Rikako Asakura

Rikako Asakura (朝倉 理香子 Asakura Rikako) is a scientist and one of the playable characters in Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream. She is among the few individuals in Gensokyo who values science over magic, though she is capable of using both.

Rikako Asakura
RegularAlternate Outfit “ The power seeping from these ruins is definitely not magic. This could be what I've been looking for... „
Origin
Origin	Touhou Yumejikuu (Dream Spacetime) ~ The Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream
Creator	ZUN
First Appearance	Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream
Characteristics
Species	Human
Gender	Female
Pronouns	She/Her
Sexuality	Unknown
Age	Unknown
Birthday	Unknown
Height	Unknown
Weight	Unknown
Ethnicity	Japanese
Status	Alive
Alignment	Neutral Good
Archetype	Genius
Occupation	Scientist
Time Period	Non-linear
Language	Japanese
Combat Style	Magic Fighting
Homeworld	Gensokyo
Relationships
Affiliations	Chiyuri Kitashirakawa, Yumemi Okazaki
Enemies	Chiyuri Kitashirakawa (Formerly), Yumemi Okazaki (Formerly)

Background

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

Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream English TranslationJapanese “ Touhou Yumejikuu Backstory Deep in the mountains in a country in the East, the Hakurei Shrine was mostly peaceful. The shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine, Reimu, was always getting wrapped up in strange circumstances (though it should be noted she was a bit strange herself), so her free time was when things were peaceful. Reimu: "Ah, what am I going to do with all this time on my hands. I wonder when something exciting is going to happen." When the protagonist is idle, something is required to happen. Reimu thought she'd get out of the shrine for a while instead of sweeping the garden, and so stumbled upon some ruins. Reimu: "Wait, what are these ruins doing next to the shrine. They weren't there yesterday!!" (something happens!) Mima: "Oh, Reimu. So you came, too." Reimu: "Great, it's Mima. Hmm, actually, it looks like there's a lot of people here ... " Reimu: "What is it with this ruins, anyway?" ... Mima: "It's said that something is asleep deep in these ruins that will grant happiness to whoever comes to visit it." Reimu: "Whatever, that sounds like something someone would say to get people to join a cult. Besides, none of this was even here yesterday. So what's up with that so-called prophesy?" Mima took out a folded piece of paper from her pocket. Reimu took it and unfolded it. This was written on the paper: The ancient ruins: "Fantasy Ruins" Grand opening, 10am today 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　・・・・ To you who visit the ruins, we present something to make you happy. Our sincere thanks to everyone who stops by. Reimu: "Hm!" Reimu: "What's with these pamphlets? (How is this some sort of ancient prophecy?) How can ruins have a grand opening? And none of this was here yesterday! How can you all be taken in by something that's so obviously suspicious!?" Marisa: "Hm, so Reimu's not interested. That must mean..." Reimu: "...Who said I'm not interested?" Reimu: "Er, actually, I'm pretty busy (not), but having ruins suddenly pop up here is a pain to deal with. I have my