History Fridge / Touhou

* Day stages won't work in ''Immaterial and Missing Power'' if someone is playing as Remilia. Think about that for a second. [[spoiler:She's a vampire.]]

** Actually, in ''Scarlet Weather Rhapsody'', there are no day and night stage versions due to the weather system. When either (or [[MirrorMatch both]]) players choose Remilia, the match is played on one of the two indoor stages — Patchouli's Library or Scarlet Devil Mansion Foyer, with BGM for the chosen stage playing. [[FridgeLogic Strangely]], Remilia can't fight on Iku's sea of clouds stage, even though it's dark and there's little to no sunlight (or visible weather effects) there. The situation gets even weirder in ''Hisoutensoku'', where Remi is allowed to fight on yet another stage without the aforementioned parasol card. Illogically, it's not Yuyuko's garden (turned into a night stage in ''Hisoutensoku'' due to some bullets being hard to see with snow in the background in ''SWR''). No, it's another indoor stage... a [[InsaneTrollLogic nuclear fusion reactor core!]] [[FlatWhat What?]]

* Nue Houjuu's theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMXaJvxGAxo "Heian Alien"]], almost sounds like Flandre Scarlet's theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyC5eWJhCr8&feature=related "U.N Owen Was Her?"]]. I didn't really understand why it almost sounds like Flandre's, than it hit me — she's a Nue, that's what she ''wants'' you to hear. It's an illusion of Flandre, just like Nue makes the heroines ''think'' those flying objects are shaped like flying-plate styled [=UFOs.=] Even the Extra Stage theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUDqOIBY9FA UFO "Romance in the Night Sky"]], can be an illusion, too. -@/PMiller1
** So Nue is {{Troll}}ing the players. [[BreakingTheFourthWall Surprised?]] [[spoiler:Kogasa just broke the fourth wall with the word "Surprise" on the screen when she showed up earlier as the midboss. Nue took advantage of the break to play Flan's theme.]] -{{@/Sk8torchic}}

** On another tangent, there's a pretty good reason why Flandre and Koishi are often partnered in fanart — Koishi's power is manipulating the subconscious, which is why she can minimize Flandre's urges to destroy. ~ @/{{Nitramy}}

* In ''Silent Sinner in Blue'', Reimu provides an exposition that explains that Shinto gods are able to infinitely split their spirits, but in the cases of Suwako and Kanako — gods who still retain their earthly bodies — the spirit can split while the original body stays the same. Fast forward to 12.3, in which Sanae can call upon Suwako as an assist against ''Suwako herself'', and suddenly what would normally be FridgeLogic makes ''perfect sense.''

* Parsee's PointyEars can be justified as [[InvokedTrope body modification, or simply fakes]] — she's jealous of the cooler-looking inhuman youkai, and trying to imitate them.

* The name of the one-man team ZUN formed, Shanghai Alice, describes the nature of Gensokyo — it's a fantastic wonderland set in the far east.

* In ''Silent Sinner in Blue'', Yorihime sends Sakuya's knives back towards her, and she ends up boxed in by them and has to surrender. This is doubly funny if you've played ''[=EoSD=]'' — boxing you in is what almost all of Sakuya's attack patterns are ''designed'' to do.

*** Want to know the first hint that things at the end of Chapter 49.5 of ''Wild and Horned Hermit'' are [[spoiler:not as bad as they seem? The character title for Oni Kasen, the form she doesn't want to keep, ''is a critique.'']]

* Tenshi's theme and apparent origin both reference Bhava-Agra, also known as Naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana. Here's the wiki entry:
-->Naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana or Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana (Tib: 'du shes med 'du shes med min) "Sphere of neither perception nor non-perception". In this sphere the formless beings have gone beyond a mere negation of perception and have attained a liminal state where they do not engage in "perception" (saṃjñā, recognition of particulars by their marks) but are not wholly unconscious. This was the sphere reached by Udraka Rāmaputra (Pāli: Uddaka Rāmaputta), the second of the Buddha's two teachers, who considered it equivalent to enlightenment.

* In ''Hopeless Masquerade'', Nitori appears with [[spoiler:a shirikodama in hand]]. It's implied that she got it from a random person in the crowd at the temple. Considering the process by which that sort of thing is obtained...

