The Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium

No no no. Obviously, Suwako would be playing Battletoads.

^ Makes sense. You do need to be a gaming god to beat that game.

Why were Kanako and Suwako in the outside world still anyway? Did they miss the first bus to Gensoyoko or something?

I would think that they didn't have a need for a long time. Most gods probably didn't have part-divine ancestors who could perform miracles. Since those miracles were actually visible and recognized, people put faith in them for a much longer time than other, less flashy gods.

edited 31st Jul '10 2:05:46 AM by Fawriel

Query: Were Kanako and Suwako capable of physically manifesting themselves in the Outside World during modern times? The part about Kanako's miracles being interpreted as coming from Sanae herself seems to suggest not.

With that in mind, I wonder how the raising of Sanae by the two Godesses must have looked like from a stranger's point of view. <<

edited 31st Jul '10 3:30:34 AM by Servbot

Wait huh? I thought the reason people said that Sanae made miracles was... well because she does.

It's a little bit from A and a little bit from B I thought, as reflected in Sanae's attacks in the fighting games, where she can call on the power of Kanako and Suwako in addition to her own miracles.

EDIT: Here's the relevant excerpt from Sanae's MoF bio.

"Wind Priestesses were originally a devotees of the wind god, but as they used their secret abilities to create miracles such as summoning the wind and rain, the people around them began to believe in these humans with mysterious abilities.

In short, over time, people began to mistake the miracles caused by the wind god as being caused by them. "

edited 31st Jul '10 6:57:01 AM by Servbot

Now that I think about it, maybe the fact that people believed it was her making those miracles eventually was what gave her the ability to create miracles. That's sort of how this whole animism business works, right?

And no, I don't think Kanako and Suwako were visible to anyone but Sanae (or perhaps not even her?) in the real world.

Well, being part-goddess also helps. In fact, that's probably the reason why she was able to call on miracles at an early age. Her divine blood was awakened by the people's belief that a Wind Priestess is a Physical God.

...this makes me wonder if Kanako had a direct hand in Sanae's birth. I could imagine Kanako noticing her powers weakening with the loss of faith and somehow arranging for her previous Wind Priestess to meet and fall in love with a male descendant of Suwako's, creating a Goo-Goo-Godlike whose mere existance would hopefully gather more faith for her shrine.

edited 31st Jul '10 6:32:45 AM by Servbot

Shes related to Suwako, not Kanako, as part of the myth related to the Suwa shrine.

Its horribly ironic that one of the books I found "A year in the life of a Shinto Shrine." that goes over every detail of the Suwa Shrine's history, rituals, and members. If anyone is interested, its a good book.

Err... yeah, that's why I said male descendant of Suwako + Wind Priestess under Kanako. Where did I say that Kanako was Sanae's ancestor?

I was taking the assumption that previous Wind Priestesses were simply human

I think the normal assumption is that the Wind Priestesses are all Suwako's descendants. Why wouldn't they be?

A direct hand into Sanae's birth seemed to indicate that you thought otherwise, but it was my mistake.

^^ Well, Sanae's MoF bio seemed to imply that most Wind Priestesses only borrowed Kanako's power as opposed to being able to create miracles on their own, and that Sanae was a prodigy amongst the line of Wind Priestesses. Maybe I just read that wrong <<;

EDIT: ^ Ah, ok. I see how that line could have been misinterpreted as an If You Know What I Mean thing. >>;

edited 31st Jul '10 4:35:55 PM by Servbot

I thought it was that even though they are descendant of Suwa, they now follow Kanako since she beat Suwako in a fight.

I do think that Sanae's a prodigy, but I don't think that's because she's Suwako's descendant. If that were the case then her ancestors would be more notable. She's just a prodigy who's also divine, which combined into her particular nature.

Now that I think of it, could it be that she is able to draw the power from both Kanako and Suwako? That would give a lot of power, and I thought there were hints that Sanae was going to become a Kami herself.

I don't think the powers would have directly come from Suwako's blood either. Suwako is more of an earth goddess. Kanako is more all about the sky and wind.

Of course she can draw power from Kanako (as well as Suwako). That's pretty much her whole thing in the games where you play her.

Wouldn't any priestess of Kanako's be able to draw on Suwako's power? Since Suwako can use the powers of the gods beneath her...

A direct hand into Sanae's birth

JUST REACH IN AND GRAB HER

^No, that is wrong. Stark, you are terrible at opening chests midwifery.

I just had this mental image of Suwako and Kanako waiting for Sanae to get home from school, Kanako trying to get in touch with other die-hard deities, Suwako sitting on the couch, wide-eyed, watching mecha anime while eating popcorn out of her hat.

Kanako (on phone): Hi, this is Kanako Yasaka from the shrine in the town next door. I was wondering if your diety was home?

Suwako (watching TV): Two fashback episodes in a row! Are you kidding me!?

Kanako: What? Moved? Moved where?

Suwako: We went over all of this in the last episode!

Kanako: Wisconsin!? What is she doing in Wisconsin!? Goddess of dairy products? What kind of job is that?

Suwako: If I have to watch that shuttle blow up one more time...

Kanako: Don't be ridiculous, of course there is still faith around here! Why do you think I'm still around? Wait, she recommended me a new job... How faithful are the followers?

Suwako: I wonder if there is any popcorn left.

Kanako: TELEMARKETING!? SHE SAYS I SHOULD BE THE GODDESS OF TELEMARKETING!? THE HELL IS THIS!? I'LL SHOW YOU! I CAN STILL GATHER REAL FAITH! HERE OR ANYWHERE!

Suwako: This episode is officially pointless.

Sanae: I'm home!

Kanako: WE'RE MOVING!

edited 31st Jul '10 9:07:40 PM by Scholastica

Sanae: What, now?

Kanako: Yes, now.

Sanae: Shouldn't we wait until mom and dad get back from shopping?

Kanako: I said now!

-Gensokyo'd-

The discussion has been surprisingly slow. So, I guess it's time to start thinking about the next character. What's the consensus on Momiji?

If Momiji = 0, then:

Eirin, Komachi, Patchouli, Remilia, Rinnosuke, Youmu

Mima, Nazrin, Shou, Wriggle, Akyu, Chiyuri, Elly, Ichirin, Medicine, Orange, Shinki, Yumemi

I vote for either Momiji or Nazrin  ^*

I am once again upset you took away my joke vote.

Hey, you can still vote for Orange.