Miscellaneous Questions Thread (LOOK HERE OR DIE)

[Tiamat]

The spell card rules were "officialized" after the "vampire incident" by the "the shrine maiden", and "it's said" the very first time they were put into use was during EoSD.

This means that likely, "the shrine maiden" was Reimu.  After all, if it was one of Reimu's ancestors, then why on earth was it not used until EoSD?

This is, of course, assuming that Perfect Memento's translation is correct.  This also assumes that "it's said" is correct.  There are hints and pieces here and there that a lot of the "it's said" moments in Perfect Memento are things that Yukari told Akyu, and Yukari could very well be lying.  And if it's not Yukari who is the "it's" in "it's said" in this case, then whoever the "it's" is could be wrong as well.

...assuming that the Japanese language actually differentiates "it's said", etc., and that's not just flower translation text.

I'm pretty sure the "shrine maiden" is Reimu, tho.  Perfect Memento is the first edition of the Gensokyo Chronicles for Gensokyo's golden age, and it's implied that its the spell card rules that brought about that golden age according to PCB's prologue (unreliable narrator-ish as it officially is stated to be by ZUN) because "anyone can duel each other whenever they want" (or whatever it was).  And it's hard to imagine WHY Akyu would include "The Vampire Incident" in Reimu's section if Reimu wasn't involved, somehow (ignoring the mistranslation that Reimu was the one who beat the vampire(s).  It was "powerful youkai" who did in the Japanese text)

That said, danmaku play and the idea of dueling using rules was around long before the spell card rules.  From Yuka's Perfect Memento section:

"However, when ones with power clash, both sides are aware that it can't possibly be settled.
To counter this, before the battle, rules are decided and a formal battle often takes place.
By fighting with these rules, even if one could continue after losing, they must admit their loss.
Once that is done, the other side will not pursue it further.
That is the wisdom of youkai who have lived long."

and

"If you come across this youkai battling with someone else, do not get yourself involved.
However, these fights are based on certain rules, so as long as you do not disturb the fight, she'll be polite.
If you can keep enough distance from the fight, it's also a good idea to watch the show.
Battles of non-humans are full of breathtaking beauty."

 
As you can see, the above descriptions match the spirit of the spell card rules.  They are rules decided on before the fight, and you have to admit defeat at the end even if you can keep going.  The latter is stated in the draft of the spell card rules in Perfect Memento.

Those quotes from Yuka's PM section do not state that the battles were done with danmaku.  However, the latter one does state that the battles are beautiful, and beauty is one of the first things mentioned in the original draft of the spell card rules.  And given that there likely is not much beauty in Yuka's other choice of battle (pounding you to oblivion with her fists, I imagine), these youkai battles with pre-set rules were thus likely done with danmaku.

So it is wholly possible for Byakuren to be able to participate in some form of danmaku duel, although it's a bit harder to swallow or explain how she knew of spell cards SPECIFICALLY.


The spell card rules themselves are stated to be written on a "youkai" contract.  Given that they were written in response to the vampire incident, it is a reasonable assumption that that is a devil's contract, and thus unbreakable and quite mandatory.  It's not 100% certain that this is the case, but again, it's a reasonable assumption, I think.

And yes, "the shrine maiden" was the one that officialize them, but Akyu believes the original rules were actually written by a youkai (Yukari being the most likely candidate since she wrote a book on vampire contracts, espouses the "beauty and thought" described in the original spell card draft, is known to make allowances for weaker opponents, and is always doing string pulling like that for Gensokyo, although given Perfect Memento's details of duels in Yuka's section, Yuka is also a possibility.  The "ultimate magic" that Yuka received from the PC98 games is unknown  but ZUN says it's "danmaku related")

I don't think the Oni were banished with the other Youkai underground.

Yea, one of the conversations in SA (I think it was Nitori to Marisa) has Nitori tell Marisa that the underground consists both of youkai who were banished there, and those who came of their own accord.  Oni are definately the latter (as stated in Perfect Memento.  Yuugi herself describes it as a deal they made with the youkai sages)

3) Were Kaguya and Eirin on the Moon or the Earth during the Lunar War?  Were they even alive?