* In Chapter 49.5 of ''Wild and Horned Hermit'', [[spoiler:Ibaraki-Douji's Arm]] summons the skeletons of all of her (and by extension [[spoiler:pre-hermit Kasen's]]) past victims, and there are enough of them that they can completely bury Reimu. That's quite a high body count...
* Kasen's plan in the final few chapters of ''Wild and Horned Hermit'' involving [[spoiler:Reimu being banished to Hell]] may seem a bit extreme, but consider how doing so essentially left [[spoiler:Ibaraki-Douji's Arm's only option [[ToServeMan for food]] as the one person who could beat her]]. Imagine if [[spoiler:she had been released on the surface instead and was savvy enough to realize that she couldn't win and went somewhere like the Human Village to get something to eat... Good call there Kasen]].

*** Want to know the first hint that [[spoiler:things at the end of Chapter 49.5 of ''Wild and Horned Hermit'' are not as bad as they seem? The character title for Oni Kasen, the form she doesn't want to keep, ''is a critique.'']]

* In Chapter 49.5 of ''Wild and Horned Hermit'', [[spoiler:Ibaraki-Douji's Arm]] summons the skeletons of all of her (and by extension [[spoiler:Kasen's]]) past victims, and there are enough of them that they can completely bury Reimu. That's quite a high body count...

*** Want to know the first hint that [[spoiler:things at the end of Chapter 49.5 of ''Wild and Horned Hermit'' are not as bad as they seem? The character title for Oni!Kasen, the form she doesn't want to keep, ''is a critique.'']]

* As pointed out by [[https://www.deviantart.com/fullhitpoints/art/Mystic-Square-Explained-671107226 this comic]], ''Mystic Square'' is essentially about the heroines beating up tourists who are either minding their own business or are trying to protect their friends and family from being terrorized. [[NonLethalWarfare Spellcard rules]] would make this fine and dandy, but there's no indication that spellcard rules ''even existed'' in the PC-98 games, with some lines of dialogue ("Genocide is just a game!" "When you meet your friend in the afterlife, tell her I said hi!") implying that the battles have the potential to end with death. Even worse, the final fight against Shinki has a city burning in the background, meaning that hundreds could have died and the survivors would be left homeless. [[KarmaHoudini And the heroines get away with all of this.]]

* Day stages won't work in ''Immaterial and Missing Power'' if someone is playing as Remilia. Think about that for a second. [[spoiler:[[CaptainObvious She's a vampire.]]]]

* Parsee's PointyEars can be justified as [[InvokedTrope body modification, or simply fakes]] — she's jealous of the cooler-looking inhuman youkai, and trying to imitate them. -@/{{Yuihime}}
* Satori not being into fighting makes perfect sense because of her mind-reading power; she'd sense the pain her enemies were in when she hurt them. She'd rather try to frighten away hostiles or intruders, as she does to the player character. -@/{{Yuihime}}

** The spellcard in question twice uses the word "Abandoned", and the trains themselves are covered in cobwebs and broken windows. These are not trains that are being used by people.

* Yukari's "gapping in trains" move in ''Hisentoku''., Every time she uses it, she kills hundreds of confused and terrified people.

* Yukari "gapping in trains" move in ''Hisentoku''., Every time she uses it, she kills hundreds of confused and terrified people.

* ''Wild and Hornet Hermit'' reveals that not only objects, but real living creatures and individuals can end up entering Gensokyou if forgotten by those around them. So that brings the question, just how many humans ended up entering Gensokyou by simply being forgotten while still alive?

* More like Fridge {{Squick}}. Murasa uses water droplets as her danmaku. However, in some attacks she's spraying some yellow colored water droplets. Is she shooting you with pee?

** This is pretty much supported by the fact that only one character who gets a purely descriptive title is, you guessed it: Kasen herself.

* Yukari often mentions that youkai are getting their food from somewhere in the outside world. Well, there happens to be a very convenient place for youkai to go hunting in Japan: Aokigahara. Dark, isolated, possibly outright haunted, and full of both humans who have given up on living, and corpses of varying freshness to suit nearly any palate, the "Suicide Forest" is the perfect place for youkai to go meat shopping.

