For any inquires on backlink exchange or partnerships please contact thecodex@gmail.com

The Wiki Forums are up! Check them here!

There is an official chat room on the wiki! I'm always AFK here so pull by to say hi!

Renko Usami

From The Codex
Touhou Project/Renko Usami
Jump to navigationJump to search



Renko Usami (宇佐見 蓮子 Usami Renko) is one of the primary protagonists featured in the stories attached to ZUN's Music Collection. She attends university in Kyoto during the near future of the Outside World, where she co-founds the "Hifuu Club" alongside her close friend Maribel Hearn. Although she has no direct connection to Gensokyo, she knows of its existence through Maribel's accounts of visiting the land in her dreams.

Renko Usami
Origin
Origin Night Trip to Rendaino ~ Ghostly Field Club
Creator ZUN
First Appearance Night Trip to Rendaino ~ Ghostly Field Club
Actor Fanmade Series: Eri Kitamura, Kaori Fukuhara, Akiko Nakagawa, Nanako Mori, Risae Matsuda, Yukari Kokubun, Ami Koshimizu
Characteristics
Species Human
Gender Female
Pronouns She/Her
Sexuality Unknown
Age At least 20
Birthday Unknown
Height Unknown
Weight Unknown
Ethnicity Japanese
Status Alive
Alignment Neutral Good
Archetype Researcher
Occupation University Student
Time Period Futuristic
Language Japanese
Combat Style Street Fighting
Homeworld Earth
Relationships
Affiliations Maribel Hearn
Enemies Youkai

Background

This dropdown contains the synopsis of Renko Usami’s story. Read at your own risk as you may be spoiled otherwise!

Ghostly Field Club
Using a photograph of the Netherworld combined with Renko's ability to pinpoint locations based on the Moon, Maribel and Renko try to locate the Netherworld's entrance within a spectral field.

Changeability of Strange Dream
Maribel discusses with Renko her recurring dreams of visiting a strange world. What initially seems pleasant gradually turns unsettling as youkai begin attacking her in these dreams. Maribel struggles to distinguish between what is real and what is merely a dream. Compounding the confusion, she shows Renko objects she claims to have brought back from her dream experiences. Renko comes to understand the true nature of the situation and ultimately faces a choice about which reality Maribel will inhabit.

Retrospective 53 minutes
In Retrospective 53 minutes, Maribel and Renko travel by train to Tokyo. They gaze at a simulated kaleido screen displaying the outside scenery while talking about the journey, the view, and how objectivity and subjectivity relate to what they see. Renko remarks, "You might be as carefree as the Tōhoku people though." The trip takes 53 minutes.

Magical Astronomy
The university campus is alive with talk about public tours being offered to the Moon. Maribel and Renko discuss the hidden world on the lunar surface that remains concealed from ordinary humans, and enthusiastically begin plotting their own journey there. Maribel comes up with a particularly unconventional idea.

Trojan Green Asteroid
Maribel and Renko talk about TORIFUNE, a lost micro-habitat space station. Maribel claims to have seen its interior, where everything remains alive. The station houses a shrine dedicated to Ame-no-Torifune, so the pair travel to another shrine dedicated to the same deity and use Maribel's ability to reach TORIFUNE through their dreams. Once inside, they find the space has transformed into a thick jungle and are attacked by a chimera. Maribel wakes up with an actual cut on her arm and ends up hospitalized.

Neo-traditionalism of Japan
While hospitalized, Maribel receives a diagnosis of sleepwalking and hallucinations. Doctors suspect a previously unknown virus and send her to a mountain facility for isolation treatment. By the time she is released, her abilities have intensified, and she now experiences visions even while awake.

Maribel brings up the topic of Hell with Renko, though she withholds the fact that she physically traveled there during her isolation. Renko informs her that while she was away, news outlets reported the discovery of stone tools dating back over 25 million years, though these finds were dismissed as hoaxes. Maribel disagrees with that assessment and presents one such tool that she herself uncovered.

She then shows Renko a vision of the underground realm where she found the object. Renko recognizes the Ame-no-Sakahoko within that realm. Maribel becomes reassured, no longer believing the place she saw to be Hell, but rather the world of the gods. The two decide to seek out more such "Izanagi Objects" scattered unrecognized across Japan.

Dr. Latency's Freak Report
At Maribel's suggestion, the pair plans to self-publish a book recounting their experiences with the mysterious worlds they have witnessed. Using the pen name "Dr. Latency", Maribel dictates her sections of the book to Renko, covering summaries of the strange places she has seen and her theories as she attempts to make sense of phenomena that defy conventional understanding.

Dateless Bar "Old Adam"
Renko takes Maribel to a bar called "Old Adam", a unique establishment that serves old-fashioned alcohol and is rumored to be a meeting place for those who can perceive illusions. Nearly all the patrons appear familiar with the Swallowstone Naturalis Historia—the self-published fanzine Maribel and Renko previously created—and accept its contents as complete truth. The pair visit hoping to listen to the locals' stories, seeking either valuable information or others who might share similar special abilities.

Taboo Japan Disentanglement
Renko Usami realizes that her friend Maribel has been missing for two weeks. She visits Maribel's home and finds it empty, with no signs that anyone has used the electricity or water recently. The place is messy, and among the clutter, Renko discovers an old book and some transcripts that look like they come from a regional historical record. She also finds her own scientific manuscript, which Maribel had filled with handwritten questions and criticisms.

Renko is used to handling the research side of their club activities while Maribel does the field investigations. Finding materials about mysteries that she herself does not recognize feels strange and out of place. She decides to follow the clues in Maribel's notes and travels to Hitachi Province, to a location Maribel had identified as Tanabatazaka.

The area is a quiet, rural landscape preserved as a natural culture sanctuary. Renko travels there alone by train. She carries Maribel's annotated version of her manuscript, which mostly consists of doubts and counterarguments. Though she feels unsettled by the situation, she is also somewhat glad to see that Maribel had engaged so closely with her ideas.

According to Maribel's research, Tanabatazaka is tied to an old warning: do not pass through this place on the morning of July 7th before 10:00 AM, or something strange will occur. The date matches the time Maribel disappeared. Renko suspects that Maribel came here to find a door to another world and was spirited away.

Walking along a mountain path lined with Jizo statues, Renko knocks one over. She knows disturbing cultural artifacts is forbidden, but she cannot think of another way to break through what she believes is a taboo. Behind the statue, she finds a crack with light seeping through. Without hesitation, she reaches her arm inside.

She sees a golden land and many doors. Maribel appears within reach.

Afterward, Maribel returns safely, though she is unaware that two weeks have passed. To her, it seemed like Renko appeared on the other side of the fog shortly after 10:00 AM on the same day. The two argue about the nature of reality. Renko explains that her theory does not deny the existence of other worlds, but instead argues that even ordinary matter does not truly exist in a classical sense—everything is the interference of waves. She suggests that the difference between living people and phantoms is not as clear as it seems. Maribel is not convinced, but she cannot come up with a good rebuttal.

The story closes with the idea that taboos should not be forgotten, and that there is nowhere in the world without apparitions.

Name Meaning

Her full name is Renko Usami (宇佐見 蓮子), with both her given name and surname being actual Japanese names. The kanji for Renko (蓮子) break down to "lotus" and "child", with -ko serving as a common suffix found in many female Japanese names.

Appearance

General Description: Renko is a figure with brown hair. She usually wears a black hat with a bow, a white blouse, and a brown dress. She often carries a book with her.

Facial Features: She has brown hair.

Clothing/Outfit:

  • Standard Outfit: A black hat with a bow, a white blouse, and a brown dress.
  • Magical Astronomy / Trojan Green Asteroid / Rainbow-Colored Septentrion: A black shawl is worn over her standard outfit.

Items:

  • A book, which she often carries.

Alternate Forms/Disguises: This character does not have other widely recognized alternate forms.

Personality

  • Confident and Adventurous: Renko is confident with an adventurous and daring personality. She usually arranges the club's activities, such as the trip to Rendaino and to the "Old Adam" bar.
  • Objective: As a physics major, Renko tends to view things from an objective point of view. This allows her to help Maribel differentiate between reality and fantasy.
  • Believes in Maribel: Renko believes in anything Maribel says, despite her objective nature.

Goals

  • Uncover the secrets of the Otherworlds Maribel sees (Ongoing).
  • Give a scientific explanation behind what Maribel finds (Ongoing).

Relationships

Maribel Hearn

Renko is the only other member of Maribel's Hifuu Club and a fellow student at her university. The two are very close friends, working together to seek out other worlds. They travel by train to Renko's hometown, discuss going to the Moon together, and Maribel confides in Renko about her dreams of traveling to another world. No matter what Merry says, Renko will believe her entirely, saying that since it's Merry saying it, then it's certain that it's true[1]. Renko is described as Maribel's dear friend to where her going on a trip by herself makes her feel alone[2] along with Maribel being described as Renko's closest friend[3].

Sumireko Usami

Because Sumireko shares Renko's surname, bears a similar appearance, and is the founder of the Hifuu Club that Renko later joins, there is likely some sort of familial or otherwise significant relation between the two. However, the specifics of this connection remain unknown.

General Information

Name: Renko Usami[4]

Origin: Night Trip to Rendaino ~ Ghostly Field Club

Overall Series: Touhou Project

First Appearance: Night Trip to Rendaino ~ Ghostly Field Club

Latest Appearance: Mugen Noh of Tanabata Hill ~ Taboo Japan Disentanglement

Company: Team Shanghai Alice

Creator: ZUN

Actor: The following voice acted roles are all from fan-made series not apart of any canonical Touhou works.

  • Japanese Voice Actors: Eri Kitamura (Hifuu Club Activity Record ~ The Sealed Esoteric History), Kaori Fukuhara (Touhou LostWord Renko Usami (Investigating a Makai God)), Akiko Nakagawa (Touhou LostWord Renko Usami (Investigating a Makai God)), Nanako Mori (Touhou LostWord Renko Usami (Investigating a Makai God)), Risae Matsuda (Touhou LostWord Renko Usami (Investigating a Disastrous Older Sister)), Yukari Kokubun (Touhou LostWord Renko Usami (Investigating a Disastrous Older Sister)), Ami Koshimizu (Touhou LostWord Renko Usami (Investigating a Disastrous Older Sister))

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Unknown

Pronouns: She/Her

Handedness: Right-Handed

Age: At least 20 (Renko and Maribel are old enough to drink alcohol[5], directly drinking sake during their vacation[6] where one needs to be at least 20 years old under Japanese law to drink, where Japanese law requires no underaged characters to be shown drinking. This is even acknowledged in the series itself with a note saying alcohol is only for those over 20 years old[7])

Birthday: Unknown

Time Period: Futuristic (In Retrospective in 53 minutes, it's noted how this takes place after the relocation of the capital in the Jinki era, which is an era that was named for the years 724-729, thus for the reptition of a Japanese era name to be used again means it's in the far future[8]. Mt. Fuji is also recognized as a World Heritage Site that they designated as exitinct rather than just dormant during their time period, while it is still active in modern time[5])

Timeline: Main Timeline

Homeworld: Earth

Residence: Kyoto, Japan

Story Role: Main Protagonist

Legacy: Local Legacy

Influence: Event Influence

Language: Japanese

Ethnicity: Japanese (Renko's hometown is Tokyo[9])

Religion: N/A

Classification: Member of the Hifuu Club[10]

Species: Human

State of Being: Regular

Physiology: Humanoid Physiology

In-Universe Creator: Unknown

Occupation: University Student

Ranking: Super Unified Physics Major[11]

