Yumemi Okazaki
Yumemi Okazaki is a college professor investigating the existence of magic with the goal of analyzing it and reporting her discoveries to the scientific community. When she arrives in Gensokyo aboard the Probability Space Hypervessel, the locals mistake her craft for ordinary ruins, an error that sets the events of Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream into motion.
| Yumemi Okazaki | |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Origin | Touhou |
| Creator | ZUN |
| First Appearance | Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream |
| Voiced by | N/A |
| Characteristics | |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Female |
| Pronouns | She/Her |
| Sexuality | Unknown |
| Age | 18 |
| Birthday | Unknown |
| Height | Unknown |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Ethnicity | Likely Japanese |
| Status | Alive |
| Alignment | Chaotic Neutral |
| Archetype | Genius |
| Occupation | Comparative Physics Professor |
| Time Period | Futuristic |
| Language | Japanese |
| Combat Style | Scientific Magic |
| Homeworld | Different Probability World |
| Relationships | |
| Affiliations | Chiyuri Kitashirakawa, Gensokyo Chiyuri Kitashirakawa, Alternate Yumemi Okazaki, Reimu Hakurei, Marisa Kirisame, Ellen, Kotohime, Kana Anaberal, Rikako Asakura |
| Enemies | Reimu Hakurei (Formerly), Mima (Formerly), Marisa Kirisame (Formerly), Ellen (Formerly), Kotohime (Formerly), Kana Anaberal (Formerly), Rikako Asakura (Formerly) |
Background
Name Meaning
Yumemi Okazaki (岡崎 夢美) is her full name. Her name contains similarity to names used by several characters in other Japanese works released prior to Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream. These include Yumimi Yoshizawa from Yumimi Mix, Sayori Okajima from Sayori na Parallel, and Marian Ezaki from Apple Paradise.
Her family name, Okazaki, is also similar to the surname of Japanese biologist Reiji Okazaki, as well as the Okazaki fragments associated with DNA replication.
Appearance
General Description: Yumemi Okazaki is a young woman with a composed and academic appearance, presenting herself in a formal outfit that blends scholarly and ceremonial elements. Her overall design emphasizes neatness and symmetry, with a consistent use of layered clothing and coordinated colors across her appearances.
Facial Features: Yumemi has sharp red eyes and long dark red hair that is kept tidy and falls smoothly behind her shoulders. Her facial features are narrow and refined, giving her a serious and focused expression. In her alternate color variation, her hair is blond and her eye color changes to yellow, while her facial structure and expression remain otherwise unchanged.
Clothing/Outfit: Yumemi’s standard outfit consists of a white shirt worn beneath a dark red vest, fastened at the collar with a bright red bow tie. Over this, she wears a long dark red cape that drapes over her shoulders, paired with matching cloth shoulder coverings that rest along her upper arms. Her skirt follows the same dark red color scheme, completing a uniform and orderly appearance.
In her alternate outfit, the overall design remains the same, but the color palette changes significantly. Her vest, skirt, cape, and shoulder cloths are black with purple trim along the edges. The interior lining of her cape is red, creating contrast with the darker exterior. Her bow tie remains red under normal circumstances.
Special Features: Yumemi’s bow tie exhibits a brief visual change during certain special actions, shifting from red to purple while she is performing an attack. This change is temporary and does not affect her standard appearance outside of these moments.
Alternate Forms/Outfits: Yumemi has a color-variant outfit that alters her hair color, eye color, and clothing palette while preserving the same overall design and structure. Aside from these color changes and the temporary bow tie variation during special actions, her appearance remains consistent.
Personality
- Intellectually Driven and Analytical: Yumemi approaches the world through a strict scientific lens, shaped by her role as a comparative physics professor. She is deeply committed to theoretical understanding, particularly the idea of a unified framework that explains all known forces, and she treats unresolved phenomena as problems to be examined rather than mysteries to be accepted, which is the basis behind her writing her Unified Theory of Magic.
- Skeptical yet Curious: Despite originating from a world where all physical forces are fully proven, Yumemi fully believes an unknown force exists outside the Grand Unified Theory. Her interest in “magic” stems not from belief or faith, but from scientific curiosity and a desire to challenge what she sees as incomplete knowledge. She is proven right by entering the world of Gensokyo.
- Proud and Sensitive to Criticism: Yumemi takes her academic credibility seriously and reacts strongly to ridicule or dismissal from the scholarly community. Being mocked for her ideas has her vow revenge against the scientific community.
