History Memes / TouhouProject

* Now do it with Marisa. [[labelnote:Explanation]]A common response to ChallengeGamer videos, since Marisa is a lower-tier character in most games. There are many variations depending on the actual video, all sharing the theme of "do it even better".[[/labelnote]]

* Scrunkly Yuuma [[labelnote:Explanation]]Many players were caught off-guard by Yuuma's portrait in ''Unfinished Dream Of All Living Ghost'' given how vastly different it is in tone to her portrait in ''Sunken Fossil World'', with the former appearing much friendlier and less threatening than the latter. Jokes about how she mellowed out between games abounded.[[/labelnote]]

* Huh? No, retro consoles are like the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]] and [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]], right? The UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 and [[UsefulNotes/NintendoDS DS]] are still pretty new...[[labelnote:Explanation]]From [[https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/89507869 a one-panel fan comic]] by kanpa that's mean to highlight that Sanae is a FishOutOfTemporalWater and thus is not aware of what's considered new in modern society. However, it's often used by gamers who grew up during the [[UsefulNotes/The8bitEraOfConsoleVideoGames 8-]] and [[UsefulNotes/The16bitEraOfConsoleVideoGames 16-bit]] generations of game consoles who are hit with the realization that the definition of "retro console" has shifted to also include the likes of UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, and UsefulNotes/Xbox360, which for those people still feel like relatively new systems.[[/labelnote]]

* Skateboarding Futo[[labelnote:Explanation]]Fans noted that Futo's pose in her ''Ten Desires'' portrait makes it look like she's riding a skateboard. Skateboards were soon photoshopped in, and it became a popular art trend to draw her as an expert boarder.[[/labelnote]]

*** Ne youkaiyskiy, I ne lunariskiy, A ya rossiyskiy novyy pirat. I ne fairy'skiy, I ne oniskiy, A ya rossiyskiy novyy pirat.[[labelnote:Explanation]]Someone posted a video of a Russian porn star and minor internet celebrity filking a techno version of the ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' theme while (NSFW) [[spoiler:swinging his penis to the music]], claiming it was Cirno's Perfect Math Class. It gained enough views and enough confused and/or disgusted ''Touhou'' fans to become a minor joke for a while.[[/labelnote]]

* The Death of Akyuu[[labelnote:Explanation]]Canonically, time passes in Gensokyo at the same rate real life does, but the characters don't age to avoid the headaches that would come with certain characters getting older. This became incredibly relevant in 2024, as Akyuu has noted she would live to the age of 30 at most and, based on her age when she debuted, she would turn 30 in 2024. As a result, many fans jokingly decided the no aging rule did not apply to Akyuu and started speculating about when and how she would inevitably pass away in 2024.[[/labelnote]]

* Christmas Tree Hina [[labelnote:Explanation]]For many fans, Hina, with her distinctive red and green color scheme, tends to conjure up images of Christmas, and Christmas trees in particular. As such, it's a something of a yearly joke to depict Hina standing in for a Christmas tree, wrapped in lights with ornaments in her hair and a star on top of her head.[[/labelnote]]

* Christmas Tree Hina [[labelnote:Explanation]]For many fans, Hina, with her distinctive red and green color scheme, tends to conjuror up images Christmas, and Christmas trees in particular. As such, it's a something of a yearly joke to depict Hina standing in for a Christmas tree, wrapped in lights with ornaments in her hair and a star on top of her head.[[/labelnote]]

* frogs go mlem mlem, snakes go pbbppbpthp bthppth, thanks for comign folks [[labelnote:Explanation]] A phrase from [[https://i.redd.it/hehiseux42741.jpg an edit of a Forbidden Scrollery panel]] that soon became associated with Sanae, Kanako, and Suwako. [[/labelnote]]

** あたいの足技みさらせやー (I'll Show You That My Footwork) [[labelnote:Explanation]]A Website/{{TikTok}} trend from early 2022 where individuals would dance to the start of Cirno's verse. It got popular enough that Japanese celebrities and even ZUN himself made videos of themselves dancing to the track.[[/labelnote]]

* [=Eo$D=][[labelnote:Explanation]]A derogatory term used by fans to point out the FirstInstallmentWins treatment of ''The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil''. More specifically, characters who debuted in that game seem to get the most merchandise, whereas most other characters either have very little, or none at all. This term also became extremely popular with the playerbase of ''VideoGame/TouhouLostWord'', who have criticized the devs for milking ''[=EoSD=]'' bone dry, giving each of said game's characters multiple costumes and variants, and even going so far as to make up completely new "Scarlet" variants of characters who didn't even debut up until then.[[/labelnote]]

* [=Eo$D=][[labelnote:Explanation]]A derogatory term used by fans to point out the FirstInstallmentWins treatment of ''The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil''. More specifically, characters who debuted in that game seem to get the most merchandise, whereas most other characters either have very little, or none at all. This term also became extremely popular with the playerbase of ''VideoGame/TouhouLostWord'', who have criticized the devs for milking ''[=EoSD=]'' bone dry, giving each said game's characters multiple costumes and variants, and even going so far as to make up completely new "Scarlet" variants of characters who didn't even debut up until then.[[/labelnote]]