Combat Style: Street Fighting

Affiliations: Maribel Hearn

Enemies: Youkai

Height: Unknown

Weight: Unknown

Status: Alive

Alignment: Neutral Good (Renko believes that one should separate dream from reality to achieve happiness[12])

Potential

Archetype: Researcher

Codex Statistics

Grade: C

Tier: 10-B

Cardinality: Finite

Dimensionality: 3-D

Power Source: Spirit

Attack Potency: Average Human level (Renko is an average adult woman)

Durability: Average Human level

Striking Strength: Average Human Class

Lifting Strength: Average Human Class

Travel Speed: Average Human Speed

Attack Speed: Average Human Speed

Reaction Speed: Average Human Reactions

Stamina: Average

Range: Standard Melee

Intelligence: Supergenius Intelligence (Renko's major is super-unified physics where she studies directly strings[11]. Noted by ZUN that Renko and Maribel seem to be just slightly smarter than most their age, referring to them as "smart girls"[14]. Noted that Renko truly is intelligent and a quick thinker, coming up with a plan to have Merry show all of the bar attendants the other side of the barrier through the mirror to find out who really made contact with the other world or not all on the spot[15]. Noted by Maribel that she believes Renko could surpass Stephen Hawkings in intelligence while Renko noted that she believes herself to be at least as smart as Max Planck[13]. Renko is able to tell what time it is by the light of the stars and her location by looking at the moon[16]. When Maribel was lost in a forest, she noted how she envied Renko's eyes as she would've known exactly where she was due to the stars in the sky and would never get lost[17])

Knowledge: At least Master level

Powers and Techniques





Equipment

Notable Techniques

Telling Time by the Stars and Determining Location by the Moon

Renko can tell time by looking at the stars and determine location by looking at the Moon. This ability works even when viewing a snapshot of the stars and Moon. She once determined the location of a photo showing an entrance to the Netherworld simply by examining the Moon and stars pictured.

Her ability to tell time by the stars is limited to Japanese Standard Time. To know the time in another timezone, she would need to perform the necessary calculations.

Other

Standard Tactics: Renko does not actively engage against hostiles but insteads flees from them.

Weaknesses: Renko's eyes can only see Japanse Standard Time, Universal Coordinated Time is beyond her abilites[38].

Note

Special Notes

  • Many spell card images and descriptions along with translations are heavily helped by the Touhou Wiki.

Explanations

Canoncity of Touhou Project

The Touhou Project franchise canoncity mainly falls under any media worked on by ZUN are official and canon to the overall lineup.

There are various aspects constantly debated about within the canon:

PC-98

Media like PC-98, has been noted by ZUN to be ignored as one can ignore derivative works[48]. He has also said that anything prior to Embodiment of Scarlet Devil can for the most part be ignored and one can think of Embodiment of Scarlet Devil as the starting from a clean slate and starting a new series[49], he's also referred to Highly Responsive to Prayers as a study product[50]. With this in mind, one would assume that PC-98 is thus non-canon to the Windows continuity of games.

However, ZUN has also directly stated PC-98 games are the same world as the Windows Games, stating that any contradictions that exist from PC-98 can be ignored from the retcon in Windows Era[51]. While one argues ZUN noting the works are derivative works to be ignored and Embodiment of the Scarlet Devil should be seen as the starting point, these statements are moreso telling a fan to not worry about having to play PC-98 games or learn more about their stories.

It's also been noted in Embodiment of Scarlet Devil's おまけ.txt that the game chronologically is not too far from the previous title, which would be Mystic Square, the PC-98 title[52]. ZUN has also directly brought back characters from PC-98 games, noting he wanted to bring back characters from before Embodiment of Scarlet Devil and notes any of the other older characters that don't appear have probably retired by now and are warmly watching over things from various places nowadays[53]. When asked where Mima from PC-98 has gone, ZUN notes that he doesn't bring them back due to making things complicated and having potentially angry fans ask where she has been the entire time, he has also noted that there's not much use for characters like Genji as Reimu can fly now and also notes he is not dead[54]. ZUN has also made mention to Genji probably living in the lake in the back of the shrine[55]. In Touhou Sangetsusei ~ Strange and Bright Nature Deity, Reimu and Marisa were talking about glowing moss with Reimu saying it would be nice to transfer it to the pond in the back of the Hakurei Shrine and Marisa saying that she could make it grow there on the turtles' back, referencing Genji[56].

In Touhou 07 Perfect Cherry Blossom, when Alice meets Reimu, she tells her long time no see, noting that they've met before calling her "old friend"[57]. In Yuuka's mode in Touhou Project - Phantasmagoria of Flower View, Reimu directly references defeating Yuuka back in PC-98[58]. If Yuuka defeats Marisa in the same game, she will note that Marisa has grown up quite a bit, when the last time she's seen her has been in PC-98[59].

Seeing as ZUN himself has directly said both PC-98 and Windows are in the same world and that characters directly acknowledged PC-98 events and reference characters from it, PC-98 is completely canon and any contradictions PC-98 have can be ignored.

Side Games Time Placements

Touhou 7.5 - Immaterial and Missing Power takes place between Perfect Cherry Blossom and Imperishable Night[60].

Multiple Playable Routes

In the series, there are multiple playable character routes, including some where the characters fight Reimu herself and defeat her, calling question into what route is canon. ZUN has elaborated that canonically, anytime Reimu and the gang are defeated, they challenge again however many times they want, but on the youkai side, they do not challenge again after being defeated and are not attached to the results of winning or losing[61].

In terms of how playable routes have went, some examples of canonically noted routes:

With some of these examples, it is normally assumed that in some way Reimu has some part in resolving every incident and other routes are dubiously canon depending on what transpired.

Spell Card Rules

There are many cases of weaker humans beating stronger Yokai or vice versa within the Touhou series, this has been elaborated on in Reimu's profile on Perfect Memento in Strict Sense. Reimu introduced the spell card rules as the youkai had no way to defeat the Hakurei shrine maiden, making many youkai feel that their meaning to exist have dissapeared[65]. The rules incoporate the following:

  • Spell cards are techniques specially-named by the individual, and they must be declared upon use.
  • The number of each party's spell cards must be determined in advance of a duel.
  • The first party to have all of their spell cards beaten must admit defeat.
  • The victor is entitled only to what was agreed upon before the duel. If they're not interested in what their opponent has to offer, they can refuse a duel.
  • Winners should generally allow losers a rematch.
  • Always prepare for the unexpected.

The original draft held these rules[66]:

  • Combatants will give names and meanings to the duel for the benefit of beauty.
  • Combatants will declare the number of named duels before beginning.
  • Combatants may not repeat attacks by relying on stamina.
  • Combatants may not deliver attacks that do not have meaning. The meaning itself becomes the attack's power.
  • In the case that a combatant loses a named duel, that combatant will admit defeat, even if he or she has strength remaining. No combatant may kill a human, even upon victory.
  • Combatants will write the duel's name on paper in the format of a contract. By doing so, the above-mentioned rules become absolute. These papers will be called spell cards.

These rules allows for duels that feel almost like sport rather then a match, and have allowed for weaker fighters to challenge stronger ones, due to this though, it also has become possible for youkai to freely defeat Reimu without worrying about the consequences.

Due to them being written into cards and essentially affecting the ability and power of an attack, the spell cards are likely the thing binding attacks to specific properties.

Parallel Worlds

Parallel Worlds is a topic brought up at some points in the Touhou Project franchise, they are worlds called "Probability Worlds" by Yumemi, stating that those and parallel worlds are one and the same[67]. This essentially means that parallel worlds in Touhou are based on the concept of probability. Yumemi and Chiyuri use a "Probability Space Hypervessel" in order to travel to alternate worlds and time periods[68], further showcasing that probabiliy serves an importance.

Magical vs. Physical Strength

There[69] are[70] multiple[71] occasions[72] of[73]characters[74] commenting[75] on[76] humans like[77] Reimu[78] being strong[79]. Despite this Reimu showcases physical strength that isn't superhuman, such as the fact that she cannot cut a bamboo stick while Fujiwara direclty does in front of her.

This is due to the difference between magical and physical strength.

In works like Symposium of Post-mysticism, Yuugi Hoshiguma's profile has Suika directly state that Yuugi is weaker then her in magical powers, but stronger than her physically[80], lining a clear difference between magical and physical strength.

While one can be physically stronger then another, such as how Onis are physically the strongest, magic users are still able to keep up with them due to using a different form of attack.

An example can be found with Yuugi herself, when Reimu fights against her in Subterranean Animism[81], with her acknolwedging her strength[82], something Yuugi only does to those who are truly strong[80]. This establishes even with spellcard rules, Yuugi considers Reimu a strong fighter. Reimu herself is very clearly not at an oni's physical strength, as she cannot do the things they can, however, her magical strength allows her to keep up with them.

To defend against magical based properties requires Non-Standard Defenses as it is acknowledged as not being something of standard physicality.

The Three Layers of Reality

In Chapter 27 of Curiosities of Lotus Asia, Reimu proceeds to explain how reality works to Rinnosuke and Marisa, where she explains in-depth the three layers of reality.

This conversation started from discussing the mechanism of fortune, where Rinnosuke attempted to posit that the future is predetermined and that Reimu's luck was her being able to calculate in an instant the predetermined future, however Reimu had a different explanation requiring her to lecture on the mechanisms of probability[83], in her explanation, the world is made up of three layers: the physical layer that moves in accuracy with the laws of physics, the second layer that moves with the spirit, and the third layer of memory which is the recollection of events that lies within all things[42]. The memory layer rejects the loop of the physical and mental layers, the two layers the youkai conceive of the world which is why they believe history repeats itself and the future is predetermined. Since it's only possible to add to the memory layer, it's possible to completely recreate the past.

While the physical layer follows the laws of physics, the mental layer interprets the outcomes and the memory layer alters the probability, essentially creating the future, since it's impossible for memories to raech the same state as a point in the past, the future is not predetermined, thus when Reimu is able to predict how the dice will fall, she's not predicting the fall of the dice, the dice members the fact that she predicted how the dice would fall, thus due to this, Reimu entering the memory of the die-face greatly skews the results in Reimu's favor, where the results side with Reimu[84].

Thus the memory layer is essentially the most important layer that rejects the notion of loops from the previous two layers.

Dream vs. Reality

In the Touhou Project series, it is made very apparent that dream and reality are in truth one and the same.

In Changeability of Strange Dream, Maribel Hearn has a conversation with Renko Usami about how she is bringing objects out of her dreams[4], which Maribel posits that truth exists within subjectivity, if one can see the same sights over and over again then that's the kind of place it is as such dreams are nothing like the antonym of reality[11], where much longer ago people did not draw a distinction between dreams and reality[85], with Maribel reiterating that dreams and reality are the same[86].

In Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom it is shown that the Dream World is a separate plane[87], that in games like Antinomy of Common Flower are shown to have influence[88] on reality[89].

In the Urban Legends in Limbo finale, Sumireko notes that she is able to travel between the human world and Gensokyo whenver she sleeps, where her dream self enters Gensokyo[90] making her innately unable to be interacted with[91].

