How does Touhou fanon depict your favorite characters?

[CountVonNumenor]

[SIZE=12pt]Today, I am planning to update my Touhou character sorter to see what changed about my tastes. Last time I did that list, it was back in July last year. And to be honest, I think a part of why I like specific characters, besides interesting designs, cool story and awesome music themes, also comes from fanon (especially if I find some good fanart, music arrangements or a good animation).[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]I will mostly likely return with a separate comment once the list is done, in case there is any new character appearing in the updated Top 10. In this context, I want to start by expressing my current favorites and what I like/dislike about their fanon interpretations:[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]1) Youmu Konpaku:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] I really like a lot of fan arrangements of her music theme(s). I think one of those remixes was actually how I found out about her, and caught my interest. I honestly like the idea of her being depicted as slightly naïve, as long as it does not end up in abuse of this naivete. Fan art also likes depicting her as badass at times, which I really like.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] how she tends to get abused by those around her. Also how she, or her half-phantom end up as Yuyuko's dinner[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]2) Eiki Shiki, Yamaxanadu[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] those (rather rare, unfortunately) depictions in which she is closer to the canon personality. I personally prefer a taller and more mature version of Eiki, or at least one that inspires respect.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] she has become an example pf butchered personality. She has been turned into a tiny, angry loli judge Judy who sends everyone to Hell for arbitrary reasons like having bigger boobs than hers. To be honest, seeing a tall or mature version of Eiki in any bit of fan art has become a very rare sight at least in my case, and when seeing one such example, it becomes a little too odd after seeing her so much in the little girl form, despite me preferring the more mature version. And another weird thing: most of the mature Eiki images I have seen, at least on image boards like Danbooru, use her mature version mostly for smut (not that they are not doing the same thing with her small child version too - after all, this is the Touhou fandom we are talking about)[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]3) Raiko Horikawa[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I honestly do not know anything too much about her fanon version, if there is anything; feel free to add or correct me if I missed something. I have not seen too much about her in matter of doujins, but fanart of her can really be badass, just like for any of the other girls from these games - a cool redhead dressed is sharp clothes is always a win.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] I really like the fan arrangements on her theme, especially The Show from Akatsuki Records (even if it features heavily butchered English in the EN vocals version)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like: [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]not so much fanon about her. Besides sharply dressed, the wiki also adds this: Being a personification of a drum, it's not uncommon for artists to depict her derriere being used as a drum by other people, and she is sometimes shown to have a masochistic attitude towards it.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She is also quite likely in the "who?" category of Touhou characters, even if she was an Extra Stage boss in DDC, appeared in Violet Detector and had a background cameo in AoCF.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]4) Mayumi Joutouguu[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Similar story to Raiko; maybe perverted art would have anything to say. Oh, and the other thing I would usually associate Mayumi with from the fan content would be the song HANIPAGANDA. Truth be told, I really love that song, even with the controversies sparked during the original release of the music video.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] music theme is cool (and good arrangements - HANIPAGANDA is always my go-to example)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] probably can be placed in the more forgotten/"literally who?" tier of Touhou characters among the fans.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]5) Hieda no Akyuu[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She has really grown for me since I did the sorter. Again, there is nothing really bad, however I did hear that her yukkuri form is kind of a jerk. Like seriously though, I really do not know if there is too much fan-made content related to her outside art. I just know that apparently she is nicknamed "Akkyun" by some fans. For me, she is cute, and I really like the idea about her being a chronicler, as I tend to like more geeky characters.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] probably can be placed in the more forgotten/"literally who?" tier of Touhou characters among the fans.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]6) Yuuka Kazami[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] lots of good fan music arrangements, good fanart, and I like some of her interpretations. The versions in which she is dressed as more mature make sense in a way to me, as she is an older/more mature character that has some history behind (made her debut in PC-98 era, then returned in the Windows era)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] ”ultimate sadistic creature” by definition; by this point, I am not even sure anymore what is canon and what is fanon about her personality. I have the feeling most of her fanon image revolves around this trait, while there might also be that extremely rare case when she is not just a sadistic person.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]7) Junko[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] initially, I thought it was only memes that made her interesting. But after reading a bit her backstory, it became something I wanted to read more about. Even if it can be counted as "cool reason, still murder", there's just something I really like about the angry space mom, about the music arrangements for Pure Furies, and her overall design that inspires me some royal/nobility vibe.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] I don't completely dislike it, and when done for comedic effect, it can actually be decent. As many of you may have figured out, I am talking about the obsession for Reisen, which some turn into full stalker mode.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]8) Maribel Hearn (and also Renko Usami - cannot have one without the other)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Not too sure what to say about them; again, feel free to correct me if I missed something. I consider myself to be an opened person, not against any LGBTQ+ ship as long as it is well written and feels natural, but I feel like one, if not the most common thing I have seen about Maribel and Renko in fandom is the two getting shipped. And I feel like people know them better for that than their actual story or even the music CDs themselves. If you were to ask me, first thing I would tell you about the two would be about the music CDs (they are actually awesome), and then perhaps about any of the fan songs I have listened to (Black Mirror on the Wall is the example most fresh in my mind), and then perhaps get to the ship part, because again, this is Touhou, and the fandom likes shipping basically everyone with everyone.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]9) Iku Nagae[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I do not think there is too much to say, since from what I have seen, se tends to fall into the ”who?” category. If there is something, I just see her either in the "disco queen" meme (tbh I am just as guilty for continuing it since first time I drew Iku was in the famous disco pose) or paired with Tenshi, be it romantically or just comradery.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] probably can be placed in the more forgotten/"literally who?" tier of Touhou characters among the fans.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]10) Hecatia Lapislazuli[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I am no very sure what to say about her fanon counterpart besides the common ship with Junko and basically being the mother of Clownpiece. Like seriously, outside her (relatively) unorthodox way of dressing (which creates a lot of jokes) and the 3 planets, what else do fans create about her? Just like before, any additional information about Hecatia in fandom is welcomed. I still remember about a certain youtuber and his "What you favorite Touhou waifu says about you" video resuming Junko and Hecatia in the following way:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]"Junko: you have a god complex. Hecatia: you want to f**k a god complex"[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] does she really get any cover in fanon material? There are some cool fanon song arrangements (Hell Yeah, Sadomasochism and HELLOHELL are first to come to my mind), but I am not sure if there is more.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]UPDATE - Results of the new character sorter have arrived. Roll the drums...[/SIZE]

1. [SIZE=12pt]Hieda no Akyuu[/SIZE]
   
2. [SIZE=12pt]Eiki Shiki, Yamaxanadu[/SIZE]
   
3. [SIZE=12pt]Renko Usami[/SIZE]
   
4. [SIZE=12pt]Maribel Hearn[/SIZE]
   
5. [SIZE=12pt]Youmu Konpaku[/SIZE]
   
6. [SIZE=12pt]Yuuka Kazami[/SIZE]
   
7. [SIZE=12pt]Mayumi Joutouguu[/SIZE]
   
8. [SIZE=12pt]Raiko Horikawa[/SIZE]
   
9. [SIZE=12pt]Tenkyuu Chimata[/SIZE]
   
10. [SIZE=12pt]Okuu (Utsuho Reiuji)[/SIZE]
    

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[SIZE=12pt]Iku, Junko and Hecatia, despite no longer being in top 10, still occupy 12th, 17th and 19th place. This does not mean I no longer like them, just that others have risen in the time since previous sorter[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]So, to complete for the new characters:[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]Tenkyuu Chimata[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] I can see there is a decent amount of good fanart made around her. Also, some very good music arrangements (Infinite Gradation from Akatsuki Records is still my favorite), since she is still a new character, I have not seen anything bad about her done yet (outside of, you know...the classic material for men of culture - but I am neutral about that). She also seems to have appeared as main character is some of the more recent Game Jam projects, which is nice since it gives her a bit more attention[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] again, since s from the newer cast, there is not so much fanon material about her. Feel free to correct me if there actually is anything more negative about Chimata.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=12pt]Utsuho Reiuji (Okuu)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] I like how her fanart can go from completely badass to cute and naïve. I see a lot has been done about her, including a lot of good music arrangements. I have never been too bothered about her being called a birdbrain or [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]⑥[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]. The comparison with Chernobyl (or the nickname Chernobyl-chan) are interesting, since I am living in a country neighboring Ukraine that was also impacted by the nuclear accident from 1986 (Romania).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] I have not been too bothered about fans giving Okuu large boobs or childish personality (even though I also do like the savant version of Okuu sometimes given by fanon, with her as a brilliant nuclear scientist, but having a bit of trouble with anything else due to her transforming everything into a theoretical question or complicated calculations for even the most mundane of problems). I am just not very sure if there is anything I do not like about fanon Utsuho. Please correct me if there is anything.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Overall, I am mostly neutral towards this one: some of these characters getting ridiculously oversized boobs in fanart (despite the fact that ZUN drawn characters, except for Urumi, are very flat due to his art-style), mostly because that is a matter of personal taste. In my case, I just feel that is unnatural, and just not my cup of tea. In the case of the characters I did not know what to write in terms of bad quality fanon additions, I am very sure NSFW art would have enough examples to add for anyone. It honestly becomes a bit problematic in my opinion only when it starts becoming like the main fanon characteristic for that character. No personality, just a pair of walking boobs. Otherwise, I might be fine with it if there's more than that. Feel free to add mentions about this in your comments if it has significant relevance towards the way fanon depicts one of your favorite characters.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Anyway, who are your favorite characters, and what do you like most and least about their fanon versions?[/SIZE]

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[buskerdog]

How long does it even take to complete Touhou sorter now? Haha, I'm not someone who would redo it on a regular basis (and my results usually don't line up with who I actually consider my favourites anyway LOL). But fanon is fun to talk about and I'd definitely like to go into my views of some of my favourite characters.