Kaguya and Eirin were exiled to the moon around 1,300 years ago (it was definately before 1,000 years ago, as Toyohime mentions in CiLR that she was gone by the time that fisherman was sent back to earth, which was before them)

The lunar war was 1,000 years ago.  So yea, Kaguya and Eirin were gone by then.

After the Lunar War, now knowing about Yukari's ability, Eirin set up a trap for Yukari, but she had to do this from Earth.  It is implied that Eirin had to send the Watatsuki sisters a letter from earth in order to set up the trap that would later trap Yukari later in SSiB (Toyohime says it's been more than 1,000 years since they last received a letter from Eirin, and reveals later that the trap was set by Eirin, so you can put two and two together and...).

...First of all, the Hakureis shouldn't get defeated because if in case the Hakureis should die, Gensoukyou falls apart since the Hakureis are the one along with Yukari and Ran that sustain the boarder.

I actually suspect this is a pseudo lie perpetrated by Yukari.  Aya makes it clear in Silent Sinner in Blue that if the Hakurei Shrine maiden were to suddenly dissappear, they can just get a new one.  I doubt Aya knows HOW they'll get a new one, but she overall shows no worry whatsoever about the fact that Reimu has gone to the moon and hasn't returned after an entire month+, and might be gone forever.  (The exact quote is along the lines of "If she doesn't come back, we're going to have to find a new Shrine Maiden soon.")

I point the finger at Yukari because it's hard to see who else could be spreading the lie that the outside world Hakurei Shrine is deserted.  Yukari's ability to travel to the outside really makes her the only authortiy on that (both Aya in BAiJR and Akyu in PM state that the shrine is SUPPOSEDLY deserted in the outside world.  Or in Akyu's case, "It is said").  However, CoLA (the chapter where Rinnosuke first meets Yukari) implies that THIS IS A LIE.  Rinnosuke visits a shrine on the outside world (which is probably the Hakurei Shrine... it's doubtful he was able to dream himself that far from Gensokyo) and it is actually bustling enough that he hears a lot of noise.  Yukari quickly boots him out of there and back into Gensokyo fast, almost as if she's trying to hide something. (this is in the chapter where Rinnosuke first meets Yukari).  She then gives Rinnosuke an EXTREMELY suspicious and strange explanation about how it was really just a musical device that made him dream wierd things (probably a lie attempting to get Rinnosuke to just forget about the whole thing, which he ends up doing)

So I think Yukari is actually lying to everyone, claiming the shrine is deserted and thus everyone must not kill the Hakurei Shrine maiden.  The truth, however, is that whenever the current shrine maiden expires (via whatever means), Yukari probably just... spirits in a new one from the not-deserted Hakurei Shrine on the outside world.  It's hard to imagine why else Aya (who's over 1,000 years old, IIRC) would be so casual about simply getting a new shrine maiden (though Aya herself doesn't know the details, probably, considering that even she's led to believe that the outside shrine is deserted)

As for why she'd lie about it, I'm not sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say she's lying for the shrine maiden's own protection.  Imagine how much danger the shrine maiden's life would be in if youkai realized she was quite expendable.

This also conveniently explains why we never hear about Reimu's parents (of course, you could argue that ZUN simply ignores parents, but he didn't ignore Marisa's parents, at least).

ZUN himself refers to himself as Knnosuke Hakurei (Kinnosuke means "Head Priest"), and I think it was even stated in the music section of Bohemian Archive (or somewhere) that he's Kinnosuke Hakurei of the outside world's Hakurei Shrine.  ....obviously, we can't take that TOO seriously, but still....

[DracoOmega]

(Kinnosuke means "Head Priest")

Actually, I think the word you're looking for is Kannushi ^^;

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

I remember reading somewhere that Kaguya was 100 when she was exiled to Earth.

And I half-remember characters like Cirno and Rumia going to Keine's school at one point in Inaba of the Mearth.

[Sabino]

The spell card rules were "officialized" after the "vampire incident" by the "the shrine maiden", and "it's said" the very first time they were put into use was during EoSD.

This means that likely, "the shrine maiden" was Reimu.  After all, if it was one of Reimu's ancestors, then why on earth was it not used until EoSD?