Trivia

  • Renko's major, "super unified physics," is a fictional field of study that presumably deals with physics in a world where a theory of everything has been discovered. It appears that this goal has been successfully achieved through string theory, as Maribel mentions that Renko studies strings.
  • Renko is one of the few characters known to live outside Gensokyo. As a result, she has never actually met any of the other characters except for Maribel Hearn, who also lives outside Gensokyo. Yuyuko Saigyouji once encountered the Hifuu Club while they were visiting a power spot in the Outside World, but Renko did not seem able to see her.
  • Renko, Maribel, and the Five Magic Stones from Story of Eastern Wonderland are currently the only Touhou characters who have an associated music theme but no official title or spell cards.
  • Renko in Celestial Wizardry ~ Magical Astronomy cover
    Renko in Celestial Wizardry ~ Magical Astronomy cover
  • Renko in Changing Dreams in the Age of Science ~ Changeability of Strange Dream cover
    Renko in Changing Dreams in the Age of Science ~ Changeability of Strange Dream cover
  • Renko in Izanagi Object ~ Neo-traditionalism of Japan cover
    Renko in Izanagi Object ~ Neo-traditionalism of Japan cover
  • Renko in Night Trip to Rendaino ~ Ghostly Field Club cover
    Renko in Night Trip to Rendaino ~ Ghostly Field Club cover
  • Renko in Rainbow-Colored Septentrion cover
    Renko in Rainbow-Colored Septentrion cover
  • Renko in Mugen Noh of Tanabata Hill ~ Taboo Japan Disentanglement cover
    Renko in Mugen Noh of Tanabata Hill ~ Taboo Japan Disentanglement cover
  • Maribel and Renko's cameo in Symposium of Post-mysticism
    Maribel and Renko's cameo in Symposium of Post-mysticism
  • Renko in Old Testament Tavern ~ Dateless Bar "Old Adam" cover
    Renko in Old Testament Tavern ~ Dateless Bar "Old Adam" cover
  • Renko in Ruins of Torifune ~ Trojan Green Asteroid cover
    Renko in Ruins of Torifune ~ Trojan Green Asteroid cover
  • Renko in Swallowstone Naturalis Historia ~ Dr. Latency's Freak Report cover
    Renko in Swallowstone Naturalis Historia ~ Dr. Latency's Freak Report cover
  • Renko in Unknown Flower, Mesmerizing Journey cover
    Renko in Unknown Flower, Mesmerizing Journey cover

Misconceptions

Characters Have Flown Through Outerspace

One example of this is believed to be in Touhou 02's Stage 3 Scarlet Dream ~ Scarlet Dream where it displays stars and a space-like effect in the background[92], however this is actually the World of Fantasies, the world that lies between Makai and the human world, with Genji confirming this is definetely not outerspace as Reimu can breathe just fine there[93].

All Characters are Children

This is an argument that spawns from how small the characters look in different works, though this is moreso due to the "moe" artstyle Touhou tries to capture, in many of the manga characters look far older.

Majority of characters in the series are outright shown to drink alcohol on a daily basis[94], where one needs to be at least 20 years old under Japanese law to drink, where Japanese law requires no underaged characters to be shown drinking. This is even acknowledged in the series itself with a note saying alcohol is only for those over 20 years old[95]. Thus if a character is ever seen drinking alcohol in the series, they are an adult.

The only direct non-adults in the series are Sumireko Usami, Chiyuri Kitashirakawa, and Hieda no Akyuu in her first appearance.

Youkai Control the world through both the mental and physical layer

This statement comes from a fan translation that says this in Curiosities of Lotus Asia[96].

While the statement seems clear cut, there is another translation used instead that makes more sense with the sentence.

It instead notes that most youkai concieve of the world through these two layers, which is why they believe the future is pre-determined and history repeats itself[97]. This falls in line with the earlier disucssion of Rinnosuke claiming that he believes the future to be predetermined and Reimu needing to explain to him why that's not the case[83].

Battle Records

None.

None.

None.