DISCLAIMER: A lot of my favourite characters fall into the category of "main characters" or popular/regularly depicted characters and yes, I am aware of how basic this is.

Spoiler

Reimu Hakurei

Gotta start of with my favourite character of course, and yes it's none other than the main character herself. I think part of the reason she's my favourite is the fact that I'm so enamoured by the Touhou series as a whole that it just makes sense for me to like the main character who's nearly always there, and the fact that she's usually my preferred character for playing the Touhou games is also a contributor to how much of an impression she's left on me, but of course I don't like her as a character purely for those reasons. I find her role as a shrine maiden really interesting and also think it's very interesting how despite being the protagonist she's never been any good at her real job, seems to be actively annoyed at having to solve incidents constantly, understands very little about her own powers, and can get straight up aggressive due to impatience, pressure, or just being really annoyed by something. She's also not exactly the smartest. In other words she basically has all these things she struggles with, but she isn't on a journey to overcome these flaws, they're just part of her life, and she still dedicates everything to solving incidents despite being reluctant and even receiving very little recognition for it. But that's enough about why she originally became my favourite, after all this is a thread about fanon, not just canon - even if the above points are undoubtedly influenced somewhat by my own headcanon and interpretations, which is something I acknowledge.

Fanon pros: There are plenty of Reimu interpretations and I like most of them - badass Reimu, cute Reimu, kind Reimu, lonely/sad depictions of Reimu, I think these are all entertaining depictions that explore different aspects of her character. And then there's I'm-totally-done-I-don't-care-please-leave-me-alone Reimu, who is hilarious and very relatable.

Fanon cons: I've never been of crimson slasher, exterminate-all-youkai Reimu. While she is easily angered and undeniably skilled in battle, I don't like the concept of her being murderous or violent just for the sake being violent.

Marisa Kirisame

Marisa originally wasn't a character I was that fond of, especially when put next to Reimu, but over time she's really grown on me. Fanon probably has something to do with that. Although depictions can vary, the overall picture I have of her in my head is someone who's cheeky, reckless, and is a show-off. She has a habit of taking what she wants, and severely lacks subtlety, not caring about what other people think of her. She's also really funny - pretty much all Touhou dialogue is, but Marisa's especially so. But respect also has to be given to how hard she actually works to be as powerful as she is.

Fanon Pros: Cooler automatically means better - if she's flying around stylishly on her broom, at highspeed, doing tricks and showing off even if the middle of a fight, then I'm a fan. I also find her whole mushroom-collecting thing, so anything involving her collecting or using her mushrooms I like. Any depiction of her being funny or a bit of a troll to her friends is also great. She's also sometimes depicted as hard-working, intelligent, and studious in order to actually develop her magic, and this is good too. One of my favourite things about Marisa in fanon is actually her voice - I have no idea when or why this was decided, but there seems to be this collective agreement in at least part of the fanbase that Marisa's voice is somewhat deep compared to her peers, and I think it fits her perfectly. Also, Marisa-Alice best ship.

Fanon Cons: The only thing I could really see being overdone is her whole "borrowing" thing, but usually it doesn't annoy me - after all, she absolutely is a kleptomaniac.

Sakuya Izayoi

My favourite things about Sakuya are more to do with her theme and her boss fight than her character (Lunar Clock ~ Luna Dial is my favourite theme), but she also has a great character - that gets taken in so many different directions by fans.

Fanon Pros: Even though it's actually pretty far from canon, I like extremely badass and battle-ready versions of Sakuya. I actually imagine her to have a sort of split personality - a calm and reserved one for normal situations that's close to what she's like canonically, and then a powerful and ruthlessly efficient personality that comes out at the first sign of danger to her mistress - not that you'd have much of a chance to see it when time is stopped.

Fanon Cons: I feel like this doesn't need to be said since you've no doubt seen it said a hundred times in Youtube comments, but pad jokes aren't funny.

Patchouli Knowledge

My fondness for Patchouli is actually something that's become a bit of a meme among other people I know on this site... why do I like Patchouli? I'm not even so sure. I do like her character design and theme though, and her extensive knowledge of all kinds of things in Gensokyo make her storylines in the fighting games very interesting. Did you know that according to ZUN, Patchy's dress isn't meant to have stripes? I find it funny how Tasofro went ahead and gave her stripes in the fighting games anyway because that's what it looks like in EoSD, and now absolutely everyone draws her with stripes.

Fanon Pros: For me good depictions of Patchouli are those that show her intelligence as well as her close friendship with Remilia. I'd also say she's a serious but kindly person, so I like depictions that presents her as such - unless you're a book thief, in which case you can drop the "kindly". The Marisa/Patchouli rivalry is something that I dig, although I prefer it isn't leaned into too hard.

Fanon Cons: Yes, Patchouli has asthma, but I really hate it when fanon depicts her as obese and unhealthy, or short-breathed to the point that any form of exertion just instantly wears her out.

Alice Margatroid

Alice is sits in a really strange spot because although she doesn't count as a main character and hasn't made a big canon appearance in forever, it sort of feels like she should be a semi-main character, and she's really prevalent in fan creations. I hope Alice can get an appearance in a mainline game again because I think she deserves it.

Fanon Pros: As I mentioned before, I do like Mari-Ali ship. More serious depictions of them together tend to work well because I think they're contrasting personalities bounce off each other quite well, like in Touhou 8's dialogue. I definitely like the kindly depictions of Alice, I really love the idea of her using her dolls for shows in the human village, and generally just being a chill person. I also like depictions of her becoming powerful when she opens her grimoire and uses its power, the grimoire's status in canon Touhou is not exactly clear due to the vague connection between PC-98 and Windows era, but that grimoire has a lock in it, was the source of her power as an EX boss in PC-98 ara, and she apparently refuses to use it now, so it must be powerful. I like to imagine there's some kind of forbidden power sealed away in there.

Fanon Cons: Tsundere Alice and obsessive Alice are both very annoying depictions that just flanderize a single character trait of her and practically makes her a non-character without the existence of Marisa.

 

[Drunken_Flower]

My My My My My
seems like we have some shared taste
although there some conflicts, I've learned how to appreciate someone else's choice.

but first the title of the topic
"How does Touhou fanon depict your favorite characters?"
do you mean "the differences between your headcanon, fanon and popular opinions".
yours does make sense, but took me a bit of brainwork to understand what you trying to convey, or just my brain rotted.
ive had a lot of dopamine lately i can't barely think, mostly because my own headcanon is too effective?

i could really talk for every character in the franchise but that's gonna be really looooooonnngggg.
so yeah my favs then.

ive been trying to separate the music with the character personality themself,
but it still kinda hard to do, some may be influenced by their themes.

Spoiler

1. you thought it was Suika, but it was Parsee!
this one gonna be a bit unreasonable
long story short i like her because my main fuel for living is being jealous.
"oh this guy so great i wanna overcome him" "oh i want the attention" etc etc
it's walking on thin ice above lava, i don't recommend. lose to it and you will fall into great depression or anger.

How I like to see her: tsun... tsudere... cmon she's a beauty
Don't like: if it's get too bloody, although this applies for all of my headcanon.
i can't really say "probably can be placed in the more forgotten/literally who" since i remember all of them. (some discrepancies may be found but i have a good grasp of who and what they are)
that knowledge really obscured my view of who's well known or not.
 

about her theme, this one is an example that the theme doesn't really affect my view of the character.
but to say, i actually prefer the stage theme 'The Bridge People No Longer Cross' over her boss theme 'Green Eyed Jealousy '.

View attachment 2318

whoops you can also see who else is my fav in that image ;D
 

2. Ibuki Suika
dont think there's a lot of bad interpretation of her, though there's few different views of her.
i prefer: to see her as an easygoing type of person, enjoying every occasion and looking forward to doing something fun (and kinda annoying hehe).
i think the official manga Suichouka ~ Lotus eaters actually depict her perfectly.
i don't really like: if you interpret her as 25/7 lost cause drunkard, yeah she drink a lot but she's still reasonable.
also if too much of a spoiled hopeless kid, that also a nono. yes that's kinda cute but if too much... eh...

music theme: YES! i even listened the whole game ost

3. Kazami Yuuka
quite a controversial choice, the moment you tell someone else you like Yuuka they gonna think that you're a sadomasochist edgy bastard or something. Will take a while to teach them about the beauty of a nurturing maternal figure.
fav headcanon: yes, i'd like to think she's a mature and kind person, but can be quite a nightmare if you wronged her, basically 'Eye for an eye' type of person. (also i think it said canonically the older the youkai is the calmer they are)
also Noukarin best Yuukarin.
Don't like: yeah as you say the, USC thing is such a bad interpretation.

musik? yeah just average

4. Kicchou Yachie
idk i just fell into her arms. it's her ability i tell you!
mature, reliable, pretty cool.
i do like to see some art where she hang out and mess around with other leaders, not quite fighting but just messing around.

