The New New Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium

In place of Nazi Mustache Dude, have an incredibly depressing version of Perfect Math Class!

...Yay?

Aww, do we have to? Though I did like how they worked the 9's into the motions or whatever you're supposed to do.

Finishing the picdump, examining the many aspects of Cirno:

Cirno is adorable:
Just hear the crunch of the powder
Comfy comfy
An accessory to the next Flanpage
What's the proper term for a group of mini-Cirnos?
Penguins everywhere
Luna's probably in there somewhere
Cirno accompanies Dr. Reimu on a housecall
If I didn't include this in the Reimu picdump I should have
She has a happy
She has a sad
She is a cannonball

Cirno is legendary for her intelligence:
It makes a sort of sense
Daiyousei tries, bless her heart
We're doomed
Don't lick yourself, kids
So who won this encounter?
No question about this one, sheesh
It's Cirnos all the way down
I never liked that not-number anyway
And that about wraps it up for calculus
You listening, game developers?
Words to live by
Not all memes are fun

Cirno is convenient:
Entrepreneur
Girl in icebox
Head pet
I miss the Convenient Cirno pool, saved me all the trouble of typing Cirno + mundane_utility

Cirno vs. frogs:
"You didn't see nothin'
Winter battlefield
Surprise, mothercroaker
It's the only way to be sure
If only there was an aerial maneuver that might dislodge her
Ironically, he ought to have some innate resistances to ice magic
We'll see her in a bit, Cirno, don't worry
The battle never ends

These are just kinda goofy:
Turns out she has sisters
DUN!
Pick a god and pray (I picked Suwako)
How to make mini-Cirnos
Gentlemen?
The great detective
Dat ass
We've elected worse

Cirno lives in a photogenic country:
Making a path
Winter sun, snowy forest
Tap for green mana
Underwater?
Winter pond
Cirno goes to hell
Call that a lake?
That's better
Didn't know the mansion had a bridge
See glowy, get glowy

The many faces of Cirno:
Can't not mention Achi Cirno
Scarf of asskicking
Has she found her calling?
Scarf, sleeves, skirt, pantyhose
Snowball it easy
Shorttank in a skirt?
Such elegance
Out to join Mystie's band
Still love this guy's work
Jester
Sir Cirno
Popsicle warrior
VIIII
Seems to have taken some cues from the red-white
That which doesn't kill her gives her dangerous ideas
Persona!
Maybe in another 120 years
She's smoking green
A serious dress for a serious Cirno
I would like this twice as much if she was wearing pants

Cirno can be badass:
Kinda crazed, kinda spiky, very Cirno
Two unstoppable forces of elemental destruction
So begins an episode comprised solely of grunting, twitching, and other characters' reactions
Icy drill breaker
Hers is the melon slice that cleaves evil
Shooting lasers from her ice knives?
A club is fine too
Baka with dakka
She is Cirno the White, and she comes to us now, at the turning of the tide
Law of Entropy predicts a winner
Snowflakes spinning like gears, determination plain on her face
Her future is bright, but cold

edited 27th Mar '15 9:57:59 PM by Tacitus

Any last brain freezes before we move on to the not-quite-a-nun with the really neat hair sometime tomorrow?

Guess not. Catch you later, Cirno. Make sure you hide your frogs once we're done talking about Byakuren, because after her will be Suwako, followed by Seiga and it looks like Nitori!

But first, Gensokyo's messianic mystic theurge:

Byakuren Hijiri

Stage:
The Nun Who Overcame the Eight Sufferings ~ Hokkai
BGM:"Fires of Hokkai"
Theme: "Emotional Skyscraper ~ Cosmic Mind"

Spellcard Motif: Magic mixed with Buddhism
Spellcards: UFO, DS, HM, ISC
Good Omen "Nirvana's Cloudy Way in Purple," Magic "Mystic Fragrance of a Makai Butterfly," Light Magic "Star Maelstrom," Great Magic "Devil's Recitation," Superhuman "Byakuren Hijiri," Flying Bowl "Legendary Flying Saucer," Syncretism "Manifestation of Mahavairocana," "Star Sword Apologetics," Heaven Sign "Five-Element Mountain of Shakyamuni," "Angiras' Knowledge," Pestle Sign "Vajrapani's Incantation," Superhuman "Garuda's Wings," "Binding Laws of Hari," "Eyes of Brahma"

Write-up:
Depending on who you ask she's either an enlightened savior or a deluded heretic. Byakuren Hijiri was a Buddhist nun who, following her younger brother's death, turned to youkai magic in order to extend her lifespan. In the process of protecting and relocating youkai under the guise of a youkai exterminator, Byakuren came to sympathize with them and the challenges they faced. Byakuren amassed several youkai followers before her fellow humans sealed her inside Makai for her treachery.

