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The New New Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium

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Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4326: Feb 28th 2018 at 5:27:16 PM

Should probably mention that Eternity's working with Clownpiece now. And has apparently learned from the events of HSiFS and is getting better at manipulating life force or something. And it looks like we can expect to see more of this odd little butterfly in the future.

And the question of whether she's a fairy or a deity doesn't seem any closer to being resolved.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4327: Feb 28th 2018 at 8:00:46 PM

Eternity seems to be a fairy who is growing in power and in wisdom, I wonder if she is becoming something much greater than her?

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4328: Mar 2nd 2018 at 3:58:29 PM

It's the old question - is she a god dreaming she's a fairy, or a fairy that has happened to slip on a god's mantle? Has she undergone a metamorphosis in the past, or is a great change still in her future?

While assembling this cute little picdump, I was initially going to complain that Eternity's osmeterium being everted is going to be her version of Kagerou's wolf ears and fur being visible when it's not a full moon. Then I double-checked official art, and yeah, looks like Eternity's always got the yellow doodad showing. So there's a new interpretation for her: cute as a button and perpetually pissed off.

Or else just constantly threatened by all the nutjobs around her. Anyway...

Happy bug
Big bright eyes
Feel her flower power
A very quick sketch without the stinkamajig
With her attendants
Wonder if she has any control over butterflies and if that cancels out Wriggle's power?
She should try shorts, they're comfy and easy to wear
Sassy in a backless dress
There's something about her expression in this one
Koto Inari gives her the "ugly cute" treatment
Persona!
Curious whether Mefomefo will put her in Mexican dress at some point
Part of Chamaji's lineup
Nobody likes Mandays
This guy gets it too
Butterfly by the waterfall
More elegant than most births
Maybe this is how Cirno and Wriggle met too
Helps her look more feminine, at least
Gyate gyate
Not sure if gonna gyate
Eternity the catapilla

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4329: Mar 2nd 2018 at 4:38:16 PM

Either way, Eternity is evolving into something much greater than she was before.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
joergenjetsam from The city of constant rain Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#4330: Mar 2nd 2018 at 8:27:41 PM

I dislike this remark, for it states by extension that fairies are not already the greatest beings in creation.

Conception is sin Birth is pain Life is toil Death is inevitable
GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4332: Mar 4th 2018 at 4:42:11 PM

[up][up] I guess you are right as fairies are nature spirits and evolution is something that happens in nature.....I think.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4333: Mar 4th 2018 at 7:57:35 PM

Fossils are just the evidence of the Lunarians' failed experiments. Wait, do fairies leave fossils?

The other complicating factor in figuring out what the deal is with Eternity is that we now have Clownpiece as an example of a non-traditional fairy, so everything we know about Cirno and Those Three Rascals may not apply to Eternity. Or "fairy" is getting watered-down to the point where it covers any supernatural being with wings and the ability to regenerate. Not that we've seen Larva regenerate.

Huh, if she's a butterfly-theme fairy(?), maybe every time she comes back she takes a new form. Like a Time Lord.

These tunes can go on for an Eternity.

Oooh, that "Blue Sky" mix by LENK64 is something, that mix of soothing pipes and harsh electronic blatting. And that rock vocal remix was quite a surprise - I never expected someone to be singing in Japanese in a voice like a soul musician. Good finds.

edited 4th Mar '18 7:57:49 PM by Tacitus

Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#4334: Mar 5th 2018 at 5:51:23 PM

Eternity Larva:

A swallowtail butterfly fairy who first appeared when the seasons were thrown out of balance. Summer makes her excited. Quite...perspective for a fairy.

I suppose it's safe to assume that Eternity is smarter than the average fairy. Is this the catalyst that shall bring forth fairies of higher intelligence!? Perhaps not, it's just that those Three Fairies are good at attracting smart fairies.

Eternity's ability is just scattering her scales. Shield Dust would be her ability if she was a Pokemon. She also can sense or see the quintessence of all things it seems. Her handling of Clownpiece's madness flame was quite impressive. I suppose it comes with the territory of possibly being a divine fairy.

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4335: Mar 7th 2018 at 8:22:38 AM

Well, any last butterfly thoughts before we take a look at a mountain hag?

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4336: Mar 7th 2018 at 3:02:29 PM

I wonder what Eternity is trying to do in the human world?

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4337: Mar 9th 2018 at 11:18:51 AM

Something less immediately destructive than Clownpiece's plan for a bonfire festival, at least.




The Mountain Hag Who Has Passed Beyond this Transient World
Nemuno Sakata

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_touhou_sakata_nemuno.png
Appearance:

Stages: Solitude on the Scarlet Mountain ~ Red Mountain Loneliness '
Mountain in Autumn Colors
BGM: "The Colorless Wind on Youkai Mountain"note 
Theme: "Deep Mountain Encounter"note 

Spellcard Motif: Rain, Murder with Implied Cannibalism to Follow
Sample Spellcards: HSiFS
Rain Sign "Captive Autumn Rain," Rain Sign "Cursed Torrential Rain," Blade Sign "Yamanba's Kitchen Knife Sharpening," Blade Sign "Yamanba's Oni Kitchen Knife Sharpening," Exhaust Sign "Mountain Murder," Exhaust Sign "Bloody Mountain Murder"''

Write-up:
A mountain hag who lives a lonely existence on Youkai Mountain, by design thank you very much. Non-aggression pacts allow yamanba like her and the local tengu to live in peace, a peace that is shattered when an intruder confronts Nemuno as the focal point of the autumnal energy affecting the mountain. This inevitably results in a firefight, but afterward Nemuno doesn't seem to hold a grudge, and even finds herself liking her opponent.

