Expanse

The Expanse, also referred to as Makai (魔階/魔界, Makai) and the Abyss, is the dimension where demons, spirits and other types of supernatural entities reside in the series. The most accepted translation of Makai means Demon World, and it is sometimes referred to as such.

In the original Digital Devil Story novels and in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, this plane is referred to as Atziluth.

Appearances

 * Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei: Original appearance as Atziluth
 * Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City: as Atziluth
 * Megami Tensei II: Original appearance as Makai (魔界)
 * Shin Megami Tensei: as The Expanse (Makai, 魔界)
 * Shin Megami Tensei II: as Makai (魔界)
 * ''Shin Megami Tensei: if... / Hazama's Chapter: as Makai (魔界)
 * Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE: as Makai (魔階)
 * Shin Megami Tensei IV: as The Expanse (Makai, 魔界)
 * Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: as Alien Dimension (異界)
 * Devil Children Black Book & Red Book: as Makai (魔界)
 * Devil Children Black Book/Red Book (PS): as Makai (魔界)
 * Devil Children White Book: as Makai (魔界)
 * DemiKids Light Version: as Dem
 * DemiKids Dark Version: as Dem
 * Devil Children Fire/Ice Book: as Makai (魔界)
 * Shin Megami Tensei: DeviChil

Megami Tensei II
Makai is reached by using the Seven Pillars of Solomon at Ground Zero, which is protected by Tiamat. Each area of Makai is ruled by a demon lord. The central isle connects to each area, although one needs a magic jewel in order to reach most areas. Once the hero has defeated Beelzebub (or allowed him to fuse with Bael with to create Baal) and obtained the Palace Ring, he is able to reach Lucifer's Temple.

Shin Megami Tensei II
Also known as the Abyss (from the Aeon Genesis' fan-translation), the demon world is presented in this game mostly the same way as it is shown in previous incarnations: an otherworldly plane, who can not be reached by conventional means, and where the majority of the demon race inhabits in relative peace under the watchful zeal of the demon king Lucifer.

It isn't so much different from the human world as one would initially think. Instead of just chaotic anarchy, traces of rational civilization can be clearly identified, such as the presence of multiple stores offering various types of services (such as buying and selling weapons, armors, etc.), bars, casinos, and even a disco where demons actually dance around and have fun.

Another trait that the Makai shares with Tokyo Millenium is the fact that it both of them are divided in numerous different spheres. They are as follows:

Tiphereth
The most populous area of the Makai. Seth's temple can also be found here, where the demon rests in a deep sleep, waiting for the right time to awaken. According to a resident of this district, "Tiphereth" is a word that means "beautiful".

The Beriah Corridor connects this town to both Geburah and Chesed, and the entrance to Tiphereth by the way of the Yetzirah Corridor is locked, and the two keys necessary to open it are in possession of the ruler of Netzach, Crowley (who holds the Lamed key), and the other is in the hands of Tiamat, ruler of Hod (who holds the Ayin key).

Yesod
More or less the entrance to the Abyss. The plains of Yesod can only be reached through the Abyss' "front door", who can only be opened after the gathering of the seven pillars in their respective altars in the Underworld.

The Yetzirah Corridor connects this town to Netzach, Hod and Tiphereth, and is guarded by a demon called Hecate.

Netzach
The land of Netzach is led by a human named Crowley, a wizard who main desires revolves around the throwing of "Sabbaths" (orgies whose goal is the gathering sexual energy to summon demons when the moon is full). Although the residents of Netzach seem to acknowledge the magical power of Crowley, they also seem to be aware that he wasn't much more than a simple sex maniac.

Hod
Not much about Hod is known, since no residents appear there to talk with Aleph and Hiroko when they visit the main town. It is quite small, possibly the smallest of all areas of the Makai, and is surrounded by various cliffs. The demon Tiamat is its governess.

Chesed
A Buddhist temple where lost souls who are looking for salvation gather together. The demon Virocana (also known as "Dainichi-Nyorai") is in charge of this area, and is renowned for his ability to purify and grant peace to the spirits who reach Chesed, without any conditions or requirements limiting his judgement of mind.

This is quite an interesting place, due to its numerous cameos and references to the previous game. Ozawa and Gotou for example, can both be found here as spirits; both of them being enemy bosses from the first Shin Megami Tensei. In addition to Ozawa and his minions, Beth is also found here.