* Seija's personality is always opposite to those around her, so what if she encountered an extremely pure and good character? Would we then have an UltimateEvil or a CompleteMonster on our hands?

* Yukari often mentions that youkai are getting their food from somewhere in the outside world. Well, there happens to be a very convenient place for youkai to go hunting in Japan: Aokigahara. Dark, isolated, possibly outright haunted, and full of humans who have given up on living, the "Suicide Forest" is the perfect place for youkai to go meat shopping.

** Actually in ''Scarlet Weather Rhapsody'' there are no day and night stage versions due to the weather system. When either (or [[MirrorMatch both]]) players choose Remilia, the match is played on one of the two indoor stages - Patchouli's Library or Scarlet Devil Mansion Foyer, with BGM for the chosen stage playing. [[FridgeLogic Strangely]], Remilia can't fight on Iku's sea of clouds stage, even though it's dark and there's little to no sunlight (or visible weather effects) there. The situation gets even weirder in ''Hisoutensoku'', where Remi is allowed to fight on yet another stage without the aforementioned parasol card. Illogically, it's not Yuyuko's garden (turned into a night stage in ''Hisoutensoku'' due to some bullets being hard to see with snow in the background in SWR). No, it's another indoor stage... a [[InsaneTrollLogic nuclear fusion reactor core!]] [[FlatWhat What?]]

* At first, I like many other fans thought that Kaguya and Mokou should've gotten over their rivalry a long time ago. After finally learning what Kaguya's ability was actually capable of doing, it's entirely possible that Kaguya used her powers on Mokou in order for Mokou's hatred of her to last forever. -@/{{raigakuren}}

*** She's gotta do SOMETHING for "fun", as would Mokou. That rivalry was suiting them just fine!

* Why is Koishi so friendly in demeanor despite closing her third eye and being emotionless? Because of her condition Koishi acts upon her desires alone, and prior to closing her third eye she wanted to make friends, so she acts fairly friendly despite most of the time feeling nothing behind it.

* In Phantasmagoria of Flower View, each character has their own unique ability, such as Reimu's smaller hitbox and Tewi's autobomb when she can only take one more hit. [[LivingToys Medicine's]] is that she won't get hurt if she collides with a spirit. You later find out in her final stage that spirits who do not realise they've died are still trying to use her and possess her. They won't hurt her, because [[NightmareFuel they're trying to do]] [[DemonicPossession something a lot worse.]]

* Yuyuko intended to steal the essence of spring from Gensoukyou and use it to awaken the Saigyou Ayakashi. While true that she didn't know the Ayakashi was an EldritchAbomination, she couldn't have missed that stealing the spring would have plunged Gensoukyou into eternal winter, killing all of the plants and dooming the inhabitants to starvation. And she was EasilyForgiven, just like everyone else.
** The fact that she's EasilyForgiven might have something to do with the fact that she's [[JerkassGods Yukari]]'s friend... ah, the fringe benefits! Plus, Reimu doesn't seem to be exactly dedicated to her job, so it's likely that, after she stopped Yuyuko, she simply didn't care about punishing her. When she gets hit close to home, like in SWR, however...
** Well, it's implied Yuyuko was intending to give the spring back to Gensokyo once the cherry tree bloomed, actually. She just didn't know the tree was evil.

** Utsuho has an excuse, though, since [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity she was driven temporarily mad by the power]] she was given. She wasn't a threat anymore once sense was knocked back into her by the player character. The real problem comes with the person who made her this way, [[JerkassGods Kanako]], who originally intended to use her to create a power plant. While that goal in itself isn't really bad, it doesn't change the fact that the events of Subterranean Animism wouldn't have happened if she hadn't tried to turn Utsuho into a living nuclear battery.
* About half of the characters' inferred backstories aren't exactly nice. Medicine was abandoned, Reimu was abandoned, Reisen is a traitor to the moon people, Alice may have wiped out a lot of people/youkai, Sakuya may be a serial killer[[note]]consider the names of many of her spellcards[[/note]]...
* All those cakes and tea and sweets that fanart likes to show the Scarlet sisters enjoying? If you read Flandre's profile provided in [=EoSD=], it pretty strongly suggests that they all contain human blood.

