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The New New Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium

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GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4351: Mar 19th 2018 at 7:50:00 PM

So the cannibalism is just propaganda?

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Durazno Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4353: Mar 21st 2018 at 10:32:54 AM

Any last thoughts on our newest mountain rustic before we move on to someone who's always been watching?

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4354: Mar 21st 2018 at 5:48:45 PM

So we finally have a literal mountain hag in Gensokyo who is rough around he edges but ultimate benign person. I wonder what her relations with the other youkai of the mountain?

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Durazno Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#4355: Mar 21st 2018 at 7:28:04 PM

My guess is that they're "No."

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4356: Mar 22nd 2018 at 12:58:38 PM

I mean, she can always invite them over for dinner, but...




The Guardian Beast Devoted to Shintoism and Buddhism
Aunn Komano

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

Stage: The Sakura-Colored Sea the Divine Beast Swims Through Sea of Spring Pink
Evening Cherries at the Hakurei Shrine
BGM: "Swim in a Cherry Blossom-Colored Sea"note 
Theme: "A Pair of Divine Beasts"note 

Spellcard Motif: much dog, so guardian, such spinning
Sample Spellcards: HSiFS
Dog Sign "Stray Dog's Walk," Hound Sign "Mountain Hound's Walk," Spinning Top "Koma-Inu Spin," Spinning Top "Curl Up And Die," Koma Sign "Solitary A-Um Breath"

Write-up:
A guardian spirit who had long watched over the Hakurei Shrine, among other locations, as a komainu statue, until a boost of magical energy allowed her to take physical form and play a more active role in defending holy ground. Which ironically led to Reimu kicking her ass as an "intruder," but Reimu was nice enough to apologize afterward, so no hard feelings.

Since then, Aunn has continued her duties helping defend the Hakurei Shrine, though since she isn't very strong and the shrine already is home to one of Genoskyo's most powerful entities, Aunn probably isn't necessary. On the other hand, she has come up with revolutionary ideas such as Reimu attracting more followers to her shrine by working harder, so Aunn's finding ways to contribute beyond spraying danmaku everywhere.

Relations:

  • Reimu Hakurei (landlady?)
  • Marisa Kirisame (common sight)
  • Okina Matara (creator)

edited 22nd Mar '18 1:00:09 PM by Tacitus

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4357: Mar 24th 2018 at 3:53:37 PM

I guess I'll start by saying I'm kind of surprised at her dynamic with Reimu. Depending on when Aunn got started as the shrine's guardian spirit, she might have been watching Reimu from the very start of her career.

There's potential there to present Aunn as an almost parental figure, the guardian who's been monitoring the shrine for generations, but instead she's more or less... hmm, no good comparison comes to mind, she's not mistreated like Meiling or a novice like Kyouko. Aunn's cute and helpful and treated as well as any of Reimu's housemates, but still very much a subordinate. Like it doesn't matter if she's been watching the Hakurei Shrine for as long as Reimu's been there, Aunn is still the "younger" character.

Not to suggest that Reimu would take a more subordinate role if Aunn was an "older" character. In the pond behind the shrine, Genjii grumbles to himself and goes back to sleep.

On the subject of blasts from the past, I wonder how to fit Aunn into the idea that SinGyoku is a guardian entity or defense system for the Hakurei Shrine?

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4358: Mar 24th 2018 at 4:10:26 PM

Aunn is a guardian statue, she could be someone who plays a similar role to those two characters. Aunn is someone who loyal and helpful but she could over enthusiastic about her job and scare some people off.

edited 24th Mar '18 4:12:03 PM by GAP

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4359: Mar 27th 2018 at 6:03:14 PM

And she's got an unexpectedly sneaky side, what with pretending to help the Moriya Shrine only to perform some corporate espionage instead. Not sure where that fits in to the whole "guard dog" theme. Maybe she's so loyal to Reimu and her shrine that Aunn is willing to compromise her own honor to see them both prosper. Or she's a scrappy junkyard fighter of a dog who finds soft places to bite.

