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The New New Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium

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DragonGeyser The Chew Toy of Gaming from a computer, DUH. Since: Dec, 2010
The Chew Toy of Gaming
#2801: Sep 2nd 2015 at 7:53:57 PM

I'd think that if she was a medic, she'd do it for that very reason. Wouldn't surprise me if it turned out that diseases were actually some of Yamame's favorite foods.

Lampshade Hanging: It's a lifestyle.
Durazno Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#2802: Sep 2nd 2015 at 8:35:00 PM

That makes me imagine a sinister Yamame in the vein of Waru. She'll heal patients day in and day out, and she'll only eat, ohhh, one in seven?

edited 2nd Sep '15 8:35:31 PM by Durazno

Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#2803: Sep 2nd 2015 at 11:15:07 PM

Yamame Kurodani:

A youkai who dwells in the Underground. Despite having dominion over diseases, she's very friendly.

Yamame's one friendly spider. But she leaves quite the impression on humans, huh? Having to wash your hands after meeting her. It would become quite tiresome having to wash your hands if meeting her was an everyday affair. Wonder if Reimu and Marisa are also susceptible to that... Highly doubt it though.

Perhaps due to this ability of hers, Yamame has an unique sense of taste. She can tell the flavor of diseases. That's pretty nifty. Bet a cancerous human would taste awful to her.

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#2804: Sep 4th 2015 at 8:56:27 PM

Unless it's like that maggoty bread or whatever it was from the Foreign Queasine page before the Real Life entries got removed. Mmm, lip-smacking good tumors. I guess if nothing else she'd be a useful way to identify diseases, like those dogs that can smell cancer.

I'm trying to think of any works that used her racial ability to quickly construct things, but all I can remember is Yamame making Koishi's hat in Chirei De. Just seems like an underutilized aspect of her character, like Kogasa's blacksmithing being overshadowed by SURPRISE!

That makes me imagine a sinister Yamame in the vein of Waru. She'll heal patients day in and day out, and she'll only eat, ohhh, one in seven?

I think that may have been the least-expected reference made (that I got) in a Touhou thread. Maybe it's a dealio where she removes non-fatal diseases from her patients, but if she detects that a case is terminal, part of her fee is paid in the form of lunch or dinner.

Durazno Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#2805: Sep 4th 2015 at 9:38:13 PM

Or her whole fee. No need to ask the bereaved for anything more... after all, what would she spend it on? Food?

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#2806: Sep 6th 2015 at 9:06:06 PM

Not terribly impressed with Yamame's fanart, a lot of it is pretty same-y (and a lot of the highest-rated stuff seemed to be by a specific artist). A few gems, and some interesting (if monstrous) takes on her.

'Sup?
Pretty good monochrome, represents how she's friendly but... off
Just hanging around
Halls of the cave spider
Cute lil' angry spider
Top of the world
Not a cradle, not made by a cat
Hair goes down, hemline goes up
Still say this artist is underrated
Sparkly spider saliva-silk?
Pale cave-dweller
Trapeze artist
Spider scrunchy
Spinnekommandant
Underground idol
Cute spider mount
Cave buddies
Gonna take her home
Limited literary options
Ah, this artist
Into battle!
Poseur
Spider stance
Webs of magic
For thee
Maximum Tsuchigumo
How long has she been down there?
My what green eyes you have
If she finds you appetizing, you may want to visit a doctor after you escape her
With her friend the tiger-dragon-spider
Technically she's drawing and quartering it
Another artist had a similar idea
Silence of the Touhous
Sure hope those are more of the artist's face tattoos...
Maybe she usually keeps them folded out of sight?
Or they only show up when she's webbing
No wonder she stays on her bridge
Ugh, spider webs and long hair don't mix
Hungry drider
Spiderness intensifies
It's by the right artist, so does this qualify as a Persona?
Strangely hopeful
Spider swarm
Can you hear me?
Unexpected, but not inappropriate
A deadly weakness
Undoubtedly part of a training montage
Strangely, I think she can pull off the lead lady role even with Yuugi around
Inflate a dress
Bucket of joy

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#2807: Sep 7th 2015 at 8:34:22 PM

Not a whole lot to say about the cave spider, it would seem. We know what Yamame's power is, and her surmised secondary talent in construction work. We know about her personality and what she gets up to on the surface. I guess we don't have much left to speculate about.

