- First time posting? Check out our site rules and FAQ.
- Supported file types are: AVIF, GIF, JPG, PNG, WEBM, WEBP.
- Maximum file size allowed is 8192 KB.
- Images greater than 200x200 pixels will be thumbnailed.
- View catalog
Since the last thread (>>19104) has reached bump limit, let's continue the customary character discussions in a new thread. Just like before, every week, everyone will vote for a new Touhou character to discuss. If you have anything at all to say, or just enjoy thinking and talking about Touhou, by all means, share your thoughts. If you want to comment on a character that has been discussed previously, you can use >>17770 The Irregular Character Discussions Thread.
You can comment with your interpretation of the character's personality and outlook, your opinion on what they stand for, story ideas you have for them — anything goes. This is a writing-focused board, but no specific angle or approach is mandatory. You don't have to write a lot either — a small message is just as good, just make sure it's something fellow participants can latch onto or expand upon. As well as just sharing your thoughts, please don't forget to engage with other posters. It's fun to read what others have to say, and starting a conversation helps you shape and enrich your own view.
Apart from the obvious, here are some things you might want to consider:
The boss fight, if there is one — there can be a lot of personality to things like spellcard names and bullet patterns.
The music theme — to help you set the mood, at least!
The character design — visuals are the first thing you see and what you remember them by, after all.
The mythological/cultural inspiration — it can fill in a lot of blanks in an interesting way.
Changes over time — whether in the source material or the fandom.
That's just to get you thinking.
But either way, don't be afraid to speak up. Happy discussing!
Six already, can you believe it?
Yay, Marisa week! We've been blue balled for long enough. Anyway I really like Marisa being the hard working and not as talented one in comparison to Reimu, that and her underdog status make her a bit of a natural protagonist in my eyes.
I also quite like scientific Marisa's, even if she doesn't know what radiation is and has to be taught about dangerous science-y things in canon, I like to imagine a lot of her 'magic' is more tech-y. Although I don't think that's an uncommon preference just going by what I've seen.
>>19537
>Youkai magician
Honestly I like it, but it's also a bit trite. Too common and I've seen it too many times. There is one specific example i like, in the Doujin Bonfire Flower, where Marisa outlives Reimu, and stays around to help the next Hakurei while visiting the shrine every year to pay tribute to Reimu. It also plays into my preference for the hakurei to not be bloodline based and be very disposable.
Although I've had an idea for a comedy where Marisa is close to becoming a Youkai but there are so many safety rails around her she ends up juggling between people instead, with everyone hiding this from Reimu since they don't want to distress her.
Although I also like the opposite idea, Reimu becomes more inhuman, ageless, and absorbed into the role of Hakurei in ways her predecessors weren't, with Marisa wanting to become a youkai to stay with her. Which leads the two to conflict as Reimu is torn between her duty and friendship
>Shop
I like to think her shop is less of a general store, and more of an all purpose mercenary business, with Marisa taking odd jobs to make money. Sort of like in the doujin Dancers of the Boundary.
>Maridad
Anyways I've posted more or less my version of Marisa's back story here >>/others/70629, even if it is a short and shallow retread of two other things I like. In general I really like the i
Since the last thread (>>18683) has reached bump limit, let's continue the customary character discussions in a new thread. Just like before, every week, everyone will vote for a new Touhou character to discuss. If you have anything at all to say, or just enjoy thinking and talking about Touhou, by all means, share your thoughts. If you want to comment on a character that has been discussed previously, you can use >>17770 The Irregular Character Discussions Thread.
You can comment with your interpretation of the character's personality and outlook, your opinion on what they stand for, story ideas you have for them — anything goes. This is a writing-focused board, but no specific angle or approach is mandatory. You don't have to write a lot either — a small message is just as good, just make sure it's something fellow participants can latch onto or expand upon. As well as just sharing your thoughts, please don't forget to engage with other posters. It's fun to read what others have to say, and starting a conversation helps you shape and enrich your own view.
