Banana Mandala: Wild Arms (1996) - A Brief Taxonomy of Demonkind

The Quarter Knights of Wild Arms - Not discussed in this article because they all have names like "Boomerang" and "Zed"

Wild Arms is less celebrated for its occult themes than for other dominant aesthetic influences. But the influence of the Western is faint in this inaugural entry- it manifests in the periphery, in several tracks adapted from the oeuvre of Enrico Morricone, as a selection of characters in period-attire, or in the presence of native caricatures that forgoe the unfortunate 'beastman' allegory typical of the genre. Wild Arms is certainly of its era in all other facets, deriving the bulk of its narrative and aesthetic conventions from such touchstones as Castle in the Sky, Nadia, Record of Lodoss War, and Future Boy Conan. However, it puts forth one influence to a greater extent than many of its contemporaries: the Western Esoteric tradition.

"A mystic light emanates from the seal."

This influence is evident across various elements of the setting, not only through peculiarities of narrative but in the mise-en-scene: summoning seals that function as save points, ancient tomes of alchemical illustrations, a final dungeon clearly fashioned after Bruegel's The Tower of Babel etc. But most relevant are the "Metal Demons", a race of extraterrestrial beings with synthetic bodies that have awoken from a millennial slumber to colonize the Earth (Filgaia) following the destruction of their home planet, "Hiades". Whereas the leaders of this group (pictured above) are not sourced from any tradition more occult than Battle Angel Alita, the lesser creatures of the bestiary are pulled right from the more distinguished manuals and grimoire such as The Lesser Key of Solomon.

a sefirot damn this game must have hidden profundities

Golems, artificial giants created to oppose the Demons of antiquity, likewise boast names derived from "old legends" - Lucifer, Barbados, Leviathan etc. - but these do not gesture towards any special correspondence. A host of regulars culled from world mythology are similarly present in various capacities, also as namesakes or more direct evocations. All obscured by a localization that was ill-equipped to deal with such a wide range of cultural references- this should come as no surprise considering that Wild Arms hit the states only shortly before Final Fantasy VII. I-Sync Productions, a studio for which I could find no credible information online, was contracted for the task, and the result is a bestiary of playfully mangled names and malapropisms.

De le Metalica

Given this odd context and the little-examined nature of the occult in the series, I've set out to catalogue every occult figure extant in the Wild Arms bestiary. I've doubtlessly missed some due to difficulties in discerning some of the more garbled translations, so if you find any that I've missed please let me know!

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Thank you to RPG Shrines for providing a majority of the images used below! They will live forever in my heart.

Agaless - Agares

This is just Tankmon from Digimon World.*

Aipeloss - Ayperos/Ipos

"Aipeloss" is a truly insane moniker for this oft-forgotten Earl (and Prince). Imagine, if you will: a man with an undiagnosed executive disfunction disorder posting an image macro from his home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The caption reads "tf when you loss your aipe :(". Heaven and Earth, reconciled.

Amon - Amon

This model first revealed itself to me under a different name and palette, but I immediately groked that it would serve as the base for an 'Amon' enemy down the line. When I say it "revealed itself" to me I don't mean to imply that I had a theophany involving a Wild Arms sprite, it just appeared in a random encounter (theophany for guys who play JRPGs).

Haborim - Haborim/Aim

Here he is, the guy of whom I did not have an experience of spiritual ecstacy.

Bellzebob - Beelzebub

At first, I couldn't quite tell whether or not they fudged the name or if they were simply compelled to elide any potentially "satanic" references, but I think they just went with their hearts on this one. Bellzebob. Fuck you.

Berial - Belial**

Alright, I'm not gonna rag on you for fucking up this name. It's a right of passage to fuck up "Belial" in this way. One day, all our sins will be forgiven.

Colonzon - Choronzon

We're three for three when it comes to Choronzon appearances in video games. The third one is Runescape.

Dekarabia - Decarabia

This depiction of Decarabia as a cyclopean stage magician emerging from a seal is actually very charming!

Dan Tarian - Dantalion

It doesn't get much better than this.

Flurity - Fleurty

I pass by a local boutique chain named "Fleurty Girl" pretty often and I think it's fucked up that they call it that.

Frauloss - Flauros

I-Sync Productions was really not on the ball when it came to names that end in "-ros".

Gagison - Gagison

Sometimes a straightforward phonetic rendering is just the ticket, as is the case with this figure that exists as little more than a name in the Book of Abramelin. Gagison is as obscure as they come- was this winged portrayal, and that of the sequel, inspired by the design that appeared two years prior in Shin Megami Tensei II? Or are both merely sourced to the same uncertain origins?

Gamizine - Gamigin

Imagine if you accidentally said this in conversation instead of 'magazine'. They would fucking eat you alive. Anyway, the guy is a horse, just a classic horse.

Ose - Ose

Looks like one of those kittens that have fallen face-first into their milk tray.

Ukoback - Ukobach

my god make me work for it just a little

Bafomet - Baphomet

Look at this round king- someone has been feeding this boy right! And that little red cape... this design fucks insanely.

Blk. Sabbath - Black Sabbath

hope this was an "axle the red" type situation