References

Expand here.
  1. ↑ Ghostly Field Club #08 Flower of Past Days ~ Fairy of Flower "Red spider lilies are so creepy! I hate those flowers. I have ever since I was a child. "The entrance is at the gravestone where red spider lilies grow thickest in Rendaino." For some reason, that phrase suddenly escaped my lips. Renko believed me entirely, saying that since it was me saying it, it was certain that it was true. It seemed that she had chosen our destination of her own accord."
  2. ↑ Taboo Japan Disentanglement #01 Dawn Breaks on Tanabatazaka ""Four hours left till 10 AM..." Maribel Hearn (Merry) tried to calm her racing mind. She wasn't used to traveling on her own, yet here she was camping out on her lonesome.
    She had always left planning for trips up to her dear friend, and this was the first time she had made all of the arrangements herself. That was why she had found herself experiencing a complete equipment deficiency. She had even forgotten that, for camping outdoors, one needs to bring such things as "tents".
    Merry hadn't slept all that well, but it was a trifling matter since she wasn't new to switching up her days and nights. On a road without a sign of life in Hitachi, conditions were ideal for staying up late and stargazing. Except that she couldn't shake off her fatigue.
    Today, July 7th, was not just the festival called Tanabata; according to Merry's research of the area, it was supposed to be an especially important day on this hill——Tanabatazaka.
    However, as dawn approached, there was no indication of anything out of the ordinary.
    The mixed emotions of worry and resignation held sway over her mind."
  3. ↑ Taboo Japan Disentanglement #02 Tinkerbell of Inequality "——One month before her solitary journey.
    Merry was making preparations for her trip. It seemed as if Renko Usami had built up so much confidence in her own theory that she had shut herself in her room to prepare a manuscript for presentation at a conference. She hadn't even met up with her closest friend, Merry, for some time.
    "Hmm, so this is the latest version of Renko's paper?"
    The thick manila envelope she had been sent by Renko contained nothing but a heavy stack of papers. Nowadays, things like handwritten manuscripts might be taking anachronism too far, but it seemed that nevertheless that was the method of preparation that she had chosen.
    "Probability theory's collapse and the otherworld? The Copenhagen interpretation's revival and the world of dreams? As expected, it's something like a reactionary screed on classical quantum mechanics, I see."Merry was dreadfully bored. Lately, the Hifuu Club's activity had completely petered out."
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Changeability of Strange Dream #05 Boys and Girls of the Age of Science ""Here are the cookies I got at the scarlet mansion, and the natural bamboo shoots from the bamboo forest." "Huh? I thought you were talking about a dream, Merry?" The girl listening to me talk about my dreams is Renko Usami: the other member of our little club of two, and the one who comes up with most of our activities. Renko can tell where she is and what time of day it is just by looking at the sky. Creepy.
    Also, Renko calls me Merry. People in this country seem to have trouble pronouncing my name, to the point where I wonder if anyone even remembers it anymore.
    "I am talking about my dreams. I told you that from the start, didn't I?" "...But if those were dreams, then how do you have those things here in reality?" "That's precisely why I wanted to consult you."
    It's becoming hard for me to tell what's a dream and what's reality. The dreams usually end when I'm being chased by a youkai. They're nightmares worthy of being called nightmares, but... If I keep bringing things along from my dreams without realizing it, then maybe even the conversation I'm having now is just a dream...
    "Alright, here's my first piece of advice for you, Merry. These aren't bamboo shoots anymore. By the time they get to this size they're too tough to eat." But if I could change them from nightmares to good dreams, I might prefer them to my present reality... "Natural bamboo shoots hide underground, to protect themselves while they're soft and tasty.""
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Retrospective in 53 Minutes #05 Legend of Aokigahara ""Ah! Just now, I..."
    "What's the matter, Merry? You got a scary expression all of a sudden."
    "I suddenly felt a bit sick. Don't you feel it, Renko? The space we're in now feels a bit different from normal. Also, I can see a rift in the boundary... Perhaps it's a bug in the screen-controlling program?"
    "Oh, it's probably because we're under the sacred mountain. The atmosphere is a little different... No, wait, it might even be space-time that's different. You're so sensitive that it's stressing you out, Merry."
    "Oh, I see, so we're under Mt. Fuji. Now I understand what I was feeling. Since ancient times, it's been said that there was an entrance to the Netherworld underneath the mountain. But it's a volcano, isn't it? Was it really fine to build a tunnel here?"
    "Stop being a worrywart. At times like these, you should have a drink and stop thinking so hard. When Mt. Fuji was recognized as a World Heritage Site, they designated it as extinct rather than just dormant, right?"
    The Boyu Tokaido was designed for the sole purpose of connecting Tokyo and Kyoto, but the government had to do quite a bit to assuage public relations concerns brought about by tunneling under the sacred Mt. Fuji.
    It makes a detour underneath the Sea of Trees instead.
    However, since long ago, unpleasant legends about the Sea of Trees have circulated, so building the tunnel underneath it might have affected the Shinkansen's service and the amount of passengers that would ride it.
    With that in mind, the detour was never announced to the public."
  6. ↑ Retrospective in 53 Minutes #06 White Flag of Usa Shrine ""Ha ha, sake feels great in the morning. Come to think of it, this Shinkansen was originally designed to stop at Kamakura, too, wasn't it?"
    "You seem to know everything, Renko."
    "Because I do, you know. From what I know, they wanted to connect the three capitals and name it the Keito Shinkansen."
    "That seems like it would have been warm. But wait, Kamakura was never a capital, was it? And Kamakura is too close to Tokyo to be a stop between Kyoto and Tokyo, anyhow."
    "That's why it was shelved."
    "Shouldn't they have known that from the beginning? Have you been lied to by some fan of Lord Hachiman?"
    "By the way, do you know what kind of shelf is meant in the phrase shelved?"
    Speaking of Fuji, the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji Katsushika Hokusai created are well-known, yet he was not satisfied with any of the pictures of Mt. Fuji he drew. You can tell this because he actually drew forty-six pictures.
    After that, a young Utagawa Hiroshige, who was only half his age, published The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido which became more popular. Undaunted, Hokusai also published his Hundred Views of Mount Fuji, despite the thirty-six edition he released earlier. That is how bewitched he was by Mt. Fuji.
    However, Hiroshige was also rather obsessed with it."
  7. ↑ Touhou Sangetsusei (Three Fairies) ~ Strange and Bright Nature Deity Chapter 6
  8. ↑ Retrospective in 53 minutes #02 Blue Sea of 53 Minutes ""The Hiroshige's seating is spacious, and it gets us to our destination quickly, so it's convenient... But seeing nothing but the Kaleido-screen's fake scenery is so boring."
    "Even if that's true, because of the video they play in the tunnels, it's much brighter than subways used to be. It feels just like we're above the ground, doesn't it?"
    "The Mt. Fuji above ground might not be this lovely, but I wanted to see the genuine one. I wish we could have taken the old Tokaido Shinkansen."
    "Are you seriously going on about that kind of indulgence? Nowadays, the only people who ride that are people from Tōhoku, Indians, and celebrities. You might be as leisurely as someone from Tōhoku, though."
    "I'm a celebrity."
    ...The Boyu Tokaido had been in operation since before they were born.
    After the relocation of the capital in the Jinki era, many humans were faced with the need to come and go between Tokyo and Kyoto. Soon the old Tokaido Shinkansen alone wasn't enough to support the volume of traffic, so the government swiftly started developing a new Shinkansen as soon as they could.
    The resulting accomplishment, connecting Kyoto and Tokyo in just 53 minutes, was the Boyu Shinkansen Hiroshige. This Shinkansen enabled commuting between Kyoto and Tokyo, and in a flash, it became the main traffic artery of Japan.
    The astonishing thing is that the Shinkansen runs entirely underground in a straight line. From the point of departure to the terminal, you cannot see sky, sea, mountain, forest, Sun nor Moon."
  9. ↑ Retrospective in 53 Minutes #03 Flight of the Bamboo Cutter ~ Lunatic Princess ""It's pleasant to arrive in a flash, but aren't you bored with this imitation scenery, Renko? They even show a fake full moon during the nights when the real one is out. The Tokaido of the past had 53 staging towns, while now, it only takes 53 minutes in spite of the increase in the distance between the final stations since then. You can't call this sort of affair a journey anymore."
    "No matter how short the distance, a journey is still a journey. Sightseeing in Tokyo will be plenty of fun, believe me. Unlike Kyoto, there are plenty of buildings in places like Shinjuku and Shibuya that let you just feel the history. Why don't you think of the short train trip as buying you more time to go sightseeing?"
    "Sure, fine. I suppose you're right. Ugh, I wonder if we'd be able to see the ancient rabbit making medicine on the fake full moon..."
    "Oh, right! Have I told you? The fact of the matter is the Hiroshige could make the trip in less than 53 minutes if it went at its maximum speed, but they purposefully adjusted it to arrive at 53 minutes sharp."
    "One minute, one stop. At that pace, I'd go senile from age in three weeks. What a short journey that would be..."
    Renko Usami and Maribel Hearn (Merry) decided to use their university vacation to take a trip to Tokyo, where Renko's parents lived. Although the point of the trip for her was to tag along with Renko on her trip for Higan, as she had never been to Tokyo, Merry nonetheless found herself excitedly looking forward to it.
    She was also looking forward to the scenery on the way to Tokyo, but unfortunately for her, the Boyu Tokaido ran underground for the entire length of the journey.
    In spite of that, sunlight shone in from the windows like that above ground during the day, and outside was displayed the beauty of Mt. Fuji and the Pacific Ocean.
    That was the main selling point and budget sink of the Boyu Tokaido, the device called the Kaleido-screen."
  10. ↑ Ghost Field Story #02 Girls Hifuu Club ""Merry, do you want to go see the entrance in Rendaino?" It was two days ago that she made the proposition. The Hifuu Club, which only has two members, is a common, ordinary spirit medium club. Yes, it's a group for mediums, but we don't perform any of the usual activities of such groups, like seances or exorcisms. For that reason, we're considered a defective club by others, but the truth is..."
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Changeability of Strange Dream #06 Retribution for the Eternal Night ~ Imperishable Night "I ran for dear life, even though I was in a dream.
    I didn't know why it was, but the laughter that I heard sounded like something that clearly wasn't human.
    My instincts were telling me "Run for it!"
    But the bamboo forest was sloped at a slight angle, which made me lose my sense of balance.
    I tried to run in a straight line, but what really happened, I wonder?
    Although it felt like I'd run quite a lot, there was nothing to see but the same scenery as before.
    Did this forest continue on for eternity, or was I running around in circles?
    ...But I suppose either would have the same result.
    To think in such a way that "from an objective point of view, there exists a definite truth" like Renko does really is old-fashioned.
    The truth exists within subjectivity. If I can only see the same sights over and over again... then that's the kind of place this is.
    And that's why I'm running.
    Because dreams are nothing like the antonym of reality.
    By today's common knowledge, the two are synonyms.
    Even in dreams, one must flee from things of unknown nature. That is the truth.
    My major is relativistic psychology.
    Renko's is super-unified physics. I wonder if her recent study of strings is going well?"
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Changeability of Strange Dream #11 Mystic Maple ~ Eternal Dream ""Honestly, you're always late, Renko, even though you're the one who always invites me."
    "Merry, I was just 3 minutes and 15 seconds late. Almost, right?"
    "What do you mean, 'almost'? Or should I say, what did you want today?"
    "Club activites, of course. Since all the members are here, we can't miss this opportunity."
    "There are only the two of us, though... so, did you find some sort of entrance again?"
    There is but only one conclusion. The dream world that Merry spoke of. Its beautiful nature and its hint of the mysterious.
    A shrine in the deep mountains far from human habitation. Children frolicking and making merry. A deep green forest, and a sparkling white lake. A scarlet mansion, with tea time under the sunshine filtering through the trees. A huge bamboo forest that makes you lose your way, and natural bamboo shoots. The full moon that drives people mad. Inhuman creatures wearing human faces. And the ominous phoenix... ...It's not fair if Merry is the only one who gets to see them!
    "Of course I've found a way to get to another world. See here? I have all these clues."
    "Clues...? These are the things I got in my dream world, Renko."
    "That's right, that's the world we're looking for today. You know, doesn't it seem like the children of this country never seem happy? Do you know why that is, Merry?"
    "?"
    "They learned to think that dream and reality are the same thing, because of the scientists who think as you do. As mere virtual images seen within the mind, they have incorporated them into reality as a physiological phenomenon. Outside of subjectivity, there is a believable objectivity. There is absolute truth. You say subjectivity is the truth? Your words contradict themselves. That theory is mistaken. As evidence, you dreamed without recognizing your experiences as subjective, didn't you? Dreams and reality are different. That's why it's possible to make dreams into reality with hard work. And that's why kids used to be able to smile. Open your eyes! Dreams are things to be made into reality. Let's make the world of dreams into reality!""
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Magical Astronomy #04 The Wheelchair's Future of the Universe ""But still, no Martian probe has met with any success so far. I wonder if we can really witness the universe that lay inside of Hawking's head with our own eyes."
    "Ultimately, the problem is that there haven't been physicists that have surpassed Hawking."
    "Oh, but what about you, Renko? All you need to do is work hard at it. You have a rare ability, after all."
    "I'm in a different field, but maybe I am as smart as Planck. Besides, I don't think it's practically possible to observe the dissipation of a black hole that Hawking described. More than that, I don't even think that mankind will make it to Mars."
    "Oh, how pessimistic. But since you're the one saying it, it's trustworthy."
    "The amount of energy needed in order to observe it is enormous. Apart from theory, even observational physics is effectively coming to an end. And while we're on the topic, the Moon Tour is too expensive."
    Physics is coming to its end. The field is already rapidly plunging into into an age of interpretation and philosophy."
  14. ↑ Retrospective in 53 Minutes Afterword "Something like "Nice to meet you." I'm ZUN.
    This Boyu Tokaido ~ Retrospective 53 minutes has neither development nor ending. It's the story of someone who managed to eavesdrop on a meandering conversation between the two girls of the Sealing Club. In a way, it's a happy ending.
    There are a few little quips the person listening to their conversation inserted mentally. These quips are the narration. Really? The two girls seem to be just slightly smarter than most their age. Smart girls are cool.
    The theme of this story is same as my previous work, Changeability of Strange Dream. It's about the virtual and reality. Please let the virtuality now advance a little more within your mind. You can relax while listening to (reading) this CD more than CoSD, right?
    Anime and games are always singled out whenever some bizarre crime occurs. How it usually goes is "Separate the virtual from reality." "Just who do you big shots think you are?" "Isn't it obvious?" "What kind of excuse is that?" But it's all meaningless, since that shouldn't be the case to begin with.
    They say that genius comes to people in dreams. They said that the mind can abandon its body and go beyond reality. That knowledge and experience will never go to waste. The difference between the virtual and reality is like that of software and hardware. It is impossible to separate them.
    That is true, isn't it?
    Otherwise, music would never affect anybody. And it's possible to play back virtual music...
    As long as I create music, I want to continue the activity of recognizing the impossibility of separation between the virtual and reality."
  15. ↑ Dateless Bar "Old Adam" #10 Hangover of Bedfellows Dreaming Differently "The next day, following their experience in the bar. Though there had been such excitement when they were drinking, they were somehow tired and listless. So this was what people called 'being hung over'.
    In the end, the visions of other worlds that Merry had shown were the biggest highlight of the night.
    However, it wasn't as if Merry had simply used her ability and boasted about it. Most people probably assumed something of that level was just a magic trick, or a mirror that had that sort of function.
    What Merry had done was to take other people's personal accounts, and make them their own.
    "How'd it go?"
    "Mmm. About half of the stories were just made-up."
    "It went really well, though. My plan to have you show each of them the other side of the barrier through the mirror, and at the same time make contact with them to figure out if they really had been to another world."
    Merry was deeply impressed by how Renko had come up with all that on the spot. Yes, Renko truly was intelligent and a quick thinker.
    "The stories about the snakes and hair cult were true, by the way."
    "Really? I knew it! Those two stories weren't told anywhere near skillfully enough to be lies. It's decided, then!"
    "What is?"
    "What do you mean, what? We're headed to Mount Miwa!"
    Merry, still hung over from the old-style liquor, immediately refused."
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Ghostly Field Club #07 Uncanny Bird of the Moon, Illusion of the Bakeneko "That reminds me, Renko mentioned "an entrance in Rendaino". Did she manage to use this photograph to find out where it was? "It's simple. You can see that the moon and the stars are visible in this photograph, can't you?" According to Renko, she can tell what time it is by the light of the stars and her location by looking at the moon. Renko is always telling me that my eyes are creepy. I think her eyes are the creepy ones."
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Changeability of Strange Dream #04 Voyage 1969 "The scenery was the same no matter how far I walked. The sun had already set, and I couldn't even see the ground beneath my own feet...
    At night, a bamboo forest is terribly easy to lose one's way in. From time to time, I heard strange cries in the distance. Were they coming from animals, or maybe... What to do now? This was hopeless. Was I going to walk in circles in this bamboo grove until I starved to death? Or perhaps would I be eaten by a youkai? Ah, but there were so many things I had left to do...
    I wandered around aimlessly. A voice in the back of my mind said that I probably wouldn't starve, because I could survive by eating bamboo shoots. ...But in the first place, this was a dream, wasn't it? But then I realized that I had no idea what sort of thing natural bamboo shoots even were. I'd only seen synthetic ones. All I knew about them was the taste...
    At a loss for anything else, I looked up at the sky. The whole of it was filled with stars. For the first time, I envied your eyes. If it were you, you'd know exactly where you were in no time; you'd never get lost, would you? As soon as I thought that, I heard an uncanny laugh from right behind me!"
  18. ↑ Touhou 04: Lotus Land Story Stage 1
  19. ↑ Dr. Latency's Freak Report #05 An Instant that Exceeds Planck's Time "Merry said that if we refer to the world we humans observe, which is dominated by photons, as "the world here," then there are also countless "worlds beyond" dominated by other types of particles. And in those "worlds beyond," there are life-forms living there as well.
    "Those life-forms that are invisible, but exist very close to us, and can appear to us via fluctuations are youkai, in my opinion."
    "Youkai... That suddenly makes it sound kind of crazy."
    "Well, you could call them angels or devils or phantoms or cryptids, whatever's fine. But when I think of something that can't be seen, yet definitely exists as a phenomenon, I'd say 'youkai' is the best descriptor."
    The existence of youkai certainly had been supported since long ago. However, as the world was dominated by science and philosophy that demanded falsifiability, the topic of youkai faded away."
  20. ↑ Dr. Latency's Freak Report #09 The Sea Where One's Home Planet Reflects "I saw a forest rich with diversity.
    I saw a proud, holy mountain, shut off to creatures who preferred the lower ground.
    I saw a deep lake covered in an arcane mist.
    Those sights weren't just beautiful, but natural too. They were all hidden in the invisible gaps of the quantum world.
    By the way, just what would happen if one went to a brane dominated by particles with different properties?
    Merry remembered, and her face contorted in terror."
  21. ↑ Dr. Latency's Freak Report #10 Pure Furies ~ Whereabouts of the Heart ""When they see me, the youkai living there will attack."
    "What...? ...Actually, you kind of have a habit of getting attacked by monsters, Merry."
    "Well, I'm used to it by now. I suppose it is only natural that they'd realize I'm a foreign presence. Like I see youkai as fluctuations, perhaps they see me as a phantom-like being."
    She said the attacking youkai came soaring through the sky, just like formless quantum particles racing to and fro in a vacuum.
    "So, what kind of youkai were they? Kappa? Tengu?""They were humanoid, actually. Although physical form has no meaning in that world beyond anyway."
    Before she could even think of trying to come to a mutual understanding, Merry awoke from her dream."
  22. ↑ Ghostly Field Club #03 Eastern Ghostly Dream ~ Ancient Temple & #04 Ancient Temple in the Netherworld "Eastern Ghostly Dream ~ Ancient Temple
    "What is this entrance in Rendaino, Renko?" I had never heard of there being any such thing in Rendaino, and she asked me so suddenly I couldn't think of anything else to say. "Well, just take a look." Renko handed me a photo of an ancient temple. It was a temple I had never seen before. "This is the Netherworld."

