The New New Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium

Rikako is a magician who studies sciences while Yumemi is scientist who studies magic? I am somewhat confused by this but I will go with it.

It's pretty straightforward: Rikako is a powerful magician in a monster-infested pocket dimension that was sealed off from the rest of the world to maintain a superstitious and pre-modern lifestyle, who dreams of something more rigorous and rational than "a wizard did it." Yumemi and Chiyuri traveled to that pocket dimension in a Probability Space Hypervessel from a world that had a Grand Unified Theory of everything and which Rikako estimates is 500 years more technologically advanced than Gensokyo, because they dreamed of something more mysterious and mystical than "it's probably quantum."

I wouldn't say "opposites" - that'd be like Alice and Marisa - more like Yumemi and Rikako are looking for the exact opposite things for the same reasons. Both have been trained in their society's traditional vocation, excel at it, and wield powers beyond imagination through it. But it doesn't satisfy them, so they look to the fringes of what their societies accept and reach for something that their peers would laugh at.

Also, they both seem to have a thing for costumes and a flair for the dramatic. Rikako advertises being a scientist as heavily as Marisa proclaims she's a witch through her choice of wardrobe, and has a few "fufufu" moments. Yumemi puts on a cape for her big scene and goes a little too far when boasting of the power at her fingertips. And then comes the folding chair.

I've been thinking of Rikako a lot lately for my current writing project, trying to pin down what I think her character is.

You know those rebellious teen vampires from Carpe Jugulum who dress up in sweaters, stay up all morning, call themselves Reginald or Martha, and drink what's supposedly wine? That's kind of like Rikako. She wants to be special but had the misfortune of being born into an already fantastic world, so she embraces the mundanity that's lacking. She puts on foreign business attire and dons a conspicuous labcoat, she fights with a jetpack and hurled gears, she searches for meaning and understanding from a source most of her neighbors don't believe in or have no use for. So what if she could cast spells as good as Marisa or other magicians? Gensokyo has plenty of those already, and Rikako wants to be unique.

I don't think she actually understands or knows much science, though. If you have the aptitude to make something like gears, you should be able to make something more suited as a thrown weapon. And while we've created a few jetpacks here in the outside world, none of them have been as compact and effective as what Rikako uses, so I'm suspicious that she's flying solely by its power. And then there's her ending where we see her "mix together things and see what ha- boom" approach to chemistry. She's doodling seals from the Ars Goetia because they look cool (and to shock her parents), but can't say much about the entities they're supposed to represent.

I reckon she's still around, but probably hasn't accomplished much on her own. She might try to learn things from the kappa, but they're tinkers, not scientists with a methodology or anything. She could try to brave Youkai Mountain and see what she could learn from the Moriya Shrine, but that would mean beholding herself to troublesome deities who would probably demand something in return. Plus I'm not sure how much she could learn from the likes of Sanae - I took high school level physics and chemistry too, but that doesn't mean I could pass on what little I learned in them.

So whether Rikako is still rocking the labcoat and slaving away in her laboratory depends on just how determined and stubborn she is. I think it's more interesting to assume she's pretty stubborn.

Hopefully those thoughts are somewhat coherent. Now for a Rikako picdump, and I wish I could say these are only the "good pics."

Profile pic
A button, it would seem
You can just about hear the "fufufu"
Geardoken
Got your attention
You take wisdom where you can find it
Any Chem majors wanna identify this puppy?
She has the power
Looks a bit tired
Gensokyo may be the only place where it's the witches who burn the heretics
Might've gone too far
At least hers has pictures
Don't get it
And then Rinnosuke started fretting about how the mad scientist was making WMDs
Third from the right
Far left
Someone clearly doesn't belong (it's Sara, she's not much of a caster)
Mima and Byuraken aren't in the shot because they're already in costume as a ghost and Buddhist nun, respectively
Nitori does not do well in groups
These two again
Should've left that outside the Border
Wonder how she'd feel about sufficiently-advanced science?
A minor victory is still a victory
Nerds!
Chibi
And Nitori loses her lunch
The cruel tease of a one-page comic
A visionary whose vocation is treated by others as game, whose dream places her at war with society

edited 14th Sep '15 8:39:31 PM by Tacitus

Science in Vision:

Rikako's one of the select few humans who has the talent for magic. And she's said to be one of the very best. Perhaps she also had some sort of pride in this fact.

But one day, her world changed.

Oh, she started small, pondering on things like gravity, what's in the air she breathes, etc. Soon enough, she was enamored in scientific jargon. It wasn't Miriel-level^note Not that I had a problem with Miriel's personality, but a good number of people in the Fire Emblem thread did, but her curiosity was ultra-piqued(If anything, I think that she's like a combination of Miriel and Lute).

Eventually she kissed her past self, who was in the top percentage of magic users, goodbye, as this world opened up a lot of possibilities for her that something like magic could not compare.

Soon enough, she found a run-down shack and remodeled it into her lab, where dreams born of science can come true. Ever fervent, ever determined, Rikako Asakura shall continue to believe in the magic of science.

edited 15th Sep '15 10:39:55 PM by Diamite

Rikako and Yumemi are two sides of the same coin, they both seek vocations that exist outside of their crafts. Rikako is a magician who uses science in order to find something new to do.