Don't like: yeah you see the pattern now, Extreme view of the character is a nono
for example like in that Shinra-Bansho PV - Charisma Tengoku is a bit too much (also m'eyes!)
although this interpretation is closer to the canon. but still.. we talking about headcanon.

musik? i forgot

5. Junko
there's not much to talk to
wait actually it's coming back to me, i'd like to see her being kind to clownpiece and other kids,
really close to Heca, befrending eientei residents, and actually having a good time enjoying living on earth.

although i dont totally disagree with her being pure anger, that just doesnt stick with me.
also yeah the one obessed with reisen is kinda mild but still nono.

musik? decent

6. Horikawa Raiko
She's great, a competent person managing to overcome her own crisis when the magik mallet power start to decrease
and even after that she managed to save other tsukumogamis with her own power.
her fanon views not bad actually, they made her kind of cool badass which is understandable.

what i dont like? uhh.. i dont really think there's any bad interpretation of her
yeah sure there's some unpleasant things but it's mostly limited to an individual, you need to avoid those idividuals instead.

her music theme, Primordial Beat is definitely my favorite
Thunderclouds of Magical Power is also really good

7. Hieda no Akyuu
i swear im not copying you
i like to see her as a bit of refined lady, just a bit, she's tryin, maybe not.
y'know your usual rich daughter wanna escape and have some fun outside.
she still trying to finish her duty though, despite the record in Gensokyo Chronicle shas some (critical) errors.
she has flaws which is the charm, a powerful individual in Gensokyo yet so powerless.
talk about powerless yes i accept the canon fact of her tryng to defy her short lifespan.

what i dont like about her? hmm....
her skits as Agatha Chris Q and being too cool in Forbidden Scrollery doesnt really stick to me
 

Honorable mentions
Hinanawi Tenshi
this one gonna stray so far from the canon you better off think her as someone else
i'd like to see her as an adventurer (with Iku), exploring and admiring the beauty of the world beyond gensokyo
throw away all those selfish personality, throw away the spoiled celestial
put her in an amazing magical world, from a lush forest to a desert, from a village to capital city, get wasted on a bar, have fight with thugs, and continue the journey.

ooh look at this, an artist has the same favorites as mine?

How long does it even take to complete Touhou sorter now?

i don't approve the sorter if you spend less than a hour

that said i... dont really use the sorter no more
i prefer to use the tierlist maker since i can get an overview of everything

 

[CountVonNumenor]

A few points I should probably clarify:

1) First time I did the sorter, it took me almost 3 hours to complete it. That was back in July 2021. Now, it took me a little bit over an hour.

2) I think I should have added at the beginning of each character's section a little paragraph in regards to how I got to discover them, and in the end even like them.

3) I will admit, the thread structure is a little bit all over the place. This comes from the fact I originally converted a thread that started on r/touhou, but since there was not much talk, I decided to share it here as well. The idea was to show 2 things: first, what are some of the favorite characters for other Touhou fans, and second, learn more about their fanon portrayals. As a bonus, learning what people like or don't like about the fanon version of their favorite characters, be it the way these versions have been constructed or how much do they contrast with canon. 

4) I still like using the sorter. I feel it has some use, and really helped me put the characters in an order. I do have the feeling though some of the top 10 for example could be interchangeable, and that there was just one vote/point difference that decided the fate for some of them. I can also see the utility of the tier list, but I think I would use it together with the sorter especially if I want to later vote in the yearly popularity polls (usually, the #1 character on your list gets 2 points, while the rest from 2 to 7 - the number of 2hus you can vote for - get 1 vote each)

 

[CountVonNumenor]

i could really talk for every character in the franchise but that's gonna be really looooooonnngggg.
so yeah my favs then.

ive been trying to separate the music with the character personality themselves,
but it still kinda hard to do, some may be influenced by their themes.

Spoiler

1. you thought it was Suika, but it was Parsee!
this one gonna be a bit unreasonable
long story short i like her because my main fuel for living is being jealous.
"oh this guy so great i wanna overcome him" "oh i want the attention" etc etc
it's walking on thin ice above lava, i don't recommend. lose to it and you will fall into great depression or anger.

How I like to see her: tsun... tsudere... cmon she's a beauty
Don't like: if it's get too bloody, although this applies for all of my headcanon.
i can't really say "probably can be placed in the more forgotten/literally who" since i remember all of them. (some discrepancies may be found but i have a good grasp of who and what they are)
that knowledge really obscured my view of who's well known or not.
 

about her theme, this one is an example that the theme doesn't really affect my view of the character.
but to say, i actually prefer the stage theme 'The Bridge People No Longer Cross' over her boss theme 'Green Eyed Jealousy '.

View attachment 2318

whoops you can also see who else is my fav in that image ;D
 

2. Ibuki Suika
dont think there's a lot of bad interpretation of her, though there's few different views of her.
i prefer: to see her as an easygoing type of person, enjoying every occasion and looking forward to doing something fun (and kinda annoying hehe).
i think the official manga Suichouka ~ Lotus eaters actually depict her perfectly.
i don't really like: if you interpret her as 25/7 lost cause drunkard, yeah she drink a lot but she's still reasonable.
also if too much of a spoiled hopeless kid, that also a nono. yes that's kinda cute but if too much... eh...

music theme: YES! i even listened the whole game ost

3. Kazami Yuuka
quite a controversial choice, the moment you tell someone else you like Yuuka they gonna think that you're a sadomasochist edgy bastard or something. Will take a while to teach them about the beauty of a nurturing maternal figure.
fav headcanon: yes, i'd like to think she's a mature and kind person, but can be quite a nightmare if you wronged her, basically 'Eye for an eye' type of person. (also i think it said canonically the older the youkai is the calmer they are)
also Noukarin best Yuukarin.
Don't like: yeah as you say the, USC thing is such a bad interpretation.

musik? yeah just average

4. Kicchou Yachie
idk i just fell into her arms. it's her ability i tell you!
mature, reliable, pretty cool.
i do like to see some art where she hang out and mess around with other leaders, not quite fighting but just messing around.

Don't like: yeah you see the pattern now, Extreme view of the character is a nono
for example like in that Shinra-Bansho PV - Charisma Tengoku is a bit too much (also m'eyes!)
although this interpretation is closer to the canon. but still.. we talking about headcanon.

musik? i forgot

5. Junko
there's not much to talk to
wait actually it's coming back to me, i'd like to see her being kind to clownpiece and other kids,
really close to Heca, befrending eientei residents, and actually having a good time enjoying living on earth.

although i dont totally disagree with her being pure anger, that just doesnt stick with me.
also yeah the one obessed with reisen is kinda mild but still nono.

musik? decent

6. Horikawa Raiko
She's great, a competent person managing to overcome her own crisis when the magik mallet power start to decrease
and even after that she managed to save other tsukumogamis with her own power.
her fanon views not bad actually, they made her kind of cool badass which is understandable.

what i dont like? uhh.. i dont really think there's any bad interpretation of her
yeah sure there's some unpleasant things but it's mostly limited to an individual, you need to avoid those idividuals instead.

her music theme, Primordial Beat is definitely my favorite
Thunderclouds of Magical Power is also really good

7. Hieda no Akyuu
i swear im not copying you
i like to see her as a bit of refined lady, just a bit, she's tryin, maybe not.
y'know your usual rich daughter wanna escape and have some fun outside.
she still trying to finish her duty though, despite the record in Gensokyo Chronicle shas some (critical) errors.
she has flaws which is the charm, a powerful individual in Gensokyo yet so powerless.
talk about powerless yes i accept the canon fact of her tryng to defy her short lifespan.

what i dont like about her? hmm....
her skits as Agatha Chris Q and being too cool in Forbidden Scrollery doesnt really stick to me
 

Honorable mentions
Hinanawi Tenshi
this one gonna stray so far from the canon you better off think her as someone else
i'd like to see her as an adventurer (with Iku), exploring and admiring the beauty of the world beyond gensokyo
throw away all those selfish personality, throw away the spoiled celestial
put her in an amazing magical world, from a lush forest to a desert, from a village to capital city, get wasted on a bar, have fight with thugs, and continue the journey.

ooh look at this, an artist has the same favorites as mine?

i don't approve the sorter if you spend less than a hour

that said i... dont really use the sorter no more
i prefer to use the tierlist maker since i can get an overview of everything

After reading your points, I can agree with them, and some of them are some interesting picks. So, to take it like this:

1) Parsee in interesting, I just feel she does not get too much attention in fan-made content. I am more used to "Green-eyes jealousy", but the stage theme is just as good.

