Oh, there are ways to escape from her. - Give her a cucumber with your name on it, then she'll leave you alone - Get her to somehow promise to spare you: a kappa can not go against its word, ever - Bow to her deeply: kappa are polite to a fault, so she'll return the bow, in the process spilling the water from the dish on her head. This weakens her to the point of paralysis, until she, or someone else, refills the bowl, at which point she owes you her life. - Simply run like hell: kappa may be fast in water, but they're not really built for land speed.
Deep knowledge of mythology is a useful thing in Gensokyo...
ThunderBird said: Oh, there are ways to escape from her. - Give her a cucumber with your name on it, then she'll leave you alone - Get her to somehow promise to spare you: a kappa can not go against its word, ever - Bow to her deeply: kappa are polite to a fault, so she'll return the bow, in the process spilling the water from the dish on her head. This weakens her to the point of paralysis, until she, or someone else, refills the bowl, at which point she owes you her life. - Simply run like hell: kappa may be fast in water, but they're not really built for land speed.
Deep knowledge of mythology is a useful thing in Gensokyo...
That might apply to the kappas of the outside but these are not as common
Byakugan01 said: Not always. See: The Scarlet Sisters
Okay, vampires. Lore from all over Europe is fragmented regarding vampires, as much in origin as in their weaknesses. For example, usually people know only about garlic that wards off vamps, but there are tales in which the ward is hawthorn branches, mustard seeds on the roof, or a wild rose. Conversely, in folklore, they weren't harmed by sunlight, only being more active at night, and some cultures hold that they must be invited into a house to enter, still others saying they only need to be invited in once, after that they are free to come and go. Long story short, vampires, as the Scarlet Sisters, are mainly European, hailing all the way from Hellas, and their lore is varied and often contradictory. Japanese mythology, however, is fairly consistent, mainly because it was historically one culture, in one fairly confined geographical area, so variants did not develop readily. Oni are usually red-skinned, they always carry their iron club, and are a personification of the mountains' strength. Tengu are usually bringers of bad luck, and they always have long noses (thank god for Aya's surgeon), and kappa everywhere love cucumbers and return the bow, even if it paralyses them.
ThunderBird said: <snip> Japanese mythology, however, is fairly consistent, mainly because it was pulled from a few writers/artists' asses from the Tokugawa Shogunate period onwards.
There, I fixed it for you! :D
No, seriously, you cannot ignore how much of the "standart japanese mythology" was actually born on the ukyo-e artists minds. These guys took the interest on monster stories and mixed authentic folk tales with their own ideas, puns and such.
ThunderBird said: Oh, there are ways to escape from her.
- Bow to her deeply: kappa are polite to a fault, so she'll return the bow, in the process spilling the water from the dish on her head. This weakens her to the point of paralysis, until she, or someone else, refills the bowl, at which point she owes you her life.
Deep knowledge of mythology is a useful thing in Gensokyo...
You seem to have overlooked one small, but important fact: What do you think her hat is for? To keep the water in the dish on her head! You're screwed no matter how many times you bow!
ThunderBird said: Deep knowledge of mythology is a useful thing in Gensokyo...
Do you have something that come in handy against:
A youkai that controls boundaries and gaps. A hungry ghost that can devour you. A lunarian capable in medical arts that can dismantle your body. A god that always causes conspiracy. A celestial that can cause massive earthquakes when bored. A nuclear powered crow from hell. A time stopping maid. An ordinary burglar magician that uses the power of love against her enemies. A miko that when pissed, bad things will happen.
^lunatic6 The best I can think of is -Act as pathetic and boring as possible, She only goes for interesting people -whatever food you have brought with you, drop now, and run while praying to whatever god that it's enough to placate her or distract her long enough to get away -I always see her as a sort of Franken fran, you'll live, you just won't want to any more. Either way, you're boned -Kiss up and go along for the ride -Give her a toy(or a..."toy") so she won't be bored? -I wonder if kourindou sells radiations suits...and SPF50,000,000 sunscreen -Fucked if I know, just avoid pissing of her little mistress and any mention of chest enhancing devices -Strip down, give her everything and run? -Don't piss her off and donate is my best guess
A Youkai, living at the sunflower field... extremely high threat since it is capable blasting your organs to ashes. A automotive doll in the valley of lilies that can use dangerous poison against you. A sister of poltergeists that can make your ears bleed. A spring fairy that shoot danmaku with no further reason because it is just spring. A half hakutaku that can execute skull bashing headbutts, becomes a rapist when full moon. An Immortal that can burn your very existence.