complaints, you know." Mima: "Isn't it almost time for the grand opening? I don't see an entrance anywhere. I guess we'll have to wait for now." Reimu: (Man, when did this... well, I guess this is pretty normal around here... huh?) Reimu: " ... it looks like there's a notice posted over here." Marisa: "Wow, really? Hey, what's it say?" Inside the Fantasy Ruins Capacity: 1 person The capacity must be strictly observed. If the capacity is exceeded, then we can no longer guarantee the existence of these ruins in this dimension Reimu: " ........ ?" Mima: " ... so, that means ... " Marisa: "fufufu ... " All together: "The battle is on!!!" „ ~ Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream Prologue English Translation “ 東方夢時空バックストーリー ここはとある東の国の山の中、博麗神社はおおよそ平穏だった。 博麗神社の巫女、靈夢は、実は変なこと巻き込まれ体質だった（本人もちょっと変）ので、変なことが起こらないと暇でしょうがないのである。 靈夢「あ～ぁ、ひまでしょうがないわ、なんかどひゃー　っていうようなことおこんないかしら。」 主人公が暇なときに、なにも起こらないはずがない。 庭を掃除しようと神社から出てみると、靈夢は遺跡を発見したのだった。 靈夢「なんで、神社の隣に遺跡があるのよ。昨日まで無かったのに！！（どひゃー）」 靈夢「げげ、魅魔。それに、よくみるといろんな人がいる～」 靈夢「一体なんなの、この遺跡は～」 ・・・・ 魅魔「古くからの言い伝えによると、この遺跡には来た者をしあわせにする何かが、眠ってるみたいよ。」 靈夢「なによ、その怪しげな宗教の勧誘みたいな言い伝えは。それに昨日までこんなもん無かったわよ。なのになんなのよ～、その言い伝えってのは～。」 ポケットから折りたたまれた紙を取り出す魅魔。靈夢がその紙を広げてみる。その紙にはこうかかれていた。 いにしえの遺跡、‘夢幻遺跡’ 本日１０時　開店 .... この遺跡に訪れた方には、あなたをしあわせにする何かを プレゼントします。皆さんのご来店を心よりお待ちしております。 靈夢「どてっ☆」 靈夢「なによ～、このチラシは～（どこが古くからの言い伝えよ～）。遺跡が開店～？　しかも、昨日まで何も無かったのに～。　あんたたちは、こんないかがわしいチラシに騙されて、のこのことやってきたの～！」 魔理沙「なるほど、靈夢には、興味が無いのね。ってことは・・・」 靈夢「・・・だれが、興味が無いなんていったのよ。」 靈夢「私はいそがしいんだけど（嘘）、こんな所に遺跡ができちゃったら迷惑だわ。ちょっと文句を言ってくる。」 魅魔「まだ、開店してないわ。それに、入り口が見当たらないの。とりあえず待ちね。」 靈夢（やれやれ、何でこんなものが、ま、いつものことだけどね・・・ん？） 靈夢「こんなところに、立て札があるわ。」 魔理沙「えっ、ほんと？　なになに・・・」 夢幻遺跡内　定員　１名まで それ以上は、認められません 規定人数以上、入場された場合 この時空での遺跡の存在は保証 出来ません 靈夢「・・・・・・？」 魅魔「って、いうことはー」 魔理沙「ふっふっふっ」 一同「　　勝負よ！！！」 „ ~ Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream Prologue Japanese Believing the ruins in Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream were created through science, Rikako joins the competition to enter the Probability Space Hypervessel. Upon arrival, she encounters Chiyuri Kitashirakawa and fights her so that Yumemi Okazaki can study Rikako's magic. After Chiyuri is defeated, Yumemi battles Rikako to send her home, promising to grant her a wish if she loses. Following her victory, Rikako asks for something that could help her learn about the science of Yumemi's world. Yumemi grants this wish by giving her a fifth-grade science textbook.

Name Meaning

Her full name is Rikako Asakura (朝倉 理香子). The characters "Rika" (理香) mean "science" in Japanese, while "ko" (子) is a common suffix for female Japanese names. The meaning of "Rika" connects to her role as a scientist. The surname "Asakura" (朝倉) is a common Japanese surname.

Appearance

General Description: Rikako is a figure wearing a lab coat, with coordinated hair and eye colors that match between her primary and alternate appearances.

Facial Features:

• Primary Appearance: Purple hair and purple eyes. Small round glasses are worn. A white ribbon is worn in her hair.
• Alternate Appearance: Red hair and red eyes. Small round glasses remain. A white ribbon is still worn in her hair.

Clothing/Outfit:

• Primary Outfit: A white lab coat with a yellow ribbon at the collar.
• Alternate Outfit: A peach-colored lab coat with a yellow ribbon at the collar.

