The New Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium!

But if Shinki is Belial and Alice is Alice, who gets to be Nebiros?

The same reason Kanako has that ludicrous Shimenawa to represent her snake motif, or that Suwako has her frog-like hat.

From what I recall that's a misconception; the wish-granting fairy in that ending is actually some incarnation of the Hakurei orbs or something.

Sariel was clearly exploring new and exciting other realms, to study how they handle death, so that it might improve its own methods. A true scholar of death.

Clearly, her old buddy Shinki set her up with a nice temple down there with awesome music and even a giant cross. Said she made the whole realm, so it's fine. Don't even have to worry about rent. Also said she could use the help in taking care of things.

Didn't say anything about shrine maidens smacking Yin Yangs in her face.

Once Sariel reformed from her little suicide attack (because death isn't going to keep an angel of death down), she is definitely complaining about this.

edited 9th May '13 7:24:31 AM by Otherarrow

"Huff! management will hear about this! Just you wait!"

Alright, stopped procrastinating and wrote my usual thing before the conversation switched.

Here.

Probably not really anything new, just didn't feel right leaving it saying that I was going to say more later and not doing so.

"And what did you learn during your visit to the Land of Nod, my child?"
"This is my two-weeks' notice, dad."

I'm curious about how "fallen" the shrine is. Is it fallen in the sense that it was cast out of the heavens and hurled into Makai? Was it a once holy site now corrupted by Sariel's presence? Or is it a shrine dedicated to the fallen? Could someone in Makai have deliberately summoned Sariel? Did they have Shinki's permission? Or is this all before her time?

Hmm. Now wondering who built Pandæmonium, Shinki or Sariel. And if it was Sariel, why he wasn't fought there. Hah, or did Reimu go after his shrine specifically as a form of vengeance?

I'm curious what he'd make of Yuyuko. Or the Hourai duo!

So, uh, given the premise of the new game, do you think that the little yin-yang-orb spirit that gets conflated with Sariel might have a chance to make a comeback?

No more or less than the weird stick-legged version of the orbs. Or the cat form of the orbs.

Which is to say pretty unlikely.

On the subject of yin-yangs...

Shingyoku

Themes: "The Positive and the Negative"*

original sound

"Eternal Shrine Maiden"

original sound

Signature Attack:
A form that suggests a Y chromosome

Write-up:
As Sariel was the last of the first (of one particular route), please welcome the first of the first (besides the player character).

Shingyoku/SinGyoku is encountered by Reimu on her way to the gates of Jigoku/Makai, acting as the series' first gatekeeper, and indeed, first boss. He/she/it has three forms: a yin-yang, some sort of horned female, and what could be a monk. Aaaand that's all we know.

Fanon has a few ideas about this multigendered character, however. It's a gatekeeper, but since it stands between the player and both Makai and Hell, it doesn't really belong to either more than the other, so what if it belongs to neither? Could it be the Hakurei Shrine's gatekeeper? Is defeating this entity the final test before Reimu is able to fully utilize her ancestral yin-yang orb? Do its non-ball forms represent Reimu's predecessors?

One thing's for certain: DDC will herald Shingyoku's triumphant return.

Relationships:

edited 11th May '13 5:56:30 PM by Tacitus

Ah yes, Shingyoku. Giant yin-yang orb who is also a dude and also a chick.

I do subscribe to the idea that it is related to the Hakurei Shrine and basically Reimu's last "test" before she can go out and hit random people with her orbs.

Aside from that, I got nothing.

If it comes back in the new game, I will be so happy.

Shingyoku is the god of the Hakurei shrine. The original form of the divine spirit was two different individuals, one male and one female. However, over time it became better known (and worshipped as) it's goshintai, the yin-yang orb. As such, it can manifest as any of the three. Reimu doesn't know any of this because she freaked out and beat the shit out of Shingyoku before it had a chance to explain anything, and now it's to scared to ever show up

...I imagine that 14 will make at least some of that impossible, but it's not out yet

Of Note

Singyoku has 3 forms. One is a yin-yang orb that splits into a male and female form.

Singyoku is the very first Touhou boss.

Music & Overview

The melody is quite basic, but the riff is pretty good. However, it's just to short with too little variation for my tastes. It's the very first boss theme in the series ever though, so it's just paving the way for all the greatness you have already listened too. The title represents Singyoku perfectly, a duality of positive and negative, existing in two parts of a whole. One a young woman another an experienced monk. The two halves represent a greater whole, but still have an importance in their separate existance. It would appear that Singyoku has some connection to the Hakurei Shrine. Whether that is as an enemy who looks to steal the power of the Hakurei line like Meira, or as a protector ensuring that Reimu is strong enough to be entrusted with the full power of the Yin-yang orb so she can save the day is unknown. I side towards the latter, this is young Reimu's first romp and she doesn't have the spellcard rules or her sharp wits and cynicism to protect her this time. However, once Singyoku sees that she is plucky enough to handle the full duality of the Yin-yang orb, it's full potential is unlocked. However, that won't be enough to help forever, in time Reimu will have to trust in her own power, but the Yin-Yang orb will always be a welcome addition in her arsenal.

edited 11th May '13 9:44:52 PM by Horselesshorseman

Eternal Shrine Maiden - Often touted as the very first music of the series (though surely that would be A Sacred Lot?), this is a quite a nice piece of music, I suppose. I've never really cared for it, but I can see how other people would. All in all, worthy of its hallowed position, I'm sure.