This is, of course, assuming that Perfect Memento's translation is correct.  This also assumes that "it's said" is correct.  There are hints and pieces here and there that a lot of the "it's said" moments in Perfect Memento are things that Yukari told Akyu, and Yukari could very well be lying.  And if it's not Yukari who is the "it's" in "it's said" in this case, then whoever the "it's" is could be wrong as well.

...

Well, since I don't know the original article about that stuff, here's what the Japanese Wikipedia has to say about Spell cards and how they were brought to.

スペルカードルール
Spell card rule

基本的に、あらかじめ技の名前と命名しておいた名前の意味を体現した技をいくつか考えておき、それぞれの技名を契約書形式で記した契約書を任意の枚数所持しておくことになる。この契約書を「スペルカード」と呼び、カードが使われることが多いが、必ずしもカードである必要はない。技の名前が重要であり[3]、読みより名前の字が重要とされる[4]。

Basically, one thinks of the name of the technique and the thinks of an attack that express the name of the technique. They can then carry any arbitrary amount of cards that act as pacts on the technique. This pact is called the "Spell card" and although cards are most often used, there is no need for it to be cards. The name of the technique is very important and the characters used for it is more important than how its read.

対決の際には、決闘開始前に決闘内での使用回数を提示して、技を使う際には「カード宣言」をする。宣言が必要とされるため、不意打ちによる攻撃は出来ないとされる[5]。宣言の際に技の名前を言う必要はない[6]。体力が尽きるかすべての技が相手に攻略された場合は負けとなる。たとえ余力が残っていても提示した全枚数を攻略されたら、負けを認めなくてはならない。技の美しさにもウェイトがおかれていて、精神的な勝負という面がある。ガッツが尽きても負けであり、ゲームシステムで残機とされるものはガッツである。

When doing battles, one must show the amount of cards that they are going to use in the battle and when using a technique they must do a "Card declaration" Since there needs to be a declaration, it is said that one can not use it as a surprise attack. When declaring the card one does not need to say the name of the technique. One will loose when they run out of health or have all of their attacks beaten by the enemy. Even if one still has the power to fight, one must admit defeat when all the cards shown at the beginning is beaten. The attacks are weighed heavily on their beauty and is considered more of a mental battle. When one looses the will to fight (Guts) that is also seen as defeat and the lives in the game system are actually the guts left.

作中では「弾幕ごっこ」と呼ばれることもあるが、攻撃が弾に限定されることもなく、スペルカードの技が弾幕である必要もない[7]。霧雨魔理沙は伊吹萃香や比那名居天子などのスペルカードは基本弾幕じゃないと語っている[8]。精神的な生き物で、肉体的なダメージでは致命傷にならない妖怪のために作られた決闘ルールであるため、危険だから禁止という概念は少なく[9]、人間の場合は当たり所が悪ければ死ぬこともある[10]が、相手を負かした後に追い討ちをかけて殺すことは禁止されている。また霊夢や魔理沙、咲夜を始めとした自機キャラクターは、たとえBADENDになっても敵に殺害されたり捕食される事はなく、一度帰って再チャレンジを決める展開になる。妖精や精霊は異変中は強力な攻撃を仕掛けることもあるが基本的に弱小な存在で、命の概念も異なり死んでもすぐに湧いて出るので普通に倒される[11]。

In the game it's often called "Danmaku-gokko" (Bullet rain play), but the attacks are not restricted to bullet rains and they don't need to be of the sort. Kirisame Marisa tells that Ibuki Suika and Hinanai Tenshi's spell cards are generally not danmaku. This rule was originally a rule that was made for Youkai who are a very mental beings and don't get severely injured by physical damage. Thus nothing is prohibited for its dangerousness and people can die if they're hit badly, but once one is defeated the opposing side is prohibited to get additional attacks in to kill the loser. Also player characters as Reimu, Marisa and Sakuya don't get killed or eaten by the enemy even on the BADENDs and they end up returning to the beginning to challenge again. Fairies and spirits can do powerful attacks during the incident but they are generally small and weak beings and since they have different bases of death they spawn back alive even if they are killed.

またこれはスペルカードルールに限った話ではないが、妖怪は体力が桁違いであるため、決闘の際には時間制限を定めることが推奨されている[12]。

Also, since Youkai have tremendous amount of health time restrictions are often put on battles. This applies to other rules to.