Apart from the obvious, here are some things you might want to consider:
The boss fight, if there is one — there can be a lot of personality to things like spellcard names and bullet patterns.
The music theme — to help you set the mood, at least!
The character design — visuals are the first thing you see and what you remember them by, after all.
The mythological/cultural inspiration — it can fill in a lot of blanks in an interesting way.
Changes over time — whether in the source material or the fandom.
That's just to get you thinking.
But either way, don't be afraid to speak up. Happy discussing!
Hey, don't just use the exact same header post. *tsukkomi fan smack*
>>/blue/26179
And here's Ran. Maybe I'll keep posting them in the drawthread and maybe I won't.
A few people in the discussion thread and/or the discord have mentioned either having hoping to say more about characters once their week was over, or due to circumstances were not able to participate in the discussion of the week. So I decided to create a thread for people to be able to continue those discussions without taking up the main thread!
Here’s Teruyo’s link to the characters discussed so far (as well as for the character that is currently being talked about, but discussion for that character should be reserved for the main thread!): https://www.thp.moe/discussion
A little while ago on the Discord a couple people, including myself, did a Touhou sorting and I thought explaining which characters you like and dislike, and why could be a pretty interesting subject for the thread.
The sorter for anyone interested: https://tohosort.frelia.my/
Anyways, if you want to see the full list it's picrel, and my top 10 in order are: Yuugi, Tewi, Seija, Cirno, Mamizou, Shou, Marisa, Sekibanki, Shimy, and Tsukasa. With Koishi being the 11th place.
I was told, some what in gest that my preference for 2hus meant that I–
>Either you are into Woman who can fuck you up or into Woman who can fuck you over, or both.
While I know that's a joke, I wanted to explain why I like certain characters so much. I'm a big fan of naturalism in works, i.e scientific observation, social commentary, the indifference of nature, and characters grappling against the nature they were born with and the society which fosters or rejects that nature. In addition to this, I, in a more broad sense, like characters who have baked in conflicts, but at the same time if those conflicts begin to overshadow the character themselves I begin to lose interest.
That and my liking of characters largely correlates with how interesting I think they'd be to like, except for Yuugi who holds the number 1 spot due to also being my Waifu.
Anyways, explaining that I think my top 10 makes a lot of sense, but I'll go more into the detail with the top 5.
Yuugi, among the big 4, is the only Oni by birth with Kasen and Suika both having mythological backstories as former humans. She was left holding the bag as an authorit figure for them while Kasen plays hermit and denies her existence as an Oni, and Suika fucks around on surface. In contrast, Yuugi is employed, and although very Oni-like, also seems very reasonable and personable in her appearances. She probably has some resentment for her sisters but in turn would understand they have their reason and as seen in CDS is fine with being wrapped up in events. She also has big tits.
Tewi I feel like can
I have made a similar sorter several months ago since we are sharing those.
For Reisen, If you read the 4th discussions, I was the most active in those discussions. Heck, I was initially supposed to have only one post to kickstart the discussion but apparently I had too much to say about her that I split it into 2. She's a character I think about a lot because she's practically everything I love in a character: Black Suit, Red Eyes, Purple, Sadistic Pos with Anxiety, Versatile ability, Firearms. There was a lot I said about her and more I could've said, but it'd only make sense in a Touhou Story I'm working on which is basically related to another reason why Yuiman is high on the sorter. Before I get to Yuiman I'll give you a quick rundown on the story:
Its about Yuiman thinking the world is going to end because of a conspiracy theory going around Gensokyo that a Triangular shaped Ship will come and destroy the earth and not being in the right state of mind to truly discern what's real and fake and just accepted this. The reality was that the conspiracy was actually Nina overhearing Reisen talk to herself (by a coast that was recently added to Gensokyo) about a Dream she had about meeting a girl who owned a massive spaceship big enough to destroy planets and stars and wondered if she was also going to destroy her world too. Nina misinterpreted that as the Truth and warned everyone about it. Additionally, Gensokyo in this story has grown in size and population. Nina states that because it has become so large, the ship will have a more fun time destroying it.