Her attempt to have her new friend over for tea doesn't go over well, though. Might have something to do with Nemuno threatening to add her visitor to her larder beforehand. But we shouldn't expect fine-tuned social skills from a hermit.

Relations:

  • Tengu (good fences make good neighbors)

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4338: Mar 9th 2018 at 11:59:44 PM

After all these years, we finally havea literal hag even if said hag is a moe girl. tongue

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4339: Mar 10th 2018 at 9:02:40 AM

"Girl" nothing, see that bit of meaningful horizontal shading? Which means we can speculate uselessly over whether Nemuno mentioning "that legendary Kintoki kid" when talking with Marisa is just a reference showing her age, or an indication that she might have been said legendary kid's foster mother, which in turn would connect her to Suika and add another tangle to the Touhou relationship chart.

Durazno Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#4340: Mar 10th 2018 at 3:43:24 PM

I'd love to see an interpretation of her that's gaunt and wizened but still terrifyingly strong.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4341: Mar 12th 2018 at 1:22:35 AM

I guess I blame the art but she must had aged gracefully.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4342: Mar 12th 2018 at 11:28:06 AM

Maybe while living alone she stumbled upon one weird trick for youthful skin. Or maybe it's dietary, eh?

I'd love to see an interpretation of her that's gaunt and wizened but still terrifyingly strong.

There's not much art of Nemuno yet, but I haven't come across anything like that, sadly. The most variation I could find to the standard pattern was Mefomefo giving her some scars and another artist exaggerating the disparity between myth and fandom.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#4343: Mar 12th 2018 at 2:22:53 PM

She's half his size what the hell

What is this, a schmup for ants??

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4344: Mar 13th 2018 at 1:10:27 PM

Or perhaps "hag" is a race you can be born into, like "half-phantom," so you can have an adorable, baby-faced hag still in elementary school, a curvy twenty-something hag striking out on her own for the first time, a mature hag trying not to worry about crow's feet and spending weekends at the spa to keep her youthful glow, etc.

Also, reading her dialogues, it's hard not to feel like Nemuno wouldn't fit in with the witches of Lancre. She can't be havin' with this danmakin' about at her age.

Also also, her interactions with Cirno are kind of adorable:

Nemuno: What? This here's s'posedta' be my territory.
Cirno: Like I care! I'm the fairy who shall soon lord over Gensokyo! I can go anywhere and do anything I want!
Nemuno: An overlord, eh? Well, sure, have fun with your lordin' or whatever. More importantly, you oughta git on outta here.

Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#4345: Mar 13th 2018 at 6:41:32 PM

Nemuno Sakata:

A self-sufficient yamanba residing in a secluded area in Youkai Mountain. Due to not leaving her domain often, she is not up to date with current Gensokyo happenings.note 

The chances of Nemuno appearing in cameo manga panels are just as likely as Flandre's; not happening. Unless it's a Youkai Mountain related topic.

Since Nemuno's so self-reliant, She must have a ton of potent tonics for various ailments. No lunar medicine required.

If any kid were to get lost on her turf, she'll probably make sure to get them home safely. If that fails though, well, she'll just make 'em as tough as her.

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4346: Mar 14th 2018 at 6:35:19 PM

Come to think of it, Nemuno's sort of the odd woman out when it comes to her game's additions to the cast. We've got Eternity running around with the fairy cast herd, like ZUN decided to put together an official Team 9 or something. We've got Aunn as the Hakurei Shrine's newest and cutest resident. Narumi's now another magician in the Forest of Magic, so between her and Marisa and Alice we've got the foundation of another manga series. And Okina and her back-up dancers are behind the scenes, ready to pop up anywhere. But Nemuno gets left out, since while she's now confirmed to be another resident of Youkai Mountain, she's one who minds her own business and doesn't interact with her neighbors, by treaty.

Unless that pact is now null and void because Aya violated it in her route. Which sounds like a fun plot bunny, come to think of it, the once-isolationist mountain hags asserting themselves in Youkai Mountain's politics in the wake of this blatant tengu aggression.

Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#4348: Mar 18th 2018 at 11:46:09 AM

Y'all be treadin' on Nemuno's sweet alone time. And she was just about to relax to some good tunes.

Beckoning Gale
Threatening Defender
Battle in the Woods
The Wind’s Message
Bulwark of the Secret Domain

edited 18th Mar '18 11:46:23 AM by Diamite

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4349: Mar 18th 2018 at 1:12:48 PM

Nemuno is a cannibal? I wonder what would to the human villagers if they cross her?

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4350: Mar 19th 2018 at 6:08:00 PM

She's got such a nice stage theme...

But yeah, cannibalism. Nemuno's profile says mountain hags "often send lost adults back with a warning, and take custody of lost children, who they raise into upstanding human beings." Her threats and puns about inviting her unexpected guests to dinner might be a way of maintaining the sort of animosity and fear required of youkai.

I wonder if the adopting of orphans is too, though? Like the Kintaro story has led to an expectation that yamanba have enough of a good side to raise lost kids, so Shiki might show up and lecture Nemuno if she wasn't nice to children and only scared people.

Also wonder how well any hag-raised children integrate back into what passes for city life in Gensokyo. They come back with good morals from the sound of it, but probably little to no knowledge of how to set up a mortgage or anything. Might be good as somewhat rustic ctiy guards. Or the ultimate "outsider" politicians.


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