    Ancient Temple in the Netherworld
    "How is it that you have a photo of the Netherworld?" "I've got a back and forth route, you know, Merry." I hadn't the faintest idea what sort of route it could be, but I figured that it was probably something like spirit photography with a participating corpse. "Then, in this picture, if you look past the temple gate...""
  23. ↑ Touhou 20: Fossilized Wonders Stage 5
  24. ↑ Touhou 20: Fossilized Wonders Reimu Extra Stage
  25. ↑ Touhou 20: Fossilized Wonders Reimu Stage 6
  26. ↑ Touhou 20: Fossilized Wonders Reimu Stage 6
  27. ↑ Touhou Suzunaan (Bell Hermitage) ~ Forbidden Scrollery Chapter 25
  28. ↑ Touhou 15: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom Reimu Ending 1
  29. ↑ Touhou 15: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom Reimu Ending 2
  30. ↑ Touhou 15: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom Stage 6
  31. ↑ Touhou 15: Sanae Ending 6
  32. ↑ Touhou Project - Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom Prologue "When urban legends were manifesting in Gensokyo, a rumour started to spread that "Apollo never went to the Moon".
    At the same time, a metallic spider appeared around the mountain. The spider appeared to be slowly wandering around.
    Reimu: "So, what's this weird machine you mentioned?"
    Sanae: "It happened when the morning mist was still covering the mountain."
    It had a form with no imperfections, unbecoming of any other beast or monster.
    Mist faded away and the trees withered in the places where the spider passed by.
    Reimu: "So, a machine that looked like a spider?"
    Sanae: "I only caught a glimpse of it, but it definitely wasn't just some youkai that I mistook."
    Reimu: "Maybe it's one of the kappa's tools..."
    Once the machine passed by, there were no signs of life.
    Tengu flew in the sky overhead, but for some reason, they paid no attention to the spider As the foothills came into the spider's view, it slowly clambered down the cliffside.
    Sanae: "This is definitely interesting. I can't imagine that its appearance is just a coincidence."
    Sanae began to grow restless.
    Reimu: "What is it? It's kind of irritating."
    Sanae: "That thing looked just like Curiosity."
    —Eientei.
    Kaguya: "Seems the time has come for them to arrive."
    Eirin: "What shall we do?"
    Kaguya: "That's obvious, isn't it? I already prepared myself."
    A natural and satisfying answer.
    Eirin: "If they're making a move, no human will possibly be able to compete with them.
    However, if we were to make any move, we'd fall right into the enemy's hands.
    What's more, the youkai of Earth likely can't even interfere to begin with."
    Kaguya: "So what do we do?"
    Eirin: "I made some medicine for just the occasion. Get Reisen to deliver this to the shrine maiden and her friends."
    —Marisa's house, in the Forest of Magic
    The seven Occult Balls that had suddenly appeared. Marisa had been investigating just what one of the balls had been; The ball of the Lunar Capital, to be precise.
    Marisa: "Looks like this thing was somehow the cause of that while urban legend uproar, but..."
    As she sat bewildered, the moon rabbit Reisen appeared there.
    —The metallic spider's march of purification cannot be stopped. The trees wither before one's eyes. Not one blade of grass was left in the spider's tracks. When Gensokyo is completely purified, it will be transformed into a perfect world.
    Into a beautiful planet with no life on it...""
  33. ↑ Strange Creators of Outer World Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom interview with ZUN "Junko
    Junko seems like quite a villanous person.
    That's right. Even the font for her name is a little bigger than the others. It's a little intimidating.
    That's why!? (laugh)
    Even her spell cards don't have two names - there's no prefix. She's very pure.
    In the end, what exactly is the "power of purification"?
    I wonder. That piques your curiosity the most, doesn't it (laugh).
    Maybe (laugh). Is it something like completely bringing out a certain property?
    I touched on it a little in Curiosities of Lotus Asia, but if I have to say it then it would be the power of the gods. A pure power from before things had names. When you give a name to something, its godly nature disappears. But she held onto that pure aspect all this time, and she can bestow it upon other things. It's a power that's almost like giving birth to a god.
    She's a character driven solely by revenge, but that seems unusual for Touhou.
    That's because she's a character outside Gensokyo; it's not something you'll find inside.
    I see. Is a 'sagacious spirit' a kind of divine spirit?
    It's hard to separate the character from the genre. She is a type of divine spirit, but it's hard to make a distinction so at the very least she's a spirit. In this case, it's a little hard to handle her. Who could there be to explain who she is or what she does?
    It could be Eirin (laugh).
    It could only be Eirin (laugh). Well, the Lunar Capital has a long list of troubles; you get a little glimpse of that. Perhaps from now on, you'll be able to see a little more of the problems of the outside world. Well, Sumireko is filled with gripes towards modern-day Japan, but as denizens of the outside world they're easy for us to grasp. It's the kind of thing you might see in a light novel.
    You don't seem like the type of person to read light novels (laugh).
    Well, I don't read them (laugh), but it's the type of thing that used to show up in Young Adult fiction. I tried bringing that feeling of discontent into Gensokyo. That's how it is this time around.
    When you get to the Extra Stage it just seems like she's become a fallen spirit, though. Something like, "Ah, yeah, yeah, it's been fun".
    After that, it definitely feels like something's going to happen. You can't help but think that.
    Even the ending is kind of like everyone telling each other, "The Lunarians really make me angry, you know?"
    That's right, the only person that is actually a Lunarian is Sagume. It's very troublesome. Fundamentally, the Lunarians and Gensokyo have always been hostile. Well, it's not so much Gensokyo as all of the surface. Although if I had to say it, then it's really the Lunarians being one-sidedly hostile. Like "I totally don't want to meet them" or "Those people have cooties, gross". Of course, if you're one-sidedly treated like that, you'd end up hating them in return.
    Thanks to that relationship, if you bring back a stone or alcohol, you're told "good job".
    Nobody ever thought that they wanted to march over and beat them up, just because they hated them. If they mutually hate each other, it's better to just stay separated. No one thinks about gaining any advantage from fighting. If the Lunar Capital had tried to relocate without fighting, then Gensokyo's inhabitants would have disappeared before they realized.
    That's way too frightening. At that rate, the flow of things would have led to the night being stopped again.
    That would become another game in itself, wouldn't it. Well, in this game the flow of things led to the resolution of the problem, but it was more that the solution strategy worked for the time being.
    However, isn't it more like the flow of things led to defending against the invading enemies?
    It's a little bothersome to show that flow of things in only six stages of a shooting game (laugh). I wouldn't be able to explain everything. If there was a plot twist in the middle, it would be better to have something longer."
  34. ↑ Curiosities of Lotus Asia Chapter 15 Page 98-106 "Rinnosuke Morichika can see the names of things. Maybe it was for the sake of this unconventional ability that he opened Kourindou, an antique store. Or maybe it is because he loves objects so much that he became able to perceive their names? And it was to him that Reimu brought a strange stone. This mysterious stone whose name not even his ability could perceive, what is its true nature…? In this chapter of the popular Touhou Project serialization, the glib and image of Kourindou blow through a languid midsummer afternoon.
    A Nameless Stone
    In the beginning, nothing in this world had a name. It was a world in which all things were mixed together in chaos. However, the gods in those ancient times gave a name to every last thing, and so the orderly world we see today was born. When naming something, a new border is created that makes it recognizable as one thing. You could say that the power to name is the creation to produce the object from nothingness, clearly the same power as a god's. And because of the strength of this power, the things themselves remember their names. And that's why I can see those names in them."
  35. ↑ The Grimoire of Usami - Hifuu Kurabu Ikai Satsuei Kiroku Section 2-6
  36. ↑ The Grimoire of Usami - Hifuu Kurabu Ikai Satsuei Kiroku Section 2-6
  37. ↑ Whispered Oracle of Hakurei Shrine Page 106 "No. 88 【Very Great Misfortune】
    Unfulfilled Grudge
    Junko
    Capable of purifying
    "To simplify, nature, life, and emotions are no more than information."
    Fortune: Everything you've built will crumble. You might as well cast it all away.
    People: It's time to reset relationships.
    Money: It'll turn into wastepaper.
    Work: Your daily frustrations are exploding. Consider changing jobs. Being an essential worker isn't bad.
    Studies: How much you usually study is important. Chemistry is auspicious.
    Love: Watch your back.
    Health: You'll get stomach aches.
    Travel: Isn't fun.
    Lost Items: Can't be found.
    Hobbies: You understand the idea of them. If you can turn your hobby into a job, you'll be successful."
  38. ↑ Magical Astronomy #02 Greenwich in the Sky ""They say that they're sending off a manned Martian probe again this time."
    "Hmm. But who cares about manned Martian probes right now, Merry? What I want to talk about are the 'Moon Tours' that all the extras mentioned."
    "Yes, with those eyes that tell you the time and place just by looking at the stars and Moon, I do wonder just how exactly you'd perceive the lunar surface itself..."
    "Well, I'd probably perceive 'This is the lunar surface.'"
    "And how about the time?"
    "My eyes can only see Japanese Standard Time (JST). Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) is beyond my abilities. It'd be weird if the Earth and the Moon used the same time, anyway."
    "Wait, wait. 'Beyond your abilities?' It's just a matter of subtraction, isn't it?"
    They use UTC in space nowadays, but it's basically the same thing as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The Royal Greenwich Observatory was constructed in the 17th century. When you think about a time system designed to observe the cosmos to be used in those cosmos, it's somewhat funny."
  39. ↑ Touhou 12.8 Great Fairy Wars Stage EX
  40. ↑ Touhou 12.8 Great Fairy Wars Stage A1-2
  41. ↑ Touhou 03: Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream Cutscene: Reimu vs Chiyuri
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Curiosities of Lotus Asia Chapter 27 Mechanism of Fortune "That's how Reimu makes tea for three people 淹 (い) Yes, I handed it to him happily. After saying this, Reimu brewed tea for the three of us and gladly served it.
    It would be fun to hear why Reimu has such good intuition. I forgot to let the tea cool and brought it to my mouth./We looked forward to hearing the reason behind the quality of Reimu's intuition. I brought the tea to my lips, forgetting to cool it.
    "...Huh. Reimu's initial conditions became exactly the same Saiko (Dice) So you're saying that the same eyes don't necessarily appear?" "... Ah. So what you're saying is that even if the initial conditions of the dice are the same, it's possible to get different results?"/"Of course it will. That alone doesn't determine the outcome." "Of course, I am. Those aren't the only things deciding the outcome."
    The story of Reimu was not a difficult one, but it contained a shocking truth./Reimu's tale wasn't a difficult one, but there was a shocking truth contained therein.
    Reimu 曰 (Iwa) He says that the world is made up of three layers./According to her, the world is made up of three layers.
    First, there are the physical laws of living things, tools, etc 則 (Not yet) is a layer of moving physics. This layer is where objects fall towards the ground and river water flows./First is the physical layer that moves in accuracy with the laws of physics, including all living things, objects, etc. It is on this layer that an object falls towards the ground, and that the water of the river flows.
    The second is the movement of the mind and the layers of psychology such as magic and sorcery. Meeting assholes and getting offended, or having a party and getting rid of your rut is this demographic. Most monsters see the world solely through this layer of physics and psychology, so history repeats itself and the future is planned 戯れ (ざ) 言 (Goto) It is said that he says./The second layer is one that moves with the spirit, which includes things such as magic and sorcery, the mental layer. One's mood turning sour when meeting an unhappy person, and releasing all your stress and cares during a party lie here. Since most youkai conceive of the world just through these physical and mental layers, they Ridiculously say that history repeats itself and the future is predetermined.
    However, according to Reimu, the third layer of the world forms the loop of the world 拒 (Koba) Moo-y. The third layer is the layer of memory where all things remember events. The layers of memory increase but do not decrease, so we cannot be in exactly the same state as in the past. If it becomes the same as in the past, then the memory of it becoming the same is contradictory because it leaves you with nowhere to go. The layers of memory are only increasing./But according to Reimu, there is a third layer that rejects loops. The third layer is the layer of memory, which is the recollection of events that lies within all things. Since it's only possible to add to the memory layer, it's possible to completely recreate the past. If something were to happen that already occurred in the past, then there would be a contradiction because that would simply that memory was lost, which is impossible. The memory layer always continues to build up."
  43. ↑ Touhou 12.8 Great Fairy Wars Freeze Mechanic
  44. ↑ Touhou Hisoutensoku Reisen vs. Cirno, Reisen win quote
  45. ↑ Touhou 03: Phantasmagoria Dim. Dream Rikako Ending
  46. ↑ Touhou 03: Phantasmagoria Dim. Dream Rikako Ending
  47. ↑ Gensou Narratograph Chapter 1 Pages 104 - 108 "GM: Ahh, I had a great time! Thank you all for playing!
    All: Thank you!
    ZUN: I had fun. Lots of fun. (laugh)
    GM: Really!? Just hearing that makes me really happy.
    Player A: Yeah, it was great!
    GM: Thank you very much! So, we're about to get into the post-game!
    In reality, we're also supposed to do things like reset or advance your characters and stuff like that, but since the time limit's pressing down on us, I'd just like everyone to take a turn and share their thoughts about today's game, anything like that.
    Player B: Alright. Man, what should we talk about? (laugh)
    GM: (laugh) ...Well, suppose I'll start. First off, I'll say it again, but thank you, everyone.
    All: Thank you for the game!
    GM: In particular, it was really nice of ZUN to agree to play with us, and I loved watching him play Reimu.
    ZUN: No, no, it's nothing. (laugh)
    GM: It really made me feel, "So this is what Reimu's like!" Very strongly so.
    ZUN: Well, you know. Reimu's a character with no mercy towards youkai. Whether they're bad, or even haven't done anything, she'll hit them without a second thought. (laugh)
    GM: Yes, well... It was fun to watch. Player A, who played Cirno, has the longest history with tabletop RPGs here, so you could really call them a veteran, but they turned out to be a big help filling in the details of the story here.
    Player A: Yaaay. I'm glad you think so.
    GM: Aya was very cool in the Showdown Phase. In addition, they did a great job roleplaying and commenting on things in the scenes, and made me chuckle a lot of times.
    Player B: Hahaha. You're right, I did roll pretty well back there.
    GM: Also, speaking as the GM, excitable Sanae was a lot of fun to play!
    ZUN: You could tell from the start she was going to fail (laugh). The way she acted.
    GM: If that's what you thought, then it worked as intended (laugh). — So, moving on. Player A, if you would!
    Player A: Okaaay! Everyone, thank you so much! Everyone was really cute... I noticed I was grinning the whole time. (laugh)
    All: Thank you!
    Player A: I felt a lot of love for the source material in all of Aya's lines. Writing an extra, and the regular edition too, I really felt like "Man, being a reporter is a lot of work."
    Player B: That's great to hear.
    Player A: And Reimu was really awesome too. Really felt like this was "ZUN's Reimu". Saying what she wants, doing what she wants, being really rough on Cirno too, it was great to see. Compared to everyone else here, I don't know the source material nearly as well, so it might not have been a very Cirno-like Cirno, but I still had lots of fun messing around as her for a day. Thank you very much!
    GM: I think it was good you amped up her fairy-ness! — Well, next up, Player B. If you would.
    Player B: Riiight! Good work, everyone! Man... First off, Cirno was really cute. I thought her level of energy and clever use of her ability were really Cirno-like, actually. She was fun to watch.
    Player A: Hehehe. Alright!
    Player B: Also, the mental image of Sanae explaining the ski resort with a smug look on her face really stuck in my head. It was such a good smug face, I don't even know if it would come across in a photo. (laugh)
    ZUN: It was a good smug face. Sanae also has a habit of getting carried away, after all. (laugh)
    GM: I'm glad to hear you say that. (laugh)
    Player B: I feel like Aya really wants to write articles that make people chuckle, so the idea of being able to turn Sanae's smug photo against her was really funny. My main goal as Aya was to write some entertaining articles, so I'm glad I got a lot of chances for that. I think I managed to roleplay an Aya Shameimaru that matches what's in my head.
    ZUN: It was very Aya-like. (laugh)
    Player B: Thank you very much! — And, of course, I felt a really strong "canon Reimu" too, and was really moved. How direct she was with everyone, and her small hitbox, simply felt like her.
    ZUN: Yeah, exactly (laugh). That's what Reimu's like.
    Player B: Maaan, I'm still not over it. — Seriously, thank you!
    GM: Thank you very much. ...So, finally. Can I ask ZUN as well?
    ZUN: Of course. Man, it was fun (laugh). First off, Cirno. Watching "Charismatic" Cirno run around like that, I definitely thought, "Is that what Cirno's like?" ...but despite that, it was great, and I felt like I saw a new Cirno today. I felt like this game's own kind of Touhou-ness, own kind of playstyle and relationships between characters really got to shine. It was really good.
    Player A: Thank you very much!
    ZUN: Aya is a character who's easy to make a bit too righteous, but this one definitely wasn't. Her only looking for the bad sides of people is, if I had to say, more faithful to how I write her. Really Aya-like. It was great.
    Player B: Hehehe. That's just how Aya is, huh. Doesn't really think about anybody else, you could say.
    ZUN: Yeah, exactly. That's how she is (laugh). ...Also, the first thing that really surprised me was with that cat in the Human Village. I just threw "It was Chen, right?" out there as a bit of a joke, but then the GM picked that up and ran with it. I really thought "Wow! These are actually connected like that!?" It made me think that might be what's really good about these kinds of games.
    GM: I was a bit worried about that part, but I'm glad it worked out.
    ZUN: To be honest, I was kind of messing with you when I said that. (laugh)
    GM: Messing with me!?
    ZUN: (laugh) — Well, last, about the Reimu I played. I was kind of embarrassed in parts, and don't really know if you can call what I did roleplay. But in the final danmaku battle, watching the bullets fly past me even without doing anything, I really felt invincible for a moment, and like Reimu's character really ended up shining through somehow. I know the dice rolls are random and stuff, but it's interesting how you can see it like that.
    GM: Yeah, that's true. Of course, the numbers you get when rolling dice are just products of chance, but I think being able to sense meaning in them is one of the great things about tabletop RPGs. And since they're random, they end up going differently every time. (laugh)
    ZUN: True, true. I kinda wanna do this again sometime.
    GM: If you think so, that really makes me feel like it was worth making.
    ...But, well, until we get another chance, I think this is it for now. Good work today, everyone!
    All: Good work today!
    ..."
  48. ↑ ZUN's Email "> • Are Yuki and Mai really dead?
    > I know we're dealing with a PC-98 game, but were Yuki and Mai from Mystic Square really killed?
    > Looking in particular in the conversation when Lady Mima and Yuki are left... (sweat)
    > Or is this also a type of joke, like Lady Remilia's statement that "Sakuya is dead" in EoSD?
    Basically, they're whatever-works types, so they might not be dead. I generally have no comment regarding the PC-98 games. Please ignore them just as one can ignore derivative works. :-)"
  49. ↑ ZUN's reply to messages on the former Gensou Bulletin Board "Ｑ．「幻想郷」旧作を知らないのですが、霊夢とアリスの過去になにが・・・？
    Ａ．基本的に、ストーリーに関係するキャラは全て紅魔郷以降になります。
    一応、紅魔郷から全体の設定を一掃したので、新シリーズみたいなもんだと
    思っていただけると(^^;