Special Features: Rikako's hair and eyes consistently match each other in color, shifting together between her primary purple scheme and alternate red scheme. She is depicted wearing her signature small round glasses.

Alternate Forms/Disguises: Her alternate outfit represents a color scheme swap rather than a distinct alternate form.

Personality

• Scientific Believer: Rikako is one of the few individuals in her world who believes in science over magic. She holds that there must exist some power beyond magic, and her interest in the ruins stems from her belief they were created by science.

• Magically Capable but Disinterested: Despite her scientific convictions, Rikako is also a magic user and a fairly powerful one. When she becomes serious and utilizes her magic power, nothing can stop her. However, she does not like magic, so this level of serious engagement occurs infrequently.

Goals

• Wishes to look into science to find a power beyond magic (Ongoing).

Relationships

Yumemi Okazaki

Upon beating Yumemi in her story, she requests the science skills that Yumemi possesses, so Yumemi gives her a 5th grade physics book as she believes any higher would be too complicated to understand.

General Information

Name: Rikako Asakura

Title: Scientist Searching For Dreams

Origin: Touhou Yumejikuu (Dream Spacetime) ~ The Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream

Overall Series: Touhou Project

First Appearance: Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream

Company: Team Shanghai Alice

Creator: ZUN

Actor: N/A

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Unknown

Pronouns: She/Her

Handedness: Right-Handed

Age: Unknown

Birthday: Unknown

Time Period: The world of Gensokyo itself is in a non-linear time period

Timeline: Main Timeline

Homeworld: Gensokyo

Residence: Gensokyo

Story Role: Playable Fighter, Boss

Legacy: Unknown Legacy

Influence: Event Influence (Participated in the battle to see who can enter the mountain)

Language: Japanese

Ethnicity: Japanese

Religion: N/A

Classification: Gensokyo Resident

Species: Human

State of Being: Regular

Physiology: Humanoid Physiology

In-Universe Creator: Unknown

Occupation: Scientist

Combat Style: Magic Fighting

Affiliations: Chiyuri Kitashirakawa, Yumemi Okazaki

Enemies: Chiyuri Kitashirakawa (Formerly), Yumemi Okazaki (Formerly)

Height: Unknown

Weight: Unknown

Status: Alive (Noted by ZUN that characters from the PC-98 games have probably retired and are warmly watching over things from various places nowadays)

Alignment: Neutral Good (Rikako only wishes to pursue science and find a power beyond magic)

Potential

• Type(s) of Potential: Fixed Potential
• Level of Potential: Fixed
• Description: Hasn't had any real statements to showcase anything beyond the standard potential.
• Limitations: Standard limitations.

Archetypal Tiering: Genius

Codex Statistics

Grade: A

Tier: 10-B physically, Far Higher with Spiritual Power

Cardinality: Finite

Dimensionality: 3-D

Power Source: Magic (It's noted in her official profile how if she were to get serious with her magic power, nothing could stop her, along with being noted to be a fairly powerful magic user)

Attack Potency: Average Human level physically, Far Higher with Spiritual Power (In her story mode, she, fought, and, defeated, every, fighter, and proceeded to defeat Chiyuri Kitashirakawa, and Yumemi Okazaki, being referred to as the strongest magic user. It's noted in her official profile how if she were to get serious with her magic power, nothing could stop her, along with being noted to be a fairly powerful magic user. Noted how even Yumemi Okazaki's scientific magic truly pales in comparisson with the real thing, which Yumemi noted to not make light of the power of her science as she could blow up the planet at any moment). Can ignore covnentional durability with Magic (Magic exists outside of the Grand Unified Theory, a theory with any model that merges electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces into a single force at high energies, unifying gravity with the electronuclear interaction, providing a more comprehensive theory of everything. Yumemi explains that on her world, all power can be explained by the Grand Unified Theory, however she posits an existence of a power not covered by the Theory: the power of magic. Yumemi also explains that in the world of Gensokyo, magic unifies everything. Magic is noted by Yumemi to have close ties with religion. The second layer of reality is spirit and magic, while the first layer is where all things within the laws of physics presides, putting attacks with magic outside of the conventional laws of physics)