導入の経緯 [編集]
How it was Brought to use

スペルカードルールが導入されるきっかけとなったのが「吸血鬼異変」と呼ばれる事件である。「吸血鬼異変」は幻想郷に現れた吸血鬼と幻想郷の妖怪達との間に起こった紛争で、吸血鬼が多くの妖怪を従えたが、最終的には最も強大な力を持った妖怪によって鎮圧された。多くの妖怪達が吸血鬼に屈服した原因のひとつに、巫女や人間を襲ってはいけなくなって食糧も供給されるようになったため妖怪たちがすっかり気力を失っていたという事情があった。

The reason on why spell cards were brought to was because of an incident called the "Vampire incident". The "Vampire incident" was a civil war that happened between the Vampires and the Youkai of the Gensoukyou. Although the vampire subdued many Youkai of Gensoukyou they were suppressed by an Youkai with an even greater power.  The reason why many of the Youkai submitted to the Vampires was since they were no longer allowed to attack the humans or shrine maidens and food became distributed to them thus making them loose their willpower.

その後、気力が残っていた妖怪達が懸念して「博麗の巫女」（博麗霊夢）に相談、博麗霊夢も退屈だったので妖怪と決闘しやすくなる考えに賛同して、妖怪が書いたと思しき原案を元に「スペルカードルール」と呼ばれる一連のルールを持つ決闘法を制定、導入することを決定した[1]。これにより、「プロレスの様な」あるいは「スポーツ感覚に近い決闘」と表現されるような闘いを気軽に行うことが可能となった[1][13]。大規模な異変を引き起こしても、一度敗れたら素直に引き下がって禍根を残さないので、妖怪は異変を起こしやすくなり、人間も異変を解決しやすくなった。

After that, Youkais who still had some will power left went to have a compromise with the "Hakurei Shrine Maiden" (Hakurei Reimu), Hakurei Reimu was also very board at this time and she agreed to the idea of getting to fight Youkai more and created the set of rules known as the "Spell card Rule" from the original ideas that were given to her by the Youkai, and brought it in to use. By having these fights that were similar in sense to "Wrestling" or "Sports like" one was able to do battle more freely. Even if one was to cause a major incident, if they were to lose one must obediently back off and not leave remorse about that. Because of this it became easier for Youkai to cause incidents and easier for humans to solve them.

この「スペルカードルール」を用いて初めて起こされた異変が、『紅魔郷』のメインストーリーとなっている「紅霧異変」である[14][注 1]。この『紅魔郷』に登場するスペルカード「夜符「ナイトバード」」に対し、ZUNは「スペルカード第一号」というコメントを寄越している[15]。

The first incident that took place with the "Spell Card rule" in to effect is the "Red mist incident" which was the main story in "Embodiment of Scarlet Devil". The spell card called "Night Sign 'Night Bird'" was the first spell card that appeared in Embodiment of Scarlet Devil and ZUN called it "Spell Card number one."  in his comment.

他にもいろいろな決闘法が作られたが、スペルカードルールによる弾幕の美しさと多様さが大ウケしたため、他の決闘法はあまり使われていない[14]。

Many other forms of battle were created but since the beauty and diversity of the Danmaku was very popular, other methods are rarely used.

『The Grimoire of Marisa』の記述 [編集]
Written in "The Grimoire of Marisa"

霧雨魔理沙は『The Grimoire of Marisa』において『紅魔郷(紅霧異変)』から『地霊殿』までの間に魔理沙自身が見たスペルカードの一部を纏めている。魔理沙は同書の中で「ルールの無い世界では弾幕はナンセンスである」と語り、八雲紫の『弾幕結界』や藤原妹紅の『インペリシャブルシューティング』のような「攻撃するよりも人に見せる事」に重きを置いた『演劇タイプ』のようなタイプのスペルカードは純粋な殺し合いをする場合ではナンセンスであると語っており[16]、改めてスペルカードが『殺し合い』を『遊び』に変えるルールであるという事実を強調している。また魔理沙は『儚月抄』でも綿月依姫に対してスペルカードの説明をする場合、「この世でもっとも無駄なゲーム」であると教えている。