2) Suika - I can see why she can be a sympathetic, easy-going character, and you described her quite well

3) Yuuka - your version really fits with how I like imagining her too

4) Yachie - outside Mayumi and Keiki, I still need to get a bit more used to the rest of the cast from WBaWC. As for fandom part, I have never seen that Shinra-Bansho PV, but I know there is a screenshot from it that has become a bit of a running gag on the big Touhou community server on Discord 

5) Junko - again, I have a similar opinion as yours 

6) Akyuu - never knew the Agatha Chris. Q part might be annoying. I have read the fragment of her writing from Alternative Facts of Eastern Utopia, and seemed a bit on the nose with the names (Raymu and Melissa), but did not have a problem with it otherwise. Unfortunately, I still have to read Forbidden Scrollery, so that part is to be decided on my own. I appreciate though the fact she seems to actually be growing/aging from her first depiction up to FS.

As for music, I meant fan-made/doujin arrangements based on music themes associated with some of my favorite characters. That way, there we have:

1) Akyuu - sadly, I am not aware of any fan arrangements on her related music 

2) Eiki - quite a few: symphonic arrangements like that from Kokyo Active NEETs, Reload and Bhavacakra (from Akatsuki Records), Danzai Yamaxanadu (quite ironically, even if I don't like angry midget Eiki, I still like that IOSYS song)

3) Maribel and Renko - Suite Hifuu Club (Kokyo Active NEETs), Time, Stand Still! (Shinra-Bansho), any of the Akatsuki Records songs about them, any of the English covers made by Lyrica Live

4) Youmu - Junjo Arumeria (Shinra-Bansho; probably the moment I realized Youmu became my first favorite 2hu), Touhou Bakoun Jazz 5 (Tokyo Active NEETs), Till When?, Samurai Ghost Girl, KILL! KILL! and Stone Steps (Akatsuki Records), Myoisia and the rest of the "Myon saga" from Shibayan Records (not gonna give the name for all, since many are basially "Myon", but written 6, 7 or more times)

5) Yuuka - Eternal Summer (Akatsuki Records), Tiny Little Adiantum and  Ibara no Shiro (Shibayan Records)

6) Mayumi - HANIPAGANDA (Akatsuki Records)

7) Raiko - The Show (even if the song suffers from Engrish) and Emotional Rhythm (Akatsuki Records)

8) Tenkyuu - Mugen no Guradeishon / Infinite Gradation (Akatsuki Records)

9) Okuu - Driven Raven and Atomica Tokamak (Akatsuki Records), Faith of the Sun (IRON ATTACK), Okuu's Nuclear Fusion Dojo (IOSYS)

Bonus round:

10) Junko - Psycho Lily (Akatsuki Records), Love Me Do (Shibayan Records)

11) Hecatia - Sadomasochism, Hell Yeah! and HELLOHELL (Akatsuki Records), both for her and Junko there is also an entire suite from Kokyo Active NEETs covering every game in the series, including LoLK

12) Iku - Iku-san Should be Fever (O-LIFE.JP)



I know, this list features quite a lot of Akatsuki Records songs. I just cannot help it, since I like the band quite a lot. I might come back on that topic some time in the future

 

[Drunken_Flower]

How long does it even take to complete Touhou sorter now? Haha, I'm not someone who would redo it on a regular basis (and my results usually don't line up with who I actually consider my favourites anyway LOL). But fanon is fun to talk about and I'd definitely like to go into my views of some of my favourite characters.

DISCLAIMER: A lot of my favourite characters fall into the category of "main characters" or popular/regularly depicted characters and yes, I am aware of how basic this is.

Spoiler

Reimu Hakurei

Gotta start of with my favourite character of course, and yes it's none other than the main character herself. I think part of the reason she's my favourite is the fact that I'm so enamoured by the Touhou series as a whole that it just makes sense for me to like the main character who's nearly always there, and the fact that she's usually my preferred character for playing the Touhou games is also a contributor to how much of an impression she's left on me, but of course I don't like her as a character purely for those reasons. I find her role as a shrine maiden really interesting and also think it's very interesting how despite being the protagonist she's never been any good at her real job, seems to be actively annoyed at having to solve incidents constantly, understands very little about her own powers, and can get straight up aggressive due to impatience, pressure, or just being really annoyed by something. She's also not exactly the smartest. In other words she basically has all these things she struggles with, but she isn't on a journey to overcome these flaws, they're just part of her life, and she still dedicates everything to solving incidents despite being reluctant and even receiving very little recognition for it. But that's enough about why she originally became my favourite, after all this is a thread about fanon, not just canon - even if the above points are undoubtedly influenced somewhat by my own headcanon and interpretations, which is something I acknowledge.

Fanon pros: There are plenty of Reimu interpretations and I like most of them - badass Reimu, cute Reimu, kind Reimu, lonely/sad depictions of Reimu, I think these are all entertaining depictions that explore different aspects of her character. And then there's I'm-totally-done-I-don't-care-please-leave-me-alone Reimu, who is hilarious and very relatable.

Fanon cons: I've never been of crimson slasher, exterminate-all-youkai Reimu. While she is easily angered and undeniably skilled in battle, I don't like the concept of her being murderous or violent just for the sake being violent.

Marisa Kirisame

Marisa originally wasn't a character I was that fond of, especially when put next to Reimu, but over time she's really grown on me. Fanon probably has something to do with that. Although depictions can vary, the overall picture I have of her in my head is someone who's cheeky, reckless, and is a show-off. She has a habit of taking what she wants, and severely lacks subtlety, not caring about what other people think of her. She's also really funny - pretty much all Touhou dialogue is, but Marisa's especially so. But respect also has to be given to how hard she actually works to be as powerful as she is.

Fanon Pros: Cooler automatically means better - if she's flying around stylishly on her broom, at highspeed, doing tricks and showing off even if the middle of a fight, then I'm a fan. I also find her whole mushroom-collecting thing, so anything involving her collecting or using her mushrooms I like. Any depiction of her being funny or a bit of a troll to her friends is also great. She's also sometimes depicted as hard-working, intelligent, and studious in order to actually develop her magic, and this is good too. One of my favourite things about Marisa in fanon is actually her voice - I have no idea when or why this was decided, but there seems to be this collective agreement in at least part of the fanbase that Marisa's voice is somewhat deep compared to her peers, and I think it fits her perfectly. Also, Marisa-Alice best ship.

Fanon Cons: The only thing I could really see being overdone is her whole "borrowing" thing, but usually it doesn't annoy me - after all, she absolutely is a kleptomaniac.

Sakuya Izayoi

My favourite things about Sakuya are more to do with her theme and her boss fight than her character (Lunar Clock ~ Luna Dial is my favourite theme), but she also has a great character - that gets taken in so many different directions by fans.

Fanon Pros: Even though it's actually pretty far from canon, I like extremely badass and battle-ready versions of Sakuya. I actually imagine her to have a sort of split personality - a calm and reserved one for normal situations that's close to what she's like canonically, and then a powerful and ruthlessly efficient personality that comes out at the first sign of danger to her mistress - not that you'd have much of a chance to see it when time is stopped.

Fanon Cons: I feel like this doesn't need to be said since you've no doubt seen it said a hundred times in Youtube comments, but pad jokes aren't funny.

Patchouli Knowledge

My fondness for Patchouli is actually something that's become a bit of a meme among other people I know on this site... why do I like Patchouli? I'm not even so sure. I do like her character design and theme though, and her extensive knowledge of all kinds of things in Gensokyo make her storylines in the fighting games very interesting. Did you know that according to ZUN, Patchy's dress isn't meant to have stripes? I find it funny how Tasofro went ahead and gave her stripes in the fighting games anyway because that's what it looks like in EoSD, and now absolutely everyone draws her with stripes.

Fanon Pros: For me good depictions of Patchouli are those that show her intelligence as well as her close friendship with Remilia. I'd also say she's a serious but kindly person, so I like depictions that presents her as such - unless you're a book thief, in which case you can drop the "kindly". The Marisa/Patchouli rivalry is something that I dig, although I prefer it isn't leaned into too hard.

Fanon Cons: Yes, Patchouli has asthma, but I really hate it when fanon depicts her as obese and unhealthy, or short-breathed to the point that any form of exertion just instantly wears her out.

Alice Margatroid

Alice is sits in a really strange spot because although she doesn't count as a main character and hasn't made a big canon appearance in forever, it sort of feels like she should be a semi-main character, and she's really prevalent in fan creations. I hope Alice can get an appearance in a mainline game again because I think she deserves it.