Durability: Average Human level physically, Far Higher with Spiritual Power (Her spiritual power defends her from the attacks of other youkai despite her physical strength)

Striking Strength: Average Human Class

Lifting Strength: Average Human Class

Average Human Speed on foot, Superhuman flight speed (Can keep up with other characters flight speeds, where they can reach across long distances due to being able to fly)

Attack Speed: Superhuman. Magic Attacks lack a defined speed (Magic exists outside of the Grand Unified Theory, a theory with any model that merges electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces into a single force at high energies, unifying gravity with the electronuclear interaction, providing a more comprehensive theory of everything. Yumemi explains that on her world, all power can be explained by the Grand Unified Theory, however she posits an existence of a power not covered by the Theory: the power of magic. Yumemi also explains that in the world of Gensokyo, magic unifies everything. Magic is noted by Yumemi to have close ties with religion)

Reaction Speed: Superhuman

Stamina: Superhuman (In her story mode, she, fought, and, defeated, every, fighter, and proceeded to defeat Chiyuri Kitashirakawa, and Yumemi Okazaki, without showing any signs of tiring)

Range: Standard Melee. At least Tens of Meters (Shoots out multiple attacks in several directions that causes the entire screen to shake. Can shoot out energy projectiles in several differnt directions that travel across the screen)

Intelligence: Gifted Intelligence (Yumemi Okazaki notes that Rikako is pretty sharp. She is the inventor of her gear that has magical elements to it. Rikako uses a jet machine she's developed to fly around)