    Q: I don't know anything about the old games in Gensokyo, but did Reimu and Alice have something going on in the past?
    A: Generally, the story related to the characters will all be from Embodiment of Scarlet Devil and later. For now, you can just think of EoSD starting from a clean slate, and starting a new series. (^^;"
  50. ↑ Meiji University talkshow "Dawn of Touhou" "Q: Why was Highly Responsive to Prayers an Arkanoid-clone, not a shmup?
    ZUN: "Because it was a study product.""
  51. ↑ ZUN's AWA Q&A Panel Touhou Wiki Translation:
    "Q: Are the PC-98 games considered canon compared to the Windows series?
    ZUN: It's the same world. There are a few contradictions in the story when putting the PC-98 and Windows games side by side, but I would take reference from the latest games to consider what is canon."

    Word of the Nerd ZUN AWA Panel: Recap Translation:"Q: Are the PC-98 games considered canon compared to the Windows series?
    ZUN: There are a few contradictions in the story when putting the PC-98 and Windows games side by side, but I would take reference from the latest games to consider what is canon."

    Rukasarisari Tumblr Translation:"Q: Are the PC-98 games separate canonically from the Windows series?
    A: It’s the same world, and ZUN realizes there are contradictions. He then tells us to refer to the most recent games <for canon>."
  52. ↑ Embodiment of the Scarlet Devil おまけ.txt "So without any advice, here are the character backstories.
    ○Eternal Shrine Maiden
    Reimu Hakurei
    Ability: Able to Fly, and to Manipulate Natural Spirits.
    The protagonist.
    Chronologically this title is not too far from the previous title, thus her age stays the same as before.
    Unintentionally, she is a shrine maiden. Or rather, she is a shrine maiden only because the Touhou series has become the "Shrine Maiden Shooting Game" series. It feels like the cart has been placed before the horse to me.
    This time, her outfit is not overly intricate like typical shrine maiden clothing, but has become quite simple and only remotely resembles that of a shrine maiden. Is she really a shrine maiden?
    She's more like "You red & white girl!" in my opinion."
  53. ↑ Touhou Project - Strange Creators of Outer World Who's Who of Humans & Youkai in Gensokyo Yuuka Kazami "I basically just wanted to bring back a character from the old works (*from before "Embodiment of Scarlet Devil"). Her current appearance is based on the one from "Seihou Project", made by my juniors. Back then, based on the personal criteria I had for a "strong boss", I figured it would be better if she weren't being too serious the first time you fought her. Then, when she woke up all the way, she would have a "serious mode." I wonder if I could've gotten away with bringing back more older characters at the time, too... although they wouldn't mesh that well with the current setting. I'd say those old characters have probably retired by now, and are warmly watching over things from various places nowadays."
  54. ↑ ZUN's Gensou Denshou Lecture Gensou Denshou After Report "Questioner: Where has Ms. Mima gone to?
    ※Mima is a character introduced in Touhou Project's PC-98 games (Story of Eastern Wonderland, Mystic Square, etc).

    ZUN: The past is being brought up too huh? Bringing them back would make things complicated, and people will ask "Where have they been this entire time?!" I'd rather bring out new characters than go back to past characters. But, I also kinda wanna bring them back too. I won't say they'll never be brought back... that's kinda how I feel, see?

    Questioner:Even Genjii?
    ※Genjii is a character introduced in Touhou Project's PC-98 games. He assisted Reimu by allowing her to ride on him since she could not fly at the time.