Hmm, makes me wonder just what kind of mage Rikako was. Maybe one of those "research witches" who experiments and pokes at spells to make them work as efficiently as possible. Or maybe it was a matter of "sure I can reverse or ignore gravity, but how does gravity work when I'm not doing that?" and "what's the difference between me using a fire spell and a villager striking a match?" Which I suppose would lead to a more thoughtful, methodical scientist than the one in my interpretation of her.

As for her dialogue (the link to which doesn't seem to be working, probably due to the apostrophe in the url), Rikako doesn't seem to use much jargon, but then again we don't have a whole lot to work with. And I do kinda like the idea that she'll use terms like "combustion" or "oscillation" or "oxidation" whenever she can find an excuse to.

Also, way to remind me that I need to play Awakening one of these days.

edited 15th Sep '15 10:10:25 PM by Tacitus

Rikako could be similar to Sanae in that despite her interest in science, she is more of a enthusiast than a scientist. I could be wrong about that.

I still haven't worked out Sanae's relationship with science. You'd think that a living goddess would consider it a distraction from her inherent awesomeness, but she seems to enjoy giving lectures about cold fusion and whatnot, so I dunno.

So, any last thoughts about Rikako, or shall we move on to Shingyoku? And probably move on to Makai shortly afterwards, because those poor HRtP characters, man.

This seems like a good time to mention that although Rikako is the one who asks for a chemistry textbook, Kotohime is the one who recites a periodic table abbreviation at Chiyuri if she wins:

http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Phantasmagoria_of_Dim.Dream/Story/Kotohime's_Scenario#Kotohime_defeats_Chiyuri_Kitashirakawa

Apparently according to the updated translation, this is a mnemonic poetry, so it's questionable whether Kotohime actually knows the whole periodic table or just heard the poem offhand and is mimicking it. It does raise the question of how commonly available chemistry textbooks are in Gensokyo. Perhaps there are other closet scientists out there.

edited 16th Sep '15 6:55:25 PM by Leylicite

Rikako's investigating what draws people to such tunes. What's the scientific reason?

The Vision's Logic
Imagined Piano
Vision Blaster

...Gah, another theme that's starved for remixes...

I wonder how Rikako met up with Yumemi? Are they old college buddies?

I doubt Rikako and Yumemi knew each other before the latter showed up in PoDD. Rikako is supposedly a Gensokyo native, after all. You sure you're not confusing her with one of the Chiyuris?

edited 17th Sep '15 9:11:24 AM by DragonGeyser

I guess I was but Rikako seems intrigued by science and Yumemi seems like the perfect person to help her with her interests.

Hence why the two are so often depicted together. Kinda like how Kana and Ellen seem a natural match. Hmm.

This talk of Chiyuri's Gensokyo equivalent makes me wonder whether she - Gensokyo!Chiyuri, that is - knows Rikako. It would feel appropriate if the local Chiyuri had an inclination towards science that she couldn't quite explain. Maybe it just felt right.

I suppose it's possible that it's just an incredible coincidence, but I find it more likely that Kotohime at least dabbles in chemistry, and probably basic metallurgy. After all, it's not like we've heard of a demolitionist selling explosives to villagers, so all her bombs had to come from somewhere.

So Rikako is probably not the only Gensokyan with some scientific knowledge, but she is likely the only one to so enthusiastically embrace her identity as a scientist.

Well, it's pretty damn good as is, so that takes some of the edge off. It's got a bit of wistfulness or sadness to it at the start, but then it gets really focused, driven, almost determined, but still maintains a slight melancholy. Good way of describing the character through her leitmotif, I'd say.

Alright, that's enough science, now we'll move on Touhou's mythic origins, where little is known and less is certain. After that will be a treatise on the realm of Makai, followed by a psychological evaluation of one Flandre Scarlet and it looks like a half-postmortem on Youmu Konpaku! But first,

Shingyoku

BGM: "Eternal Shrine Maiden"^note This melody had quite an impact on me. Even now, I'll find myself playing it when I compose music.
Theme: "The Positive and the Negative"^note I get the feeling there are a few melodic differences from my current music. What could they be...? (The chord progression hasn't changed much. (^^; )

Write-up:
It's a yin-yang orb! It's a horned woman! It's a male priest! It's between the Hakurei Shrine and Makai or Hell!

And that's all we really know about Shingyoku. Well, that and it counts as the series' first gatekeeper, though whether the entity is guarding the entry to Makai, Hell or even the Hakurei Shrine itself is a matter of speculation. For all we know Reimu trashed her own home security system on her way to her first adventure, and all the subsequent disasters that befell the Hakurei Shrine are therefore her fault.

Another theory is that Shingyoku represents the Hakurei Yin-Yang Orb itself, and that by defeating the former in battle, Reimu becomes able to properly use the latter in battle. We could also examine the meaning behind this symbol of interconnected femininity and masculinity and how it chooses to depict these forces. Or we could take a page from Reimu's book and blast through the topic to get to whatever comes next.

