Cyno has made his grand entrance as one of the newest characters in Genshin Impact's 3.1 update. However, many fans had already glimpsed his design and name in the Teyvat Story Chapter Preview Trailer, long before he was playable. Finally, players can now enjoy using Cyno as an Electro Polearm user, fulfilling the dreams of those who had eagerly awaited his release.
Later on, during the Archon quest after Sumeru's release, Cyno was revealed as the General Mahamatra, who leads Matra, the disciplinary officers responsible for Sumeru Akademiya's affairs. Though his strict personality and appearance may instill fear, there is more to Cyno than meets the eye. Players can notice many hidden details about him, in particular by gaining friendship with the character and paying attention to his unique design in Genshin Impact.
7 Cyno's Name Origin Is Greek
Although there isn't currently a nation in Genshin Impact that is inspired by Greece or Greek mythology, it is interesting to note that many names and terms in the game are believed to have originated from Ancient Greek. For instance, all the elements in Teyvat have names that correspond to Greek words with related meanings. Additionally, items like one of the strong sword weapons, Xiphos' Moonlight, with Xiphos meaning blade, also draw from Ancient Greek language.
Despite Cyno's design being reminiscent of Ancient Egypt, his English name is actually derived from the Ancient Greek word for "dog." This could be a nod to his Anubis-like headdress. In Egyptian mythology, Anubis is known as the god with the head of a jackal, and he is responsible for leading the dead to judgment. In fact, Cyno's role in Sumeru Akademiya and his skill set both have many parallels to Anubis, earning him the nickname "Lord Jackal" or "Jackal King" in the Genius Invokation TCG. On the other hand, the term in his title, Mahamatra originates from Indian culture, specifically referencing the officers appointed by the Indian Emperor Ashoka who were responsible for upholding morality and delivering judgments. The incorporation of multiple cultural references, such as Indian, Ancient Greek, and Egyptian mythology, adds to the richness and depth of Cyno's character in Genshin Impact.
6 Cyno's Design Has Many References To Yu-Gi-Oh!
It's common knowledge that Cyno is a big fan of the Genius Invokation TCG, which bears some striking similarities to the Yu-Gi-Oh card game. However, Cyno takes this admiration to a whole new level, as his character design draws heavily on the franchise. His Egyptian-inspired appearance is reminiscent of the original anime series and the origin of Duel Monsters. With so many nods to Yu-Gi-Oh, Cyno's character adds a fun and interesting layer of pop culture references to the Genshin Impact universe.
In Genshin Impact, Cyno is even featured as the protagonist in a Genius Invokation-related novel series called "King of Invokations", reminiscent of Yugi Moto's title as "King of Games," the first protagonist of Yu-Gi-Oh!. Moreover, his design incorporates many Millennium Items, such as the Horus-eye figure in his idle animations and Elemental Burst special effects, and his special dish, Duel Soul, which resembles the Millennium Puzzle. Duel Soul is also the name of a song in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series. To top it all off, Cyno's sixth constellation creates symbols around him that is reminiscent of the Millennium Puzzle design.
5 Cyno Is Featured In Manga
In a Genshin Impact manga chapter related to Collei, Cyno is mentioned and shown as an influential figure in Sumeru Akademiya. When Collei's affliction with a certain Fatui is discovered by Lisa and Jean while in Mondstadt, Lisa sends a letter to Sumeru Akademiya regarding the matter. Cyno is then tasked with investigating the issue and travels to Mondstadt, where he interacts with several characters, such as Amber, Diluc, and Kaeya. Once the matter is resolved, Cyno takes Collei back to Sumeru.
This cameo appearance showcases Cyno's role beyond just being a playable character in the game.
4 Cyno Makes Unfunny Jokes
Despite his intimidating demeanor, Cyno has a soft spot for humor and enjoys cracking jokes to lighten the mood in certain situations. However, his sense of humor is often misunderstood by others, as his jokes tend to be too long or unfunny, requiring him to explain them in detail for others to understand. This is evident in his character voiceovers and stories.
Nevertheless, Cyno's long-time friend Tighnari and the God of Wisdom, Nahida, seem to have a better grasp of his humor. In Nahida's "About:Cyno" voice-overs, she mentions that she finds his jokes amusing and can explain them to others who may not understand.
3 Cyno and Razor Have Interesting Similarities
Cyno and Razor, the only male Electro characters since the game's release, share many striking resemblances. Notably, their Elemental Bursts have similar play styles and animations that allow them to perform Electro-infused normal attacks. Additionally, they both have short-male models, red eyes, and long white-gray hair resembling a wolf's mane. Both Cyno and Razor's constellation names also have Lupus, meaning wolf. While Razor's connection to wolves comes from his upbringing with them, it's less clear for Cyno.
However, his Anubis headdress is likely a reference to wolves. Although jackals and wolves are not closely related, the Egyptian Jackal, the animal that Anubis is based on, is also referred to as the Egyptian Wolf due to its scientific name, Canis aureus lupaster.
2 Cyno Is Mentioned As Desert Dwarf
Cyno is known by many names and titles, including one surprising moniker: "Desert Dwarf". This nickname is mentioned in some of Sumeru Akademiya's message boards and by some NPCs. An anonymous character complains about a figure who prevented them from passing the semester evaluation, and it becomes clear that this figure can only be Cyno, given his role as the General Mahamatra responsible for dealing with such matters, and his origin in the desert village of Aaru, like Candace.
The term "dwarf" is likely a reference to his short stature as a male character, and among the many other short characters in Genshin Impact, makes him stand out. It is interesting to note that, unlike elves and some other races, there has been no mention of dwarves as a distinct race in Genshin Impact so far.
1 Cyno's Birthday Is June 23
Cyno's birthday falls in the busy month of June, which is a notable month for many Genshin Impact character birthdays. At first glance, this date may not appear significant, but it is likely a reference to the public holiday in Egypt known as Revolution Day, celebrated annually on June 23.
Additionally, Cyno's birthday could be associated with Ancient Egyptian Astrology, which features many Egyptian gods. According to this astrology, Cyno's birthday lands on Nile sign. It is believed these individuals possess strong intuition, practicality, and logic, and tend to be influenced by their passions while having a knack for maintaining peace. This description quite fits Cyno. Furthermore, Nile sign is just before the beginning of the Anubis sign on June 29.
Genshin Impact is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and mobile devices. A Switch version is in development.