Fanon Pros: As I mentioned before, I do like Mari-Ali ship. More serious depictions of them together tend to work well because I think they're contrasting personalities bounce off each other quite well, like in Touhou 8's dialogue. I definitely like the kindly depictions of Alice, I really love the idea of her using her dolls for shows in the human village, and generally just being a chill person. I also like depictions of her becoming powerful when she opens her grimoire and uses its power, the grimoire's status in canon Touhou is not exactly clear due to the vague connection between PC-98 and Windows era, but that grimoire has a lock in it, was the source of her power as an EX boss in PC-98 ara, and she apparently refuses to use it now, so it must be powerful. I like to imagine there's some kind of forbidden power sealed away in there.

Fanon Cons: Tsundere Alice and obsessive Alice are both very annoying depictions that just flanderize a single character trait of her and practically makes her a non-character without the existence of Marisa.

patchouli nice i approve. for everyone else hmm.. I just dont feel any attachment to them i guess.
unrelated but about stripes, vertical stripes on clothes supposed to give you illusion that makes you look slimmer than you actually are. if you know what i mean ;D
 

 

[Ken Hisuag]

This concept is intriguing to me, as most of my perception of the franchise as a whole is based upon fandom depiction. My introduction to any given character is always "___'s theme" in ZUN's music comments, later to be contextualized by a brief summary of the source game's story, and going forward adjusted by the fandom's application thereof. I came to admire ZUN's ability to design and depict characters in such a way as to establish them without much time or detail, making them compelling enough to be memorable yet vague enough to inspire fan elaboration.

Von Numenor's explanation of Eiki's fandom depiction had me reflecting on how much my perception of my favorite characters was consistent with their origins, as opposed to the artistic interpretations I had engaged with. I have since determined that I care more about the potential in a character's design then the character's depiction. This should be evident in my selection.

8: Kyouko Kasodani
A youkai who is endangered even in Gensokyo. Given the understanding that youkai live here to survive in an age where lack of belief threatens their existence, Kyouko's backstory illustrates the delicate balance that Yukari seeks to preserve, and the process by which others assist in maintaining it. Simultaneously, Kyouko is an inside joke on ZUN's part, a reference to an old idiom that has become her defining characteristic within the community. It's not surprising that the significance of her existence is overlooked in favor of the many and more developed characters surrounding her, but at least she gets a slight bit more development within her friendship with Mystia.

7: Sekibanki
While technically applicable to any member of the Grassroots, for me Sekibanki stands out as the youkai incognito, trying to survive comfortably without drawing too much attention. Since characters are only designed and introduced as needed for relevance to an "incident," presumably the world of Gensokyo is full of these sort of youkai, all living their own lives outside of the major events and trying not to get pulled into them. I'd love to have a story about some youkai having their own private adventure coinciding with an incident, with its participants actively avoiding the major characters getting involved or even being aware of it. The concept would bring more flavor and depth to the world of Touhou.

6: Renko Usami
Contrary to the popular view, I heavily dislike the fandom's emphasis on "shipping" the Renko/Merry duo. In my mind, Merry's purpose as a character is to enable the phenomena that they encounter, while Renko exists to spur them into deeper consideration. Without Merry, Renko would likely still be seeking out the paranormal for purposes of investigation; without Renko, I think it equally likely for Merry to either contentedly live with or attempt to suppress her abilities rather than try to further understand them. The finer depth of these two characters is never explored within the fandom because they are considered interdependent.

Actually, the problem of over-shipping is one of constant annoyance to me, but this has less to do with the Touhou fandom and more to do with fandoms in general.

5: Nitori Kawashiro
As Gensokyo's resident entrepreneur, Nitori's perspective on any given incident is notably different than most other characters. 13.5 made some use of this, but presumably her business interests would be consistent in any incident she was close enough to be aware of. That about sums it up.

4: Marisa Kirisame
Marisa is Renko done right: a character whose purpose is to provide better perspective, but who exists as a fully developed entity in her own right. Actually, Imma quote ZUN from the Who's Who of Humans & Youkai in Gensokyo:

As Reimu is quite mysterious, there are all sorts of things I wouldn't be able to explain if she were the only one around. That's why I have Marisa filling the support role by being the player/reader stand-in character, who gives the impression of being easy-to-understand and straightforward. That can make her a pretty un-Touhou-like character depending on the circumstances, but I believe that she used to be the easiest character to understand. Personally, it's much easier for me to write whenever Marisa's around. I can write any kind of story with her. Her thoughts are easy to understand, while you can never tell what the others are thinking.

3: Cirno
The fairies embody the fun and carefree side of Touhou, adding a levity that even Reimu's occasional "I don't want to be here" moods don't quite accomplish. Cirno's tendency to react hastily without thought gets her into the middle of situation that otherwise have nothing to do with her, the effect of which is fully appreciated and utilized by the fandom at large. It may be hypocritical of me, but my main concern for this character is too much attention to depth; there is strength in the simple, surface-level nature of a foil, provided they have something to play off of. This has yet to be problem in the fandom, as far as I've seen.

2: Byakuren Hijiri
Technically my favorite character from a depiction perspective, Hijiri is a perfect example of a well-designed character arc (for all that it's off-screen in Touhou), and she even comes with her own foil. Unfortunately, I get the impression that the fandom doesn't consider her relatable enough, as more attention seems focused on Toyosatomimi (also a well designed character, but with more of a flat-arc as opposed to a positive-arc). There's a lot of potential in this character, especially in her relationship to the hierarchy of Gensokyo, but thus far I haven't seen anyone take advantage of it.

1: Yumemi Okazaki
Yumemi has been my favorite concept character since I got into Touhou. I suspect the Usami family members were designed with Yumemi in mind, with Sumireko being the ouside-world intruder and Renko the analytical scientist. The idea of someone completely devoid of true magical ability existing as an outsider to both the various youkai communities and the human society has amazing potential for interesting character dynamics. While I'd be as enthusiastic for Mima's return to the main canon as anyone, I'd be far more excited for this character's placement in Gensokyo's landscape.

There's my ranking. It took just as long as I was afraid it would. But I got it done, and I will take satisfaction in that.

 

[jssf1992]

My favorite character is Alice, and I'll just repost my old post about why again:
Initially catching my attention because of her bizarre, but dangerous, playstyle in SWR, I really grew to love this character the more I saw of her.  One of the more cool-headed of the cast, her finesse over force aproach to combat, her weird form of combat, the somewhat mysterious past, all of her great themes, but most of all is that there's actually some semblance of character growth during her time in the series.  From aloof and vengeful in PCB to a friendly rival by the time of SA, there's a lot potential in her that sadly, we're not likely to see in the official series (especially since she doesn't appear any more).  I admit it the fangames that have given me most of my love for the character, particularly her portrayal in Sengoku Gensokyo and Fantasy Maiden Wars Scarlet.  I really like the friendly rivalry dynamic that she and Marisa had in IN and SA, they easily have many of my favorite lines from the series, and I always enjoy seeing a fangame that goes a similar path with them.

But, to my long frustration, I have a great deal of venom for the Marisa/Alice ship.  I dislike shipping in general, dislike it even more when it's applied to a story/series without romance, and what I've seen of the Marisa/Alice ship makes it a perfect example of why.  If a fanartist/writer wants them together, the 'edge' and negative parts of the Alice are sanded away, leaving a less interesting character, or if they want Alice to be in love and that be a bad thing, they tear out the positive things, also leaving a less interesting character.  I could write a fair bit on what think of Alice and Marisas' relationship (which is definitely part headcanon, no way around that), but that would take a while.

I'll probably come back after I look at some more . . .

 

[SoundOfRayne]

I really wanted to make an account and jump in on this conversation because, as Numenor and Ken alluded to, fanon is HUGE in shaping how people see Touhou. In fact, I'd be so bold as to say fan culture is more prevalent to Touhou than any other franchise out there. Of the ones I've been exposed to, at the very least.

I'm a relative newcomer to Touhou; I've known about it for well over a decade, but only started actually taking interest in it for the last 6 months or so. I don't have the time, patience, money, or skill level to buy and play every single game, so I've relied a lot on fan works to get to know this enormous cast of characters. Fanon has made me love some characters, made me hate some, introduced me, drew me away... It was interesting reading everyone's take on how fanon made certain characters stand out to them and I wanted to toss my own perspective in.

~Sakuya Izayoi~

Things I like: Luna Nights was my first exposure to Touhou, and what an introduction it was. Mechanically, I loved everything Sakuya had going for her, and the dichotomy between being the cool, level-headed head maid of the SDM and being an absolute savage who will cut down anything that threatens the peace was... well, it was fun enough at the time. I find her a lot less interesting compared to other characters I'd much rather see, but I do get a kick out of seeing her interact with others who are clearly testing her patience. Also, Night of Nights is just plain awesome; maybe not as representative of Sakuya as Flowering Night or Luna Dial, but a really cool, fun, energetic song that I was a fan of even before I knew where it actually came from.

Things I don't like: I'm sure there was a time when I would've found pad jokes to be premier comedy, but it's 2022, and that time has long since passed. I also feel a little icky towards ships between a character and another character who can fire them, so fanon warping her fealty to Remilia into an insatiable lust doesn't sit well with me.