Interpretations:
"Borderline of Inanimate Sentience"
by Diamite

See also the previous two compendiums.

edited 23rd Sep '15 12:42:28 PM by Tacitus

what exactly is this Shingyoku thing? Maybe some sort of manifestation of the Hakurei gods of some sort? :/

I don't think Shingyoku's a personification of the Hakurei god. Maybe a demonic amalgam of the tortured and tainted souls of past Hakureis, but I just can't see PC98-era Reimu fighting her god without at least speaking to it/him/her/potato.

Perhaps you are right. Whatever it is it seems that Reimu had to subdue to the Shingyoku to get the orbs.

Reimu's parents perhaps

Shingyoku:

A somewhat strange being who was the Hakurei gatekeeper once upon a time.

Shingyoku's the gatekeeper who was the gateway to the kind of foes Reimu would encounter for all her journeys. Humans, youkai, aliens, incomprehensible beings. Yes, Shingyoku's comprised of all these things.

Having three different forms makes me wonder if Shingyoku was a separate existence. A human male encountered a female youkai and the two had a battle to the death. But before dying, either one of them performed a curse that saved them both, by merging into a yin-yang orb. But why do that if it was a battle to the death? Over the course of the fight, respect blossomed between them. Or something?

Maybe love bloomed on the battlefield? Once upon a time a priest tried to use Taoism to pacify youkai but ended up discovering that some of them are really cute. The result is a lineage with one foot in the supernatural, which makes them natural youkai-busters who still use the original Hakurei's non-Shinto tricks and paraphernalia. And let's say that the first Hakurei was deified and serves as the shrine's patron god, just for kicks.

So when Reimu set out with her bouncy yin-yang and started fighting, the thing briefly woke up and created a little sparring partner, based on its "memory" of all its wielders and what they dealt with, which indirectly told the Hakurei family history. When Reimu proved that she wasn't completely out of her league, it went back to sleep, until another wielder tries to fight youkai with it.

If only there was dialogue in Highly Responsive to Prayers, we could've heard Reimu grumbling that "Gramps has been telling me this story since before I can remember."

The Embodiment of Balance shall now test your soul...

Crossroads of Destiny
Plus/Minus Zone
Righteous or Zealous?
Fear of Balance
Gateway to Bravery

Now that I listen to it a few times, "Positive and the Negative" sounds kinda like a Last Word theme, doesn't it? Or is it just me? Wonder what the significance of that would be.

Wish I had a lot of fan art to add to the last compendium's artdump, but...

It's not impossible that they all know each other
Some doll thing
Not sure if she's supposed to be the positive or the negative
That orb makes me uneasy
Wonder why the artist genderswapped the monk?
Artist looks familiar

I think I'll go ahead and say anyone with something to say about Shingyoku may want to do so within the next 24 hours, otherwise we'll move on to hopefully a more fruitful conversation topic.

edited 21st Sep '15 7:57:09 PM by Tacitus

If Reimu had to tame the Shingyoku in order to use it powers, I wonder what was it doing there int he first place? I wonder if all the Hakurei priests had to go through this?

I think I know the answer to that!

Borderline of Inanimate Sentience:

In the past, the Hakurei used a different set of yin-yang orbs. A unique coloration of ruby and sapphire. It has been said that the spiritual power of those wielding these orbs was doubled.

However, after a while, these special orbs started to show signs of wear and tear. It may have been possible that the Hakurei's strength was too much for the orbs to bear. Or it could've just been another case of tool abuse. Regardless, the orbs were eventually relocated to their new home: the storage shed.

A certain time period passed, and two people came strolling out of the storage shed. Through the wall. A male, representing the Hakurei legacy, and a female, representing the youkai this clan had put to rest. They were ready to cause this clan some pain and suffering, the price to pay for using them so carelessly and then discarding them like they were throwing out trash. And so, they marched to the main shrine, vengeance on their mind...

...Only to see a little girl. Alone. And the once prestigious shrine in a state of disrepair.

...

...It seemed as if...their vengeance was enacted. They were crestfallen. Paying this clan back for all the misdeeds done against them was their purpose in (this newly formed) life!

Then they felt a tug and looked down, meeting the gaze of the girl's curious and fearless eyes.

There they decided. "Listen, child. We are Shingyoku, embodiments of a grand legacy. We shall teach you all that we know, inheritor of the Hakurei bloodline."

"Eh...? Not interested."

Oh, how they almost fell flat on their faces. Well, it's not like she chased them out or anything, so they stayed a while, teaching her stuff alongside the sage turtle. To no avail, usually.

Somewhere down the road, the grudge that they had for the Hakurei melted away, replaced by this strange sense of love for this girl. When the shrine was destroyed, they knew the time finally came for this girl to take flight and carry on the Hakurei flame! And so, they stood against her, to test her might!

She passed. Effortlessly. Satisfied that she could stand on her own two feet(even though she has been doing that before they existed.), Shingyoku decided to leave on a journey. They didn't need to leave a note of farewell. Because they knew she wouldn't have read it at all. And you know what? They were fine with this outcome.

edited 22nd Sep '15 10:49:45 PM by Diamite