A Youkai, living at the sunflower field... extremely high threat since it is capable blasting your organs to ashes. A automotive doll in the valley of lilies that can use dangerous poison against you. A sister of poltergeists that can make your ears bleed. A spring fairy that shoot danmaku with no further reason because it is just spring. A half hakutaku that can execute skull bashing headbutts, becomes a rapist when full moon. An Immortal that can burn your very existence.
- Stay away from the sunflowers. - Stay away from the lilies. - Earplugs. - Run. Far away. - Stay as a resident of the Human Village. - Don't mention Kaguya.
Lunatic6 said: A Youkai, living at the sunflower field... extremely high threat since it is capable blasting your organs to ashes. A automotive doll in the valley of lilies that can use dangerous poison against you. A sister of poltergeists that can make your ears bleed. A spring fairy that shoot danmaku with no further reason because it is just spring. A half hakutaku that can execute skull bashing headbutts, becomes a rapist when full moon. An Immortal that can burn your very existence.
-Express great delight in the care and growing of flowers, do not crush any and if you do, express great regret, ham it up if you have to -see Shintear's response -Bleed? I know one causes happy lunacy and the same feeling trolling the soul-crushingly depressive pool but it's the first I've heard of ear bleeding. Side's they are good musicians -Danmaku is non-lethal. Painful but non-lethal -and for the next two, shintear put's it better than I would've. Of course, how dangerous gensokyo is depends on the writer
Lunatic6 said: Do you have something that come in handy against:
A youkai that controls boundaries and gaps. A hungry ghost that can devour you. A lunarian capable in medical arts that can dismantle your body. A god that always causes conspiracy. A celestial that can cause massive earthquakes when bored. A nuclear powered crow from hell. A time stopping maid. An ordinary burglar magician that uses the power of love against her enemies. A miko that when pissed, bad things will happen.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE AVOIDABLE. At that point, stop working on fighting it off and work on PREVENTING IT!
-A Demon goddess with enough power to level her own world. -A man eating night sparrow that can con you. -A two tongued vengeance ghost from hell. -A disease controlling spider-bat youkai. -A blade-crazy half phantom that can cut through anything. -An insanity inducing moon rabbit. -A red-oni that can change size and turn you into mist. -A red-oni that can crush you without spilling her drink. -A chi detecting chinese youkai guard. -A vampire that can turn you into dust with a movement of her palms. -A grave robbing cat-ninja. -A youkai that can read you every move. -A Underground menace that can disguise herself and anything into something else entirely.
Alignn said: While it wouldn't surprise me, I don't see where that specifically is said?
Threat level: High
Encounters with the kappa don't happen very often, but it is dangerous to get near their hideout. This is because they can use their control over water to drown people.
If you get close she'll pull you into the river and extract your shirikodama. Humans that have their shirikodama extracted die. Because there's a ferociously brutal part you should be careful.
The tsuuhai-using tool is also another reason that people can't meddle with her. This tsuuhai is the reason why she could grab the legs of people even when they're walking a ways from the river. It can extend further than you think, so be careful when near the river.
Alignn said: While it wouldn't surprise me, I don't see where that specifically is said?
"If you get close she'll pull you into the river and extract your shirikodama. Humans that have their shirikodama extracted die."
I guess that kind of fits, but keep in mind the touhou games focuses on the "elite" of gensokyo to me, so nitori may be a lot friendlier with people such as momiji, aya, sanae, than she would be with your normal person.
Marisa even pretty much states the a normal human is viewed as a rather pathetic commodity.
Anelaid said: "If you get close she'll pull you into the river and extract your shirikodama. Humans that have their shirikodama extracted die."