Or a modern corporate ninja, stick with that interpretation to balance out the one-and-a-half samurai characters we've seen so far.

Also, can't she jump from komainu statue to statue at Gensokyo's other shrines or something? Why did she give her loyalty to the Hakurei Shrine above all the others? Did she (accurately) decide that it needed the most help? Or is she being a double agent for every shrine, helping the Moriya trio with their festival, then passing on their secrets to Reimu, then giving Byakuren an update on what the red-white is up to, then giving the Moriyas an update on what the Buddhists are planning...

Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#4360: Mar 28th 2018 at 11:48:13 PM

Aunn Komano:

A komainu that guarded the Hakurei Shrine in the latest incident. Loves shrines and temples and people to the highest degree.

It's not so surprising that Aunn's favourite hobby is people watching. She's a shisaa, after all. They are usually the first thing people see when going to a shrine or temple. I'm sure shisaa in general love seeing a lot of support going to shrines and temples. Unless you're a troublemaker. Pretty sure Aunn wouldn't appreciate vandals very much...

Aunn hangs out with Reimu more than Sanae and Byakuren because...well, since the Hakurei Shrine is the lynchpin of Gensokyo, she has to protect the place even more so to the best of her ability. I wonder if Aunn would try to stop Kasen from breaking the barrier...

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4362: Mar 30th 2018 at 10:58:34 PM

Aunn is somewhat reliable for watching and spying, I wonder what she does in her spare time? Also, I wonder how she will help in future incidents?

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#4363: Apr 1st 2018 at 9:00:29 AM

Listening to some tunes while having a keen eye on people is no hard task for Aunn.

Divine Gate Guardian
Shifting Statues
Enshrined Protector
Wide Sakura Sea
Silent Overseer

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4364: Apr 3rd 2018 at 12:41:08 AM

You know Aunn is a character who is really good at espionage, I wonder what kind of edge she can give Reimu? Maybe something like what the Moriya shrine is up to..

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4365: Apr 4th 2018 at 7:53:29 AM

Any last Aunn-y thoughts before we move on to another statue?

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4366: Apr 4th 2018 at 5:53:17 PM

Aunn was a statue who was given life but I wonder if she still be able to scare off intruders like she use to? She made had been a statue but she was pretty good statue.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4367: Apr 5th 2018 at 12:20:27 PM

We can only wonder whether Aunn might have saved Reimu some hassle if she'd been active when the Three Fairies started pranking the Hakurei Shrine. So maybe it's for the best that she's only been animate recently?

Speaking of former statues,




The Magical Jizō who Manifested in the Forest
Narumi Yatadera

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_th16narumi.png
Appearance:

Stage: A Curious Encounter at Zero Visibility
White Blizzard Out of Season

BGM: "Illusionary White Traveler"note 
Theme: "The Magic Straw-Hat Jizo"note 

Spellcard Motif: Jizo-Themed Magic
Sample Spellcards: HSiFS
Magic Sign "Instant Bodhi," Magic Sign "Impromptu Bodhi," Magic Sign "Bullet Golem," Magic Sign "Gigantic Pet Bullet Lifeform," Jizo "Criminal Salvation," Jizo "Hellfire Salvation"

Write-up:
A jizo statue that absorbed enough of the Forest of Magic's ambient energies to become a real girl, not to be confused with a jizo statue who received enough faith to earn a promotion to a judge of the dead. Like many residents of her home forest, Narumi is a practicing magician, and had a particular affinity for manipulating life energy.

Narumi is an acquaintance of Marisa Kirisame's, and known to be a bit of a homebody who prefers her solitude. But the surge of magical energy that accompanied the Four Seasons Incident led Narumi to pick fights with whoever crossed her path to test her new power. Though she was still beaten, she was enough of a good sport to help the protagonist go after the mastermind of the latest Incident.