- Short-Tempered: While generally composed, Yumemi becomes visibly irritable when her work, equipment, or authority is interfered with. She is constantly punching Chiyuri whenever seh does something wrong or makes a mistake.
- Pragmatic and Decisive: When confronted with serious complications (such as the existence of another version of herself) Yumemi focuses on resolving the issue quickly to avoid being a criminal. She is willing to consider extreme solutions such as killing her alternate self to avoid trouble.
Goals
- Prove her Unified Theory of Magic in her world (Failed).
Relationships
Close Relationship
Chiyuri Kitashirakawa
Chiyuri is Yumemi’s assistant, entrusted with various tasks to support Yumemi’s research and data collection. Their relationship is informal and frank, with both being blunt about their opinion on the other, normally resulting in Yumemi hitting Chiyuri.
Minor Relationships
Ruukoto
Ruukoto is a maid robot created by Yumemi. She formerly served Yumemi but was later owned by Reimu Hakurei Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream.
Mimi-chan
Mimi-chan is a weapon and creation of Yumemi's. She was later given to Marisa Kirisame in Marisa's route of Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream. As a canon route is very hard to determine and it very likely being Reimu's route if any route is canon, it is unknown if Marisa has Mimi-chan in current time.
General Information
Name: Yumemi Okazaki[1]
Nicknames: Master (By Chiyuri), Professor
Titles: Fantasy legend[2]
Origin: Touhou
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: Left-Handed (Official art has her aiming and shooting her attacks with her left-hand)
Birthday: Unknown
Time Period: Futuristic (Noted that the science from her world surpass the main one by 500 years[3], and she notes the science of the main world is much more primitive then hers[4]. It's noted in their world that one graduates from college at 11 and leaves the graduate school at 13[5])
Timeline: Outside World (There are worlds called "Probability Worlds" by Yumemi, stating that those and parallel worlds are one and the same[6], Yumemi and Chiyuri come from a different probability world then the one of Gensokyo)
Homeworld: Outside World
Residence: Gensokyo (At the end of the game, she returns to Gensokyo to learn more about magic[7], being shown in Reimu's post-credits ending[8])
Story Role: Hidden Antagonist
Legacy: Global Legacy in her world (She's a well-known comparative physicist at a university, attempting to prove that her theory of magic exists[2])
Influence: Personal Influence
Language: Japanese (As she is able to speak with Reimu and co.)
Ethnicity: Likely Japanese (Her name is a common Japanese surname meaning "mountain")
Religion: N/A
Classification: Captain of the Ship[9]
Species: Human
State of Being: Regular
Physiology: Humanoid Physiology
In-Universe Creator: Unknown
Occupation: Comparative Physics Professor[2]
Combat Style: Scientific Magic
Affiliations: Chiyuri Kitashirakawa, Gensokyo Chiyuri Kitashirakawa, Alternate Yumemi Okazaki, Reimu Hakurei, Marisa Kirisame, Ellen, Kotohime, Kana Anaberal, Rikako Asakura
Enemies: Reimu Hakurei (Formerly), Mima (Formerly), Marisa Kirisame (Formerly), Ellen (Formerly), Kotohime (Formerly), Kana Anaberal (Formerly), Rikako Asakura (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[10])
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (Yumemi is willing to prove her theory of magic to the scientific world that she is willing to kidnap the magic users that she comes across to use as a test specimen, study the power and make it hers[11])
Threat Level: Street Threat
- Type(s) of Potential: Fixed Potential
- Level of Potential: Fixed
- Description: As Yumemi's attempts with magic are through purely artificial means, she is limited by her scientific magic.
- Limitations: Standard limitations.
