Game Mechanics - Blog Posts

SMTIV's hilarious extortion mechanic and its meme status in the Japanese fandom

The grey morality of the alignments has nothing against pure greed.

[spoilers for both SMTIV and SMTIVA ahead]

1) Rundown

In Shin Megami Tensei IV, after purchasing the Fundraise App from Burroughs, Flynn will be able to request Macca from foes during battle. -> Foes will give Macca in small increments, at which point you can ask for more or stop talking and accept what you've been given. -> They may become infuriated upon being asked for Macca or repeatedly asked and attack the party. -> Occasionally, they will even simply give up and grant you a large sum.

2) Explanation

The rewards you get from only killing enemies are much more scarce in SMTIV compared to previous titles. Money is needed for buying good gear and filling your demon compendium, so you can understand how pivotal for game completion farming for Macca is in SMTIV. Hence the option for earning much faster through the Fundraise App.

On an additional note, the best way to take advantage of this method is through inflicting the enemy with the bind ailment before asking them, as it'll work 100% of the time with three turns worth of money without a chance of being attacked. Also, since enemies don't have a money limit, you can repeatedly fundraise from the same target as long as it's afflicted with the status.

Comic by みゃべ. This is a redraw of this meme

Flynn's boldness goes so far that not only random encounter demons but even story bosses can be targeted as well, including past companions:

3) Fan response

This uniquely cruel feature shocked Japanese fans so much that Flynn became commonly referred as a カツアゲ王 Extortion King .

@kingyo_neko "I don't think there's a more ruthless extortion king than Flynn. Unlike the first SMT protagonist, who only targeted Temple Knights, Flynn is an indiscriminate street attacker."

@ametoya "Someone said that Demi-fiend was the King of Chaos while Flynn is the King of Extortion."

To such an extent that many became flabbergasted by the contrast of how his personality was handled in SMTIVA:

@Fomalhaut15 "It makes me sick to my stomach to see Flynn, who has been mercilessly extorting his enemies previously, being called a star of hope and a hero by those around him."

@kakougg "The Flynn I know was a guy whose hobby was extorting demons, I don't think he was any sort of savior" @kuuusuke009 "The image of Flynn was of a protagonist without personality, but in SMTIVA he has become an eloquent young man, and I thought 'You lying bastard… you took off your pants and tried to stick something up your nose, beat up hunters in the tournament, and even tied up demons and robbed them…!'"

@sanbonosrmkr "Me playing SMTIVA: 'The Flynn I know extorted even the weak, and was merciless even to his peers…! He's a murderer, he's not a sociable, righteous person!'"

@kitaonglacier "Frankly, the only thing Flynn should be respected for are his extortion skills."

4) The junior extortionist continuing the legacy

While Nanashi's negotiation apps decreased in quantity (Dagda probably doesn't want you fooling around compared to Burroughs), Nanashi's greediness doesn't leave the older protagonist to shame.

In fact, the amount of fundraising targets is even bigger than the previous title's, with grunts from Ashura-kai and Ring of Gaea being particular examples of which Flynn couldn't dialogue previously while Nanashi is able to not only talk but do it in a threatening tone:

And if you thought that becoming a savior made Flynn give up on his old ways, you couldn't be more wrong! Flynn's (in)fame regarding stealing only became stronger with SMTIVA's release:

5) Flynn and Nanashi's fund partnership

Translation of SMTIVA's official guide, page 45:

> Additional funds provided by Flynn

While accompanying you in the Bonds or Massacre Route, Flynn will provide additional funds if you're successful in fundraising.

You can earn more money in the Bonds route, however Flynn will only follow you in YHVH's Universe. In the Massacre route, you earn less money but Flynn will accompany you wherever you go.

When farming for money (whether for the Demon Compendium or to purchase equipment), it's a good idea to make use of Flynn.

> Conditions for Flynn to acquire additional funds

Route | Occurence conditions | Effect

Bonds route | Give the fishing hook to Flynn and it will always activate when Flynn is in-battle inside YHVH's Universe | 1.5 times the amount of money earned per successful fund

Massacre route | Activates with probability of 50% after fund. If the enemy becomes affected by the bind status, it will definitely be activated. | 0.5 times the amount of money earned per successful fund

[Recorded usage of both routes (please click to zoom in!). Asahi is the best partner for fundraising as she's the only one that won't hurt the enemy which means it'll stay alive for much longer to suck it dry.]

