One of Shin Megami Tensei's most defining facets is the incredibly varied and creative designs of its demons. These demons are made up of mythological beings and gods from around the world, and their mythos is often well represented in their looks, attacks, and methods of recruitment or creation.
Shin Megami Tensei 5 continues this long tradition, with both classic demon designs from Kazuma Kaneko and brand new ones from Masayuki Doi, all being revealed daily up until the game's release. However, in a cast of literal hundreds, there are some demons that stand out as the best demons in SMT 5 in terms of design elements, animations, and how well they represent their given mythology.
Updated by Stephen Morin on 12/18/21: Shin Megami Tensei 5 is out, and both new and old fans are experiencing the latest entry in one of the whackiest JRPG series ever made. All of the demons have been revealed at this point. In light of this, some new demons have been added to the list as well as a few minor updates. It’s incredibly hard just to pick a few favorites, so venture forth and enjoy all the great demon designs Shin Megami Tensei 5 has to offer.
15 Lucifer
Lucifer is famous in Abrahamic religions for defying God and falling from paradise. He has been around since the very first SMT game but has been remodelled in recent games.
This new design is far more sinister than his original appearance—which looked like a businessman in a Halloween costume. Now he has a truly demonic face with two horns and six wings. He bears a slight resemblance to Final Fantasy’s Ifrit but with a more apocalyptic aesthetic. The swarm of black matter around him is the icing on the cake. This is one demon you would not want to mess with.
14 Neko-Shogun
Some of the best demons in SMT 5 are in fact, adorable. Neko-Shogun is a Chinese general who conquered Vietnam. However, his surname sounds like the word for cat in Chinese (Mao), so his temple was misnamed, and Neko-Shogun was born.
There is just something fascinating about a cat in giant Chinese armor. His helmet is fitted for his ears, his flags bear paws, and even his staff has the shape of a cat at the top. This design is so purrlicious that it’s impossible not to want to see him pounce into action in the game.
13 Mermaid
Mermaid is a newer demon who made her first appearance in SMT 4 Apocalypse. What makes Mermaid stand out is how well she fits the lore of traditional mermaids. Mermaids are incredibly beautiful, but they are seen as a bad omen for fishermen, portending storms and even luring male sailors to their untimely deaths.
Mermaid is undeniably beautiful, and her design incorporates a splash of darkness with the two floating demon heads that accompany her. There is both beauty and darkness and anyone standing in her way should beware.
12 Chernobog
Chernobog is the Slavic god of darkness. Unlike friendly gods, he was not worshipped but feared and avoided. Though Chernobog made appearances as early as SMT 2, his newer design really captures the destruction and darkness behind this eery demon.
The mushroom head looks alien and dystopian. The dour attire and simple yet gigantic sword add to the bleakness. There is a sense of mystery behind this demon, and that is where the terror and fascination lie, making him one of the best demons in SMT 5.
11 Thor
Thor is the god of thunder in Norse mythology, and he was popularized by the Marvel comics and movies. He has been around since the very first SMT game, but the modern redesign worked wonders.
While SMT 5’s Thor is still identifiable to the masses, he has a crazed look in his glowing eyes and a hunched posture that would frighten his more family-friendly incarnations. He still has his signature hammer and cape, but this tortured Thor looks like he is ready to take no prisoners.
10 Orobas
Orobas is one of 72 demons of the Lesser Keys of Solomon who will answer any questions about the past, present, or future to the one who summoned him. He will also grant them goodwill and dignity.
He's such a fun and unique design, a slightly more exaggerated take on his described appearance: a human body with a horse head. Orobas is playful, with both his walking and casting animation reflecting that, which represents his generally good nature well.
9 Jack Frost
He's based on the European snow spirit that appears every winter and melts in the spring. He's adorable but that exterior belies great cruelty, as he enjoys freezing lost people solid.