Codex Statistics
Grade: A
Tier: 10-B, Higher with Scientific Magic. 5-B with Fourth-Dimensional Positron Bomb
Cardinality: Finite
Dimensionality: 3-D
Power Source: Scientific Magic (An imiation of the real thing, using positively charged protons and light waves[12])
Attack Potency: Average Human level, Higher with Scientific Magic (Her story mode showcases that[13], she can fight[14] multiple magic users[15] back to back[16] with the use[17] of scientific magic[18] and potentially even defeat them[19], although canon routes showcases her scientific magic truly pales in comparisson with the real thing[20]). Planet level (Buster) with Fourth-Dimensional Positron Bomb (Has a fourth-dimensional Positron Bomb capable of destroying the entire world, though she notes she has no intentions of actually using it[21])
Durability: Average Human level
Striking Strength: Average Human Class
Lifting Strength: Average Human Class. Class Z with Preparation (Created a device to stop the moon in place so that Mima could always be empowered by it, calculating this in seconds[22])
Travel Speed: Average Human Speed on foot, Superhuman flight speed (Can keep up with other characters flight speeds[23], where they can reach across long distances due to being able to fly[24])
Stamina: Superhuman (Her story mode showcases that[25], she can fight[26] multiple opponents[27] back to back[28] without[29] showing[30] any[31] signs of[32] tiring at all[33])
Range: Standard Melee. At least Tens of Meters with Curtain Fire (Can send out dozens of energy projectiles along with multiple crescent shaped moons directly that travel these distances while the opponent is flying[34]). Planetary with Fourth-Dimensional Positron Bomb (Has a fourth-dimensional Positron Bomb capable of destroying the entire world, though she notes she has no intentions of actually using it[35]) & Preparation (Created a device to stop the moon in place so that Mima could always be empowered by it, calculating this in seconds[36])
Intelligence: Supergenius Intelligence (Yumemi teaches comparative physics at a university at the age of 18[2]. The average person in Chiyuri and Yumemi's world graduates from college at 11 and leaves graduate school at 13, vastly outperforming the real worlds ages[5]. Yumemi is the captain of the Probabiliy Space Hypervessel[37], a ship she built to access different probability worlds[38], parallel worlds that are one and the same[39]. Used her scientific magic as an imiation of real magic, which she uses positively charged protons and light waves in order to imitate it[40]. Created a device to stop the moon in place so that Mima could always be empowered by it, calculating this in seconds[41])
Knowledge: At least Master level
Powers and Techniques
- Superhuman Physical Characteristics
- Genius Intelligence
- Human Achievements (Yumemi teaches comparative physics at a university at the age of 18[2])
- Vehicular Usage
- Preparation (Created a device to stop the moon in place so that Mima could always be empowered by it, calculating this in seconds[46])
- 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[47], 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[48])
- Breaking the Fourth Wall (Noted how for the sake of accuracy, if she lost to her other Yumemi self, the exact same thing would've happened where the weakened one's energy would return to the other, before quietly saying to herself this is wrong, she would've just game overed[49]. Touhou characters constantly acknowledge being a stage boss[50]. It's likely her apologizing to any players that may be aliens or maggots[51])
- Flight (Yumemi is capable of flying off the ground and moving around to shoot out energy projectiles[52])
- Cartoon Physics (Gensokyo is a world that lacks and defies common sense, where characters can explode[53], this is even acknowledged with ZUN roleplaying as the characters in-universe that they explode upon defeat[54]. Despite this they will still come back, even human characters that do not have regeneration)
- Non-Standard Interaction
- Non-Standard Damage (She is capable of harming Youkai like Mima with her attacks[57], 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[58])
- Non-Standard Defenses (She is capable of takings hits from Youkai[59], like Mima[60] where a youkai's attacks damage one to a scale where they cannot recover from natural means[61])
- Observation
- Curtain Fire
- As a Boss
- Multi-Directional & Rapid Fire: Can send out dozens of energy projectiles along with multiple crescent shaped moons directly at the opponent to overwhelm them[64].
- As a Boss
- Nullification & Erasure
- Projectile Nullification & Physical Erasure: Yumemi can fire out attacks that fully erase bullets being shot towards her[65].
- Charged Attack (With the Gauge Attack System, when the Spell Gauge is held down, Yumemi can charge the gauge to the maximum amount, when released, the attack is in accordance to the amount of the gauge that's charged[66])
- Matter Manipulation & Light Manipulation (Yumemi uses scientific magic as an imiation of real magic, which she uses positively charged protons and light waves in order to imitate it[68])
- 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[65])
- Information Manipulation (Human's life information is the ultimate impurity, being apart of Earthly information[69], which is the information of all living things[70]. The reason why this is never shown is that the Asama Joue Moutain is a shrine that neutralizes human impurities[71], where if the human information cannot be processed it will throw the Lunar Capital into disarray[72])
- Link Manipulation (Strong Emotions can be contained in objects that can connect between the main world and the netherworld[73])
- Spirit Manipulation (The bombs used are referred to as spiritual attacks[74], being directly called spiritual attacks[75])
- 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[76], along with killing all enemies on screen[77])
- Magnetism Manipulation (When using a bomb[78], all items on screen will be attracted towards the user[79])
- Perception Manipulation (When using a bomb the screen flashes white and an image of Yumemi can be seen[80])
- Logic Manipulation (The Great Hakurei Barrier is a boundary of common sense, which things with high spiritual power in the cause to waver[83])
- Nullification & Erasure
- Projectile Nullification & Physical Erasure: Bomb users can use a bomb to nullify & erase all projectiles on screen[84]. This makes the enemy incapable of[85] shooting out any further projectiles until the bomb's duration is done[86].
