Is it time for Reimu and Marisa to retire?

[Recon 5]

They've been the protagonists of the entire Windows series and most of the PC-98 series (minus StB of course) and no one would miss them if they take a break for one or two installments or even the rest of the Windows series for that matter. It would create two slots for new characters or for ZUN to bring back some old favorites.

What does everyone think? Can the series continue without those two in the main spots? Should it? Would it be better after Reimu and Marisa step down?

[Xijiy]

Hm, I suppose it would be a real shocker to see some new main characters. I'm a bit unsure of that matter myself. While I think it would be a cool idea to see some new characters/spell cards/attacks/stories from the players perspective. The new characters could be rather awful and it wouldn't be as fun to play as them or hear about their stories.

[Chaore]

Theres no reason, So I doubt this will happen soon if ever.

Lets be honest. Every Touhou game is a set formula like a Megaman game. Add a few new faces in for the six robot masters bosses, and then throw megaman megamari marisa and reimu at them and hope shit blows up well. Sometimes old characters get cameos as shot types. Reusing Marisa and Reimu saves time on completely redesigning shot types and characters.

At that, what would really require a different person than Marisa and Reimu? Ones a witch, ones a miko, they fight crime solve incidents. The only people to worry about are the bosses, really.

[shadowbringer]

canonically, humans and youkai must fight each other, and the spellcard rules were made so that youkai could fight the shrinemaiden without worrying about (the drawbacks of) defeating her. If Reimu were to retire, or become too grownup/elderly to play danmaku, she would need a successor (unless she's unavailable, for some reason), even if that successor doesn't get to appear in the games.

Marisa could've given less 'screen time' without much serious consequences, like Alice and Patchouli seem to be getting gradually less appearances, however Marisa could be also one of ZUN's ways of showing Gensokyo to the players, through the games, since Marisa is an human, and so, easier to identify with. (this isn't discrimination, it's said that youkai think differently from humans)

Maybe the challenge would be, to have another character that could be good enough to replace them. Possibly, a newcomer.

[ebarrett]

I could really go on a rant but these are modern times which put modern demands on modern people so I'll be brief and just ask politely, in hoping to keep an elevated level of debate, to everyone who is and will be involved in this discussion to BURN THE HERETIC

[Recon 5]

Thing is, people keep asking for old characters to be brought back as bosses, but we all know that ZUN's policy is usually to introduce new characters as bosses. Why not bring some old characters back as mains instead of Reimu and Marisa?

[Chaore]

Maybe the challenge would be, to have another character that could be good enough to replace them. Possibly, a newcomer.

If Zun DID replace them, I can simply say making it not a video shark jumping moment would be his toughest task. Reimu and Marisa are not the kinds of characters that people wouldn't care vanish, if their successors didn't pass them, they'd get no end of crap for being 'the characters that replaced marisa and reimu'.

Thing is, people keep asking for old characters to be brought back as bosses, but we all know that ZUN's policy is usually to introduce new characters as bosses. Why not bring some old characters back as mains instead of Reimu and Marisa?

Oh fuck. Not this. Crap, This entire thought process was about old characters being brought back? Are you loving KIDDING ME?

Asking for old characters to return at all is pretty ridiculous. It happens, But USUALLY alongside Reimu and Marisa. Ex. PCB and Sakuya, IN and the other teams and partners, SA and the shot types.

If there were new mains, They're NOT going to be old characters.

[warpshadow]

Even though I don't know ZUN's thoughts I have the strange feeling that he isn't willing to go through another storm of fanrage the likes of which was seen in Shoot the Bullet when Reimu and Marisa were absent either. This time it would be even worse because the two main characters would be replaced.

Besides do Reimu and Marisa look like they are getting too old to fight monsters? They look about as old in the latest game as they did in EoSD.

[Nine West]

Thing is, people keep asking for old characters to be brought back as bosses, but we all know that ZUN's policy is usually to introduce new characters as bosses. Why not bring some old characters back as mains instead of Reimu and Marisa?

To be honest, I would prefer old characters being brought back (if ever again) as bosses rather than PCs, because being bosses means that you get to show more of your Danmaku.

If the only thing that matters is the actual appearance of old characters in-game, just say you want another StB-type deal.

[nintendonut888]

Besides do Reimu and Marisa look like they are getting too old to fight monsters? They look about as old in the latest game as they did in EoSD.

I must be the only person who actually thinks Reimu and Marisa look like they're in their mid-twenties. >_> As for looking the same, people generally stop looking different after 18, which is about how old I'd put the two in EoSD.

Anyway, I severely doubt it. The series' alternate official title is Project Shrine Maiden. Marisa I admit is in every game mostly out of tradition, but I really don't think the series would be the same without Reimu.

FYI, Reimu and Marisa appeared in the backstory to StB.

[Ghaleon]

While Reimu isn't my fave Touhou character, or even among my top 5, I rather do like her, which is unusual for most main characters. As for Marisa, she's something like my 5th fave or so, around that ballpark. Anyway I rather like them as main characters, why screw around with a formula that obviously works?

[Grand Octopus]

Yes, they're both old and past their use-by-dates. The next batch of playable characters should be either the Moriyas, the Komeijis, or Yuki, Mai and Alice.

Spoiler:

Not really.

[Aisha]

Didn't ZUN say that he considered Marisa to be a sub-character? I can't remember where I read that. Certainly feels contradictory to how much attention she gets in the series, though..

[Garlyle]

I feel like mentioning Shoot the Bullet.

No it's not a major game but it's still there, and the only playable character is Aya - hell, Reimu and Marisa never appear in that game.

However, the entire reasoning behind StB - and it's change of character to Aya - is that the idea of photographing bullets simply did not work with Reimu or Marisa.

