Fans are still enjoying the recent release of Persona 5 Royal and many are looking forward to the rumored reveal of Persona 6. The Persona franchise, or Shin Megami Tensei as it is sometimes known, is an RPG series that sees the main character and their party members utilizing demons during each battle to help them fight.
These demons are known as personas and you can collect them from battles to add to your team, as well as merging them to create new ones. Persona creature designs range from some that are folklore-inspired, well-known fictional creatures, some that are more gruesome, and also some being downright bizarre. Check out these rather strange-looking persona designs.
10 Moloch
Moloch is a Canaanite god, traditionally presented as a bronze statue with a man's body and the head of a bull that had multiple inner compartments that offerings were placed into. The Persona/Shin Megami Tensei version of this ancient god keeps some of the original lore the same, clearly showing the compartments on his chest and using the upper body of a bull.
However, when it comes to the "body of a man" part, despite there being a humanoid torso with limbs, it becomes more of a stone snake. Additionally, the bull portion of this design is looking very refined with his frilled collar and cuffs, which is odd.
9 Surt
The persona Surt has appeared in many Persona/Shin Megami Tensei titles and has undergone a few visual transformations throughout the series. His most recent form shows him as a strange humanoid with angular features and a flaming sword. Humorously, the strange head shape is reminiscent of the '90s film Coneheads that starred Dan Akroyd.
Surt is based on the Norse legend of the giant Surtr, who was foretold to go into battle against the goddess Freyr and ultimately bring about Ragnarok. Norse mythology presents Surtr as a bearded, hairy giant, similar to any Norseman in everything but size. However, in the game, Surt is definitely more unique looking.
8 Choronzon
Choronzon is a persona that hasn't been used in as many game titles as some of its other persona brethren, but even still, it has undergone a few design changes in its time. It first appeared as a smaller, horned demon, before turning into the horrifying mass of faces in later games, as shown above.
The demon Choronzon was first mentioned in 16th-century writings by the occultists Edward Kelley and John Dee, before being adopted by the occultist Aleister Crowley in the 20th-century and going on to become "the dweller of the abyss" who impedes people from becoming enlightened.
7 Hastur
In literature, Hastur was originally a benevolent god first mentioned in Ambrose Bierce's Haïta the Shepherd but appeared in later works by H.P Lovecraft and August Derleth, where he became known as the half-brother of Cthulhu. Hastur has only appeared in two Persona titles, the first being Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, before being revived as a new addition to Persona 5 Royal.
Though the weird tentacle-like nature of this persona can be attributed to his Cthulu family heritage, it rather oddly appears as partially humanoid.
6 Fafnir
Fafnir is a dragon from Norse mythology, and although early entries to the Persona/Shin Megami Tensei franchise kept the design very dragon-like, later titles definitely decided to stray from the normal design of a dragon when it comes to this persona's form.
Instead, this version of Fafnir looks like a strange mix of the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz and something that H.R. Giger would create (the guy who designed the alien for Alien). This futuristic-looking persona is very far removed from the perception most people have of anything Norse related.
5 Chernobog
In the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei franchise, Chernobog has undergone a few visual design changes ranging from a more demonic form with a scythe, to an armored demon, then finally its most recent form as shown above. This persona now looks like some twisted version of Frollo (the bad guy) from Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame who has acquired an obsession with mushrooms.
Chernobog is a Slavic god that was the dualistic counterpart to Belobog, with them being the "black god" and the "white god" respectively, to represent both evil and goodness. Interestingly, his counterpart Belobog has only appeared in a handful of the franchise's titles, far fewer than Chernobog himself.
4 Forneus
The persona Forneus began as a strange manta ray-like creature in early Persona and Shin Megami Tensei games, but then evolved into something even stranger. The latest versions of this persona make it appear like some strange mix of a man's body stuck on the back of a manta ray, and to top it all off, it's wearing a tiara.
Forneus is mentioned in The Lesser Key of Solomon, a book on demonology that was compiled in the mid-17th century, where it describes Forneus as "the Great Marquis of Hell." Forneus is said to be a great sea monster, so at least his Persona form is in keeping with the lore on this demon in some ways.
3 Satan
When you imagine what Satan would look like, you normally go with the stereotype of a big red horned guy, possibly with some goat legs thrown in and a forked tail. However, Satan in the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei franchise is drastically different from the normal expectations.
This strange abomination is definitely providing nightmare fuel for players. Interestingly, despite Satan being an alternative name to Lucifer, the franchise has a separate persona for Lucifer that looks far more pleasing to the eye in some titles, and far more demonic in others.
2 Piscara
Piscara has appeared in multiple Persona and Shin Megami Tensei games, though it doesn't always look the same. However, in the latest titles, it takes on the rather strange appearance as shown above, which looks as though it belongs in the film Pan's Labyrinth.
The Piscara persona is based on Hindu culture and is a ghost believed to haunt cremation grounds, where it eats bodies. It is believed to have the ability to transform, as well as turn entirely invisible. It is thought to sometimes possess humans and drive them insane.
1 Belphegor
Belphegor is another persona that has appeared in multiple titles, which always seems to take on the form of a horned demon, but isn't always accompanied by his toilet. It's definitely a bizarre design choice, as when you first encounter this demon, it feels as though you've accidentally interrupted him mid-business and the poor guy has to battle before he's finished.
The interesting thing is that Belphegor is believed to give people ideas for new inventions, with the goal of making them rich and greedy. There are many creators who have said they have come up with their best ideas while on the toilet, which makes Belphegor's throne very fitting.