    ZUN:Well Reimu is able to fly now. Either way, the idea of a turtle hermit... why did I do that? I feel like a Nimbus Cloud would have been a better idea (lol). Normally speaking, since turtles live a very long time, (Genjii) is most likely not dead. That is the impression I get."
  55. ↑ Meiji University talkshow "Dawn of Touhou" "Q: Where's Genjii now?
    ZUN: "Probably living in the lake at the back of the shrine... at least he's not consumed.""
  56. ↑ Touhou Sangetsusei ~ Strange and Bright Nature Deity Chapter 12
  57. ↑ Touhou Project - Perfect Cherry Blossom Stage 03 Reimu "Reimu: It's really cold out tonight...
    And I can't see a thing."

    Alice: Is your level of spring insufficient even to push away this cold?"

    Reimu: Well, that might be true.

    Alice: Long time no see.

    Reimu: We've only just met.

    Alice: No, that's not what I meant.

    Reimu: Long time no visibility?

    Alice: Don't you remember me? Well, either way is fine though.

    Reimu: Setting that aside, what did you mean by "level of spring"?

    Alice: I was referring to the springtime in your head.

    Reimu: I hope mine's not too high. Still, why has this winter been so long?

    Alice: There's someone who's gathering the spring.

    Reimu: And you have nothing to do with it?

    Alice: Of course not.

    Reimu: Bye.

    Alice: Hey!

    Alice: And we've only just met after so long, old friend. Have you only brought me your life as a gift?

    Reimu: And why am I being called "old friend" by this seven-colored magical moron?

    Alice: In the end, shrine maidens are two colors.
    Your power is only twenty-eight-point-five-seven-one-four percent as powerful as mine.
  58. ↑ Touhou Project - Phantasmagoria of Flower View Yuuka Story Episode 6 - Wonderful Shrine Maiden of Paradise: Reimu Hakurei "Yuuka: Flowers and ghosts and..., hmm. Speaking of which, this happened once before didn't it? How many decades ago was it? It's been so ordinary since then, I can't remember.

    Reimu: Ah, there you are!

    Reimu: You're the culprit, aren't you?

    Yuuka: Do you think that ignoring the events back then, would bring everything back to normal?