In short: The next time you can expect to NOT see Reimu and Marisa as main characters, will be the next time that the gameplay itself dictates that they simply can't work.

[Pesco]

It happens to be the HAKUREI shrine and the HAKUREI border. Reimu holds all the rights. Marisa could get replaced by Sanae then oshitSuperMario!

[Apotheosis]

Well, I've been meaning to tell y'all this, and I suppose now's a good enough time.

I've been talking with ZUN. Now, nothing's official, not yet, but according to him I'm slated to be the next protagonist.

So look for TH13, starring the asian dude in the sleeping bag with legs!

[Ghaleon]

It happens to be the HAKUREI shrine and the HAKUREI border. Reimu holds all the rights. Marisa could get replaced by Sanae then oshitSuperMario!

boo Sanae is one of very few Touhou characters I somewhat dislike.

[Helepolis]

Danbooru pictures of touhou: over 100.000
#1 Kirisame Marisa 11751
#2 Hakurei Reimu 10892
#3 Izayoi Sakuya 8454

It is not going to happen. ZUN wishes to live peacefully in the mountains.

It would create two slots for new characters or for ZUN to bring back some old favorites.

What does everyone think?

ZUN is NOT going to bring back old characters. 'Favorite' is a subjective view. Just because people want for example Mima back doesn't mean Mima is a favorite character or anything.

Stop whining about it.

[Rikter]

I must be the only person who actually thinks Reimu and Marisa look like they're in their mid-twenties. >_>

You are.

Anyways You do not change the main characters in a series after about 4 games. Its too late to change at that point.

[DarkslimeZ]

Touhou 13 main characters: Sanae, Sakuya, and Satsuki

[Blackraptor]

Touhou 13 main characters: Sanae, Sakuya, and Satsuki

Trade in Sanae for Youmu or Keine and you have a deal.

Also Touhou 14 with Mima and Shinki's return is slated for 2013 BTW...

Spoiler:

World ends on 2012.

[Serela]

Also Touhou 14 with Mima and Shinki's return is slated for 2013 BTW...

Spoiler:

World ends on 2012.

I would laugh so hard if he actually did that and there really was an apocalypse.

Not to mention all the "MIMA'S COMING BACK, ITS A SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE!" jokes that would occur.

[Chaotic Phoenixma]

boo Sanae is one of very few Touhou characters I somewhat dislike.

Sanae is fine. So are most of the other MoF characters. I can't stand Kanako though, I ****ing hate her so much.

Marisa would be more likely to get retired, but it's not likely anyway.

I'm kind of expecting Kogasa for playable in Touhou 13 or as an Ex Boss or something later in the series. But then, is it really a surprise then if some people would expect that as a surprise?

[OkashiiKisei]

Trade in Sanae for Youmu or Keine and you have a deal.

Also Touhou 14 with Mima and Shinki's return is slated for 2013 BTW...

Spoiler:

World ends on 2012.

*ahem* WROOOOOOOOONG!!!!

They misread it, and recently discovered the Mayan calendar ends on 2208. No apocalypse in our lifetimes, mates.

Also, regarding the age problem, I bet ZUN's going to give us a time skip once Reimu and Marisa get implausibly old while still looking like loli's. After said time skip Marisa would be a youkai and Reimu a ghost/goddess/Yukari-hacked-immortal, keeping them loli, and allowing them to be main characters. 'Cuz with ZUN, it's all about the loli's.
Since so many things are named after and revolve around Reimu, she's probably going to stay the main character. She's the Mario, the Link of Touhou, she'll almost always take the lead role. And Marisa is the rival/friend since the second game, so although she has less plot importance than Reimu, she'll probably keep sticking around. (Unless ZUN wants to go the grimdark route and kill her off for drama)

[DgBarca]

"Is it time for Reimu and Marisa to retire?"
"Is it time for Mario to retire?"
Well no.

[Kuma]

Retire? They're, like, 12.

But if they HAD to be replaced, it'd be Reimu's daughter/grandaughter, and Marisa as a Youkai, or Marisa's apprentice who wants to carry out her dream to find a legit way for a human to become a youkai without giving up their humanity or whatever.

[Patorikku]

They misread it, and recently discovered the Mayan calendar ends on 2208. No apocalypse in our lifetimes, mates.

The Mayan's are long gone. Their calendar ended a LONG time ago. Still, no apocalypse anytime soon. :V

Anyways, the idea of switching out such despised loved characters as Reimu and Marisa is ridiculous in itself. Marisa is an understandable one, sort of, as she really only follows Reimu for the fun of it, but like Pes said, it's alwaysabout the HAKUREI border, not the Moriya or Komeiji border. Though, to be fair, I'd love it if it was the Komeiji border...

And Kogasa as a playable? Ghal, my friend, I'd sooner see Nue as playable. :V

[Slaves]

short answer: no
long answer: noooooooooo~

changing something drastically usually leads to something bad.

[AlexX Unlimited]

I must be the only person who actually thinks Reimu and Marisa look like they're in their mid-twenties. >_> As for looking the same, people generally stop looking different after 18, which is about how old I'd put the two in EoSD.

I actually always thought this was plausable. The girls age in rougly real-time, right? Sure, they still look loli, but even the 'old hags' look incredibly young in teir ZUNart.

[Dead Princess Sakana]

Think about all the trouble that would mean for ZUN. He might have to create a whole new reason for a character to fight instead of just using 'It's an incident'
And in the worst case he wouldn't even be able to use the

Spoiler:

'Everybody drinks tea at the shrine'

-Ending anymore and be forced to do something new  :V

No really, I'm fine with the playable cast we have now. As long as they get some new shottypes from time to time that's good enough, they don't get boring. New characters are always enemies in Gensokyo, that's how it is.