Knowledge: Journeyman level+

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Powers and Techniques

• Genius Intelligence
• Vehicular Usage
  • Air Vehicles: Rikako can fly around in her jet machine while dodging projectiles and firing.
• Sheer Will (When asked how do the characters have multiple "lives" in the game, ZUN notes that it's guts, so if they earn more points, it's them having more guts to continue fighting, while this may have initially been merely a joke, 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)
  • Second Wind
• Breaking the Fourth Wall (Touhou characters constantly acknowledge being a stage boss)
• Acausality
  • Irregular Causality
    • Contradictive: Exists in Gensokyo, a world that lacks and defies common sense, existing as a brane world dominated by particles with different properties, following a different form of physics, with the Grand Unified Theory not applying to Gensokyo.
• Flight (Rikako uses a jet machine she's developed to fly around)
• Cartoon Physics (Gensokyo is a world that lacks and defies common sense, where characters can explode, this is even acknowledged with ZUN roleplaying as the characters in-universe that they explode upon defeat. Despite this they will still come back, even human characters that do not have regeneration)
• Non-Standard Interaction
  • Metaphysical Interaction: She is capable of harming Youkai like Mima with her attacks, where Youkai's bodies in truth are just their souls.
• Non-Standard Damage (She is capable of harming Youkai like Mima with her attacks, where it's noted that one cannot defeat spirits or devilish powers without a weapon with an unnatural amount of spiritual power such as the Yin-Yang Orb)
• Non-Standard Defenses (She is capable of takings hits from Youkai, like Mima where a youkai's attacks damage one to a scale where they cannot recover from natural means)
• Observation
  • Unconscious Manifestation: Gods and buddhas are no more than youkai, yet youkai are hated while gods are worshipped, all being due to humanity deciding it should be that way. The form Nue takes has changed due to the various ways people have observed her. Humans created reasoning in order to explain all natural phenomena, thus every phenomena that could be observed therefore belongs to the human race, due to this, humans come to believe all but one, or perhaps even all forms of reasoning were false, spawnning youkai who were born from the natural phenomena and thoughts people have about them.
  • Truth Manipulation & Information Manipulation (Truth is built upon information just like a tower is built upon sand, most of the truths that are known are built upon information, thus truth is easily changed by informationa nd there's no such thing as information that concepts only but the truth as truth itself is the ultimate illusion, one that does not exist in Gensokyo)
• Magic (Noted to possess and use magic. Magic exists outside of the Grand Unified Theory, a theory with any model that merges electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces into a single force at high energies, unifying gravity with the electronuclear interaction, providing a more comprehensive theory of everything. Yumemi explains that on her world, all power can be explained by the Grand Unified Theory, however she posits an existence of a power not covered by the Theory: the power of magic. Yumemi also explains that in the world of Gensokyo, magic unifies everything. Magic is noted by Yumemi to have close ties with religion)
  • Transferal (Magic users can transfer their magic into a tool, having the tool change depending on the user)
    • Transmutation
  • Acausality
    • For their Magic
      • Irregular Causality
        • Unknown: It's noted that magic power exists outside of the Grand Unified Theory, a theory with any model that merges electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces into a single force at high energies, unifying gravity with the electronuclear interaction, providing a more comprehensive theory of everything. It's further explained that magic is a force that cannot be explained by the Grand Unified Theory, with Yumemi even proposing a "Non-Unfied Magic World" theory. Yumemi explains that on her world, all power can be explained by the Grand Unified Theory, however she posits an existence of a power not covered by the Theory: the power of magic. Magic does not exist in Yumemi's world, which is a Probability World, a different world, but in the same dimension.
  • Holy Manipulation (Magic is noted by Yumemi to have close ties with religion)
• Lock-On (Rikako's extra attack "Homing Gear" has a 50% chance of homing)
• Curtain Fire
  • Multi-Directional & Rapid Fire: Shoots out multiple attacks in several directions that cover a large portion of the screen. Can shoot out energy projectiles in several differnt directions at fast speeds.
• Nullification & Erasure
  • Projectile Nullification & Physical Erasure: Rikako can fire out attacks that fully erase bullets being shot towards her.
• Charged Attack (With the Gauge Attack System, when the Spell Gauge is held down, Rikako can charge the gauge to the maximum amount, when released, the attack is in accordance to the amount of the gauge that's charged)
  • Creation (Her charged attack has her shoot out a slow but powerful round gear)
• Fire Manipulation (Yumemi can send out fireball attacks from blue fireballs or normal ones while red ones have been sent back at least once when she gets a bigger combo or has erased a lot of bullets)
• Energy Manipulation
  • Energy Projection (Shoots out multiple energy projectiles in several directions, along with four-spread energy projectiles)
• Information Manipulation (Human's life information is the ultimate impurity, being apart of Earthly information, which is the information of all living things. The reason why this is never shown is that the Asama Joue Moutain is a shrine that neutralizes human impurities, where if the human information cannot be processed it will throw the Lunar Capital into disarray)
• Link Manipulation (Strong Emotions can be contained in objects that can connect between the main world and the netherworld)
• Spirit Manipulation (The bombs used are referred to as spiritual attacks, being directly called spiritual attacks)
  • Explosion Manipulation (When bomb users are cornered from attacks they cannot repel with regular attacks they can release a massive spirit explosive that destroys all objects on screen, along with killing all enemies on screen)
  • Magnetism Manipulation (When using a bomb, all items on screen will be attracted towards the user)
  • Perception Manipulation (When using a bomb the screen flashes white and an image of Yumemi can be seen)
    • Astral Projection (Sends out an astral projection of themself on the opponent's screen to attack with several different energy attacks)
  • Logic Manipulation (The Great Hakurei Barrier is a boundary of common sense, which things with high spiritual power in the cause to waver)
  • Nullification & Erasure
    • Projectile Nullification & Physical Erasure: Bomb users can use a bomb to nullify & erase all projectiles on screen. This makes the enemy incapable of shooting out any further projectiles until the bomb's duration is done.
  • Invulnerability
    • Physical & Metaphysical: When a character uses a bomb, they are temporarily invincible to all attacks and is allowed to attack freely herself.