As for Yuiman generally love the concept of a character whose ability was exploited to the point they could no longer differentiate what's real and fake and for Nina, she interprets anything as the "Truth" but has no real world experience or education to truly discern what's real and fake.
I'm tired as of me typing this so maybe I'll explain more later? But yeah thats my list.
>>19470
I forgot to say this, but I've actually seen a headcanon regard Sakuya's relationship to Iwanaga similar to one I've seen about Kaguya; being that both Kaguya and Sakuya are made from the DNA, or some equivalent of Iwanaga Ariya and Konohanasakuya-hime. Both of them trying to prevent and cause change.
It's a bit funny to imagine them as sisters in that respect, both being the results of Lunarian science. One successful, while the younger was a failure who was thrown away as a failure after not living up to her big sisters example once Kaguya left the moon. Sort of similar to Reisen and Akyuu's relationship in R/R Leading to Sakuya falling into the hands of Remi eventually.
No idea how'd I'd use it in a story, but I think it's neat. Even the Sakuya being a clone of the sisters on it's own is a bit cool to me, samething for Kaguya being an Iwanaga clone.
This thread is for discussing R/R. Theorycrafting, strategizing, discussion, anything, so long as it is R/R is welcome and appreciated.
Spoilers are inevitable here, be warned. Please spoiler image spoilers as they appear on the front page and could spoil others. You can also hide a thread by clicking on the little upside down triangle next to its post number, if you want to avoid this thread for spoilers. Spoilers spoilers spoilers...
One thing I feel kinda sad about with Kosuzu's run is the missed potential for Kosuzu becoming a mafia princess in all but actual title.
Because I just have this endlessly wonderful image of Yuuma stumbling across Ran's kit and having to deal with the awkward adoption because that tube fox obviously isn't mother of the year, here...
I've posted in the Discord about my Mastermind, timeline, and suspects speculation before so I'll post it here. The way I see it there are more or less, 3-to-4 'triggers' as I've been calling them that are needed to make the incident happen.
>Mastermind gains motivation
>Discovery of the Black Flames (I was told to not call this the Despair Sickness by the OP)
>Production of Burnt Cherries (seemingly the main vector of infection)
>Discovery of the Hollow Psyche spell/Zanmu's textbook is published. Is needed for diminishing the spirits of surviving Gensokyo inhabitants.
I say 3-to-4 because Burnt Cherry production might be the same thing as the discovery of the Black Flames. Either way in the current year. (Reimu 12, Kosuzu 10) There have seemingly been no public distribution of Black Cherries and while Hollow Psyche's exist, Zanmu's textbook on the subject hasn't been published.
Given that the textbook is published 7 years into the future, when Reimu is 19, and the Reimu from the last timeline is ambiguous older than current 12 year old Reimu, I think it's safe to assume that the Mastermind started the incident in the last timeline as soon as they got their hands on the textbook as discovered the Hollow Psyche spell.
As Yumeimei and Chiyari didn't get involved in events due to Reimu, I think it's reasonable to assume that the textbook or the Burnt Cherry Suwako was given. The second was seemingly piggybacked in Chiyuri, while the first seems more or less reasonable to have been transported through with a similar method.
Of course in the third timeline we have the book show up when Kosuzu is 3 and Reimu is 5. Of course the incident doesn't start, either because the Mastermind doesn't have either Black Flames or the method to mass produce Burnt Cherries, or due to the method of Yumemei time travel.
Either way, something is stopping them from starting the incident right now, but given how strong the girls are getting so fast, I don't expect things to stay that way for so long.
