Matador serves as the first major 'wake-up call' boss in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, infamous for ruthlessly punishing players who ignore the game's essential buff and debuff mechanics. Known for his 'Red Capote' skill which maxes out his evasion and accuracy, he quickly became a symbol of extreme RPG difficulty and a rite of passage for the SMT fandom. In meme culture, Matador is often used to represent an insurmountable or unexpected obstacle that halts progress, frequently appearing in 'gatekeeper' memes or alongside the community's mantra to 'use buffs' to survive his relentless skeletal onslaught.