~Reimu Hakurei~

Things I like: Unlike a lot of other characters higher on the list, I didn't really like Reimu as a protagonist starting off. At the time, I didn't think she had anything going for her. She didn't have her own goals or ambitions; she just reacted to whatever incident was going on. Since she was so powerful in-universe, most conflicts didn't carry much weight to them. Despite facing off against antagonists that'd threaten to destroy everything and everyone around them without a shred of remorse, she'd let them off with a veritable slap on the wrist. It was the same kind of criticism I'd give to a generic overpowered isekai protagonist. But eventually, those characteristics just kinda "clicked" in a way I can't entirely make sense of. Now, Reimu's an incredibly versatile character that fan works can mold into anything, and yet it all fits within the same character. She can be reluctantly kind, a complete badass, an overworked drunk, or just a cute shrine maiden hanging out with her "friends" and it all feels like Reimu. That kind of flexibility isn't something a lot of other characters can have.

Things I don't like: Not every fan interpretation of Reimu is a good one, and leaning hard into everyone's favorite line: "I don't particularly mind needless killing" tells me I'm in for a bad time.

~Cirno~

Things I like: Cirno is to Touhou what the the Heavy is to Team Fortress 2. For a lot of people, she's the first thing Touhou they recognize, and she may as well be the face of the series. Even non-fans know about "the baka ice fairy." That kind of marketability is otherworldly, and I think it's entirely deserved. Cirno has the perfect mold for a foil character. She's the strongest among her peers, so she's got a big head. But she's the strongest among the canonically weakest race in the franchise, so everyone else gets to knock her back down a few pegs. Cirno's too ignorant to acknowledge her own limits, so she keeps getting back up and trying again. It's a really positive, uplifting character cycle, and I think that's why people like her so much. Everyone loves an underdog story. She might be stupid, but she's earnestly trying her best. Fanon leans into this hard and I'm all about it. Also in Azure Reflections, Cirno is voiced by Yuka Iguchi, and it is literally the most perfect thing to ever exist, just saying.

Things I don't like: I am willing to begrudgingly respect IOSYS for bringing Touhou into the mainstream with Cirno's Perfect Math Class. I know it was one of the first, if not the first, things I had seen that exposed me to Touhou. But goddamn it, if I have to hear another ⑨ joke, I'm going to lose it. Cirno has more going on with her than just being dumb- not much, but more- so seeing fanon hyperfixate on this one personality trait sells her so short. Don't worry though, I'm confident that won't be a running issue with the fandom.

~Ran Yakumo~

Things I like: My first Touhou shmups were the Fantastic Danmaku Festival duology. I liked the first game well enough for giving a nice semi-reboot of EoSD to introduce me to its cast, but FDF part 2 was the game responsible for making me a Touhou fan. I LOVE this game to bits and pieces, and out of all the fun boss encounters I had, stage 5's Ran Yakumo stood out like nothing else, even above Yuyuko. It seems weird to like a character this much off of essentially one iteration, but it may as well have love at first sight. I adorned her design and all its Buddhist imagery, the FDFII remake of Charming Domination was captivating, the fight was tough as nails, but that only got me more hyped up to overcome it. Personality-wise, I see her as a better rounded version of Sakuya: she has her fierce loyalty to Yukari, and always approaches everything in an eerily calm demeanor, but once she finds out you hurt her little furbaby, you're a dead maiden standing. As for other fanons, I like seeing the Yakumo family as this wholesome unit, with Ran looking after Chen like a mother. It doesn't add a whole lot to the character, but I'll happily take a cute family moment over.....

Things I don't like: GODDAMN IT IOSYS, can't we have nice things?! Ribbon and Catnip and Me might just be the single worst thing I've seen come from this fandom. I loathe it with every fiber of my being, and any time I see Ran described as a streaker and lusting over Chen, I die a little inside. I'm so glad this wasn't the first exposure I had to this character, because this interpretation alone could have killed any interest I would've had. It's absolutely appalling.

~Marisa Kirisame~

Things I like: So I said I didn't click much with Reimu at first when I got into Touhou, and here's why. Don't you know, "Danmaku is all about power" after all. I adore Marisa and her straightforward, tactless, brute-forcing personality. She's competitive and scrappy, but not really an aggressor. I love that while other characters are busying playing 4D chess, Marisa's just stocking up on explosives and displaying some big "I have yet to meet one who can outsmart bullet" energy. Seeing other facets of her personality, like her feeling sidelined next to Reimu, and having this reluctant comradery with her fellow magicians Alice and Patchouli, gives her some nice depth that sometimes gets explored. Compared to Reimu, I just thought that Marisa had a lot more personality to her, and that just about anything she was in was going to be more fun for it.

Things I don't like: I'm not exactly against shipping, but I'm not all in on it either, and Marisa is probably the most shipped character in the series. I'm not against MarisaxAlice or MarisaxPatchy, but I'm definitely a bigger fan of when these characters are antagonistic towards each other. I don't find the ships all that cute, and they take away from the traits I like about these girls. ...On the other hand, I'm a fan of Yohane and his cursed MarisaxShanghai Doll ship, so I'm probably the real problem here.

~Kasen Ibaraki~

Things I like: Wild and Horned Hermit is peak Touhou canon, and Suikakasen is peak Touhou fanon. End of story. Go home now. If Osana Reimu broke my heart, Suikakasen came back to step on the pieces and grind them to dust. I adored this little fan story, Joyful's art is an absolute treat, it introduced me to Liz Triangle. And I haven't even played the fighting games. My perception of Kasen is almost completely fanon, being this tragic hero trying to do right by her past and her suppressed oni nature out of respect for a lost loved one. And then I read the official manga, and the two stories fit in together really well, so yeah; Suikakasen is my headcanon prequel to WaHH. What else can I say? I think Kasen has been treated very well.

Things I don't like: I really have no problems with this, outside of not being a big fan of oversexualization, but that's not anything exclusive to Kasen. My exposure to her in fanon has been almost completely positive. These is this one thing where Kasen is described as being a bit of foodie, despite being a hermit. I take it with a grain of salt, but sometimes it reminds me to Yuyuko's fanon, and I would just... rather not, please.

~Suika Ibuki~

Things I like: Suika was my OG favorite character long before I got into the series for two reasons: her design, and her theme. Broken Moon, while not my favorite anymore, is still a song I hold near and dear to my heart. Suika's design has that good flexibility between cute and badass, and I like both sides equally. Her signature icons; the long twin horns, her purple gourd, and the weighted chains on her wrists and ankles, were striking and made her stand out from other Touhou characters I saw at the time. I also really like her personality. She's confident in her raw strength, so she spends most of her time in a playful stupor. It's just fun. Anytime she's in any fanwork, there's gonna be a good time. Suikakasen gave her some good treatment as well, though I wish ZUN gave an official answer on Suika's and Kasen's past. For now, my headcanon will suffice, and will continue reading Suichoka ~ Lotus Eater.

Things I don't like: I don't mind Suika being inebriated, playful, or even a bit childish. But fanon tends to forget that she's always on top of things. With her raw strength and her mist-form letting her spy on everything, there would theoretically never be a situation in which Suika doesn't know the score. It's what makes her such a fun trickster. Instead, it gets sidelined for "funny drunk girl go brrrrrr" and that take gets old when it's used too much.

~Shinmyoumaru Sukuna~

Things I like: Shimmy's small and that is all! Double Dealing Character was the first official Touhou game I ever played, and Shinmyoumaru stole my heart almost immediately. When it comes to favorite characters, I prefer cute over cool. One look at her, hiding out in a porcelain bowl with the lid on her head, wielding a needle as a sword, and I was sold. Also helping is Inchling of the Shining Needle ~ Little Princess being my current favorite Touhou theme. The juxtaposition of seeing a cute-looking final boss get this rock theme was something else. I knew what I wanted from the fandom, and it delivered in spades. Just about any piece of fanart or fancomic about Shimmy is overflowing in adorable charm. She's a little princess on a big adventure, and I'm just happy to be there for the ride. There was also that one bonus comic in Forbidden Scrollery, where Shinmyoumaru knits a tiny kimono for Reimu so they can wear matching clothes, so Reimu wears it over her ribbon because "The back of my head was getting cold." I don't even care if I'm part of the problem, that is precious and wholesome and I'm here for it.

Things I don't like: While I'm okay with tolerating ships between characters I like or am neutral towards, I can't say the same when it involves characters I don't like, and I certainly do not like Seija. I've tried; I really have, but Seija's shtick does not click with me, and Shinmyoumaru's ships are almost entirely with her. Shimmy also tops my list of "You know, I really didn't want to see you naked" characters. I knew what this fandom was capable of, but... doesn't mean I wanted it.

I'm pretty curious going forward how my thoughts on each of these characters is going to change with time. Just these last 6 months have been turbulent, going from game to game, doujin to doujin, MV to MV, learning more about this franchise than I ever thought would be possible, and I've loved the journey.

Touhou might just be the worst fandom I've ever been a part of, but it's also definitely the best.