So wh
It looks like the old thread (>>16402) has passed away into obscurity, never again to be bumped. Oh, well! In lieu of repeating the premise of the previous thread, I'll index the previous posts but otherwise rely on the title to be self-explanatory enough:
>>16403 The Tengu a broad-ranging academic overview of tengu-related myths over the centuries
>>16408 Kojiki, the oldest surviving written work from Japan, which details its ancient mythology and the history of its earliest emperors
But I'm going to start this thread off with a different kind of background influence on Touhou, which many of you will already know about but which some of you might not! The illustrated oeuvre of Takemoto Izumi was an early, maybe even formative, influence on ZUN's aesthetic sensibilities, and their influence can be seen very strongly in the earlier games, extending as far as an entire character—pic related—being imported wholesale into the third game of the series. While the overt borrowings may have tapered off over the years, you can still witness the cute, bubbly, but also earnest and at times seriously reflective sensibility in the tone and approach of Touhou today. So, even though the majority of us may be readers and writers and thus might incline more towards textual aspects of the setting or the lore or the characters' personalities and backgrounds, I think it's worth taking a second look at the "silly outfits" of our favourite girls with a finer and more appreciative eye for what non-textual sentiments might have compelled ZUN to design them that way, beyond the two extremes of "obscure mythological reference" and "unqualified whimsy".
Any good recent academic papers out there on miko? I read a few some years ago that I unfortunately never saved. Not having academic database access anymore sucks...
I don't think I have anything to add to the tengu scent discussion (other than maybe that I suspect Hatate's habits overcome whatever scent tengu naturally have or prefer to apply, and she smells like anyone else who shuts themselves in their room 364 days/year. Personally that makes me want to dunk her into the nearest bathtub, but somebody in this thread probably finds it attractive), I'm just dropping by to drop off some tales of necromancy from the journal article I used as a resource for my exhibition entry last month.
Specifically: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10371397.2015.1007120
I have access through my university, but I suspect most other people are going to be out of luck, so if anyone wants I can at least summarise the myths mentioned within (it's mainly focused on one in particular, but it details several others for cultural and historical context). Or just copy them out, if that doesn't violate the site's rules on piracy? Just the summaries of old stories, I mean, not the whole article.
>>18395
I can try and take a look if I have time, though with classes starting up again soon, I don't expect I'll have much.
Ahead of the site’s anniversary next month, it’s time for another writing event!
Participating
Anyone can participate as a writer and/or a reader, and all skill levels and types of interests are encouraged. Prospective writers are to submit a piece by the end of the submission period and everyone, both writers and readers alike, are encouraged to comment about the stories and discuss them. Feedback and critique is always appreciated! As with most site events, the idea is to have the community participate and make things lively.
The tradition is to have people submit entries anonymously, so as to not taint perceptions and color feedback, but this is just a suggestion. The main goal of these events remains to encourage the community to create and for everyone involved to have fun.
Submission period
Submissions will be opened around a month from now on 2026-04-01. A thread will be created for entries and there will be a 2-day window for any stories to be counted as part of the event. You can post something later than that, but the idea is to have everyone on equal footing when it comes to getting comments and feedback.
Themes
These events are normally centered around some theme. Entries ideally should contain elements of either or both of the themes. These themes are meant to spark inspiration or help writers along and how broadly or specifically they are implemented are up to the writer.
This time around, the themes are comfort and community.
Comfort can mean anything ranging from a prosaic, physical, sensation but it is probably best read as something (or someone) that provides solace, consoles, provides relief or enjoyment; a small ritual enjoyed by a character after a long day of work, catching up with an old pal to put things into perspective or distract, or appreciating the effort put into a special meal would all qualify here. This can be something abstract and mostly intellectual, it
>>19453
> I intended the thrust of Sannyo's recollections to be that their (that is, all the hags, including those unnamed) mums had been far more collectively-minded than the 'sisters' of the present
When you're a kid, it can seem like those in charge have everything down on lock.
I'd like to see more about about mountain hag society and how it works in practical terms, but I did appreciate the familial bonds as were presented in the story. They're all really full of themselves and that's great to see as that's how a lot of (extended) family works.
It's very different to see all that than the external facade they put forward to non-mountain-hags.
>>19457
>When you're a kid, it can seem like those in charge have everything down on lock.
