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Short you say?  At 24 pages of discussion, it's rather like a philosophical treatise.  I won't complain though, I would love to see more in-depth discussion like that!

I've got a lot of thoughts, and some difficulty sorting them all out, so I'm just going to start with those questions at the end of your discussion.  (please note I've not been thorough in getting all of the reading or games, notable I haven't read Cage in Lunatic Runegate)

"Are the Lunarians a plot device?"

In a way.  Certainly in Silent Sinner in Blue, their role is certainly serving a larger point, both to emphasize that Reimu's half-hearted aproach to improving herself leaves her weaker than she should be, and eventually for Yukari's plan to be shown.  Still, there is some characterization there as well, mostly via their relationship with Eirin.

"Was It Yukari’s fault for leading us to dislike them?"

I would say no.  In-story, Yukari set the stage for the confrontation in SSiB, but she didn't create the behavior that made some dislike them.  Out of story, such as them being written that way to make Yukari look better, I think that's debatable.  There's certainly something to them being written that way to make them the definite villains of that story, but as you pointed out, ZUN's written antagonists that people like before.  In fact, a number of arrogant villains have fans (Remilia being one of them, ironically).

"Was it all planned by ZUN to make them feel alien to us?"

I do think so, to a degree.  I think there is supposed to be some that we understand out of the Watasuki sisters, but the Lunarians and thier obsession with 'purity', perhaps so.  Sadly, on this, there is a further degree of seperation than intended, as my knowledge of Shinto is almost useless.  If so, then I think that is fine.

"Are all these theories correct and connected?"

Possibly?  I haven't read everything, so I couldn't really give an educated response.

 

One thought about the 'alien-ness' of the Lunarians, is that for the casual fans/readers in North/South America and Europe, Shinto would seem rather alien.  Further, and more like to create ire, is that the Lunarians idea of purity would seem very wrong to us, as our ideas of spirituality are greatly influenced by the Abrahamic faiths and Greek philosophy, even for those that don't follow or study them.  Purity is tied to virtue and lack of flaws in these philosophies, and the Lunarians' arrogance would disqualify them.  Asian philosophy is (obviously) different, and purity has a different meaning, creating a disconnect that the Lunarians (or more the Watasuki sisters) take the brunt of.

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