Follow TV Tropes

Following

The New Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium!

Go To

Fawriel Since: Jan, 2001
#8951: Aug 27th 2011 at 9:13:45 AM

I suppose just asking Alice or Byakuren didn't occur to her. Or maybe Alice told her to screw off and Byakuren was all willing to help but Marisa thought "pffft, and help youkai for a living? Pass!"
I'm still unclear on how that works. Byakuren had to help youkai survive in order to keep her immortality, but the way I see it, that's just because they'd been approaching extinction, and if youkai become sparse enough to basically not exist anymore, the magic will vanish, and her own youkaidom with it.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#8952: Aug 27th 2011 at 9:14:48 AM

In that sentence I was operating under the assumption that Marisa was making assumptions.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
asterism from the place I'm at Since: Apr, 2011 Relationship Status: Hoping Senpai notices me
#8953: Aug 27th 2011 at 9:15:38 AM

Apparently, the easiest way to become an immortal is to become a shikaisen. However, she'd have to move away from anyone who thought she was dead, which is hard to do in a place as small as Gensokyo.

[up] My conclusion from that statement was that Marisa asked Byakuren and Byakuren's response was basically 'I'll tell you if you become a Buddhist'.

edited 27th Aug '11 9:18:19 AM by asterism

Weight of the World (GBVS)
Fawriel Since: Jan, 2001
#8954: Aug 27th 2011 at 9:16:50 AM

Why would she have to do that?

edited 27th Aug '11 9:17:01 AM by Fawriel

asterism from the place I'm at Since: Apr, 2011 Relationship Status: Hoping Senpai notices me
#8955: Aug 27th 2011 at 9:23:47 AM

Remember, shikaisen have to fake their own deaths. If anything it prevents awkward conversations.

'Aren't you supposed to be dead?'

'...Maybe.'

Information here. It's also hinted in Seiga's backstory:

'One day, after eight more years had passed, Seiga suddenly said her goodbyes. Her family thought it was odd, but Seiga passed every day asleep in her room, and she never opened her eyes again. Surprised, a great sadness cast itself over her family, and they buried her utterly lifeless body.

However, she wasn't dead. While she'd been shut away in her room, she used a technique she'd read about in her book to make a bamboo rod take the form of her own body, making her appear to be dead. That was what her family had buried. She cast away her worldly life and ran.'

edited 27th Aug '11 9:26:36 AM by asterism

Weight of the World (GBVS)
onyhow Too much adorableness from Land of the headpats Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Squeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Too much adorableness
#8956: Aug 27th 2011 at 9:25:55 AM

There's still the problem with the need to fight against hell assassins too, even if you're shikaisen, right? In the long run, that's not really convenient

Give me cute or give me...something?
asterism from the place I'm at Since: Apr, 2011 Relationship Status: Hoping Senpai notices me
#8957: Aug 27th 2011 at 9:28:20 AM

Given that Celestials apparently have a similar problem, it's safe to say that hermits are prepared for that eventuality.

Weight of the World (GBVS)
Fawriel Since: Jan, 2001
#8958: Aug 27th 2011 at 10:00:26 AM

I don't think it says anywhere that trickery is a necessary part of the equation.

JacktheSnowman stark raving lunatic from over yonder Since: Apr, 2011
stark raving lunatic
#8959: Aug 27th 2011 at 10:06:07 AM

I believe that while Marisa is a magician, she isn't a youkai magician. She is still human, and thus still ages and still can die of old age. Of course, whether she finds some method of immortality or makes the jump to youkai magician like Alice and Byakuren is yet to be known, although I think she is working on such a method?
well its not like she's going in untreaded waters. its one specific spell that stops her requirement for food, and then she is immortal. hell, she's not even considered a full magician untill she learns said spell. all this is based on the assumption that P Mi SS is canon. P Mi SS IS canon right? I figure the fact that it was written by ZUN should be enough but i really don't want so sound like an idiot.

Just another passerby
Fawriel Since: Jan, 2001
#8960: Aug 27th 2011 at 10:13:58 AM

If it really is a spell, then it also turns you into a youkai. And Marisa is pretty proud of being only an ordinary magic-user.

JacktheSnowman stark raving lunatic from over yonder Since: Apr, 2011
stark raving lunatic
#8961: Aug 27th 2011 at 10:27:47 AM

[up]

right right

i need to stop forgetting that most people are attached to their humanity

i also need to learn to stop derailing the topic.

i apologize if some thing to this effect has been said but, i must applaud Byakuren for her hat. It is so amazing, our brains censor it to stop ourselves descending into depression at the realization that we will never have a hat as awesome as hers. The censoring leaves only a purple shadow to show that there is in fact a hat there.

those of us that are already suffering depression can see the hat in all its glory.

Just another passerby
Fawriel Since: Jan, 2001
#8962: Aug 27th 2011 at 11:21:08 AM

It was on this day that Fawriel realized that he was not actually suffering from depression, but was only deluding himself into believing so out of a childish fear of love. As the sun lays down to rest behind the horizon, he realized that once it rises again, his life shall never be the same again.