 

[AMT]

[SIZE=12pt]1) Yuyuko Saigyouji:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] I really like the remixes of Border of Life/Bloom Nobly.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] Holy shit, I absolutely despise fanon Yuyuko. A great and interesting character turned into a joke.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]2) Okina Matara[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] Uhhh, I don't know? I really like the Concealed Four Seasons arrangements.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I don't like:[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] Does she even have any fanon representation? It's like nobody actually seems to know that she exists, rather fitting, I suppose.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt] [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt] [/SIZE]

 

[CountVonNumenor]

I really wanted to make an account and jump in on this conversation because, as Numenor and Ken alluded to, fanon is HUGE in shaping how people see Touhou. In fact, I'd be so bold as to say fan culture is more prevalent to Touhou than any other franchise out there. Of the ones I've been exposed to, at the very least.

I'm a relative newcomer to Touhou; I've known about it for well over a decade, but only started actually taking interest in it for the last 6 months or so. I don't have the time, patience, money, or skill level to buy and play every single game, so I've relied a lot on fan works to get to know this enormous cast of characters. Fanon has made me love some characters, made me hate some, introduced me, drew me away... It was interesting reading everyone's take on how fanon made certain characters stand out to them and I wanted to toss my own perspective in.

~Sakuya Izayoi~

Things I like: Luna Nights was my first exposure to Touhou, and what an introduction it was. Mechanically, I loved everything Sakuya had going for her, and the dichotomy between being the cool, level-headed head maid of the SDM and being an absolute savage who will cut down anything that threatens the peace was... well, it was fun enough at the time. I find her a lot less interesting compared to other characters I'd much rather see, but I do get a kick out of seeing her interact with others who are clearly testing her patience. Also, Night of Nights is just plain awesome; maybe not as representative of Sakuya as Flowering Night or Luna Dial, but a really cool, fun, energetic song that I was a fan of even before I knew where it actually came from.

Things I don't like: I'm sure there was a time when I would've found pad jokes to be premier comedy, but it's 2022, and that time has long since passed. I also feel a little icky towards ships between a character and another character who can fire them, so fanon warping her fealty to Remilia into an insatiable lust doesn't sit well with me.

~Reimu Hakurei~

Things I like: Unlike a lot of other characters higher on the list, I didn't really like Reimu as a protagonist starting off. At the time, I didn't think she had anything going for her. She didn't have her own goals or ambitions; she just reacted to whatever incident was going on. Since she was so powerful in-universe, most conflicts didn't carry much weight to them. Despite facing off against antagonists that'd threaten to destroy everything and everyone around them without a shred of remorse, she'd let them off with a veritable slap on the wrist. It was the same kind of criticism I'd give to a generic overpowered isekai protagonist. But eventually, those characteristics just kinda "clicked" in a way I can't entirely make sense of. Now, Reimu's an incredibly versatile character that fan works can mold into anything, and yet it all fits within the same character. She can be reluctantly kind, a complete badass, an overworked drunk, or just a cute shrine maiden hanging out with her "friends" and it all feels like Reimu. That kind of flexibility isn't something a lot of other characters can have.

Things I don't like: Not every fan interpretation of Reimu is a good one, and leaning hard into everyone's favorite line: "I don't particularly mind needless killing" tells me I'm in for a bad time.

~Cirno~

Things I like: Cirno is to Touhou what the the Heavy is to Team Fortress 2. For a lot of people, she's the first thing Touhou they recognize, and she may as well be the face of the series. Even non-fans know about "the baka ice fairy." That kind of marketability is otherworldly, and I think it's entirely deserved. Cirno has the perfect mold for a foil character. She's the strongest among her peers, so she's got a big head. But she's the strongest among the canonically weakest race in the franchise, so everyone else gets to knock her back down a few pegs. Cirno's too ignorant to acknowledge her own limits, so she keeps getting back up and trying again. It's a really positive, uplifting character cycle, and I think that's why people like her so much. Everyone loves an underdog story. She might be stupid, but she's earnestly trying her best. Fanon leans into this hard and I'm all about it. Also in Azure Reflections, Cirno is voiced by Yuka Iguchi, and it is literally the most perfect thing to ever exist, just saying.

Things I don't like: I am willing to begrudgingly respect IOSYS for bringing Touhou into the mainstream with Cirno's Perfect Math Class. I know it was one of the first, if not the first, things I had seen that exposed me to Touhou. But goddamn it, if I have to hear another ⑨ joke, I'm going to lose it. Cirno has more going on with her than just being dumb- not much, but more- so seeing fanon hyperfixate on this one personality trait sells her so short. Don't worry though, I'm confident that won't be a running issue with the fandom.

~Ran Yakumo~

Things I like: My first Touhou shmups were the Fantastic Danmaku Festival duology. I liked the first game well enough for giving a nice semi-reboot of EoSD to introduce me to its cast, but FDF part 2 was the game responsible for making me a Touhou fan. I LOVE this game to bits and pieces, and out of all the fun boss encounters I had, stage 5's Ran Yakumo stood out like nothing else, even above Yuyuko. It seems weird to like a character this much off of essentially one iteration, but it may as well have love at first sight. I adorned her design and all its Buddhist imagery, the FDFII remake of Charming Domination was captivating, the fight was tough as nails, but that only got me more hyped up to overcome it. Personality-wise, I see her as a better rounded version of Sakuya: she has her fierce loyalty to Yukari, and always approaches everything in an eerily calm demeanor, but once she finds out you hurt her little furbaby, you're a dead maiden standing. As for other fanons, I like seeing the Yakumo family as this wholesome unit, with Ran looking after Chen like a mother. It doesn't add a whole lot to the character, but I'll happily take a cute family moment over.....

Things I don't like: GODDAMN IT IOSYS, can't we have nice things?! Ribbon and Catnip and Me might just be the single worst thing I've seen come from this fandom. I loathe it with every fiber of my being, and any time I see Ran described as a streaker and lusting over Chen, I die a little inside. I'm so glad this wasn't the first exposure I had to this character, because this interpretation alone could have killed any interest I would've had. It's absolutely appalling.

~Marisa Kirisame~

Things I like: So I said I didn't click much with Reimu at first when I got into Touhou, and here's why. Don't you know, "Danmaku is all about power" after all. I adore Marisa and her straightforward, tactless, brute-forcing personality. She's competitive and scrappy, but not really an aggressor. I love that while other characters are busying playing 4D chess, Marisa's just stocking up on explosives and displaying some big "I have yet to meet one who can outsmart bullet" energy. Seeing other facets of her personality, like her feeling sidelined next to Reimu, and having this reluctant comradery with her fellow magicians Alice and Patchouli, gives her some nice depth that sometimes gets explored. Compared to Reimu, I just thought that Marisa had a lot more personality to her, and that just about anything she was in was going to be more fun for it.

Things I don't like: I'm not exactly against shipping, but I'm not all in on it either, and Marisa is probably the most shipped character in the series. I'm not against MarisaxAlice or MarisaxPatchy, but I'm definitely a bigger fan of when these characters are antagonistic towards each other. I don't find the ships all that cute, and they take away from the traits I like about these girls. ...On the other hand, I'm a fan of Yohane and his cursed MarisaxShanghai Doll ship, so I'm probably the real problem here.

~Kasen Ibaraki~

Things I like: Wild and Horned Hermit is peak Touhou canon, and Suikakasen is peak Touhou fanon. End of story. Go home now. If Osana Reimu broke my heart, Suikakasen came back to step on the pieces and grind them to dust. I adored this little fan story, Joyful's art is an absolute treat, it introduced me to Liz Triangle. And I haven't even played the fighting games. My perception of Kasen is almost completely fanon, being this tragic hero trying to do right by her past and her suppressed oni nature out of respect for a lost loved one. And then I read the official manga, and the two stories fit in together really well, so yeah; Suikakasen is my headcanon prequel to WaHH. What else can I say? I think Kasen has been treated very well.

Things I don't like: I really have no problems with this, outside of not being a big fan of oversexualization, but that's not anything exclusive to Kasen. My exposure to her in fanon has been almost completely positive. These is this one thing where Kasen is described as being a bit of foodie, despite being a hermit. I take it with a grain of salt, but sometimes it reminds me to Yuyuko's fanon, and I would just... rather not, please.

~Suika Ibuki~

Things I like: Suika was my OG favorite character long before I got into the series for two reasons: her design, and her theme. Broken Moon, while not my favorite anymore, is still a song I hold near and dear to my heart. Suika's design has that good flexibility between cute and badass, and I like both sides equally. Her signature icons; the long twin horns, her purple gourd, and the weighted chains on her wrists and ankles, were striking and made her stand out from other Touhou characters I saw at the time. I also really like her personality. She's confident in her raw strength, so she spends most of her time in a playful stupor. It's just fun. Anytime she's in any fanwork, there's gonna be a good time. Suikakasen gave her some good treatment as well, though I wish ZUN gave an official answer on Suika's and Kasen's past. For now, my headcanon will suffice, and will continue reading Suichoka ~ Lotus Eater.