Dolls in Pseudo Paradise
Pianos and violins
Something more uptempo
Remastered
Reremasteredmastered
Why are there so many rain sound
SUDDENLY!
Basically the same song as the last one
The music box strikes back
Cicadas make a change from rain, I guess
Bonus A Sacred Lot
Shut up, this totally counts

The Positive and the Negative - First boss theme, so that's something. I don't like it much.

Remastered
Remastered II: Revenge of the Quavers
Midi
Singy technoes
Heavy

I'm still listening to all these songs but the SUDDENLY! has the best picture.

Wasn't Eternal Shrine Maiden stated to be Reimu's theme rather than that of the stage? Or am I mixing it up with something else?

Alright, I'll go erase it if it bothers you that much.

Don't you dare. It's a good piece of music, and deserves better than that bottom-feeder shrine maiden.

On the topic of our topic, I'm a big fan of the idea that Shingyoku is Reimu's yin yang orb (Or some personification thereof).

Naturally, it has 3 forms: male, female, and the symbol that represents both. As I recall, the ability to use the orb is a defining characteristic of the Hakurei Shrine maiden, so the orb is likely testing her claim, basically.

Shingyoku is perhaps more than just the orb's representation; a rather literal manifestation of the concepts of yin and yang. There's so awful little to go on, but the transformations indicating the interconnectivity of the two opposing concepts, the coloring of the people-forms' clothes (With the 'she' favoring darker colors, and having that river-like stream of tracking bullets, and the 'he' having the white and using a more direct attack.)

So in order to properly use the Ying-yang orb, Reimu first must master these concepts and understand their meaning in order to defeat the foes that lie on whichever path she chooses.

Or attack them until she breaks them, I guess. That works too. I suppose that helps explain why she's so nonchalant about wishing the world's destruction.

Whatever the exact case, I really do thing Shingyoku is a sort of "sparring partner" or "final exam" sort of character; the last step of maturity or understanding before Reimu achieves independence and can make her own choices.

Interesting thing that I just remembered that I think most people overlook: Shingyoku only turns into his male and female forms very briefly to shoot bullets. They aren't so much "forms", like how Sariel has two forms, as they are "attacks". If that makes sense?

It does, and its a good point. As a corollary, its notable that the orb itself can't fire bullets... yet its body slam is destructive to Reimu.

In the yin-yang form it represents balance, but perhaps balance makes it more difficult to get worked up enough to fire danmaku. Of course, Reimu is diametrically opposed to balance so of course the in-yang orb's touch (both Shingyoku's and her own) is anathema to her.

I do think that is a good point as well. Directly touching the Yin-Yang Orb, whether it be her own or the boss, kills Reimu despite it being her primary method of attack.

I wonder if it means anything? That Reimu is so opposed to balance that the orb is anathemical to her?

Oh, and to continue the Yin and Yang theme that Shingyoku has with it's three forms: it's boss theme is called "The Positive and the Negative". So it's not really subtle there.

edited 12th May '13 6:57:57 PM by Otherarrow

Possible, but I think it's more likely Shingyoku's the shrine's Beef Gate. The thing with Reimu is that her abilities are largely inherited rather than earned - only those of the Hakurei bloodline can use the Orb, not someone who spent their life studying the duality of existence. She may not know how to use it more elegantly than as a tennis ball, but if she can use it well enough to defeat the embodiment of its power, she might have a chance going youkai-busting.

Hmm. Could this be similar to how Satori "attacks" by reading memories of old foes? The Hakurei Yin-Yang Orb works by constantly nibbling away at its wielder's power until it's ready to release the stored energy all at once. Would that sort of link, if maintained over an owner's lifetime, leave a mark on the Orb?

I dunno, I consider Reimu a pretty well-balanced individual. For every time she gets angry at Marisa or another annoyance, there's a time she's willing to ride out and solve problems. She treats everyone the same, youkai and human alike. Whenever something upsets the status quo she shoots it until things settle down.

Maybe she's upsetting a different kind of balance. Maybe she's not doing a good enough job treating humans as people and youkai as monsters. Maybe she still doesn't fully understand her powers and the duties that come with them - after all, she doesn't know the identity of the deity she represents.

On the other hand, I have a hunch that Marisa probably wouldn't like being hit by a Spark, and Youmu probably cut herself on her blades during training. Rarely do weapons treat their wielders differently than their foes.

edited 13th May '13 9:38:54 PM by Tacitus

And sometimes weapons turn into flamethrowers.

But that's a story for the next compendium.

Depends how much time we spend on the PC-98 games, really.

Now, judging by the fanart tags, "Shingyoku" refers to the female form of the yin-yang thing-yang, while the male form gets the "Shingyoku_(male)" tag.

• Alphes
• Profile pic
• Don't get the gears
• Don't get the stone disc
• Sneaking a peek at what could be himself
• Male form looks grumpy
• Just chillin'
• A misplaced "genderswap" tag
• What mysterious connection could these two share?
• Really a duplex pokeball

And what does the orb itself get? You know, it's actual form?