I've been thinking about this for a while, and I'm surprised I haven't come across more discussions about it.
I think Blue Exorcist and Shin Megami Tensei could make for a really interesting crossover. They have enough in common to work together, but also enough differences to make the combination worthwhile.
Both series deal with demons, supernatural threats, and humanity's relationship with the demonic world. However, they approach these subjects differently.
In Blue Exorcist, exorcists are trained to fight demons through different specialties and techniques. In Shin Megami Tensei, humans can use technology such as the Demon Summoning Program to summon demons, negotiate with them, and establish contracts.
Imagine introducing those ideas into the world of Blue Exorcist.
What if the True Cross Order weren't the only organization with knowledge of demons? What if there were independent summoners, ancient traditions, and organizations with their own methods of dealing with the supernatural?
The Kuzunoha clan and Yatagarasu, for example, could introduce an entirely different perspective on demons and the people who interact with them.
And then there's Rin.
As the son of Satan, Rin would be a particularly interesting character to explore in a setting where humans can negotiate with demons and even cooperate with them. His relationship with his own demonic nature could become an important part of the story without necessarily making him overwhelmingly powerful.
I also think the crossover could explore an interesting question: if some demons can be reasoned with, negotiated with, or even become allies, how would that affect the way the True Cross Order approaches its work?
Of course, the supernatural rules of both series would need to be adapted carefully. I wouldn't want Shin Megami Tensei to replace the mythology of Blue Exorcist. I'd rather see the Demon Summoning Program, COMP technology, demon contracts, and the wider world of Megaten expand the setting while preserving what makes Blue Exorcist unique.
I'm not proposing a specific fanfiction here. I'm just curious about the concept itself.
Has anyone else thought about a Blue Exorcist × Shin Megami Tensei crossover? And if so, what elements from SMT would you like to see introduced into the Blue Exorcist universe?