So now's the time to share any last spidery thoughts before we move on to Rikako.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#2808: Sep 7th 2015 at 8:48:04 PM

...Working on the FMW translation is ruining this thread for me, because I spend so much time trying to figure out what each character's voice is. "Okay, Nazrin's sarcastic, Daiyousei very polite but a bit dim, Yukari likes to make everything sound more complicated than it really is, and Yuuka's a southern belle." I keep looking at this thread and thinking: "well, in FMW that character is X" which is of course totally meaningless for our purposes.

That said, Yamame is FMW is pretty cool because she plays being the villain so well. In a cheerful way. Well, for the purposes of the game she's cruder and more violent in her speech than most others, since she's your introduction to the Underworld youkai who are supposed to be hated by those on the surface. She knows that people have rejected her, and rather than let that get her down she owns the role, and becomes someone who belongs down here. In more ways than one too: she's something a patriot. Proud of the Underworld and all that entails.

Anyway, Yamame's surprisingly fun to write. Along with the Aki sisters who are just sort of hilarious.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#2809: Sep 7th 2015 at 11:11:49 PM

Yamame seems to have pride in her being an underground youkai. She seems to own her role as an inhabitant.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#2810: Sep 7th 2015 at 11:46:35 PM

Don't listen to these tunes for too long, sadly. Bad aftereffects and stuff.

Underground at Ease
Festive Spider
Groovy Syndrome
Enter the Dark with Resolve
Treasured Darkness
Diseased Web
Spider's Blood
Addictive Toxin
Underground at Ease

edited 7th Sep '15 11:47:23 PM by Diamite

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#2811: Sep 8th 2015 at 6:48:42 PM

I keep looking at this thread and thinking: "well, in FMW that character is X" which is of course totally meaningless for our purposes.

Eh, I think it could be interesting to hear that stuff, I don't recall this thread talking much about the characters' "voices."

That said, Yamame is FMW is pretty cool because she plays being the villain so well. In a cheerful way. Well, for the purposes of the game she's cruder and more violent in her speech than most others, since she's your introduction to the Underworld youkai who are supposed to be hated by those on the surface. She knows that people have rejected her, and rather than let that get her down she owns the role, and becomes someone who belongs down here. In more ways than one too: she's something a patriot. Proud of the Underworld and all that entails.

Hmm, a Then Let Me Be Evil situation? Or that may be going too far - maybe she's hamming up the role she's reluctantly been cast in, even if she doesn't quite accept others calling her the bad guy. You make a fuss over her plague powers, she'll loudly talk about all the diseases she could be giving you and what seasoning they'd provide, without ever getting around to afflicting you.

Combining that "patriot of the Underworld" angle and her canon popularity, maybe she's a founding figure in subterranean nationalism. Like, Yamame went around, made contact with her fellow exiles, talked to them, cheered them up, made them proud to be living underground with their fellow shunned youkai. Building a social network. Or perhaps a web.

Can't call her a "leader" of the Underground, of course, she's not particularly strong (even without comparing her to Yuugi) or commanding. But she might have a lot of soft power, a lot of connections and influence. She knows what's going on, who's doing what, and what needs doing. A spider with a lot of lines out to keep a leg on.

Weird that I'm using a lot of spider and web-spinning metaphors for a character I don't consider a real Chessmaster. Yamame's a builder, not an architect.

Don't listen to these tunes for too long, sadly. Bad aftereffects and stuff.