• Resistance to
  • Purification (Eirin noted that only humans could solve the incident with Junko as youkai being completely impure could not eevn see her, with it being noted that non-humans cannot get close to her, where Junko's powers of purification allows her to kill one unconditionally, removing all impurities from them, with impurity being the concept of life and death where to lose one's impurity is to lose both life and death, it was also shown a metallic spider's march of purification caused all the trees withering before one's eyes and not one blade of grass was left in the spider's tracks)
    • Conceptual Manipulation
  • Matter Manipulation & Physics Manipulation (Gensokyo is a brane world dominated by particles with different properties, not following the standard physics of the real world, with the grand unified theory being the reason for all pheneomna in the human world, which does not apply to Gensokyo)
  • Gravity Manipulation (Noted by Maribel that in the world of Gensokyo, they the gravitons likely have a different structure and the world's properties are likely different too, likening it to being one of the brane worlds)
  • Probability Manipulation (Yumemi explains that on her world, all power can be explained by the Grand Unified Theory, however she posits an existence of a power not covered by the Theory: the power of magic. Magic does not exist in Yumemi's world, which is a Probability World, a different world, but in the same dimension)

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Equipment

Jetpack

• Description: A jetpack that Rikako carries on her back while fighting in Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream.
• Appearance: The jetpack is barely seen as it's on her back sprite, though it seems to have the typical cartoon appearance a jetpack.
• Usage: The jetpack is what allows Rikako to fly and fight against others in the sky.
• Function: Seeing as nuclear power doesn't exist in the world of Gensokyo during this time period, this jetpack is likely powered by magic.

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Notable Techniques

Spell Card Charge

ラウンドギア
Round Gear

Owner

Rikako Asakura
—

Comment

速度遅いが高威力

Translation

Slow but powerful

Spell Card Charge Max

ラウンドギア２
Round Gear 2

Owner

Rikako Asakura
—

Comment

自分の周りを回る

Translation

Spin around to look all around.

Spell Card EX

ホーミングギア
Homing Gear

Owner

Rikako Asakura
—

Comment

１／２の確率でホーミング

Translation

50% chance of homing

Spell Card Lv2

挟み弾
Pincer Shot

Owner

Rikako Asakura
—

Comment

Translation

Spell Card Lv3

挟み弾
Pincer Shot

Owner

Rikako Asakura
—

Comment

Translation

Spell Card Boss

科学信者
Science Believer

Owner

Rikako Asakura
—

Comment

Translation

Spell Card Bomb

魔法科学
Magic Science

Owner

Rikako Asakura
—

Comment

ボムの性能は全員いっしょ

Translation

All bombs perform equally well.

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Other

Standard Tactics: Rikako utilizes her regular magic attacks while flying around and shooting out dozens of bullets.

Weaknesses

• Magic Weaknesses: Magic users taking too much damage will cancel out their attacks. If a magic users spirit is depleted they enter a state of "Guard Crush" where they can't use bullets, special moves, or spell cards at all. Repeatedly attacking red glyphs will break one's defenses.
• Unique Weaknesses: Despite being a fairly powerful magic user to where if she gets serious nothing can stop her, she doesn't really like magic so she doesn't get serious with it much.

Note

• Any translations from en.tohouwiki.net are considered fine to use as they all fall under Project Translations, a fan translation team that have translation guuidelines and rulesets, along with moderators that directly overlook and proofread English translations to check for machine translations.
• Yumemi's statements can be taken with credibility, not only do the science from her world surpass the main one by 500 years where she notes the science of the main world is much more primitive then hers, but her world has already fully proven the existence of Grand Unified Theory and Yumemi herself notes that her theory was proven right by seeing magic.
• Despite Gensou Narratograph being directly noted to be an "unofficial Touhou tabletop RPG", ZUN has directly participated in the RPG and noted the way Reimu acts during his session is how canon Reimu would act, thus character actions done by him and mechanics are fine to use.
• Even if characters have not showcased using a bomb, they should all be able to use bombs, as bombs are realistically just spiritual attacks and to even be able to fight the non-human entities, requires a weapon with an unnatural amount of spiritual power such as the Yin-Yang Orb, meaning everyone that is non-human or is fighting non-humans is using spiritual energy.