Kirisame Marisa has a collection of all the spell cards that she had seen starting from the "Embodiment of Scarlet Devil (Red mist Incident)" all the way to "Subterranean Animism" in "The Grimoire of Marisa". In the same book Marisa states that "In a world without rules danmaku is nonsense." and tells that attacks like Yakumo Yukari's "Danmaku Kekkai" and Fujiwara Mokou's "Imperishable Shooting" that are mainly "For show rather than for attack." are "Theatrical types" and These spell cards don't mean a thing when it comes to killings. With this it's restated that the Spell Card rule is a rule to turn "Killings" in to "Play". Also in "Bougetsushou" (Silent Sinner in Blue) Marisa explains to Wtatsuki Yorihime that the Spell Card rule is the "Most meaningless game in the world".

...Hmm seems my earlier post was incorrect, I'll go back and rub that out.

[Tiamat]

Actually, I think the word you're looking for is Kannushi ^^;

Sorry, you're right.  I do a lot of research but I'm absolutely terrible at remembering  a lot of things about the Japanese language.  I went back and checked and it's Kanushi Hakurei that ZUN tends to sign off as.  ...maybe I'm just too used to thinking of ZUN writting from Rinnosuke's point of view that I extrapolate to Knnosuke, accidentally.

On the outset, it does seem like ZUN's only joking when he signs off as Kannushi Hakurei, but sometimes it's hard to tell if he really is, especially when he writes stuff like this (from Bohemian Archive):

"These articles about how we adapt to composing various styles of music
were written by the head priest of the Hakurei Shrine, who wrote these columns about music as fast as if he were composing them.
To describe it accurately,
if you cut out everything that's a lie, it's almost too trustworthy.
Surely, he must be the REAL Hakurei Shrine's head priest, as he says.
But whether or not you enjoy the articles that he wrote,
his true identity should be of no matter.
...Yes, you should enjoy these articles purely for what they are, and take them into your mind like that. "


If anything, the "his true identity should be of no matter" could be interpreted as ZUN saying "Maybe I really am Kannushi Hakurei.  Or maybe I'm not."  Then again, the text as a whole could also be him saying "Yea, I really am, but it's unsure, so don't sweat ittoo much."  Or... whatever.  I try not to sweat it too much, myself, but it's true that Rinnosuke probably visited the outside Hakurei Shrine and it didn't seem very deserted at all (actually, I'm starting to wonder if those noises he heard was ZUNnushi experimenting with music composition... badly.)

snip Japanese Wiki stuff

Ah, thanks.  It seems like the Japanese Wiki agrees it was Reimu, too.  Again, Perfect Memento (at least the translation at Touhou Wikia) only refers to it as "the shrine maiden", but it's in Reimu's section and EoSD "is said" to be the first time the spell card rules were used, so...

Possibly the "it's said" is there not to indicate a red herring, but instead is there because the only actual witnesses to EoSD was Reimu, maybe Marisa, and the SDM residents, so Akyu couldn't confirm it directly.  Akyu is skeptical enough of Reimu's accomplishments that she isn't sure whether or not Reimu beat Yuka, even though you and I know this is the case.  ....probably (PC98 game, after all)

The relevant official sources are here, if you wanted to see them (most of the Japanese Wiki appears to be a repeat of them)


The Vampire Incident and the Devil's Contract:

http://touhou.wikia.com/wiki/Perfect_Memento:_Encyclopedia:_Vampire

"A devil's contract is absolute"


The aftermath of the Vampire Incident, the QQ to the Shrine Maiden, and the origin of the Spell Card Rules (and their first usage in EoSD):

http://touhou.wikia.com/wiki/Perfect_Memento:_Reimu_Hakurei

"The result of this were the spell card rules, which allowed duelists to (seemingly) stake their lives in individual combat."


Draft of the spell card rules:

http://touhou.wikia.com/wiki/Perfect_Memento:_Draft_of_Spell_Card_Rules

(reading this again, I realize that it's at least 99% positive it is a devil's contract.  It says that by being written on the same paper as this contract, the "regulations become absolute", which is what a devil's contract does.  So yea, this means that residents of Gensokyo MUST use the spell card system.  It also almost confirms it was written by Yukari, besides the other possible hints like "beauty and thought", "reason becomes its own power", and "use of one's full abilities will be denied", which are generally brought up in Yukari stories or articles here and there).