* Komeiji Koishi embodies Lust in SA's "deadly sins" theme, and is infamous for her suggestively-shaped shots in "The Embers of Love". She also can't be remembered by anyone once they've stopped looking at her, and is apparently an "imaginary friend" afterward... what if she's a rapist? How would you know if she'd raped someone? How would you know if she'd raped ''you?'' I'd wager that there's a few too many people in Gensokyo who have vivid "dreams" about a certain white-haired someone in a green skirt.

** Considering the removal tends to be fatal [[note]]One of the inspirations for the kappa myth was the fact that drowning victims were found with enlarged anuses[[/note]] that means she probably killed some random schmuck and ''is still gaining popularity!'' Clearly the poor [[{{Pun}} Butt]] [[ButtMonkey Monkey]] wasn't very popular.
** One of her cards in Double Spoiler is Kappa "Dried Shirikodama." And this being BulletHell, she has a lot of them... Even Aya wonders how many people were sacrificed to make that many. Hatate just wonders if Nitori's a gourmet since she eats them.
* Seija's personality is always opposite to those around her, so what if she encountered an extremely pure and good character? Would we then have an UltimateEvil or a Monster on our hands?

* It was said that the reason Koishi can only act subconsciously is because she can't read her own mind. This means that her conscious mind is trapped in AndIMustScream situation. No wonder Satori didn't follow her example.

* In Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom, Sagume notes that Marisa is a human... which is fine and all, except Sagume's power is that the opposite of whatever she says comes true. Is Marisa going to turn into a youkai because of this?

** Actually in ''Scarlet Weather Rhapsody'' there are no day and night stage versions due to the weather system. When either (or [[MirrorMatch both]]) players choose Remilia, the match is played on one of the two indoor stages - Patchouli's Library or Scarlet Devil Mansion Foyer, with BGM for the chosen stage playing. [[FridgeLogic Strangely]], Remilia can't fight on Iku's sea of clouds stage, even though it's dark and there's little to no sunlight (or visible weather effects) there. The situation gets even weirder in ''Hisoutensoku'', where Remi is allowed to fight on yet another stage without the aforementioned parasol card. Illogically, it's not Yuyuko's garden (turned into a night stage in ''Hisoutensoku'' due to some bullets being hard to see with snow in the background in SWR). No, it's another indoor stage...a [[InsaneTrollLogic nuclear fusion reactor core!]] [[FlatWhat What?]]

*** Vampires can't handle sunlight when it's a sign of life. However, "scientific" UV radiation often doesn't affect thematic vampires for whom sunlight is anathema because it represents life. Plus, the artificial solar power is from a dead god consumed from a hell raven. No thematic opposition there.

* Nue Houjuu's Theme [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMXaJvxGAxo Heian Alien]] almost sounds like Flandre Scarlet's Theme [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyC5eWJhCr8&feature=related U.N Owen]]. I didn't really understand why it almost sounds like Flandre's, than it hit me — she's a Nue, that's what she wants you to hear. It's an Illusion of Flandre, just like Nue makes the heroines ''think'' those flying objects are shaped like flying-plate styled [=UFOs.=] Even the Extra Stage theme [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUDqOIBY9FA UFO Romance in the Night Sky]] can be an Illusion too. -@/PMiller1

** Adding to that, her eyes become red when she's manipulating time isn't a random or cool point, it's probably the Doppler effect happening due to the space between her eyes and the opponent's changed, thus changing the wavelength of the light. (Ahich still makes it super cool, though.)

* When Flandre is introduced she breakes the fourth wall. She breaks the fourth wall thanks to her power to break anything. -@/{{matteste}}
* When listening to Flandre's Theme, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV16HghvnC4 The Centennial Festival for Magical Girls]], I always assumed the sudden switch in mood, and chimes, were due to the title. And then I suddenly realized... Flandre's crystal wings would sound like chimes. And you're going through her basement. She's stalking you throughout the entire stage, and only appears to you once she thinks you're weak enough to kill and eat. -RenaTheArchmage
* Most of the characters in this series wear hats. Somewhere in Gensokyo there must be a [[Literature/AliceInWonderland haberdasher, and he's probably quite insane]]. ~@/{{Specialist290}}

* In ''Silent Sinner in Blue'' Yorihime sends Sakuya's knives back towards her, and she ends up boxed in by them and has to surrender. This is doubly funny if you've played [=EoSD=] - boxing you in is what almost all of Sakuya's attack patterns are ''designed'' to do.