- Invulnerability
- Resistance to
- Purification (Eirin noted that only humans could solve the incident with Junko as youkai being completely impure could not eevn see her[88], with it being noted that non-humans cannot get close to her[89], where Junko's powers of purification allows her to kill one unconditionally, removing all impurities from them[90], with impurity being the concept of life and death where to lose one's impurity is to lose both life and death[91], 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[92])
- Cloning (Has machines that can make a clone of herself[93])
- Dimension Manipulation & Explosion Manipulation (Has a fourth-dimensional Positron Bomb capable of destroying the entire world, though she notes she has no intentions of actually using it[94])
For Unique Equipment:
Equipment
Probability Space Hypervessel
- Description: The Probability Space Hypervessel is a colossal trans-dimensional craft commanded by the scientist Yumemi Okazaki. It was used to voyage from the Outside World to the hidden land of Gensokyo with the sole purpose of obtaining scientific proof of magic's existence. Its advanced technology is so far beyond local understanding that it was initially mistaken for mundane ancient ruins.
- Appearance: Its exterior can project camouflage fields to mimic local rock and foliage, contributing to its "ruins" disguise. The inside of it seems to be large enough to hold a moon in the background, along with what seems to be a space-like backdrop when fighting against Chyuri and Yumemi.
- Usage: The vessel's primary function is to navigate and transit through "probability space," a theoretical dimension allowing travel between mutually exclusive realities and timelines—such as from the secular Outside World to the magical realm of Gensokyo. During the *Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream* incident, its interior was used as a tournament arena, where Yumemi and crewmate Chiyuri Kitashirakawa tested Gensokyo's inhabitants to collect data on magical energy.
- Function: The Hypervessel operates on principles that manipulate probability fields and localized spacetime. This allows it to bypass conventional physical barriers and the Great Hakurei Barrier. It is equipped with advanced sensors for detecting anomalous energy signatures (i.e., magic), defensive shields, and internal environmental systems that can reconfigure spaces for combat or study. It is also implied to possess significant firepower.
- Notable Traits: The vessel is also capable of temporal travel, placing Yumemi and Chiyuri as visitors from the future. This is supported by Rikako Asakura's analysis that its technology is centuries ahead of even Gensokyo's isolated development, and Chiyuri's title as "Resident of Fantasy That Runs Through Time." The ship serves as their mobile laboratory and home.
Fourth Dimensional Positron Bomb
- Description: A bomb made by Yumemi, likely for cases where the enemy is too powerful as a last resort, though she notes she was merely joking when threatening to use it against any of the playable characters that defeated her.
- Appearance: It is never directly seen, only mentioned.
- Usage: Yumemi describes it as a bomb capable of destroying the entire world.
- Function: As it is noted to be fourth-dimensional positron bomb, it likely uses positrons from the fourth dimension in order to fuel it to have such power such as destroying the entire world.
Ruukoto
- Description: A nuclear-powered robot maid given to Reimu Hakurei as her granted wish at the end of Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream[98]. Originally created to serve Yumemi Okazaki, Ruukoto was transferred to Reimu to help with daily shrine cleaning duties.
- Appearance: Ruukoto has light green hair and wears a light-blue and white maid uniform. Her outfit includes a red bow, and a yellow radiation warning symbol is displayed on her back, indicating her nuclear power source.
- Usage: Intended to assist with maintenance and cleaning of the Hakurei Shrine. Despite being assigned domestic responsibilities, she is not particularly efficient at performing household tasks, often requiring Reimu to do the work herself[99].
- Function: Serves as a robotic maid and helper unit, designed to follow commands and carry out basic chores around the shrine. Her role is primarily supportive rather than combat-oriented.
- Notable Traits: Nuclear-powered construction and status as a robot maid set her apart from typical shrine helpers. She is a parody of other android maids, and her poor cleaning ability contrasts with her intended purpose. It is unclear whether Reimu still keeps Ruukoto due to her origin in the PC-98 era.
Mimi-chan (ミミちゃん)
- Description: Mimi-chan is a sentient female intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), originally the property of the scientist Yumemi Okazaki. She appears exclusively in Marisa Kirisame's good ending in Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream, gifted as a "weapon from the outside world." She is a unique case in the Touhou Project as a sapient, non-humanoid artifact of futuristic technology.