I guess that kind of fits, but keep in mind the touhou games focuses on the "elite" of gensokyo to me, so nitori may be a lot friendlier with people such as momiji, aya, sanae, than she would be with your normal person.
Marisa even pretty much states the a normal human is viewed as a rather pathetic commodity.
And hey, she likes cucumbers.
Ah, so the normals are just farmed meal after all, now nice~ At least we have a bad tempered shrine maiden!
I saw that, and it doesn't really strike me as going out of her way to kill people, more doing it when the opportunity shows itself. So it's more like typical youkai nature than any conscious sense of cruelty or murderousness. Well, I guess it's just semantics...
Zaku_Zelo said: Grains of salt, people. We've been over this.
Yeah. If these profiles are styled in the same way as it was in Perfect Memento, then these profiles are actual in-universe writings compiled by someone actually interviewing the Youkai in question. Thus, there are bound to be embellishments and exaggerations that serve a particular purpose for the Youkai in question. Such as Aya being portrayed as one of the most powerful Youkai in Gensokyo in her profile, which says that running away from her or fighting her is so pointless that you may as well just give up and let her grill you in the relentless Paparazzi fashion.
But still, Gensokyo is very much a gathering of mythical fairy-tale type figures. And ofttimes, fairy tales were often disturbing or violent by today's standards.
ExecutorBill said: Yeah. If these profiles are styled in the same way as it was in Perfect Memento, then these profiles are actual in-universe writings compiled by someone actually interviewing the Youkai in question. Thus, there are bound to be embellishments and exaggerations that serve a particular purpose for the Youkai in question. Such as Aya being portrayed as one of the most powerful Youkai in Gensokyo in her profile, which says that running away from her or fighting her is so pointless that you may as well just give up and let her grill you in the relentless Paparazzi fashion.
But still, Gensokyo is very much a gathering of mythical fairy-tale type figures. And ofttimes, fairy tales were often disturbing or violent by today's standards.
Actually these SoPM profiles are based less on interviews and more on pure opinion as in many there's no real testimonies from humans. Also Akyuu admits to exaggerating these profiles for various reasons (see PMiSS's afterward or foreword)
So with Nitori, it's hard to tell what's true or not as there's no hard fact really backing up either side. (Yamame is said to be dangerous but testimonies from what few humans ran into her say she's quite reasonable)
I'm actually more concerned about the remarks of her tendency to look down upon others when alone, but there isn't really anything in the games to support that but the remark begs the question: If she only goes about this alone, how does Akyuu know?
StriderTuna said: I'm actually more concerned about the remarks of her tendency to look down upon others when alone, but there isn't really anything in the games to support that but the remark begs the question: If she only goes about this alone, how does Akyuu know?
She means "alone with just one other person", she reveals that she thinks she's superior to others.
I'd guess what it means is, she thinks she's a genius, and thinks she's smarter than other people, and looks down on others as idiots, and has trouble/doesn't bother hiding it when she's trying not to suck up or fit in.
StriderTuna said: I'm actually more concerned about the remarks of her tendency to look down upon others when alone, but there isn't really anything in the games to support that but the remark begs the question: If she only goes about this alone, how does Akyuu know?
Nitori isn't bad, she is basically your normal tech-loving nerd who is slightly misanthropic and shy. Nitori just happens to be a kappa and a lot of what zun indicates that youkai are loners at heart and that the kappa are very ADD in how they act.
also Akyuu has the ability to pick up on things without being directly told (which leads to a lot of her snarky comments) or she could be going off Aya's comments, and Aya is known as a bullshitter.
In the games she doesn't really do much, she calls humans "flaky" and calls us "old friends", but I'm just getting that Nitori is being flustered and excessively polite.
Akyuu also has her own prejudices, don't forget, which is apparent in the article about Hijiri, and that she errs on the side of caution and slightly sensational when discussing threat levels. But I think she's emphasizing the negative just for the sake of safety or boredom, I mean Nitori isn't really a destroyer of man and village when you can bribe her with a cucumber.
Also human friendship: medium just means "typical" youkai behavior.
Yes, because all the youkai in Touhou are evil gits, despite the fact Nitori helps humans and there hasn't been an actual murder since the spellcard system, possibly farther back.