Relations:

  • Marisa Kirisame (neighbor)

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4368: Apr 9th 2018 at 5:58:09 PM

I'm trying to find some indication that Narumi has a house or something in the Forest o' Magic. Marisa at least describes her as a "shut-in," which would imply a door to shut and walls to be inside, but it just feels more golem-ish and true to her history to have Narumi enduring the elements without a roof over her head, just a hat. And something about her line in Reimu's scenario-

Well, I'm always alone...Aaall alone in the forest...*sniff*...

-makes me imagine a girl standing by herself in a forest clearing, not a girl sitting in a cozy little cottage.

Also wonder, against protocol, how much she weighs. Or more specifically whether she only looks as soft and pink as most people, and really has the weight and sturdiness of stone. Might be important if she ever goes swimming.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#4369: Apr 9th 2018 at 10:57:06 PM

Terraria rules.

She makes a dirt cube and hides inside from the zombies.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#4370: Apr 9th 2018 at 11:56:03 PM

Narumi Yatadera:

A live jizo statue in the Forest of Magic that can control life force. Prefers solitude.

Narumi doesn't seem to like fairies much, considering her dialogue when playing as Cirno. Perhaps she got pranked on one too many times when she was just a statue? She's also one of the lucky few who can actually perma-kill fairies. So catch her on a really bad day, and...ulp.

So Narumi can manipulate one's life force. So kinda like Eternity, I guess.

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4371: Apr 11th 2018 at 5:42:30 PM

The weird thing about Narumi's dialogue with Cirno is, well, the quote goes

As a symbol of Jizo, I exist in this world to provide salvation to all creatures in this era without Buddhas... But fairies sure don't count. 'Tis a bitter shame! I'll see you in your next life!

So unless she's just hamming around, Narumi seems to be suggesting she has an actual purpose beyond being a magically-animated object, continuing her old job of saving souls. Which she is choosing to pursue in a magical forest home to a couple of magicians, assorted nasties, and trippy shrooms for whatever reason.

But if that is her real job, then yeah, she might dislike fairies because they exist outside the usual mechanics of life, death, judgment, and reincarnation, because the little blighters keep regenerating without learning anything.

Terraria rules. She makes a dirt cube and hides inside from the zombies.

Or maybe she can turn back into an ordinary jizo statue at will, so that any hostile ambulatory fungi or aggressive turtles walk right past her without engaging.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4372: Apr 11th 2018 at 7:19:51 PM

I wonder how Narumi would get along with Eiki? Narumi would have an interesting conversation with Eiki.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#4373: Apr 11th 2018 at 10:22:15 PM

[up][up] Tanuki suit rules

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#4374: Apr 14th 2018 at 5:22:32 PM

[up][up] Might be a mutual "there but for the grace of God" moment. If Narumi's statue had been in a more-traveled and less-magical environment, she too could have wound up climbing the divine bureaucracy. And Eiki might see her counterpart as someone whose life has gone off-track, focusing her attention on magic more than guiding souls.

Of course, we won't know for sure until Phantasmagoria of Flower View 2: The Legend of Tewi's Gold.

Mefomefo works quick
Chamaji's signature take
Bright-eyed smile
Surprised
Flustered
Optimistic
Shy
Stern sidelong look
Those braids look dangerous
Serious
Intimidating
Persona!
Snow in the sun
Snow and statues
Snow in the night
One of these is not like the others
Stop being so damned dashing, Kirisame
What did I just say?
Comfort one way...
...and another
Suppose if Narumi is younger you can go the "adopted little sister" route
Maybe she has a house after all, because I don't see drifts of junk
And off they go
Team (Forest of) Magic
So Alice is a not-so-mad hatter?
Tiny explosive hair stylists
How to talk to a short person
Hat Swap 2017
Different ways of handling the cold
Fan artists seem to either forget or ignore her earlobes, go figure.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#4375: Apr 15th 2018 at 1:01:06 AM

That would be an interesting plot but Narumi does need to focus less on magic.

edited 17th Apr '18 1:09:18 AM by GAP

"Fan, a Mega Man character."

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