Shin Megami Tensei V daily demon vol. 140 – Chi You

Atlus is back with its latest demon trailer for Shin Megami Tensei V, which shows off Chi You. The creature originally appeared in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE.

Thanks to the Megami Tensei Wiki, we have the following background information on Chi You:

Chiyou is a deity in Chinese mythology that descended from Shennong, emperor of fire and agriculture. This half-man, half-bull war deity helped and led the Hmong and Li Tribes fight against Huang Di: the king who is said to be the ancestor of all Han Chinese. Huang Di lost many of his initial battles with Chiyou but won the final battle with the invention of the south pointing chariot (a mechanical compass without magnet) that allowed him to navigate through the thick fog summoned by Chiyou’s forces. Chiyou was then beheaded by Yinglong, one of the Yellow Emperor’s top generals.

He is worshiped in China as the god of war and weapons and, along with Huang Di, as one of the progenitors of the Chinese people. Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China, worshiped Chiyou and attributed him to his success in conquering his rival states. Liu Bang, the founder of the Han dynasty, was also noted to have worshiped at Chiyou’s shrine before his decisive battle with Xiang Yu.

He also plays an important part in the Miao and Hmong people’s mythologies and folklore, regarded as a sagacious king, godlike warrior and leader, but also as their punishing downfall from grace. According to the tale, Chiyou was betrayed by his closest general and all of the Hmong, and executed by Huang Di, after forbidding the practice of polygamy out of disgust and a need for order. Still alive after his body is dismembered and torn into many pieces, he forever cursed his people to exile, persecution, insurrection, disunity, suffering and the deterioration of their culture until they all repented and prayed for his forgiveness for their sin of regicide, dishonorable betrayal of ethics and carnal selfishness.

The new Shin Megami Tensei V demon trailer highlighting Chi You is attached below.

Shin Megami Tensei V is slated for November 12 on Switch. Additional coverage, including all previous demon trailers, can be found here.