* ZUN says that when Reimu uses Fantasy Heaven she can't be beaten by any method, one might think that one of the many powerful characters could just warp reality and win against her that way. However remember that they are [[RealityWarper Reality Warpers]], then how the hell do you warp something that's outside of reality? She simply is out of reach. -@/{{matteste}}

* Next time you're playing Perfect Cherry Blossom on Hard or lower, take a close look at the progression of "Blue Sign: Benevolent French Dolls." The bullets start out blue, become white when they reverse direction and multiply, then turn red when they do it again. Blue, white and red? How about ''bleu, blanc, et rouge'', the colors of the French flag? -@/{{Linhasxoc}}
* [[http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Perfect_Memento_in_Strict_Sense/Monologue Akyuu's monologue ]] tells that youkai don't eat humans anymore, so when Rumia ask if she can eat Reimu, she's following that saying "asking doesn't offend".
* In ''Hopeless Masquerade'' one might think that all these background characters are only for ContinuityCavalcade purposes however since this game is based around popularity it gets kinda hard to get more popular if you don't have a crowd to view the spectacle. -@/{{matteste}}

* In most games, Stage 4 is notorious for a DifficultySpike compared to the first three stages. Then look again at when our main heroines, Reimu and Marisa, became bosses. They were always ''Stage 4 bosses'' (excluding Phantasmagoria and fighting games). That means Stage 4 is hard because it's when things are starting to match our heroines' abilities. The previous stages were just warming ups to them.

* Both characters and players have wondered what Nitori is doing in ''Hopeless Masquerade,'' considering its plot revolves around competition between religions. It makes more sense when you consider that in most modern religious disputes science is often a major player even when it's not an outright antagonist. -@/UmbraFractus

** Her profile in UFO did mention that she specializes in body-enhancing (as in strength, speed. or durability) magic.
* Marisa is described as hardworking and always trying out new spells, while Reimu is BrilliantButLazy. This is reflected in the games from Mountain of faith onwards. In each game Marisa always get some new, non-orthodox shot-types (or new versions of her old shot-types, in the case of Ten Desires), while Reimu always stick to her Homing Amulet and Persuasion Needle most of the time.

* The Aki sisters being...sisters makes even more sense when you realize their domains are the same thing, but for different species. It's not just autumn. Why do leaves turn brown? The tree is harvesting the nutrients into their trunks for storage for the winter; just like how people harvest crops and store them. (A feast was one of the ways ancient people stored food; eat a lot of it in case storage goes bad then you've got fat for the winter, if nothing else.) Shizuha would get more respect if there were "tree"-based youkai or dryads in Gensokyo. (Flower-based Youkai like Yuuka don't care; plus sunflowers are annual, they only live one year, so surviving the winter is not an issue; it's their seeds that come up the next spring.)
* The Scarlet Team and the Netherworld Team fighting Reimu and Marisa, respectively doesn't make too much sense at first. Then you realize those previously mentioned teams whose members were adversaries who were previously defeated by them in their previous journeys.

* I always thought that the songs present in [=PoFV=] sounded a bit... empty, for lack of a better expression, as if channels were missing from them. Then I actually played the game and realised this might be intentional. At any given moment, the sound effects will make twice the amount of noise made in one BulletHell. If the music had been as elaborate as it tends to be in the other games, it would all probably sound like a cluttered mess. While I still prefer certain covers, it now makes sense why ZUN would write them like he did.

** Why would a character based on a Greek goddess even be present in an ''Eastern'' paradise? Turns out [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhism Hellenistic Greece had a significant influence on early Buddhism]]. Furthermore, some Japanese gods can trace their origins to Hellenistic Greece, such as the Shinto [[http://www.bythegods.net/post/592667792 wind god Fujin having originated as the Greek god Boreas]].