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. He has also said that anything prior to Embodiment of Scarlet Devil can for the most part be ignored and one can think fo Embodiment of Scarlet Devil as the starting from a clean slate and starting a new series, he's also referred to Highly Responsive to Prayers as a study product. 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. 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. 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. 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. ZUN has also made mention to Genji probably living in the lake in the back of the shrine. 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.

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". In Yuuka's mode in Touhou Project - Phantasmagoria of Flower View, Reimu directly references defeating Yuuka back in PC-98. 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.

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.

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.

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

• In Reimu's profile on Perfect Memento in Strict Sense, it's noted that Reimu resolved the Scarlet Devil Mansion Incident alone.
• Reimu is also acknowledged to have resolved the Spring Snow Incident in Perfect Cherry Blossom, though it is not noted if she did this alone.
• Reimu claims she solved the Eternal Night incident, however if one asks her about the cause or the perpetrator, she'll only respond with ambiguous answers, it is also not noted if she did this alone.

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. 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:

• 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. 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, further showcasing that probabiliy serves an importance.

Magical vs. Physical Strength

There are multiple occasions of characters commenting on humans like Reimu being strong. 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, 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, with her acknolwedging her strength, something Yuugi only does to those who are truly strong. 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, 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. 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.

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

Trivia

• Rikako appears on the cover of Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream alongside the complete roster of characters from that game.

• Rikako holds the distinction of being the first "girl with glasses" (眼鏡っ娘, meganekko) in the series.

• Her boss theme is the longest in the entire franchise, with the music not looping until 4 minutes and 57 seconds, about 5 minutes.

• Rikako's player sprite suggests she is a normal human who flies using strap-on rockets. However, her profile indicates that while she is capable of using magic, she personally dislikes it and refrains from doing so.

• Morgan from the Seihou Project shares several similarities with Rikako.

• Rikako's ending has her ask to learn about the science of Yumemi's world, in which she wants to learn specifically about nuclear power, this is interesting as later in Touhou Project Kanako commissions a radiation area in Old Hell.

Gallery

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  Cover of Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream, featuring Rikako & others

Profiles

Touhou Project - Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream

Profiles

★ Scientist that looks for dreams ･･･ Asakura Rikako There aren't a lot of people in this world that believe in science. Magic rules supreme. Rikako is one of those rare believers in science in this world. She herself believes that there must be some power beyond magic. However, she is also a magic user, and a fairly powerful one at that. Setting aside science for a moment, when she gets serious with her magic power, nothing can stop her, but she doesn't really like magic so this doesn't happen often. She believes that these ruins were created by science, but ...

★　夢を探す科学　・・・　朝倉　理香子 　　　この世界、科学を信じてる人などほとんどいない。当然、魔法が主である。 　　理香子は、そんなこの世界で本当に珍しい科学信者である。本人は、必ず魔力以外の力が存在してると信じている。 　　　だが、そんな理香子も魔法使いであり、しかもかなり強大な魔力の持ち主である。科学力はともかく、本気で魔法を使うと、手が付けられない位強いはずだが、本人、魔法が嫌いで本気を出せないでいる。 　　　この遺跡は、絶対、科学で作られたと信じてやってきたのだが・・・

Touhou Project - Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream

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, 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.

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, 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. 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.

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. 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.

Song:

Visionary Game ~ Dream War

Battle Records

0 - 1 - 0

VictoriesLossesInconclusive

None.

• Reimu Hakurei - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location: Stage 5

None.

References

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