Fans absolutely couldn't leave this feature uncommented:

@atumiko "Whenever he acted all cool I'd be like 'I don't know such a beautiful Flynn... who the heck is this guy...' But when he started doing his extortion thing, I realized 'Ah... this is the Flynn I knew...'

Flynn not only hunts after targets to steal from but also occasionally gives you pocket money that must come from his pillaging. I think it's not right to praise this guy as a savior"

@mousugu26 "I was shocked when Flynn started raising my funds. It's unprecedented for the protagonist of a previous game to be treated like a mugger. So it's canon after all?"

@shibakani3baisu "I love Bonds Flynn's gentle voice when mugging..."

@0225And "I think I'd be happy if Flynn-senpai put me in a bind state then mugged me gently and pleasantly with his handsome voice."

@kitaonglacier "Flynn in SMTIV mugs with a dirty look on his face, but Flynn in SMTIVA mugs in a gentlemanly way.

The sequel made him ooze so much gentleness to the point of even turning him into the kind of person who gives the money they extorted to their junior."

@tohuyasan "I like how Flynn seemed to want to say 'You're still lenient, Nanashi' to Nanashi's extortion. #don'tyouhaveanymoreanymore*"

* Fans love to quote まだあるんじゃないか" (don't you have anymore?) and それだけかい (is that it?), the two sentences Flynn say during fundraising

@maida0493 "Flynn is the best, he doesn't forget his spirit of extortion even after becoming a Godslayer… He rips off his opponents with such a deep voice…"

@yokarebing "In my opinion, Flynn's voice when extorting doesn't sound threatening. It's a normal and soft voice that gives the impression he's smiling while doing it, which makes you feel he's a pro at this.

Flynn helps you with stealing funds so it's the best, I do nothing but mug people at this point. I don't care about YHVH, I just want to keep extorting others with Flynn for the rest of my life"

6) Fan names

The most popular fandom term that has been used since SMT4 is 緊縛ファンド kinbaku fando (bondage funds) for when you fundraise targets inflicted with the bind ailment. I once saw a Western fan referring to it as "Bind Fund" so there's your ENG equivalent

When referring to Nanashi receiving additional fundraising from Flynn, fans say 追いファンド oi fando (mugged funds). As shown above, the term used in the official guide is フリンによる追加ファンド Furin ni yoru tsuika fando (additional funds provided by Flynn). The nickname comes from turning 追加 tsuika (additional) into 追い oi, a shortened form of 追い銭 oisen which is part of the proverb 盗人に追い銭 nusubito ni oisen (additional fee to a thief), a saying for when you give the thief more on top of what was already stolen from you.

Now, to wrap this up...

There's something many wonder...

7) Why the need for the fishing hook in Bonds?

@yokarebing "At Lake Mikado, Issachar's ghost entrusts you with a fishing hook to give to Flynn as a keepsake ← Got it Give the fishing hook to Flynn ← Got it You are now guaranteed to get an additional extortion when extorting demons ← Why"

@nobe0202 "Why does Flynn, who was born in the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado and lived a farming life in Kiccigiorgi, started extorting and currying favors as soon as he put on the Gauntlet?"

@kitaonglacier "That's probably a custom in his hometown as a form of a greeting"

@hnskk_ancyd "Flynn, a child that becomes an extortionist with an old playmate's memento"

@kuuusuke009 "I wonder if it was Issachar who taught Flynn how to extort money... ('w' ; )"

@Dunamis_Anthrax "Could it be that he had memories of extortion with Issachar and started doing it because he missed them?"

@vernogame "Issachar is the man who taught this devilish savior such a skill... Just how frightening is he...?"

@kuuusuke009 "Nanashi: 'The master who taught Flynn how to extort money must be a scary person.'"

Comic by カイザー. Please don't share publicly my translation, as it could upset the original artist.

@vernogame "Issachar,

your will has now been passed on… ( ; ; )"

Epilogue

Jokes aside, one can't help but wonder... does the fact that both Flynn and Nanashi come from humble backgrounds give a nuanced interpretation of the canonicity of this feature?

Nanashi must've seen his own share of fraudsters while Flynn specially would need an extra income to save himself from eternal death.....