Indeed, it might be the case that things weren't nearly so ideal as in Sannyo's rosy memories. She has little idea of the sorts of conflicts their mums may have had simmering beneath the surface. I've found it's hard to get at that sort of stuff until someone just outright tells you later on. Otherwise, you're only left to wonder as you age.
>I did appreciate the familial bonds as were presented in the story
>that's how a lot of (extended) family works.
Really, I didn't set out to tell a story about family, but I knew it would be fairly relevant. I'd hoped there would be an interesting enough dynamic, what with how I've framed mountain hags. I guess one thing that I've wanted to get at in writing is questioning the concept of kinship beyond typical ideas of family. The question in and of itself isn't that relevant within the piece, but I suppose it's what drove some of what came out. I'm glad it spoke to you in some way.
>It's very different to see all that than the external facade they put forward to non-mountain-hags.
I do like to explore the interior dynamics of social groups a bit. I just find it kind of fascinating in and of itself. Feels kind of like cheekily peeking behind the curtain, I guess.
>>19451
night, outside
i wrote this one. i've already went through the writing process at >>19306 so i think all that's left is the story itself. much like burakumin, this was something i had partially written months before, though only the first part and with a number of differences, mostly after he moves on from the sitting duck. the original 'draft' was on an old device that's no longer accessible, so i had to rewrite it anyway. it's interesting to see everyone else come up with stories to fit the themes, while so far i've only been finishing things i've partially written. easily enough, i've divided the parts based on location but i think there's also an incidental difference in thematic focus. the first part i feel leans more with community (or lack thereof) in the village while the second reaches for comfort with the kappa. that said, i don't think i gave much direct attention to the themes beyond that.
for the old draft of part 1, there was a bit more on the inn's crowd beyond the ones gossiping about him, like someone recounting a drunken sekibanki encounter and a couple of friends sharing a pipe before throwing a remark on keine's work that night. there was also a journalist interviewing someone in a darkened path to cheaper rentals. just things the old man heard as he walked by so they weren't full blown scenes thankfully. there was another idea of a communal sleeping hall for the destitute, hopelessly drunk or folks who live outside the walls during the full moon but i never actually wrote it down. of course, i traded that for more on the village and it's changes, the old man's reminiscences and his feelings. the bit with the moriya shrine's project was a very late addition. for part 2, i did have the most general idea of their meeting already before ha
I want there to be more places in Gensokyo with people in them! Seriously, there's only, like, 6 locations that people care about! Hakurei Shrine, Forest of Magic, Human Village, Youkai Mountain (I'm including Youkai Forest and Genbu Ravine as part of Y. Mtn.), Scarlet Devil Mansion, Myouren Temple, The Netherworld, Mosleum of Dreams, or whatever it's called—the Taoist place—the Bamboo Forest of the Lost, Kourindou, Underground, Hell... And it's the same people doing the same thing every time!
Everywhere else is just "___ Path," "___ Lake," "___ Flower Field," "___ Hill," and they have no people! They're filler! Or the center point of a mystery that goes nowhere! It's boring!
I want more villages! I want the sea! I want Hokkaidou! I want Kyuushuu! I want more youkai societies! I want faction conflicts that aren't just "Buddhism vs. Taoism," "Don't trespass on Youkai Mountain," "the villagers are afraid of youkai and chase them out," or "Hell is having another gang war!"
I want to complain about all the story ideas that I have that get cockblocked by stuff like "Murasa would never sail a ghost ship through the skies plundering the rich because 1) she's Buddhist, 2) she doesn't have a ghost ship, 3) the only people to plunder are the human villagers, but they're protected by the shrine maiden, so there's nowhere else to plunder while waiting for the heat die down" even though she's the only character to be able to do that!
Main issue with Touhou is that it's wide as a ocean and deep as a puddle. Places like the human village or the Netherworld are incredibly poorly defined. Even the SDM was basically a blank slate until like a year ago
>>19427
>>19427
I don't really mind that, I think it's easier to make up details for a location than it is to make up an entirely new location. It just seems slightly less fanfic-ish, or at least it's something I'm more comfortable with.