- Appearance: Mimi-chan is a large, primarily white missile with standard aerodynamic fins. Her most distinctive feature is the simple, cartoonish face painted on her nosecone: two large, circular black eyes, a single-line red mouth, and a red tip serving as her nose. This cheerful design is a direct reference to the identically named and designed missile from the 1986 manga Don't Leave Me Alone, Daisy.
- Usage: Her intended function as a weapon of mass destruction is unclear in practice within Gensokyo. Marisa, having no knowledge of advanced ballistic weaponry, opted to use Mimi-chan as a makeshift flying vehicle, literally riding atop the missile. This demonstrates that Mimi-chan retains her primary propulsion systems and is capable of controlled, piloted flight, albeit in an unconventional manner.
- Function: As a sentient ICBM, Mimi-chan presumably possesses an advanced guidance system, powerful rocket engines, and a thermonuclear warhead, though the latter's status is unknown. Her sentience implies a complex onboard computer or an infused spirit, allowing for autonomous operation and interaction.
Notable Techniques
Note: The attacks listed here are charge attack and bombs from the game, with only their name listed, this is far before "spell cards" existed, thus there is not much info on their attacks.
Speed Up + Stronger Shot
—
Other
Standard Tactics: Yumemi utilizes her preparation and scientific magic in combat, shooting out dozens of projectiles against the opponent.
Weaknesses: Nothing notable.
Note
- Even if characters have not showcased using a bomb, they should all be able to use bombs, as bombs are realistically just spiritual attacks[74] 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[100], 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[101]. 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[102], he's also referred to Highly Responsive to Prayers as a study product[103]. 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[104]. 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[105]. 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[106]. 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[107]. ZUN has also made mention to Genji probably living in the lake in the back of the shrine[108]. 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[109].
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"[110]. In Yuuka's mode in Touhou Project - Phantasmagoria of Flower View, Reimu directly references defeating Yuuka back in PC-98[111]. 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[112].
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[113].
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[48].
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[114].
- 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[115].
- 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[116].
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[117]. 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[118]:
- 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[119]. 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[120], further showcasing that probabiliy serves an importance.
Magical vs. Physical Strength
There[121] are[122] multiple[123] occasions[124] of[125] characters[126] commenting[127] on[128] humans like[129] Reimu[130] being strong[131]. 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[132], 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[133], with her acknolwedging her strength[134], something Yuugi only does to those who are truly strong[132]. 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.
Trivia
- Yumemi Okazaki is pictured on the front cover of Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream together with the entire cast of that game.
- Among PC-98 era characters, she is one of a select few to have a dedicated, full-sized portrait within the game. This artwork appears specifically when she activates her special attack[135].
- Yumemi is one of only two human characters to serve as a final boss in the series, the other being Sumireko Usami. Notably, Yumemi is the sole final boss who lacks any form of inherent supernatural power or magical ability.
- There is some argument that her home dimension might not be the "Outside World." that Sumireko Usami lives in. Her world is described as one where a grand unified theory of physics has been proven, and academic prodigies can complete graduate school by the age of thirteen.
- However an argument against this is found in Magical Astronomy, set in the future of the Outside World. There, Maribel Hearn mentions that gravity has recently been unified with the other fundamental forces[136]. As well with Gensokyo consistently being shown to be a non-linear area of time where people from any era can show up in, it is very much possible Yumemi is from the Outside World Sumireko comes from, just in the far future.
Gallery
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Cover of Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream, featuring Yumemi & others
Profiles
| Profiles |
| ★ Fantasy legend ... Okazaki Yumemi
She teaches comparative physics at a university. She doesn't look like it, but she's already 18, which is quite young to be a professor. In Yumemi's world, all the forces such as gravity, electromagnetism, and atomic power have been resolved under a unified theory, which has been proven to explain all known forces in the world. Yumemi believes there may be a force that doesn't fit in this theory - "magic". However, when she announced her theory to the academic community, she became a laughing stock.
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★ 夢幻伝説 ・・・ 岡崎 夢美
大学で比較物理学を教えている。これまた若く見えるが年は18才、結構 若くして教授をやっています。夢美達の世界では、重力、電磁気力、原子間力 など、あらゆる力は統一できると証明され、それに当てはまらない力は無い、 とされている。しかし、夢美は当てはまらない力、‘魔力’が存在すると考え 学会に発表した、が、思いっきり笑われ、相手にされなかった。
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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[137], 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[138].
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[139], 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[140]. 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.
Battle Records
0 - 1 - 0
None.
- Reimu Hakurei - Fight[141]
- Conditions: None.
- Location: Final Stage, Probability Space Hypervessel
None.
References
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