Megami Tensei Wiki
Megami Tensei Wiki

Zan and Garu ("Gale") are very different classes of spells. Zan is basically like a physical attack only created by magic (but it does have it's own affinity) but Garu has the concept of a wind elements associated with it. Most Megaten games don't really have platonic elements.

Garu is really more of a Persona thing. But Zan is also in MIP. And apparently in P2 but with the same affinity as Megido.

The four main canon spells are Agi, Bufu, Zan, Jio(Zio), and that is not likely to ever change. The others are pretty much experimental and have never really taken hold. Anyway. Seems like Agi Spells might be a better title for a Megaten page than say Fire Spells (guessing that exists)--Yksehtniycul 02:53, 3 July 2009 (UTC)

"physical attack only created by magic"? And I suppose that comes from... thin air?
The article at least made an effort in trying to explain stuff. BLUER一番 03:05, 3 July 2009 (UTC)
From your tone, I'm guessing you setup these pages personally? Anyway, if you want to be purely technical, Zan spells have the 衝撃 (Shougeki) affinity. You can look this up here (http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-bin/wwwjdic.cgi) ...and Garu will have an affinity that looks something like 風 (wind). I'm not sure what the affinity is in MIP (someone stole my game recently, but I imagine I could find it online if I wanted to) ...and since P2 seems to have the manou (万能) affinity, it's worth noting that this affinity is often attached to basically unclassifiable attacks. I would not be surprised if Megido type attacks had a different affinity in P2, but I'm just pulling that out of thin air.
Point is, I don't have answers (for what to do about presenation) but zan and wind are definitely not synonymous nor related at all, other than both kinds of spells stun in different games and both have been green coloured. The way to explain it, is Garu is part of a large family of experimental affinities that only appear in gaidens like Persona. There are probably 20 affinities like Garu that have never appeared in a classical Megaten title. In many ways on occasion garu has taken the place of zan in under this extended affinity format. But when you get back to classic game like IMAGINE, the affinities are still basically the same as they were since Megami Tensei 1&2.
I might start by making Zan a disambiguation page, and really stressing the concept of affinities and mention 衝撃 (Shougeki) as the indicator of a zan based attack (thought it might make more sense to call them Shougeki) ...also it should be mentioned that Zan is a classic affinity that has a stunning side effect... then mention any deviations. it's a tough call, but whatever you do the same should be done for Garu with no relationship drawn between the two. If Atlus USA called zan wind in Nocturne that could complicate things, but anyway, I'm just trying to be a helpful consultant here. --Yksehtniycul 14:24, 3 July 2009 (UTC)