Although I do like the details we do get, like how Yuugi runs the hot springs in the capital of former hell, albeit I find that detail more useful and opening to my imagination than Kosuzu's book store.
>>18400
What typifies autumn besides falling leaves? I feel like that's a harder one to capture in any ready shorthand. Summer's hot, yeah. Spring's green, yeah. Winter's cold, yeah. What even is autumn, though?
Maybe it's just because I've lived in a place that doesn't have very "fall" kind of weather or scenery, but I don't have too much emotional connection with it beyond the calendar months of the year.
A few ways. One is that the transition between summer and winter can itself be a good indicator; someone dressing for a warm day that turns out a colder and more miserable is a good one.
Setting it during certain events is also a good way to do it, like a festival or the like.
But a subtle way to do it is through food. Pretty much any place with strong seasons will have seasonal meals, where the availability of goods ebbs and flows with the year. Showing people having certain sorts of foods - like September pumpkins - can do well to set the time subtly.
Since the last thread (>>18276) has reached bump limit, let's continue the customary character discussions in a new thread. Just like before, every week, everyone will vote for a new Touhou character to discuss. If you have anything at all to say, or just enjoy thinking and talking about Touhou, by all means, share your thoughts. If you want to comment on a character that has been discussed previously, you can use >>17770 The Irregular Character Discussions Thread.
You can comment with your interpretation of the character's personality and outlook, your opinion on what they stand for, story ideas you have for them — anything goes. This is a writing-focused board, but no specific angle or approach is mandatory. You don't have to write a lot either — a small message is just as good, just make sure it's something fellow participants can latch onto or expand upon. As well as just sharing your thoughts, please don't forget to engage with other posters. It's fun to read what others have to say, and starting a conversation helps you shape and enrich your own view.
Apart from the obvious, here are some things you might want to consider:
The boss fight, if there is one — there can be a lot of personality to things like spellcard names and bullet patterns.
The music theme — to help you set the mood, at least!
The character design — visuals are the first thing you see and what you remember them by, after all.
The mythological/cultural inspiration — it can fill in a lot of blanks in an interesting way.
Changes over time — whether in the source material or the fandom.
That's just to get you thinking.
But either way, don't be afraid to speak up. Happy discussing!
>>19035
Orin was under the assumption the Oni and Satori wouldn't like it, and that they would kill Okuu for her conquer the surface plan.
But her profile points out that her assumption was incorrect. I imagine that there's some resentment but if the reactor had benefited them they probably don't complain much, either way I think their biggest problem is still with Okuu. Especially now that she bombed protesters, but since she isn't trying to bathe the surface in hellfire anymore they probably don't complain much as long as she minds her own buissness.
>>19035
The capital lot seem fairly segregated from the are of the geyser facility/reactor. Could definitely see the kappa living in their own quarters while they work down there, possibly doing tours of a couple of weeks. Then again, possibly isn't too far to commute from their main hideout on the mountain.
Who'd fix leaky pipes, anyhow? Kappa plumbers in overalls with surly attitudes? Maybe a certain earth spider could be an independent contractor since she seems to enjoy building and fixing things. At any rate, I like to think that most of the underground inhabitants would probably just not think about all that industry nearby—it'd only really be noticed if the water pressure/temperature dropped.
>>19041
I've always felt like it would be a fair ways down to get into the more relevant parts of the Underground, even if you have, say, a lift going straight down; one dreads the sort of maintenance such a thing would regularly need.
Though, yeah, some number of them would probably need to be around for a length of time to ensure proper working order. Imagine being some poor sod stuck on repeated shifts down there because nobody else can do your job. There's probably not enough aircon in the world that would make it bearable for extensive periods.
>earth spider
It'd be interesting to know her position amidst other Undergrounders. I'd guess earth spiders in general don't live in the Capital, but who knows? Maybe there are a quiet few, perhaps called upon for help with construction.