THE KOTOWARI SYSTEM:

Learn about the three main Kotowari (Shijima, Yosuga, Musubi) in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster and how they shape the game's world and your choices.

Alright, let's talk about the Kotowari system in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster. This is super important because it's basically the core of the game's plot and how the new universe you'll help create will function. Think of it like picking the 'laws' for this new reality.

The world as you know it has been destroyed, leaving behind an 'embryo' that's going to develop into a brand new universe. The Kotowari you choose will determine what kind of universe that is. The word 'Kotowari' itself means 'logic' or 'reason' in Japanese, but in Nocturne, it's more like a 'set of natural laws' for this new world.

The Three Kotowari

There are three main paths you'll encounter:

SHIJIMA: "At One with the Universe"

This is the first Kotowari you'll learn about, and it's the one the architects of the Vortex World originally intended. Shijima is heavily influenced by Buddhist philosophy. The ultimate goal here is a universe of pure silence and inner peace for everyone. In this kind of world, individual desires and passions are gone, and everyone is just a part of the whole, like cogs in a giant, stable machine. It's about being 'at one' with everything, where each person is both nothing and everything simultaneously, existing in eternal peace.

YOSUGA: "Might Makes Right"

Next up is Yosuga, which is a bit of an 'elitist' philosophy. Here, power and ability are everything. If you're not strong or useful, you won't have a place in this new world. It's all about the naturally superior individuals building and maintaining the balance. The weak will be purged, and the new world will be a paradise exclusively for those who have proven their natural talents. It's a harsh meritocracy, basically.

MUSUBI: "Every Man an Island to Himself"

Finally, we have Musubi. This Kotowari is all about extreme individualism and social isolation. The self is considered supreme, and everyone gets their own little pocket universe where they can exist freely and independently. Nobody suffers, and everyone enjoys absolute superiority without stepping on anyone else's toes, because nobody ever interferes with anyone else. It's a world of isolated solitude, where everyone lives in their own personal paradise.

Choosing which Kotowari to align with will have major consequences on the story and the kind of world you end up with, so pay attention to the philosophies presented as you play!