Things I don't like: I don't mind Suika being inebriated, playful, or even a bit childish. But fanon tends to forget that she's always on top of things. With her raw strength and her mist-form letting her spy on everything, there would theoretically never be a situation in which Suika doesn't know the score. It's what makes her such a fun trickster. Instead, it gets sidelined for "funny drunk girl go brrrrrr" and that take gets old when it's used too much.

~Shinmyoumaru Sukuna~

Things I like: Shimmy's small and that is all! Double Dealing Character was the first official Touhou game I ever played, and Shinmyoumaru stole my heart almost immediately. When it comes to favorite characters, I prefer cute over cool. One look at her, hiding out in a porcelain bowl with the lid on her head, wielding a needle as a sword, and I was sold. Also helping is Inchling of the Shining Needle ~ Little Princess being my current favorite Touhou theme. The juxtaposition of seeing a cute-looking final boss get this rock theme was something else. I knew what I wanted from the fandom, and it delivered in spades. Just about any piece of fanart or fancomic about Shimmy is overflowing in adorable charm. She's a little princess on a big adventure, and I'm just happy to be there for the ride. There was also that one bonus comic in Forbidden Scrollery, where Shinmyoumaru knits a tiny kimono for Reimu so they can wear matching clothes, so Reimu wears it over her ribbon because "The back of my head was getting cold." I don't even care if I'm part of the problem, that is precious and wholesome and I'm here for it.

Things I don't like: While I'm okay with tolerating ships between characters I like or am neutral towards, I can't say the same when it involves characters I don't like, and I certainly do not like Seija. I've tried; I really have, but Seija's shtick does not click with me, and Shinmyoumaru's ships are almost entirely with her. Shimmy also tops my list of "You know, I really didn't want to see you naked" characters. I knew what this fandom was capable of, but... doesn't mean I wanted it.

I'm pretty curious going forward how my thoughts on each of these characters is going to change with time. Just these last 6 months have been turbulent, going from game to game, doujin to doujin, MV to MV, learning more about this franchise than I ever thought would be possible, and I've loved the journey.

Touhou might just be the worst fandom I've ever been a part of, but it's also definitely the best.

I really like that in this thread, more and more characters are being described. It helps in creating a better image on what makes people like these characters, and how they are usually treated in the fandom. Here's my two cents about the characters you have presented:

1) Sakuya Izayoi

Night of Nights is probably one of the first pieces of Touhou media I found in my early days. It is an entertaining song, and was made even better by its use in the "Rampaging Sakuya" animation. True, pad jokes are a thing of the past, a meme that I never found funny but which somehow survived up to this day. That, and fans making her lust for Remilia (ewww? Especially given that Rémi looks like a child, so yeah). At least she still has some cool music arrangements, one coming to my mind right now being Bloody Devotion. 

2) Reimu Hakurei 

If I am to be honest, I had a period in which I absolutely hated Reimu. It came when I was still a relatively new fan, without too much knowledge of the lore. With an explanation missing half the context, when I first learnt about the whole Fortune Teller part and "I don't mind needless killing", I was basically raging about how could someone who's the protagonist, a cute girl supposed to be likeable, do such a horrying act. I was like "our protagonist, everybody...", but after I got to learn a little bit about what actually happened, things changed. I still find that episode a bit strange due to my lack of proper understanding of Eastern tradition (cultural shock you might call it), but at least it is much better nowadays. 

3) Cirno 

Ah, my best friend's favorite character. He likes her for the very same reasons you have put forwards. As for her being a (9) and idiot, guess we could also blame ZUN as he is the one who associated these two things with Cirno in the PoFV guide? 

4) Ran Yakumo

Even if not quite canon (I still laugh at the image from Bohemian Archive about Yukari smacking Ran with an umbrella in her interview), I still like the idea of the Yakumos as a wholesome family. One idea I've seen a lot mentioned about the Yukari-Ran relation is that the former uses her shikigami basically like a computer/automaton. Also, I never knew about that IOSYS music video. 

5) Marisa Kirisame

In my early days, she really used to be one of my favorite characters. I liked her attitude, the design was interesting, and for a long time she scored above Reimu in my top. However, this seems to have changed recently, with Reimu getting on top despite all I said about her. For me, the whole "Marisa gets shipped with everybody" thing has not been a problem, as I mostly did not care. I find it funny though (not in a bad way though) how some of the fans usually turn Marisa into the tomboy of the group she is usually part of. 

6) Kasen Ibaraki

This is one of those characters the only relatively later did get under my radar. I have never read Suikakasen, and the only Joyful bit of art/animation I'm used to is the Three Fairies of Light PV made for Shinra-Bansho (never read Osana Reimu). However, she seems to be a cool character, about which I'd like to learn more. 

7) Suika Ibuki

Another one of those characters I am not very sure what else to tell about them, since you very well pointed out why you like her + some bits of fandom. However, the one other thing I've seen among fans is that Suika in usually put in the same tier with Tenshi - flat like a wooden plank, and so referred to "drunk oni loli". But to be fair, in ZUN's Art, all his characters (with some recent exceptions, are basically flat, more "gifted" busts being later made by the other artists who worked on the spin-offs. 

8) Shinmyoumaru Sukuna

She's the tiny one. She's adorable. Peoe still think about her that she might be evil though, or at least influenced negatively by Seija I to doing bad things. But you are right in terms of how you described her. One thing I think might make you sad to know: Shinmyoumaru abuse. In the past months, a joke has circulated about the tiny princess bring put into a blender and turned into a purple-red smoothie. Unfortunately, this morbid joke got so popular that when you search her name on Google, it is impossible not to find at least once "Shinmyoumaru" and "blender" in the same search. 

I really wonder too how my tastes will change in timr depending whatever new thing I discover in the fandom. Besides the "newhu bias", I think fanart and some good music remixes (I finite Hradation being my favorite) have contributed to bringing Tenkyuu in my top 10, or how fanart and other cute things and the ZUN music CDs overall helped me like Maribel and Renko - they turned from "who are those two" into some of my favorite. Or how HANIPAGANDA has been a huge boost in Mayumi's popularity for me. So many things that can potentially make you change your mind... 

 

[CountVonNumenor]

Bringing back one of my original threads for something a little more positive (both in terms of what I have been talking about recently and recent events in personal life).

Anyway, for the topic itself. Recently, I think I have gone through quite a bit of a new phase. When I did the newest sorter, I was surprised to see Raiko falling down from #3 to #8. However, I feel like I stated getting a new strong feeling of sympathy for her (totally not started simping for her). She is a redhead, she has drip, I love that tuxedo and she's a drummer/taiko tsukumogami. Plus her personality is great too. What else is there to say? Megapig9001 helped me see her a little bit differently thanks to a video for celebrating 5K subscribers, in which he explained her character and personality. And ever since, i think my appreciation for Raiko has grown quite a bit. 





I also feel Raiko is an Extrage stage boss with very little fan culture/fanon though. At least compared to other bosses of her kind. Let's just get by each game (at least from EoSD up to DDC):

• Flandre is pretty much fanon incarnate
  
• Ran and Yukari (so counting Phantasm here too) have quite a lot of stuff too
  
• Mokou also has a lot of fanon content
  
• [PoFV does not really have an Extra]
  
• Suwako - well, there is enough going for her
  
• Koishi is pretty much in the same boat as Flandre
  
• Nue, to be honest, does not really have so much fanon surprisingly besides fanart and a bit of focus on being the first Touhou character that was designed with thigh-highs
  
• Mamizou - well, I am not too sure what is there besides jokes related to the traditional massive Tanuki balls
  
• then there is Raiko
  

 

[Darksymphony777]

flat like a wooden plank, and so referred to "drunk oni loli".

soooo suika just being suika

 

[CountVonNumenor]

soooo suika just being suika

#JustSuikaThings

 

[CountVonNumenor]

Anyway, for the topic itself. Recently, I think I have gone through quite a bit of a new phase. When I did the newest sorter, I was surprised to see Raiko falling down from #3 to #8. However, I feel like I stated getting a new strong feeling of sympathy for her (totally not started simping for her). She is a redhead, she has drip, I love that tuxedo and she's a drummer/taiko tsukumogami. Plus her personality is great too. What else is there to say? Megapig9001 helped me see her a little bit differently thanks to a video for celebrating 5K subscribers, in which he explained her character and personality. And ever since, i think my appreciation for Raiko has grown quite a bit. 

As I was speaking about her. Redheads for the win

From the art of 17maymay14 https://twitter.com/17maymay14/status/1275800971222777856/photo/1

 

[adzi]

As I was speaking about her. Redheads for the win



From the art of 17maymay14 https://twitter.com/17maymay14/status/1275800971222777856/photo/1

Oh, you freaking man of culture, you. <3

My favourite... Well, present on the pic above, Hong Meiling.

The Good: Nice themes. Good design. Fans often give Meiling quite a nice figure. And sometimes... just sometimes... they remember she's supposed to be quite badass...

The Bad: ...but too often they overuse the gag with Meiling sleeping on the job and getting knif'd by Sakuya. Or making a joke of her in general.