This is a slightly redesigned version of the classic Kaneko design, but it stays true to the original's sensibilities. The adorable grinning face, cute boots and hat, and bouncy animation make it easy to understand why he's such an enduring mascot for Atlus all these years and one of Shin Megami Tensei 5's best demons.
8 Amanozako
She was created when Susano-O spit out his malice, which in turn makes her the embodiment of violent tempers and maliciousness. She's the ancestor of both Tengu and Amonojaku.
Despite her design wildly differing from her old woman self in actual mythology, her tiny pixie look is undeniably cute. She has great idle and attack animations, embodying that liveliness you'd expect from her. Her cutscene animations are expressive as well, really showing the love and care put into her model.
7 Hayataro
A sacred dog from Kozenji, a temple in Nagano, Japan. He fought and killed monsters that threatened the temple but tragically died from his wounds. He is still remembered for his bravery to this day.
His design was purposely exaggerated from his dog-like mythological appearance to be more wolf-like in order to give him a striking and noble look — a gambit that pays off well as he both embodies the virtuous nature of his legend and stands out far better against other similar demons. The large mane of fur and his eyes are particularly noteworthy, complementing his simple yet regal animation.
6 Chironnupu
Its name means fox in Ainu and it’s a sacred beast that warns of impending ill omens. Its howl from the mountains is its warning that imminent disaster is approaching.
It's a simple yet excellent design that translates incredibly well from the source material of Shin Megami Tensei 4: Apocalypse. Its tiny body and fox mask radiant cuteness, which works well in conveying its helpful and good nature. Its normal and unique attack animations are a great example of simplistic being the best, with a nice bounciness clearly added in for extra cute points.
5 Angel
They are the messengers of God who guard humans, warning them when they stray from the path of righteousness. Out of all angels, they're the lowest in the hierarchy and the most human-looking.
Doi redesigned Angel based on their Shin Megami Tensei 2 look, but with some more than welcome differences. They now wear a golden mask, which highlights both their holiness and their more mechanical and colder selves. The ruthlessness in which they carry out their orders is more pronounced, not to mention how well done their unique cast animation and chant is. The universal recognition they convey combined with the unique design easily pens in as one of the best demons in SMT 5.
4 Fafnir
Hailing from Scandinavian mythology, he was written about in the Volsunga Saga in the 12th century. He is an evil being with venomous breath, walks on snake legs, and shakes the Earth as he moves.
His classic metallic design conveys his inhumanity well, and his massive size in the field dwarfs most other demons. He has cool attack and flying animations as well. But the most effort clearly went into his voice — a deep, loud, vibrating, and robotic sound that shakes your eardrums.
3 Fionn Mac Cumhail
He's the leader of the Fianna and a hero of Irish mythology. When he went to train with a Druid, she instructed him to cook a fish of knowledge. He was burned and kicked his fat-covered finger, which granted him great knowledge.
Every facet of his design is incredibly well thought out and beautiful. Even his thumb is discolored and he presses it to his lips when he casts, as a reference to his mythos.
2 Anahita
A water goddess that hails from Persian and Zoroastrian mythology, she is both a fertility and war deity. She rides a chariot pulled by four horses and battles and defeats both demons and warlords.
Her design from Strange Journey Redux not only translates well into the 3D space but is enhanced by the transition. You can see the water ripple beneath her human shell and crest like waves to form her hair, re-enforcing that her body is simply a disguise hiding her true elemental form. Her idle animations are smooth and filled with subtle nobility, while her battle animations are fierce and full of power.
1 Manananggal
She’s a witch from Siquijor, an island in the Philippines. She’s able to split her body, fly using bat-like wings that grow from her back, and drink the blood of humans.
The design choices on this demon are absolutely impeccable, from her sultry yet demonic voice to her beautifully animated lower and upper body (complete with both halves of her spine moving separately), to her flying and casting animations. It’s clear that plenty of love and care has been put into making her stand out exceptionally well among a sea of excellent designs, which is even better as this is the first Philippino demon in a Shin Megami Tensei game.