* Day stages won't work in ''Immaterial and Missing Power'' if someone is playing as Remilia. Think about that for a second. [[spoiler:[[CaptainObvious She's a vampire]]]].

*** Vampires can't handle sunlight when it's a sign of life. However, "scientific" UV radiation often doesn't affect thematic vampires who sunlight is anathema because it represents life. Plus, the artificial solar power is from a dead god consumed from a hell raven. No thematic opposition there.

*** There's also the factor that ZUN is known to be a Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure fan, and Vampires in that series are weak to UV Lights. It would make sense if he carried that over as a weakness for Touhou Vampires.
* Nue Houjuu's Theme [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMXaJvxGAxo Heian Alien]] almost sounds like Flandre Scarlet's Theme [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyC5eWJhCr8&feature=related U.N Owen]]. I didn't really understand why it almost sounds like Flandre's, than it hit me - she's a Nue, that's what she want you to hear. It's an Illusion of Flandre, just like Nue makes the heroines ''think'' those flying objects are shaped like flying plate styled [=UFOs.=] Even the Extra Stage theme [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUDqOIBY9FA UFO Romance in the Night Sky]] can be an Illusion too. -@/PMiller1

* Another piece of delicious Fridge Brilliance I have concerns [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Flandre]] [[TykeBomb Scarlet]]. Comparing various pieces of canonical information on her, I have understood why she willing stays at home in the SDM. Basically, Flandre is able to understand that she may lose control over her temper or passions and end up destroying things she actually cares for, so she's willing to stay somewhere safe where things won't upset her easily. This is remarkable maturity for an unstable little vampire girl, which shows that she may yet become more stable! -@/AceOfScarabs
** On another tangent, there's a pretty good reason why Flandre and Koishi are often partnered in fanart - Koishi's power is manipulating the subconscious, which is why she can minimize Flandre's urges to destroy. ~ @/{{Nitramy}}

** Adding to that, her eyes become red when she's manipulate time isn't random or cool point, it's probably the Doppler effect happening due to the space between her eyes and the opponent's changed, thus change the wavelength of the light.(which still make it super cool though)
* In ''Silent Sinner in Blue'', Reimu provides an exposition that explains that Shinto gods are able to infinitely split their spirits, but in the cases of Suwako and Kanako - gods who still retain their earthly bodies - the spirit can split while the original body stays the same. Fast forward to 12.3, in which Sanae can call upon Suwako as an assist against ''Suwako herself'', and suddenly what would normally be FridgeLogic makes ''perfect sense.''

* Parsee's PointyEars can be justified as [[InvokedTrope body modification, or simply fakes]]-- she's jealous of the cooler-looking inhuman youkai, and trying to imitate them. -@/{{Yuihime}}

* The name of the one-man team ZUN formed, Shanghai Alice, describes the nature of Gensokyo - It's a fantastic wonderland set in the far east.
* At first I didn't give it a lot of thought about why the VideoGame/MegaMan parody, VideoGame/MegaMari, has Marisa as the protagonist. After all, she is the protagonist in many other games of this sort. Then it hit me: Marisa has a tendency to, ahem, "[[KleptomaniacHero borrow]]" techniques and magic from enemies she fights. What does that remind you of? Yep, MegaManning. -@/{{Fubu72}}

* This might be a stretch, but in Letty's theme, "Crystallized Silver" in intervals there occurs a bleep sound that sounds like a cat. Who is the next stage's midboss and boss? Chen! She was watching you from afar.

* Hecatia threw in her support to Junko because Chang'e's husband apparently killed Apollo along with Junko's son. Hecate is traditionally an aspect of the moon goddess Artemis, Apollo's ''twin sister''. Junko isn't the only woman out to avenge a family member.

** Why would a character based on a Greek god even be present in an ''Eastern'' paradise? Turns out [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhism Hellenistic Greece had a significant influence on early Buddhism]]. Furthermore, some Japanese gods can trace their origins to Hellenistic Greece, such as the Shinto [[http://www.bythegods.net/post/592667792 wind god Fujin having originated as the Greek god Boreas]].