* Moriya Step [[labelnote:Explanation]]A meme originating from a 2009 video by Website/NicoNicoDouga user kamS, who became well-known for his unusual artstyle mixing [=ZUN=]'s artstyle with incredibly surreal imagery. [[https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm8797644 The video in question]], based around the war between Kanako and Suwako many years ago and their partnership in the modern era, became memorable for the bizarre dances done by the pair and Sanae in the present-day segments. The meme was revitalized in 2013 when artist R_Miyamoto released the assets for a recreation of the dance in a more standard artstyle they had done for a video the year prior, leading to several memes utilizing the animations.[[/labelnote]]

** "Tan Cirno" [[labelnote:Explanation]]''Touhou 16: Hidden Star in Four Seasons'' introduces a tanned Cirno who apparently represents summer (and wears a sunflower). Also Alolan Cirno in the style of the "different evolutions" in ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon''. Alternatively, she’s referred to as [[JustForPun Cirno]]-[[UsefulNotes/JapaneseHonorifics tan.]][[/labelnote]]

* Aki Sandwich [[labelnote:Explanation]]A minor meme that first appeared with 2022's popularity poll, where Shizuha and Minoriko Aki ranked 89th and 92nd, respectively, with the gap between them filled by Shinki and Watatsuki no Yorihime. The group of four was jokingly referred to as an Aki Sandwich. It popped back up again with 2023's popularity poll where Shizuha ranked 95th and Minoriko 100th, the gap filled this time by, in order, Medicine, Yoshika, Yorihime again, and Raiko.[[/labelnote]]

* [[BadAssBoast Touhou players don't need an umbrella when it rains.]] [[labelnote:Explanation]]Fairly self-explanatory, a recurring joke that pops up here and there about the superhuman dodging skills and reflexes that ''Touhou'' masters develop.[[/labelnote]]

* Scrunkly Yuuma [[labelnote:Explanation]]Many players were caught off-guard by Yuuma’s portrait in ''Unfinished Dream Of All Living Ghost'' given how vastly different it is in tone to her portrait in ''Sunken Fossil World'', with the former appearing much friendlier and less threatening than the latter. Jokes about how she mellowed out between games abounded.[[/labelnote]]

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yer73i66uv0 You cannot comprehend the true nature of Reisen's Lunatic Eyes!]] [[labelnote:Explanation]]A remix of the remix by Music/{{IOSYS}}, [[MindScrew it is even more incomprehensible and horrifying.]] [[YouCannotGraspTheTrueForm The phrase itself]] refers to [[EldritchAbomination Giygas]] from ''Videogame/{{Earthbound}}''.[[/labelnote]]

* Wanna handshake? [[labelnote:Explanation]]Due to Enoko Mitsugashira's arms having literal bear traps on them that close accordingly to her hand clenching, she was quickly [[SchmuckBait depicted as asking for handshakes.]][[/labelnote]]

* Wanna handshake? [[labelnote:Explanation]]Due to Enoko Mitsugashira's arms having literal bear traps on them that close accordingly to her hand movement, she was quickly depicted as asking for handshakes.[[/labelnote]]

* Yachie the Failgirl [[labelnote:Explanation (spoilers)]]Yachie Kicchou suddenly became much less competent in ''Touhou Juuouen ~ Unfinished Dream Of All Living Ghost'' compared to ''Touhou Kikeijuu ~ Wily Beast and Weakest Creature'', going from a cunning, brutal schemer who [[TheBadGuyWins wins in the end]] to going through a HumiliationConga and failing to accomplish any of her plans, notably failing to destroy the Hakurei Shrine due to ''not realizing Aunn could create a duplicate of herself''. Many Yachie fans said that this game destroyed their faith in her and began depicting her as [[MemeticLoser a blubbering mess rather than a serious villain.]][[/labelnote]]

* Yachie the Failgirl [[labelnote:Explanation (spoilers)]]Yachie Kicchou suddenly became much less competent in ''Touhou Juuouen ~ Unfinished Dream Of All Living Ghost'' compared to ''Touhou Kikeijuu ~ Wily Beast and Weakest Creature'', going from a cunning, brutal schemer who [[TheBadGuyWins wins in the end]] to going through a HumiliationConga and failing to accomplish any of her plans, notably failing to destroy the Hakurei Shrine due to ''not realizing Aunn could create a duplicate of herself''. Many Yachie fans said that this game destroyed their faith in her and began depicting her as a blubbering mess rather than a serious villain.[[/labelnote]]

* Yachie the Failgirl [[labelnote:Explanation (spoilers)]]Yachie Kicchou suddenly became much less competent in Touhou 19 compared to Touhou 17, going from a cunning, brutal schemer who [[TheBadGuyWins wins in the end]] to going through a HumiliationConga and failing to accomplish any of her plans, notably failing to destroy the Hakurei Shrine due to ''not realizing Aunn could create a duplicate of herself''. Many Yachie fans said that this game destroyed their faith in her and began depicting her as a blubbering mess rather than a serious villain.[[/labelnote]]