It's possible Byakuren "knew" of the spell card rules simply because the regulations are so absolute that you end up using spell cards even if you never heard about them before.

Side off-topic note:  The base spirit of the spell card rules might be absolute, but apparently the actual attack rules can be bent.  ZUN's actually stated that several of Marisa's spell cards are technically cheating, but no one cares "because it's Marisa".  IIRC, Marisa herself in Grimoire of Marisa (I think) says that about someone else's spell card ("This spell card should be against the rules!  I mean, sure, I do stuff like that, too, but I'm me!" or something like that)

Flandre also has a spell card (Forbidden Fruit) that's so powerful and impossible that it's forbidden and illegal to use, apparently. (at least, Aya says as such when she encounters it in Shoot the Bullet.  In that game, though, I suppose it's okay for Flandre to use it against Aya because they were just playing around.)  IIRC, that spell card would be impossible to combat without something like Aya's camera, but I haven't played that game in a long time so I could be remembering wrong

Apparently Suika growing huge and crushing you isn't a particularly legit spell card, either, but people (or at least, Marisa?) probably let it slide because Suka's new to spell cards.

[Halca]

Danmaku is not supposed to be literally how touhou characters fight, but kind of like an alternative way to duel (at least that's the leading theory, right?)
So how do the girls do battle when it isn't danmaku?
Realistically, alot of them would just gap your head off your shoulders or something, but what do you guys think?

[Danielu Yoshikoto]

Danmaku is not supposed to be literally how touhou characters fight, but kind of like an alternative way to duel (at least that's the leading theory, right?)
So how do the girls do battle when it isn't danmaku?
Realistically, alot of them would just gap your head off your shoulders or something, but what do you guys think?

Shigo...

[Tapsa]

They would beat the snot out of each other with everything that isn't danmaku, just like in the fighting games.

[8lue Wizard]

Body-slams and flying kicks. Wriggle would be god-tier.

[Sabino]

They'd do this

[OkashiiKisei]

If they fought for real they'd use just about everything in their arsenal of powers except danmaku. They'd use their raw physical strength, destructive magic and godhax abilities to their full extent.

Yuuka would kick the shit out of you, strangle you/stab you/make you explode with plants and use a deadly version of the Master Spark. She might even bust out the mysterious ultimate magic she got after Mystic Square.

Alice would open her grimoire and use all kinds of elemental shitstorms along with humongous mecha dolls.

Yukari would gap your internal organs out, or just utterly erase you from existence.

Shinki would make Makai compress into you, effectively crushing you in dimensions. And she'd sic all kinds of newly created demon spawn at you.

Suika has so many ways to kill you it isn't funny anymore. Air (de)compression, crush you under her foot, disintegrate you, raid you with an army of mini Suika's, turn to mist and materialize in your body, thus making you explode, throw you into a black hole, incinerate you, crush you with rocks or she can just tear you limb from limb with her physical strength.

Yuugi would also kick the shit out of you with fisticuffs, and her very vague power could do all kinds of punishment on you.

And don't let me get started on Utsuho.

In short, they'd perform all kinds of cruel punishment on each other. But as Tiamat has once stated: these full-power fights would be utterly pointless for the Gensokyo Top. A one-on-one battle between the mightiest of youkai would last almost forever and not accomplish anything. The danmaku fighting system is a lot more practical in this regard.

[Bias Bus]

Everyone's already stated good points so I'll leave with this; "I love a good catfight."

[Tengukami]

I'm tempted to quote "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" at this point, but I think I'd better not. Question seems pretty much answered to me.

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

Then Lily Black and Lily White
and Mystia messin' with everybody's sight
and Sikieiki and Minoriko Aki
and Chiyuri and Yumemi Okazaki
Rika, Nitori, Koishi and Satori,
Eirin, Ichirin, every single fairy
Maribel Hearn and Renko Usami ... um ...

I can't think of any other names that fit together @.@

... all came outta nowhere lightning fast
and kicked Yukari in her gappy ass
it was the bloodiest battle that the world ever saw etc.