Since being rescued by her followers (and with the inadvertent aid of a protagonist), Byakuren has established the Myouren Temple near Gensokyo's human village. It's mostly frequented by youkai, including her old disciples, and her attempts at reforming them have been... let's say "mixed." Her dream of humans and youkai living in harmony might be impossible in a land like Gensokyo, but maybe it's the thought that counts?

Relations:

• Myouren Hijiri (dead lil' brother)
• Ichirin Kumoi, Minamitsu Murasa, Shou Toramaru, Kyouko Kasodani (disciples)
• Nue Houjuu, Mamizou Futatsuiwa (Myouren Temple residents)
• Toyosatomimi no Miko (religious rival)

Interpretations:
"The Head Monk of the Youkai Temple"
by Antimatter 625

See also the previous two compendiums.

edited 10th Apr '15 12:01:56 PM by Tacitus

Muscle wizard. You forgot to mention that she's also a magician youkai, but people forget that fairly often for some reason. Repeat: she's not human.

Byakuren means well, but shows a nativity that seems odd considering her age and head monk status. Humans and youkai living together in harmony, is that even possible considering youkai nature?

At least, she seems to think that youkai can be converted to have more peaceful purposes. Folks like Kyouko says that changing your purpose can be done! Folks like Murasa...less so.

Here's a question: Is she oblivious to the failings and vices of her followers, or is she turning a blind eye to it? SoPM implies the former, but...

Also, for a supposed Buddhist, she does see fit to keep herself young and beautiful...

Akyuu thinks she is mighty suspicious, despite (or perhaps because of) her "nice old lady" persona. Her harboring and championing the rights of potentially dangerous youkai probably has something to do with that.

(...first time posting seriously in a while, also first time posting without looking up profiles and SoPM first. Sorry if I forget major details)

edited 29th Mar '15 10:00:04 PM by Otherarrow

The whole way she became magician youkai is a bit odd, though. Her profile dances around the issue, so she might not have gone the same way as Patchouli/Alice. Certainly at least something is different, since PMISS makes it pretty clear that the 'magician-becoming-spells' don't do a bloody thing about restoring your youth.

I've a fair bit to say about her, I think.

Byakuren manually maintaining her youth via her buff magic is heavily implied to be a thing, if I recall.

All I can really say about this right now is that it should be noted that Mamizou doesn't really seem to be a resident of the Myouren Temple anymore, last I checked.

edited 29th Mar '15 10:21:53 PM by TheMageofFire

Yeah the implication I get is that as soon as Mamizou realized she wasn't needed against the Taoists, she immediately went off to her own schemes. If I recall, in HM Byakuren doesn't even recognize her.

edited 29th Mar '15 10:52:05 PM by Otherarrow

You're a bad host to your shapeshifting guest, Byakuren.

Yeah, Byakuren should be more thankful to Mamizou and Nue for trying to stop Miko.

And for eating all of her food. Not many guests would do that for you while also not actually fighting your archenemy for you.

Oh I'm sure Byakuren could easily make more food with magic. Cause you can't keep a body looking good without that daily dose of vegetables and fruits.

Magicians don't need to eat though.

Tigers do.

Byakuren is morally lapsed Buddhist who is slightly naive and seems to be a skilled manipulator.....am I on the ball?

Morally lapsed, yes - her early motivation for her actions was a very un-Buddhist fear of death.

Slightly naive, maybe - during Akyuu's symposium she's constantly surprised by her disciples' hijinks, but while her goal of a lasting peace between humans and youkai may be metaphysically untenable, many would say it's not a bad goal either.

Skilled manipulator... hmm, not the words I'd use. "Duplicitous," yes, she posed as a youkai exterminator and secretly did the opposite. And she was shrewd enough to build her temple on Miko. Or maybe the naivety and the rest is also a con to lower people's guard?

Ah, but I never specified she was human, either.

Well, she's A) a lousy Buddhist and 2) recently released from a thousand years in Hokkai, so who knows what that did to her.

No spellbook, for one thing. No scholarly study, no magical science, but "black magic." Something directly from youkai? Some sort of pact magic - I grant you my powers if you look after me? Could her search for disciples be nothing but a quest to accumulate as many power sources as possible? Does she get specific abilities from certain types of youkai?

You said "fellow humans", which is misleading at best.

Byaruken Hijiri:

An extremely powerful, yet gentle monk who desires a world where youkai can live in peace.

