uhhhh biased much Tony? I don't see you digging up any old works with this much DEPTH about mara or imp! Lovecraft? More like you love crafting tall tales to buff up your videos!
    (I'm playing Tony please don't sacrifice me fr fr no cap)

  • @JahleelSingh
    @JahleelSingh 4 місяці тому

    Do not look up HP's cat's name!!

  • @Se7enBeatleofDoom
    @Se7enBeatleofDoom 4 місяці тому

    Japanese game devs tend to get Lovecraft more than Western devs.

  • @natenamaxisbored
    @natenamaxisbored 3 місяці тому

    Sorry man ama huge SMT fan, but when I hear Chutulu I think South Park 😂

  • @ssjsylver
    @ssjsylver 4 місяці тому

    As I'm watching this the video has 666 likes.... yeah that makes sense

  • @TheStrongestLaPaz
    @TheStrongestLaPaz 4 місяці тому +1

    Shin Megami Tensei/Persona is temporary.
    Lovecraft is Eternal.

  • @jasonblundelldobebussing
    @jasonblundelldobebussing 4 місяці тому +2

    Cthulhu is the original, immortal name of the first cat of Lovecraft. Do you know his cat's REAL, MORTAL name? 😂

  • @bullblood_fan17
    @bullblood_fan17 4 місяці тому +3

    they should add lovecraft's cat as a new demon in smt vengeance, it had a nice little name

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +4

      Lovecraft sure had a way with names

  • @megansturino
    @megansturino 4 місяці тому

    Cthulhu? more like Cthu-you

  • @Barquevious_Jackson
    @Barquevious_Jackson 4 місяці тому +6

    Lovecraft is so mid. He has to be the most overrated author of all time.

    • @BlankPageEmperor1334
      @BlankPageEmperor1334 4 місяці тому +2

      He would agree with you lol

    • @Tony4You
      @Tony4You  4 місяці тому +5

      Kinda agree to an extent, but his monsters sure are interesting

    • @hayaokakizaki4463
      @hayaokakizaki4463 4 місяці тому

      I would argue the monsters are the least interesting part of Lovecraft

    • @costelinha1867
      @costelinha1867 3 місяці тому +1

      @@BlankPageEmperor1334 to be fair, from my experience, pretty much every author/artist under the sun is extremely insecure about their work so.... yeah, probably...

  • @auxcide
    @auxcide 3 місяці тому

    kozaky lore video when?