JacktheSnowman stark raving lunatic from over yonder Since: Apr, 2011
stark raving lunatic
#8963: Aug 27th 2011 at 11:51:18 AM

nah im just messin with you, im not awesome enough to see it either

Just another passerby
JacktheSnowman stark raving lunatic from over yonder Since: Apr, 2011
stark raving lunatic
#8964: Aug 27th 2011 at 11:52:13 AM

no one is

probably not even Byakuren herself

if a hat is too awesome to be seen does it even exist?

edited 27th Aug '11 11:54:03 AM by JacktheSnowman

Just another passerby
asterism from the place I'm at Since: Apr, 2011 Relationship Status: Hoping Senpai notices me
Fawriel Since: Jan, 2001
#8966: Aug 27th 2011 at 12:14:47 PM

Well, that depends on whether it's so awesome because it is invisible.

Hmm, since Bocaj said something kinda interesting on the last page but nobody knew what to say about it, I'll try to squeeze something out of myself.

I'm kind of wondering what would have changed if ZUN had gone ahead and made Myouren the final boss. Miko shows that ZUN isn't exactly shy about taking liberties with established historical/mythical characters. Would Myouren have had a similar motivation as Byakuren for immortality? I think that if he had used Myouren, possibly turning him into a girl or whatever, it would have been more similar to Miko than to Byakuren. The death of Myouren gives Byakuren a sympathetic backstory even if she did make questionable decisions that went against her religious teachings.
Well, I get the feeling that ZUN wouldn't have changed Myouren into such a morally ambiguous character. Perhaps out of personal bias, perhaps because Myouren is not such a controversial figure with people doubting if he ever existed and stuff. Though of course, the part of the story about how he started helping youkai wouldn't have changed... and obviously he would be immortal and sealed. How peculiar. Myouren was supposed to be a great Buddhist and all. Why would he become afraid of death? Maybe he would've found another method of immortality and started protecting youkai for different reasons... hmm. Hard to speculate about.

Well.

Does anyone still have anything they want to say about Byakuren?

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#8967: Aug 27th 2011 at 12:29:47 PM

She has one of the best cast herds in all of Touhou. And the best vehicle.

Marisa's broom? Junk.
Hitsoutensoko? Its just a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man, really. Its not so impressive.
Remilia's spaceship? Kind of awesome but not as awesome as a flying ship.
Komachi's ship? Kinda small. And the name screams overcompensation.
Futo's boat? Who does she think she is, Komachi?
Nue's UFO? Pretty sweet but again, kinda small. Plus, its probably something much more boring than a UFO in actuality.
Mimi-chan? ICBMs are for exploding, not for riding. Plus, Marisa isn't even doing it the right way what with her lack of cowboy hat.
Genji? Okay, Genji is nearly as awesome.

In conclusion, Byakuren rocks hard.

Danbooru mirror warning

edited 27th Aug '11 12:30:00 PM by Bocaj

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Otherarrow Since: Jul, 2010
#8968: Aug 27th 2011 at 12:31:10 PM

Now that you guys mention it, I do wonder how much of UFO's plot and backstory would be different if it was Myouren used as originally planned?

I got nothing else to say on Byakuren herself. She had a good run I think, which is good, cause she is one of my favorite characters.

EDIT:[up]I agree with this.

edited 27th Aug '11 12:38:10 PM by Otherarrow

Don't PM me. We don't like being PMed.
Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#8969: Aug 27th 2011 at 12:32:24 PM

Probably not much different if at all. Supposedly it was changed quite late in the development cycle.

Metaflare MERMAID from Yes Since: Apr, 2011
MERMAID
#8970: Aug 27th 2011 at 12:35:48 PM

The only difference is that instead of the babe the fandom's turned Byakuren into, Myouren would have the UFO crew as a harem

You know that's what the fandom would do.

"Seriously, don't eat the mermaid. And not just because it's half cannibalism." ~Otherarrow
Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#8971: Aug 27th 2011 at 12:39:05 PM

Incidentally, ZUN would not have de-aged Myouren. The implication was that the alternative to Byakuren was an old man, probably bald because he's a monk, obviously.

Fawriel Since: Jan, 2001
#8972: Aug 27th 2011 at 12:39:26 PM

[up][up] And that is one reason why it's better for Touhou to remain a single-gender party.

[up] Hmm. I think fans would actually be a lot more welcoming towards an old man character than a young pretty boy.

edited 27th Aug '11 12:40:27 PM by Fawriel

SuperDimensionman "Justice!" from the future. Since: Nov, 2009
"Justice!"
#8973: Aug 27th 2011 at 12:42:18 PM

Incidentally, ZUN would not have de-aged Myouren. The implication was that the alternative to Byakuren was an old man, probably bald because he's a monk, obviously.

I wonder if ZUN invented Byakuren when he went to draw Myouren's portrait and realized that he couldn't.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#8974: Aug 27th 2011 at 12:43:22 PM

I was thinking that myself.

asterism from the place I'm at Since: Apr, 2011 Relationship Status: Hoping Senpai notices me
#8975: Aug 27th 2011 at 1:01:57 PM

Oh, are we moving on?

Very well (revs votes)...

the three fairies, the Prismriver sisters, and Shou Toramaru.

Weight of the World (GBVS)

Total posts: 24,265
Top