At first, she was on the correct path of being a follower of Buddhism. But after her brother died, she was assailed with the fear of cessation. And so, she sought for a way to retain her youth and lifeforce. She also specialized in youkai extermination. But after seeing the youkai's trials and despair, she became their advocate, their champion, their hope. Perhaps she did this because she didn't want to see those creatures suffer the same fate as her brother. But then, what of normal animals and her fellow human beings? Was this concealed arrogance and vanity on her part?

Humans eventually did not take a liking to this "youkai nun", so she was sealed and cast away to the realm of Makai. A thousand year sentence. But, was she bound, or did they throw her into the different dimension and made sure she would never return to theirs? Whatever the case, she chose this path, so she probably didn't feel any shame. But she probably felt sadness that she was unable to lend further assistance to her youkai brethren.

Byakuren explored Makai, got stronger, even became friends with the local god(I will never let go of this truth of mine, even if it's a lie!). Hmmm...perhaps she wasn't awake for the entirety of her millennium sentence, so maybe she rested at some point? Soon, the day for her to rise again came... But instead of the old world, she would be resurrected in Gensokyo. This time for sure, tranquility for youkai would be within her grasps....

Byakuren is a Buddhist nun, teaching her ways to youkai. She's trying, but these bunch sure are hard to change. She seems to be blissfully ignorant of some of her followers' refusal to change, or maybe she understands that change isn't instantaneous, so if she keeps at it, maybe they will change...? She's a patient person. She has all the time in the world, after all.

Also, I just realized this, but Byakuren's in the spotlight...and it's Holy Week. Such a grand coincidence!

edited 31st Mar '15 7:39:12 PM by Diamite

The Head Monk of The Youkai Temple

Who can guess what Byakuren was like before she became a youkai? In so many ways, that Byakuren died long ago, with her brother's death. She became ruled by selfishness and fear. When she started saving rather than hunting youkai, it was only out of her continued selfishness and unwillingness to accept her own death. In time she began to 'see the light', so to speak, but even then, it's important to remember she's sympathizing with monsters of the very literal sort. Given the events of SOPM, I suspect she herself has forgotten. Perhaps those events have brought her back down to earth in that redarg, and maybe she'll start seeing a bit more success.

Her goal seems to be (and from what I see, truly is) 'releasing' youkai from their purpose. So that just like how Unzan doesn't decapitate people and Shou doesn't eat them, Satori might not need to read people's minds, and Mystia might be able to keep her mouth closed for two minutes. So she's invited a lot of people to the temple that seem to have done this. Kyouko, who was reborn as a Sutra-chanter. Murasa, who became a sailor more than a drowner. Koishi, who has closed her third eye.

But Byakuren doesn't quite understand that these aren't the sort of rare complete transformation she was hoping for. Kyouko still revolves around making (indeed, echoing and repeating) sounds, Murasa not only still drowns, but even if she didn't, her identity is still tied to the sea. Koishi still messes with people minds, she just doesn't know she's doing it.

But Unzan doesn't kill people any more. And no one pays his partner any mind, rather than ostracizing her. Shou has truly left behind her youkai nature to the point that she can't even assume her beast form. It is possible for youkai to change. It's not common, it's not easy, and it's a lot easier to just fake it to the head monk than to actually change who you are on that deep, fundamental level. I strongly suspect those around her are trying, for her sake if nothing else, but it's tough. I imagine it would be like much like fasting. Consider how well a typical person would do drinking only water and eating only the same tasteless, barely-nutrional enough gruel for years. Some could manage it, but it takes a lot more discipline than you'll find in your everyday passerby.

Is Byakuren herself walking the right road? One could say she's keeping her youth because all other things put aside, being young is more useful in a lot of ways than is being old. And perhaps her beauty is simply her civic duty, to attract people to the temple to leave behind their base desires. Perhaps her beauty is simply a way of 'screening' for those who may be well along the path to nirvana already, with logic along the lines of "Anyone who can resist this body has clearly managed to quell their lustful desires."

But I think it more likely She's just as afraid of age as she ever was. That she's just as vain and insecure as she was in her youth. The above might be reasons for her to be youthful and beautiful, but even if she believes them to be true, she'd simply be making excuses. She doesn't want to be old, and she wants to be beautiful. Very reasonable wants, and their within her power, so why should she give up on them?

But that's the hitch, isn't it? Giving up on worldly desires is the point, and she can't. Not yet, and not without changing at least as much as she asks the youkai around her to change. Her fear of age and death are literally the reason she's alive, and until she abandons those fears, she can't move on. She's just as stuck as Yuyuko, but her prison is her own. She's spent her youkai life trapped as other youkai are. As she is, I suspect she could no more give up her magic, youth, and beauty than Satori could avert or close her eye, or Aya could give up flight.