But that medley by Floating Cloud is so good! I can see why you listed it twice. grin

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#2812: Sep 8th 2015 at 7:29:41 PM

Maybe isn't very strong but her ability to inflict diseases is still terrifying and its a good way to hurt anyone that threatens her.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#2813: Sep 8th 2015 at 10:23:58 PM

So is that why she's underground in the first place - her power is scary enough to make people want to kick her as far away as possible, but not quite strong enough to make them too afraid to try it? Whereas the likes of Yuuka, the Scarlets, and Yukari are metaphorical three-hundred-pound gorillas who sleep where they please. The oni just happened to want to move underground, so that's the only reason they're down there.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#2814: Sep 8th 2015 at 11:35:46 PM

Unless you are well versed in medicine, biology and/or Eirin, Yamame can be a little dangerous. Yukari, Yuuka, the Scarlet Sisters and a few others could are literally just that badass that they can be near her without flinching or getting sick.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Ernie AKA Kaymarx from Memphis Since: Jan, 2001
AKA Kaymarx
#2815: Sep 9th 2015 at 3:11:32 AM

I don't think anything undead, or for that matter less than perfectly alive in any other way would have anything to fear from her. Youkai with fairly standard biology could get messed up, as could humans, but I don't think she could do much to effect the Scarlets or Komachi, for example.

Should've checked the list.
DragonGeyser The Chew Toy of Gaming from a computer, DUH. Since: Dec, 2010
The Chew Toy of Gaming
#2816: Sep 9th 2015 at 6:21:56 AM

Something tells me it wouldn't be that simple to escape Yamame's diseases. We know that she can make diseases tailored for both humans and youkai (else she wouldn't be underground to begin with). There's a chance that there could be diseases for other species (like moon rabbits or possibly even ghosts) that she could create and manipulate.

Lampshade Hanging: It's a lifestyle.
GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#2817: Sep 9th 2015 at 3:54:47 PM

Yamame could know some diseases that can affect youkai and even have a 'curse' that can cure their aliments.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Antimatter625 Baring hearts for years from my secret place Since: Jan, 2012
Baring hearts for years
#2818: Sep 10th 2015 at 8:16:13 AM

now I can imagine fragments of Flan's psyche going rogue when she Four of a Kind's and developing independent existences. So maybe Rumia represents Flandre's shyness or fear of sunlight, combined with her predatory instincts but tempered with her childishness.

Way to spoil my years-old fic, dude!

RE: Yuuka... I just remain unconvinced Windows Yuuka is anything more than an Expy of PC-98 Yuuka.

So how to reconcile stately, refined Yuuka Kazami with that Yuuka brat?

Another idea. PC-98 Yuuka was first encountered in the dream world. perhaps she wasn't a dreamer, but a dream (A nightmare, really) inspired by Yuuka Kazami. Then Reimu and Co. had to go and wake her up and then bam, a nightmare lives.

I suppose the latter scenarios open the possibility of Dream/Red Yuuka still running around out there somewhere, pursing a violent and independent existence...

...Are you sure you haven't read any of my stories? >_>. Great minds with the alike-thinking, I guess.

RE: Yamame, I've written her as a sort of Retired old vet. Youkai get their strength from fear, and while many diseases are much better understood now, it's left such a mark on human history that like Rumia, she's probably never going to go completely away.

Yamame's a builder, not an architect.

Also, she's an idol. And being an idol is all about knowing the right people... having a web of connections.

So is that why she's underground in the first place - her power is scary enough to make people want to kick her as far away as possible, but not quite strong enough to make them too afraid to try it?

The thing about disease is they act slow. So sure, someone can go beat her up if they want. But is it really worth vomiting your own insides out over the course of the mext few months as your innards liquify? Even if you can survive, why would you put yourself through that?

edited 10th Sep '15 8:38:29 AM by Antimatter625

I write some fanfiction. Satori's Tale is done... but I'm not.
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#2819: Sep 10th 2015 at 5:53:43 PM

Another idea. PC-98 Yuuka was first encountered in the dream world. perhaps she wasn't a dreamer, but a dream (A nightmare, really) inspired by Yuuka Kazami. Then Reimu and Co. had to go and wake her up and then bam, a nightmare lives.

A case of someone's reputation getting out of control, eh? I like it.

...Are you sure you haven't read any of my stories? >_>. Great minds with the alike-thinking, I guess.

I might have been unconsciously building from the Flandre-Rumia theory you discussed last time. I'm gonna read your stuff someday, honest. Just gotta work on my time management skills - I'm barely finding time to write my own stuff these days.

Also, she's an idol.

This is an occasion where I just have to bite the bullet and ask whether something's canon or fanon. Because I can't find anything about it on the wiki, but the notion of idol star Yamame seems so common that it must be a thing.

