You’ve seen it. If you’ve spent any time at all in the worlds of Shin Megami Tensei or Persona, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s hard to miss.
A giant, throbbing, green phallic entity riding a golden chariot.
His name is Mara. In the Shin Megami Tensei community, he’s a living meme, a legend, and the source of a million "hard" puns. But honestly, there is a lot more going on with this guy than just a designer at Atlus having a laugh.
He’s actually one of the most mythologically accurate demons in the entire franchise.
What’s the Deal With Mara Shin Megami Tensei and Those Buddhist Roots?
People usually assume the design is just shock value. It’s not. Well, not entirely.
In Buddhist cosmology, Mara is the "Evil One." He’s the tempter who tried to stop Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) from achieving enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. He didn't just send an army of demons; he sent his three daughters—Tanha, Arati, and Raga—to seduce the Buddha.
Basically, Mara represents everything that keeps us trapped in the cycle of suffering (Samsara).
He is the personification of lust, fear, and attachment.
So, why the... you know... design? In Japanese Buddhist slang, the word "mara" has actually been used as a euphemism for "penis" for centuries. It’s a pun that bridges ancient theology with playground humor. Kazuma Kaneko, the legendary "Demon Artist" of the series, took that linguistic double entendre and made it literal.
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By making Mara Shin Megami Tensei look the way he does, Kaneko isn't just being crude. He’s showing you exactly what the demon represents: base, raw, unbridled desire.
It's "The Throbbing King of Desire" in the most literal sense possible.
The Evolution of the Chariot
He wasn't always on wheels.
In the very first Shin Megami Tensei (1992), Mara looked quite different. He was more of a slimy, multi-headed blob creature. It was gross, sure, but it didn't have that "oh my god, is that allowed?" energy that we know today.
Everything changed with Shin Megami Tensei II in 1994.
That’s when the chariot design debuted. According to various interviews with Kaneko over the years, he wanted to emphasize the "conqueror" aspect of desire. Desire isn't just a feeling; it’s something that drives you, that pushes you forward, often at the expense of your soul.
The golden chariot represents the ego and the status that often comes with worldly temptation.
The fact that he’s green is also a specific choice. In many SMT games, green skin is used to denote something inhuman or sickly. It's a "toxic" kind of vitality.
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Why is Mara Actually Good in Battle?
Don't let the memes fool you—this demon is a powerhouse.
In most games, like SMT V or Persona 5 Royal, Mara belongs to the Tower or Chariot arcana and usually sits at a very high level (often late 70s or 80s). If you’re trying to build a physical damage dealer, you’ve probably used him.
The Signature Skills
- Hell Thrust: This is his bread and butter. It’s usually a heavy-hitting physical attack that often carries a chance to inflict the Charm ailment.
- Maragidyne: Because he’s a fire-breathing engine of destruction.
- Phys Pierce: In games like SMT IV: Apocalypse or Dx2, he often gets the ability to ignore physical resistances entirely.
He’s basically a glass cannon. He hits like a truck, but he’s famously weak to Ice.
There’s a bit of developer humor there, too. If you hit him with a "Bufu" spell, he freezes. It’s "shrinkage," guys. The developers are not subtle.
The Popularity Paradox
In 2017, Atlus ran a demon popularity poll in Japan.
Mara won. He beat out the series mascot, Jack Frost. He beat out the literal protagonist’s first demons like Pixie.
Why? It’s a mix of things. Part of it is definitely the "memelord" status. Fans love the audacity of a developer putting a giant phallus in a game and then treating it with complete narrative seriousness.
But another part is that Mara is a rite of passage.
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When you first encounter him in a dungeon—like the "Throbbing King of Desire" boss fight in Persona 5—it’s a shock. You don't forget it. He represents the mature, dark, and often weirdly philosophical edge that sets Shin Megami Tensei apart from other RPGs like Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy.
How Does Atlus Get Away With It?
You’d think the ratings boards (ESRB, CERO) would have a field day.
They mostly do. Most games featuring the chariot design are rated "M" for Mature. However, there’s a bit of a loophole. Because he’s a "monster" and doesn't have human features or actual anatomical details (it’s a green, tentacled thing on a chariot), it often bypasses the strictest censorship rules.
In the mobile game SMT Dx2, they did have to tweak the design slightly for certain regions, but for the most part, the King of Desire remains untouched.
It’s art. Extremely suggestive, weirdly phallic art.
Actionable Insights for SMT Players
If you’re planning on using Mara Shin Megami Tensei in your next playthrough, here is what you need to keep in mind:
- Cover the Ice Weakness: This is non-negotiable. Use a skill slot for "Null Ice" or "Drain Ice" immediately. A single Bufu spell will end your turn and leave you vulnerable.
- Focus on Strength and Luck: His best moves rely on critical hits and ailment procs. Boosting Luck increases the chance of "Hell Thrust" landing a Charm status.
- Use Him for Bosses: Because he often has high physical pierce, he’s perfect for chipping away at bosses that like to spam physical shields (Tetrakarn).
- Check the Lore: Next time you’re in the Fusion menu, read his description. Atlus writers usually sneak in some pretty clever Buddhist references that make the design feel less like a joke and more like a deliberate thematic choice.
He might be a meme, but he's a meme with a 2,500-year-old pedigree.
Just... maybe don't play those scenes while your parents are in the room.