[Menorah Jams, Pham]

We were at AnimeNext here in Jersey over the weekend, and my one foray into the Artist Alley had only one table selling anything Touhou related, and it was an amazing freaking haul.  I'm talking artbooks that were real offset print jobs, bound professionally, and sealed in polybags.  They were selling an artbook, a B&W comment book, a pencil board or a poster (depending on the package) and a BEAUTIFUL bag to carry it in.  You know how some women use Victoria's Secret bags to carry small and light stuff around?  Basically that, but Touhou artwork.

Everything is in Japanese and/or Chinese.  I was talking with the girl at the table and they didn't have a website, although I do have her Paypal email from buying up everything they had right then and there.  I'd love to link to it to show off the art, because while I'm not exactly the King of Pixiv, I haven't seen anything like this on Danbooru yet. 

If I can, I'll scan the bags and anything that I won't break the spine of by doing.  This is serious Japan-quality doujinshi and I don't want to jack it up. 

Anyone ever heard of them/know of them?

[Danielu Yoshikoto]

Anyone ever heard of them/know of them?

Nope...
But I am slighty interested.

[KrackoCloud]

"Sanae," when broken down, probably sounds something like sa-nah-eh... But if one were to say it more fluidly, should her name be pronounced like sah-nai, or sah-nei?

[チソウ タイゼン]

I use suh-nay

Satori has a third eye. Koishi does not. Why are all of her cards about the subconscious?

[jigglyppuff8]

Koishi does have a third eye. Seeing how hated her sister was for having an open third eye, Koishi kept her's closed. As a backfire, Koishi gained the ability to read and manipulate the subconscious.

[orinrin]

"Sanae," when broken down, probably sounds something like sa-nah-eh... But if one were to say it more fluidly, should her name be pronounced like sah-nai, or sah-nei?

Sanae.  Sa-na-eh.  Say that fast and you have it.

[Danielu Yoshikoto]

By accident I kept pronoucing her name like the word Sane for some time (after reading her name very carefully).

Same goes to Utusho.

[Drake]

makin me cry

[Naut]

makin me cry

sirno

I'm sorry I love you

[game2011]

Is the stick that Sanae is holding a gohei, but with a different design from Reimu's?

Thanks in advance!

[Helepolis]

"Sanae," when broken down, probably sounds something like sa-nah-eh... But if one were to say it more fluidly, should her name be pronounced like sah-nai, or sah-nei?

http://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php?topic=4290.0

[Bias Bus]

Is the stick that Sanae is holding a gohei, but with a different design from Reimu's?

Thanks in advance!

Yeah, it's a gohei, although slightly different in design. Reimu's is the more traditional kind, the kind you see everywhere in popular culture.

[game2011]

Yeah, it's a gohei, although slightly different in design. Reimu's is the more traditional kind, the kind you see everywhere in popular culture.

Touhou Hisoutensoku Wiki calls it  a onusa (or Shide Onusa) however, but it's still a gohei, right?

[Bias Bus]

Onusa, huh.

Well...I'd still call it a gohei though, seeing as to how the both of them are used for the same thing and have pretty much the same purpose in Shinto rituals. Then again, you might wanna look to someone who's more fluant in japanese stuff than me.

[Sabino]

Touhou Hisoutensoku Wiki calls it  a onusa (or Shide Onusa) however, but it's still a gohei, right?

Those sticks with ritual like purposes have the names of: Gohei, Nusa (Onusa), or Heisoku
While those sticks looks different they're same things as far as I understand.

...Rather what's different is not the sticks but something a bit more gineral.
Most people consider both Raimu and Sanae as "shrine maidens" but this is a misunderstanding.
While Reimu is a "Shrine Maiden" which is very general, Sanae is a "Kaze Hafuri" or "Kaze Houri"(風祝).
A "Kaze hafuri" is something that's special for the Moriya shrine.
While their jobs are similar to the regular shrine maiden's they also act as earthly/descended gods so in a sense they're also like an idol. (Sorry I couldn't find a better word to use.)

...On a side note, it's said that Sanae is modeled after an existing person.

[Vicks]

How do you perform the 412/632 moves in SWR/UNL? I can do the 214/236/22 ones just fine.

If you don't get it, look at your numpad.