    Reimu: Everything went back to normal when I defeated you back then!"
  59. ↑ Touhou Project - Phantasmagoria of Flower View Yuuka vs Marisa Yuuka Victory Quote "Yuuka: Ah, you're still alive?
    You've grown up quite a bit."
  60. ↑ Touhou Project - Immaterial and Missing Power Omake Afterword "Greetings, from one's whose ratio of saying "nice to meet you" is decreasing steadily even in real life, ZUN.
    But this time there may be more people to who I am saying "nice to meet you" than for Imperishable Night.
    This time it's Touhou Suimusou (IaMP), Touhou Project Volume Number 7.5.
    Though I get the feeling "What's with 7.5 being released after 8", this isn't the numbering order of release, but rather the order of canon.
    The plot of this game happens between Perfect Cherry Blossom (Winter to Spring) and the time of Imperishable Night (Early Autumn).
    Eventually, the "game of the summer" started to feel more like a game coming in winter, right?"
  61. ↑ ZUN's reply to messages on the former Gensou Bulletin Board "Q: "Gensokyo" In "Embodiment of Scarlet Devil," wasn't it a serious affair for the strange mist to go down to the human village?
    A: Ahh, that it is a little misunderstanding.
    The motive of the turmoil, so to speak, is the motive of the youkai side who caused the turmoil.
    Since it can't be helped, even when Reimu and the gang are defeated, they challenge again however many times they want; but on the youkai side, they do not challenge again after being defeated and are not attached to the results of winning or losing..., to say it clearly it is assuredly an inconsequential thing^^;
    Mr.anonymous's post was precise so I shall cite it:
    Sorry for butting in. However, in my thinking, as for what shall happen when the mist given out by Remilia goes to the human village, in the first place, I have not conceived that the mist would go to the human village. So in other words, there was no bad intention. The reason for giving out the mist is also, "that" (haha so Reimu also went towards the extent of giving a warning, "it can't be helped" (although it is violent, eh?"
  62. ↑ Touhou Project - Perfect Memento in Strict Sense Reimu Profile
  63. ↑ Touhou Project - Perfect Memento in Strict Sense Reimu Profile
  64. ↑ Touhou Project - Perfect Memento in Strict Sense Reimu Profile
  65. ↑ Touhou Project - Perfect Memento in Strict Sense Reimu Profile "スペルカードルール Spell Card Rules
    いかなる妖怪でも博麗の巫女を倒す訳にはいかず、妖怪の存在意義が消えようとしていたが、彼女は画期的な手段を持ってその問題を解決する。 Without a way for any youkai to defeat the Hakurei shrine maiden, many youkai felt that their meaning to exist had disappeared, but by taking some ground-breaking measures she solved this problem.
    それはスペルカードルールの導入である。 That is, the introduction of the spell card rules.
    スペルカードルールは、お互い技を見せ合い、その美しさで競う決闘ルールである。 The spell card rules are dueling rules that allow both parties to show off their skills in a beautiful competition.
    大雑把に言うと、 The major points are:
    *スペルカードとは、自分の得意技に名前を付けた物で、使う時は宣言してから使う必要がある。 *Spell cards are techniques specially-named by the individual, and they must be declared upon use.
    *お互いカードの枚数は予め決闘前に提示しなければならない。 *The number of each party's spell cards must be determined in advance of a duel.
    *手持ちのカードが全て破られると負けを認めなければいけない。 *The first party to have all of their spell cards beaten must admit defeat.
    *勝者は決闘前に決めた報酬以外は受け取らない。相手が提示した報酬が気に入らなければ断れる。 *The victor is entitled only to what was agreed upon before the duel. If they're not interested in what their opponent has to offer, they can refuse a duel.
    *勝者は敗者の再戦の希望を、積極的に受ける様にする。 *Winners should generally allow losers a rematch.
    *不慮の事故は覚悟しておく。 *Always prepare for the unexpected.
    といった内容のもので、これによりスポーツ感覚に近い決闘が出来る。 Following these rules allows for duels that feel almost like sport.
    そのルールの導入により、比較的力の弱い人間も妖怪に勝負を挑む事が可能となった。 With the introduction of these rules, it became possible for even relatively weak humans to challenge youkai.
    それと同時に気軽に巫女を倒す事も出来て、反対に妖怪も有る程度無茶出来る様になった。 At the same time, it became possible for youkai to freely defeat the shrine maiden without worrying about the consequences."
  66. ↑ Touhou Project - Perfect Memento in Strict Sense Unresolved Materials Draft of Spell Card Rules
  67. ↑ Touhou 03: Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream Cutscene: Kana vs Chiyuri
  68. ↑ Touhou 03: Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream Cutscene: Reimu vs Chiyuri
  69. ↑ Touhou 05: Mystic Square Good Ending #1
  70. ↑ Touhou 6: Embodiment of Scarlet Devil Stage 5
  71. ↑ Touhou 07: Perfect Cherry Blossom Extra Stage
  72. ↑ Touhou 8: Imperishable Night Extra Stage
  73. ↑ Meiji University talkshow "Dawn of Touhou" "Q: Who's the strongest in Gensokyo?
    ZUN: "Absolutely, ...isn't it Reimu? Although it seems obvious.""
  74. ↑ Touhou 15: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom Stage 2
  75. ↑ Touhou 15: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom Stage 4
  76. ↑ Touhou 16: Hidden Star in Four Seasons Stage 6
  77. ↑ Touhou 17: Wily Beast and Weakest Creature Extra Stage
  78. ↑ Touhou 18: Unconnected Marketeers Stage 2
  79. ↑ Touhou 18: Unconnected Marketeers Stage 3
  80. ↑ 80.0 80.1 Symposium of Post-mysticism Yuugi Hoshiguma Profile Pages 120-122 "The Spoken-of Unexplainable Phenomena
    Yuugi Hoshiguma
    Ability: The ability to wield unexplainable phenomena
    Threat level: Very High
    Human friendship level: Unknown
    Main place of activity: Former Hell
    An oni who silences crying children. While it's unknown where all the oni went, it's been confirmed that at least one lives in Former Hell. It's quite likely that there are other oni living in Former Hell as well. While oni have a strong sense of camaraderie, they have an even stronger sense of independence so it seems she doesn't know where the others live.
    It is said that she possesses unbelievably supernatural strength. According to fellow oni Suika Ibuki, "She's weaker than me in magical powers, but might be stronger than me physically."(*1) Although this is just a rumor, it is said that her superhuman strength is of the level where her footsteps alone are enough to make nearby buildings collapse.
    The sake dish she carries is said to be called the Hoshiguma Dish, an oni masterwork that increases the quality of any sake poured into it(*2). Its compatibility with the Ibuki Gourd carried by Suika Ibuki is extremely high.
    Currently, it seems she has cut off all contact with humans. Moreover, she tries to limit contact with the youkai on the surface as much as possible. For these reasons, there is little information on her.
    Regarding her personality, she is firm of character and straightforward. She likes the strong, the brave and the honest, while conversely shows no mercy towards the weak, the cowardly and the sly."
  81. ↑ Touhou 11: Subterranean Animism Stage 2
  82. ↑ Touhou 11: Subterranean Animism Stage 2
  83. ↑ 83.0 83.1 Curiosities of Lotus Asia Chapter 27 Mechanism of Fortune ""It's okay. 暫 (Shibara) Once I get there, this ghost story will die down. That's the future we have planned."/"It'll be fine. The phantoms will settle down after a while. The future is predetermined like that."
    Spiritual dreams Mysterious question (Kegen) He looked at me with a strange expression./Reimu gave me a dubious expression.
    "Rinnosuke says the same thing as vampires and monsters."/"The vampires and youkai say the same thing you do."
    It is said that ghosts have appeared on the streets, but this store 出 (﹅) る (﹅) There are few things. Ghosts are noisy to begin with 処 (place) It's easy to get together in. The ghost itself 儚Haka ({{{2}}}) Perhaps it's because they seem to be disappearing at any moment, but it's easy to feel their own presence 賑 (Nigi) Gather in a small place. They will likely gather in crowded places, just like humans did when they were alive./Phantoms will appear in public places, but they don't show up at my store often. To begin with, phantoms tend to gather easily wherever there is a lot of commotion. This is because of a phantom's transient nature, where they may vanish at any moment, so they gather at a lively place where it is easier for them to really feel their own existence. It is likely just as when they were human, preferring to be in crowds to people.
    "They say the future is planned, but that doesn't make sense. Some people seem to make their daily lives based solely on luck," Marisa said after having a spiritual dream./"There's no way the future is pre-defined. Some people's lives are supported just by luck, y'know." Marisa said, looking at Reimu.
    "Well, it's just luck 勘 (Kan) But even a hunch is a hunch that has some basis."/"Well, rather than 'just by luck' it's 'intuition', and that intuition is an intuition with a proper foundation."
    She looked like she couldn't believe Marisa./Marisa's expression said that she didn't believe her.
    "At the banquet ち (﹅) ん (﹅) ち (﹅) ろ (﹅) り (﹅) ん (﹅) Even when I did it, it wasn't a contest 賽 (Sai) You'll catch the eye of. What kind of basis do you have for that."/"Whenever we play Chinchirorin at parties, ya always call the face of the die to the point where there's no longer any competition. How can ya say there's a foundation for that?"
    Chinchirorin? Ah, Saiko (Dice) It's a simple game where you just have to look at the eyes of. Gambling at banquets is like the world of the yakuza./Chinchirorin? Ah, the simple game played with dice. Feasts and gambling, it's like the world of crime.
    "Marisa, I think the reason Reimu is able to ensure the dice are cast is because he is instantly calculating the planned future."/"Marisa, I believe the reason why Reimu can guess the outcome of dice rolls must be because she can calculate in an instant the predetermined future."
    I shared my thoughts on the mechanism by which the eye of the dice is determined. Reimu must probably be able to calculate the result intuitively by looking at Saiko's initial state. That's the kind of luck that exists in the world./I told them my idea, about the mechanism by which the outcome of dice was set. Perhaps after seeing the initial conditions Reimu can calculate the result of the dice by her intuition. Within this world good luck is that sort of thing.
    "Rinnosuke, that's completely different. You can't do that kind of calculation just by looking at the dice. Calculating people only think about probability. And even if you do the math, it won't turn out the way it does."/"That's not it at all, Mr. Rinnosuke. No matter how you slice it you couldn't do that kind of calculation just by looking at the dice. Calculating people only think with probabilities. Besides, even if they did calculate that the result won't go exactly as they thought."
    "Why do you think that? It's true that there's no way to calculate it, but if you could calculate it, you could read the future."/"Why do you think so? While I suppose you couldn't do that, wouldn't it still let you tell the future if you could?"
    Reimu looked shocked./Reimu looked shocked.
    "I seem to understand luck a few levels better, so I'll teach you today. The mechanism of probability. Also, the future is not planned..."/"Since it seems I have a deeper understanding of fortune, today I'll be doing the lecturing on the mechanism of probability. And while I'm at it I'll also show that the future is not predetermined…"
  84. ↑ Curiosities of Lotus Asia Chapter 27 Mechanism of Fortune "The layers of physics act on the laws of physics, the layers of psychology act on the interpretation of results, and the layers of memory act on the manipulation of probability, interacting to create the future. Since memories cannot be the same as a single point in the past, there are no plans for the future./The physical layer follows the laws of physics, the mental layer interprets the outcomes and the memory layer alters probability, mutually creating the future. Since it's impossible for memories to reach the same state as a point in the past, the future is not predetermined.
    For example, suppose you roll the dice once and get a 1. Even if you drop the dice again under the exact same conditions, the fact that one came out 賽 (﹅) 子 (﹅) が (﹅) 覚 (﹅) え (﹅) て (﹅) い (﹅) る (﹅) The above are not necessarily the same probability./So take a die rolling a one as an example. If you were to throw it again with the same initial conditions as before, since the die members the previous outcome it won't necessarily be the same probability.
    Just as I was about to hear and understand, I thought, "So how can you say you can read the dice?" Marisa asked./I followed her explanation up to that point, but then Marisa asked "So how are ya able to predict how the dice will fall?"
    I was distracted by Reimu's idea of a new world, but Marisa remained calm. If you can read the dice, not only will you be able to stand it and not lose, but you may also be able to achieve the same level of luck as Reimu./While I was entranced by Reimu's new illustration of the world, Marisa was unfazed. I didn't think she wanted to know just to beat Reimu at Chinchirorin, but to use that idea to become as lucky as Reimu.
    "I'm not really reading the next die. 私 (﹅) が (﹅) 賽 (﹅) の (﹅) 目 (﹅) を (﹅) 予 (﹅) 想 (﹅) し (﹅) た (﹅) That's what Saiko remembers."/"I'm not "predicting" the fall of the dice at all. The dice members the fact that 'I predicted how the dice would fall'."
    Just by having a lucky card called Reimu in your memory at the dice, the result will be great and you will be on the Reimu side 偏 (Katayo) It is said to be a ru. 結 (﹅) 果 (﹅) が (﹅) 霊 (﹅) 夢 (﹅) に (﹅) 付 (﹅) い (﹅) て (﹅) く (﹅) る (﹅) Apparently./According to this, by the lucky card called Reimu entering the memory of the die-face the result greatly skews in Reimu's favorite. Apparently, 'the results side with Reimu'.
    "Well, then such knowledge is of no use to anyone except those with good fortune," Marisa was embarrassed./"What? Howzzat gonna help anyone but those who are already lucky?" Marisa sunk.
    I thought there was something false and shady about luck in the world. A big factor in this is that I thought the future was planned. Good luck (Engi) Even things were perceived as just far-fetched lumps./I doubted the existence of things such as fortune in this world, thinking it seemed like a lie. This was too likely of me thinking that the future was predetermined. I saw good luck charms as nothing more than lumps of sophistry.
    However, hearing Reimu's words reaffirmed the existence of luck in this world. There are certainly lucky and bad people. 験 (Gen) を 担 (and) Some people succeed easily. To the jinx 囚 (Tora) I have people who fail. It may certainly be rough to think of all of these as just initial conditions./ Whatever, upon listening to Reimu's words, I have reaffirmed the existence of fortune. The blessed man and the cursed man both exist, certainly. There is a man that succeeds in shouldering his trials. There is a man that is a failure, captive by jinxes, as well. It might certainly be reckless to think of each one as mere because of initial conditions.
    If the determination of probability is due to the power of memory, it may not be surprising that lucky charms have the power to manipulate probability. The origin is complex and strange 程 (Moderate) , memory is Taki (Taki) This also means that the status of lucky charms increases./If we assume that probability is determined by the power of memory, it may be natural that probability can be manipulated by the power of good luck charms. The more complicated and unusual the origins are, the more memories a charm will have, therefore raising its effectiveness.
    Reimu added that 『all matter and psychology in this world are created by probability, and it is the luck of memory that determines this』./Reimu added to this, "In this world, both objects and souls are made up of probability, and are determined by the fortune which memories hold."
    I once heard that word and remembered it. 『 こ (﹅) の (﹅) 世 (﹅) の (﹅) 物 (﹅) 質 (﹅) は (﹅) 全 (﹅) て (﹅) 確 (﹅) 率 (﹅) で (﹅) 存 (﹅) 在 (﹅) し (﹅) て (﹅) い (﹅) る (﹅) For it is already common sense』 I have seen science books from the outside world that say things like this. I remember looking at the book and not being able to figure out 『who would confirm the probability』 and not really understanding it./Hearing those words I remembered something. "It is already common knowledge that everything in the world exists by probabilities." Something along those lines was written in a science textbook from the outside world. I recall having only a huge compromise of its meaning, and I didn't understand, "Who determines the outcome of those probabilities?"
    However, Reimu was thinking of something similar, and he also realized that he had the power to determine probability in his memory. It was amazing./But Reimu had thought the same kind of thing, and even realized that it is memories which hold the right to determine those probabilities. It was surprising.
    "Memory determines probability... in other words What goes around comes around (Ingaohou) You could also say, it's amazing. That may indeed be true. But how did you acquire that knowledge?"/"Memory determinations probability... in other words, you could say it's karma. That's pretty amazing. It may very well be true. By the way, how did you come across this knowledge?"
    Always Inaction (Mui) I almost added that it looks like the wind that lives in, but I stopped to move the story along smoothly./Your lifestyle appears so idle, I was about to add, but to preserve the current subject I changed my mind.
    「 も (﹅) の (﹅) 凄 (﹅) く (﹅) 頭 (﹅) の (﹅) 良 (﹅) い (﹅) 人 (﹅) 間 (﹅) I asked him."/"I heard it from a really, really smart human."
  85. ↑ Changeability of Strange Dream #07 Night Falls ~ Evening Star "But... it's strange. Even though there are an awful lot of old-fashioned people like you who consider dreams and reality to be direct opposites, I heard that people much, much longer ago didn't draw a distinction between dreams and reality.
    And now, we draw a distinction between dream and reality, but they are the same.
    The truth of reality and the truth of dreams, the me of reality and the me of dreams, they each exist.
    A butterfly of night or a human of the day...
    According to current common knowledge, both are me.
    I felt that I ran away a considerable distance, but I didn't feel fatigued at all.
    Was it because I moved as if I was flying in the sky? Did I become a butterfly, I wonder?
    But I could see the finish line for this kind of midnight marathon...
    ...I stopped running.
    Because a little further through the bamboo forest ahead of me, there was a scarlet red shining light.
    It had an ominous glow, as if it was not real.
    To compare it to something you'd understand...
    Its color might have been closest to that of the flame test of rubidium, perhaps?
    It was certainly nothing like a glowing bamboo stalk.
    Remaining cautious of what may have been behind me, I stealthily peeked in the direction of the light."
  86. ↑ Changeability of Strange Dream #09 Border Between Dreams and Reality ""And, this is the scrap of paper that I found on the ground after the big mouse and the girl left."
    "Hey, are you actually talking about a dream?"
    The origin of the scarlet light that confronted the big mouse was somehow a girl. That girl was shining with a scarlet light. As for the reason why she was shining scarlet, it is very simply that the girl's body was entirely engulfed in flames.
    No, that description is not entirely correct. It's more accurate to say that she was emitting flames from her body. The deep scarlet flames spread out diagonally upward, like a bird spreading its wings...
    Yes, that was how it was. She was ominous— incomparably more so than the big mouse with the human face. The big mouse was terrified and fled as soon as the girl raised her hands.
    "I keep telling youuu... Dreams and reality are the same thing. I've told you time and time again, haven't I? To me, talking to you now could be a dream, or it could be reality..."
    "Hey, listen, Merry, I'll hear you out about the dream world, so just calm down a bit. In the end, who was that girl? What happened afterwards?"
    "I don't know. After that, the big mouse ran away... and the girl left, too. I stayed hidden the whole time so the large mouse and the girl wouldn't see me. Why'd I stay hidden when she'd chased that mouse away for me, you ask? Well..."
    I'd gotten a look at that girl's eyes—scarlet beyond even the big mouse's...
    "...Because you couldn't call that human.""
  87. ↑ Touhou 15: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom Stage 3
  88. ↑ Tohou 15.5 Antinomy of Common Flowers Futo/Ichirin Story Stage 3
  89. ↑ Tohou 15.5 Antinomy of Common Flowers Nitori/Kokoro Story Stage 5
  90. ↑ Touhou 14.5: Urban Legend in Limbo Reimu Story Ending
  91. ↑ Touhou 14.5: Urban Legend in Limbo Reimu Story Ending
  92. ↑ Touhou 02: Story of Eastern Wonderland Stage 03
  93. ↑ Touhou 02: Story of Eastern Wonderland Stage 03
  94. ↑ Touhou Sangetsusei (Three Fairies) ~ Oriental Sacred Place Chapters 1-2
  95. ↑ Touhou Sangetsusei (Three Fairies) ~ Strange and Bright Nature Deity Chapter 6
  96. ↑ Curiosities of Lotus Asia Chapter 27 Page 198-205 "She says that the world is made up of three layers:
    First is the physical layer that moves in accordance with the laws of physics, including all living things, objects, etcetera. It is on this layer that an object falls toward the ground, and that the water of the river flows.
    The second layer is one that moves with the spirit, which includes things such as magic and sorcery — the mental layer. One's mood turning sour when meeting an unpleasant person, and releasing all your stress and cares during a party lie here. Since most youkai can control the world through both the physical and mental layers, they say that history repeats itself and the future is predetermined as a prank.
    But according to Reimu, there is a third layer that rejects loops: this third layer is the memory layer, which is the recollection of events that lies within all things. Since it is only possible to add to the memory layer, it's impossible to completely recreate the past; if something were to happen that already occurred in the past, then there would be a contradiction because that would imply that that memory was lost, which is impossible. The memory layer always continues to build up."
  97. ↑ Curiosities of Lotus Asia Chapter 27 Page 198-205 "The second layer is one that moves with the spirit, which includes things such as magic and sorcery, the mental layer. One's mood turning sour when meeting an unhappy person, and releasing all your stress and cares during a party lie here. Since most youkai conceive of the world just through these physical and mental layers, they Ridiculously say that history repeats itself and the future is predetermined."

Versus Threads


None.


None.


None.

Retrieved from "https://thecodex.wiki/index.php?title=Touhou_Project/Renko_Usami&oldid=519303"