This just in: Akyuu likes to lie and ZUN trolls people.
According to Gensokyo Mythology Survival tactics, here's you have to do:
-The Demon Goddess you saying is much like the god that causes conspiracy, better change religion if you know what's good for you. - The sparrow only active at night, if you go by day, you'll just find her working on her Lamprey Stand, the better to do is don't go out to the forest at night if you know what's good for you. - Acknowledge her, that would work handy. - Better take all of your medicine before having an encountering moments with this one, some immunity boosting pill they sell at Kourindou would help. Or probably you'll just ask the Lunarian Doctor afterwards but that can also be life threatening. - She's easily to be distracted, ask the nearby crow tengu for help. She'll sell you something that you can use against her *smirks* - Whatever you do, do not stare at her eyes. flee if she blinks, also if you're lucky enough, you must ally with the local rabbit of fortune living there, she knows what to do. - Oni's hates lies, loves party and drinking and also hates setsubun, with enough knowledge about onis, you'll probably survive. - Same as the last one, but you'll have to be a little bit careful on this one though. Having a drink with her would not be such a bad idea though, Oni loves party type people. - Usually you'll find her dozing at the gate, if ever you met her awake give her something that could put her back to sleep. Try a friendly approach while you give it to her. - She's only staying under the red mansion at the lake, as long as you stay away from there nothing bad will happen. But if it's unavoidable, give her something that can distract her, she also easily to be distracted. - She's not much of a threat, she won't bother as long as you're not in a dying state. - Set your mind on a brick wall, that would work. - Ignore her, she's not much of a threat anyway... just do what she's going to ask, also bring a fishing rod with you if you meet her at the lake.
RaptorJesus said: Yes, because all the youkai in Touhou are evil gits, despite the fact Nitori helps humans and there hasn't been an actual murder since the spellcard system, possibly farther back.
This just in: Akyuu likes to lie and ZUN trolls people.
Hmm, this does give me an idea that Akyuu does what she does to keep the humans in line, which is a major element of gensokyo's balance, to keep the humans meek.
It does make everything Hijiri, Kanako and Miko doing a lot more interesting.
I think there may be some exaggerations, but for the most part I think the book is pretty accurate in giving general information, I mean what's the point of releasing a book full of information we aren't supposed to believe?
boomersooner said: I think there may be some exaggerations, but for the most part I think the book is pretty accurate in giving general information, I mean what's the point of releasing a book full of information we aren't supposed to believe?
40k does a lot of this, by giving information that may be false or inaccurate as it is being told from different points of view. This is a more characterful way to discuss a universe in my opinion.
Anelaid said: 40k does a lot of this, by giving information that may be false or inaccurate as it is being told from different points of view. This is a more characterful way to discuss a universe in my opinion.
Yeah, and also shitstorm-inducing, which is a big negative for me.
Lightdreamer said: Yeah, and also shitstorm-inducing, which is a big negative for me.
Welcome to fandoms, where anything can and will be used against one another in a court of canon.
Especially in settings like Gensokyo, where it's almost (if not entirely) intentionally nebulous as far as actual canon goes beyond in-game incidents and interactions.
I could also say 'welcome to primary sources', considering how primary sources are, for as one David Iredale once said: "Original material may be ... prejudiced, or at least not exactly what it claims to be." So of course even within canon itself one ought to take the published works of Ms. Hieda and Ms. Shameimaru with a grain of salt (OK, Akyuu's with a grain of salt and Aya's with a heaping spoonful, but still) -- and a gentle reminder that this is Gensokyo, where headcanon is still supreme . . . even if Momiji has a 'no flash photography' policy nowadays.
Lunatic6 said: Do you have something that come in handy against:
A youkai that controls boundaries and gaps. A hungry ghost that can devour you. A lunarian capable in medical arts that can dismantle your body. A god that always causes conspiracy. A celestial that can cause massive earthquakes when bored. A nuclear powered crow from hell. A time stopping maid. An ordinary burglar magician that uses the power of love against her enemies. A miko that when pissed, bad things will happen.