Now, we should all feel free to mention any remaining Yamame thoughts, but in the interest of moving on, I'm putting up Rikako's profile. After her will be the enigmatic SinGyoku, followed by Makai and none other than Flandre Scarlet! But first, science!





Scientist Searching for Dreams
Rikako Asakura

Appearance:

Theme: "Visionary Game ~ Dream War"note 

Write-up:
An anachronism in a land divorced from modernity, a heretic in a world of gods and sages. Rikako Asakura is a powerful magician who nevertheless disdains spellcasting and searches for a higher power - something called "science." She dresses in a labcoat and wears glasses, she fights using gears, and she flies with the assistance of rockets.

When she discovered that some mysterious ruins had suddenly appeared near the Hakurei Shrine, Rikako was among those who battled for the right to explore them. She thought science may have had something to do with their creation, and if she won her battles, Rikako may not only have had her suspicions confirmed, but gained the knowledge to become the greatest scientist in all of Gensokyo. However, we haven't heard of her since, so...

See also the previous two compendiums.

DragonGeyser The Chew Toy of Gaming from a computer, DUH. Since: Dec, 2010
The Chew Toy of Gaming
#2820: Sep 10th 2015 at 9:43:03 PM

I don't think Yamame's an idol singer in canon. Haven't found any reference to that in any of the official materials translated on the wiki. She does have the personality for it, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was at least possible. Just not in the present, since everyone still hates her for her powers like the rest of the undergrounders.

Anyway, Rikako. According to the wiki, some see her and Rika as the same character. I doubt that's actually the case. Rikako can actually fight in a danmaku battle herself. Rika has to rely on tanks to do the same thing. Fairly sure Reimu didn't call Rika a heretic back in SoEW either. They could be colleagues who have fun screwing with people due to their names being so similar, though.

edited 10th Sep '15 9:43:24 PM by DragonGeyser

Lampshade Hanging: It's a lifestyle.
Durazno Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#2821: Sep 10th 2015 at 9:46:31 PM

It could also be an evolution thing. When Rika's tanks failed her, she could have tried to adapt her techniques to more conventional danmaku.

TrueShadow1 Since: Dec, 2012
#2822: Sep 10th 2015 at 10:21:21 PM

What happened in her Po DD ending anyway? Did she actually learn stuff from Yumemi?

Maybe she did actually got taken away by Yumemi, which is why she's been absent since.

Leylicite Since: Sep, 2014 Relationship Status: Not war
#2823: Sep 11th 2015 at 11:48:17 AM

Here's Rikako's PoDD ending, translated by N-Forza.

Standard ending warnings, etc.

This one is vague enough you can draw your own favorite conclusions from it.

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#2824: Sep 11th 2015 at 9:15:59 PM

I think it's a lesson in how "famous" can be relative, and how "famous" and "successful" aren't necessarily the same thing.

Anyway, Rikako. According to the wiki, some see her and Rika as the same character. I doubt that's actually the case.

Of course not, Rikako wears glasses. If she took them off to be "Rika," she wouldn't be able to see.

It could also be an evolution thing. When Rika's tanks failed her, she could have tried to adapt her techniques to more conventional danmaku.

Possible, but out of character for Rikako, I think. A tank is a pretty powerful embodiment of science, and going from one to generic energy pellets is an admission of defeat.

Though this does raise the question of what exactly Rikako's shooting. If her danmaku is magic, she's obviously willing to use it as necessary to supplement what she can accomplish with technology. If it isn't, then what is it?

Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#2825: Sep 12th 2015 at 9:58:49 AM

Rikako Asakura:

A very powerful magic user, but her passion lies in science.

Rikako's, like, Yumemi's opposite, isn't she? Yumemi— a professor of science— seeks magic with all her might, while Rikako— a proficient magic-user— seeks science with all her might. It would've been in Rikako's best interests to ask Yumemi to take her to her home realm, but I guess Rikako still has attachments to Gensokyo, even if it is scientifically malnourished.

Then again, I can see her taking a shine to the Moriya Shrine because a) It's a foreign shrine and b) There's a certain nice girl who gushes about science-related stuff from time to time. More b than a.tongue


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