One may say she was literally trapped for a millenium or so, though perhaps 'trapped in Makai' isn't quite right. In addition to potentially chumming it with Shinki, she made her Sutra Scroll from her time in Makai, so she was clearly allowed to move within it. On the other hand, Makai/Hokkai itself was probably more akin to a prison than a box, and there's plenty of walking space in a prison, despite its inhabitants remaining trapped. So maybe it does fit. Or perhaps Makai is something like Australia. Originally little more than a prison, but eventually becoming it's own thing. Woe to those trapped there? Eh, I hear its not so bad.

Her temple seems to be doing much better than Reimu's shrine, despite the prevalence of the youkai there. And I think it's in part because Byakuren's got a better head on her shoulders, and in part because Ichirin and Unzan (At least, though there may be others) make a point of helping out the human village.

Byakuren has an open mind. Too open, of course; she lost her humanity and became a youkai when they got into her head. Then they kept getting into her head, and she began to work for them rather than against them. Even now, she's the 'face' of the temple, in a sense. Tantalizingly human, but not... quite... human. The question is whether youkai will follow her accepting and gracious nature... or if humans will be lured by her into the arms of youkai.

Either way... she's quite the spokesperson.

edited 31st Mar '15 10:23:27 PM by Antimatter625

Edit: Ninja'd. I'll respond to your post tomorrow, Antimatter, I'm not ignoring you! Well, I guess I kinda am.

This is where I'd claim to be respecting her choice to identify as human regardless of what her current species is, except I'm not sure she's ever claimed to be human in canon. Hmm. Are human-looking folks in Gensokyo given the benefit of a doubt, or are you expected to identify yourself beyond name and occupation when meeting someone for the first time? Is it considered rude to ask "you're human, right?"

Good question! Even setting aside the issue of siding with your own species, it's a bit odd for someone to become an advocate for a group with such a clear advantage when compared to the average human. Maybe she was far-sighted enough to predict the youkai's diminishing fortunes? Or perhaps she felt that since the youkai had no advocate (probably because they didn't need one), it was up to her to fill that role.

And how does Shinki feel about her realm being used as another dimension's dumping ground?

Byakuren explored Makai, got stronger, even became friends with the local god(I will never let go of this truth of mine, even if it's a lie!)

I don't see why we should discount the theory, she has one of Shinki's attacks and has to have gotten that scroll from somewhere.

Hmm. Akyuu reports "it is said" that she put the thing together while sealed in Makai. I find it hard to imagine someone in a magical prison having the time and resources to make something like that. So either Byakuren put it together during earlier visits to the demon world, in which case her banishment would be more annoying than anything... or when she heard her followers were coming, she had to hurry back to Hokkai and wrap some chains and seals around herself before anyone got embarrassed.

Though if she was resourceful enough to make it while in a magical prison, does that mean she was gearing up for an escape attempt? Did someone else give her supplies?

edited 31st Mar '15 10:36:48 PM by Tacitus

We can only imagine the adjustment period, going from centuries living among demons to a sudden return to the world of humans... I guess this is where you can give Byakuren a ditzy nature, with a variety of justifications. Maybe she's lived among the horrific denizens of the demon world for so long that she barely notices when Murasa tries to drown someone. Maybe she's forgotten how human society works to some extent. Maybe her head doesn't feel quite right, like the air is so much thinner in Gensokyo, so starved of magical energy. Maybe she went a little crazy from her long isolation.

Hmm. Alice wants to create life, Byakuren wants to recycle it. Take this predatory representation of a superstition, melt it down with the fires of faith, recast it as a good little citizen. But when you make a sword into a plowshare, you destroy the sword. Solve the human-youkai conflict by turning youkai into people.

Also, Sekibanki. Like, she of the popped collar shows that there are youkai in the village, living among humans, trying to live as humans. And that's a demographic that could be very receptive to Byakuren's message. "Teach me how to balance what I was born as and what I want to live as. Tell me I'm not a monster." What can change the nature of a youkai? Maybe it's her peculiar brand of Buddhism.

Guess it depends whether they're asking for a blessing, spiritual guidance, or where she got that kickass scroll. She's like a walking advertisement for the health benefits of black magic.

...And you just gave me a plot bunny to use for the next thing I write.

If I recall, the humans don't trust her due to the temple's rep as the "youkai temple", but she has a better rep than say, Reimu.

Also, some youkai come to the temple solely to hunt (she throws them out) while others are masochist and like being exorcised. Weird.

Obviously you check for the tail first.