Geburah
A town that was transformed into a massive iron fortress bristling with weapons by the Twelve Devas (also called "the Shinshou"), who have unexpectedly taken root there. All of them were assembled together by orders of Atavaka, Grand General of the Myo-Os, to block the entrance to the Atziluth corridor under Lucifer's orders, so that he and the Shinshou would test Aleph's power in battle.

The Atziluth corridor here connects this town to Binah and Chokmah.

Binah
The only known sea that crosses the Abyss. It is a vast body of water that is also called "the Sea of Harvest" by the residents of a nearby town, a reference to the powers of this ocean to give life to demons when attended by someone capable of preserving its fertility. In the past, this role was the responsibility of the goddess Ishtar, before she was punished by God and stripped of her form and sanity.

Its also in these waters that the beautiful nymph Fury tends to bathe herself, and where the player can acquire her magical robe. If her robe is returned after using it on the Cherub statues then Fury, unbeknownst that it was stolen, will reward Aleph.

Chokmah
A tower that serves as the only accessible path to the Kether area. The Tower of Chokmah is governed by Mara, who acts as the guard for Lucifer's Castle.

Kether
The final area of the Makai, it is here where Kether Castle is located, which is the home of Lucifer and his servants.

Shin Megami Tensei: If...
The Expanse appears divided in five worlds, each one based in a deadly sin:

World of Pride
Ruled by Datenshi Vine. It is implied that this land is the place where the demons worship Hazama as the Demon God Emperor, due to all habitants' speaks of the majesty of Hazama.

World of Gluttony
Ruled by Jashin Orcus. In this World, Hazama sent the President of School to be punished by being infected with the Parasite, and turned into Orcus. Hazama did so because he withstood the way how the president for his hunger for "influence", "fame" and gain money now-matter-what on his school, instead of making a good adminstration.

World of Sloth
Ruled by Datenshi Balam. In this World, all students and teachers that know Hazama, and did not made anithing to help him are punished by being forced to dig until die of exhaustion.

World of Greed
Ruled by Youjuu Chefei. In this world are several Boxes and Trwasure Chests with powerful weapons, huge quantities of Macca and gems. Depending on how much Boxes and Chests Tamaki Uchida opens, the stronger Chefei will be.

Word of Envy
In this world, if Tamaki has a female partner, she will leave her to chase a a beautiful boy around the maze. And will enforce Hazama's ideology. After being found her partner returns to the party and the boy transforms into Lilith. In Charlie's route this world is named Wrath instead of Envy, and Hazama teases him by kidnapping Ryuuichi his girlfriend, and is ruled by Datenshi Amdusias.

Shin Megami Tensei IV
The Expanse is again featured as the home plane of the demons, the space between universes, and the base of the White. In this capacity, Lilith seeks to activate the Yamato Perpetual Reactor to open a gate linking it to Tokyo and allow an infestation of demons to rush in, though Tayama believes her interest in the Reactor to be centered around its energy-creating properties.

The section of the Expanse under the control of the White has become the Monochrome Forest, a stretch of land completely devoid of color. Should the White be confronted, they will prowl around the Forest until destroyed. With them gone, the Forest is swept away by the Expanse proper and assumes the form of a featureless plane of red soil and overcast skies, with a sea frozen in time in the background. In the Neutral ending, the skies are cleared and the sea rushes in as the Goddess of Tokyo is revived.

Travel between universes through the Expanse is possible with the Reactor's activation. In the final DLC mission, Stephen explains that the Expanse transcends time, and uses it to take Flynn to the past.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner
Referred to as the "Alien Dimension", its presence can be summoned by a powerful Dark Summoner to distort an area.

Devil Children Red/Black Book
In Red Book and Black Book, Makai is divided into six different areas - Ice Land, Marble Land, Sand Land, Forest Land, Fire Land, and Central Land - which are accessed by means of the 'circle gates' in each area.

Trivia

 * More recently the second kanji has changed to 階, which denotes more so a feeling of planes of ascendancy than a world so to speak. The pronunciation remains the same, but this kanji is most commonly used to denote floors of a building, i.e. planes.
 * The names of the sections of Makai are named after branches of the tree of life, known as Sephiroth, in Kabbalah.