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KANEKO’S CRIB NOTES XXXVIII: MEPHISTO

WithSMTIV:A finally westward-bound it’s about time we put the finishing touches on our semi-ongoing coverage of the designs introduced therein, courtesy of artist Masayuki Doi. But hey, at least we’ll be going out on a high note with Mephisto, golden boy of Faustian legend and apparent purveyor of ignominious anime beach scenes!

RIght off the bat, Doi’s rendition is tilling heavily from the traditional theater dress worn in play and opera adapted from the Faust legend: a varying ensemble of red and black replete with pompous frills and occasionally certain jester-like features (notably emphasized in Kaneko’s original design employed in Megami Tensei II). But to narrow it down a bit, Mephisto’s primary inspiration appears to be the illustration pictured above, taken from a series by artist Leon Salut titled L'Art du Travestissement, circa 1885. Just about every feature of the torso is faithfully reproduced, while the less contiguous elements, such as the admittedly dapper cap, are simply culled from other takes on the iconic costume. Throw in some horns and such to suggest more hell-spawn than theater troupe and you’ve got one of the game’s more compelling fresh faces.

Mephisto himself is unfortunately locked away in some decidedly, uh, divisive DLC; practically a Faustian pact in and of itself. It’s a shame, seeing as, for our money, Mephisto stands among Doi’s greatest contributions to the roster.