Author Topic: ZUN and Touhou status update  (Read 412800 times)

N-Forza

  • Information Superhighway Robbery
  • *
  • I said it was a steal, but not for whom
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #630 on: January 17, 2014, 02:17:02 AM »
Either way, only a drop of 700? Considering Kancolle's 9th 砲雷撃戦!よーい! event (with 2000 circle spaces and a catalog!) is only a week before it I'd say that's not bad. Those doujin circles have some amazing stamina.
Huh? Reitaisai isn't until May, unless there's another 砲雷撃戦 then as well. (I only know of the one happening this week because a few friends are going.)

Speaking of which, someone posted comparison shots of the floor layout for the last Comiket, the last Reitaisai, and this coming Kancolle event. It might be because they have less room to work with, but the Kancolle booths are jam-packed, with around 1000 circles in the same space that holds around 900 Comiket booths or 800 Reitaisai booths.

hungrybookworm

  • Shipper On Board
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #631 on: January 17, 2014, 08:08:01 AM »
And the wiki works for me now! I'll put it down to my computer being old and grumpy. It seems right that the highest number of circles was on the day ZUN got married. And that increase between 5 and 6, wow.

Quote
One week is enough for them to recover their stamina. If you mean the energy to create works, indeed, making KanColle doujin will take away from making new Touhou doujin, but circles are not required to sell new works for any given convention; they can always keep selling their old stuff if they have to.
Ah, righto. I'm glad it won't be that exhausting then.

Quote
Huh? Reitaisai isn't until May, unless there's another 砲雷撃戦 then as well. (I only know of the one happening this week because a few friends are going.)
There's a 砲雷撃戦 happening every month at the moment. They range from 30 spaces to 300, except for 9 which has 2000.

(I'd understand one every month if each one was character or pairing specific, but just a general Kancolle event each time feels like overkill to me.)

Imosa

  • Any sufficiently advanced technology
  • is indistinguishable from magic
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #632 on: January 22, 2014, 08:01:05 PM »
Since there seems to be a lot of ZUN interest here let me ask this.
At one point I thought I heard that ZUN wanted Touhou to be cross-cultural. This is why Reimu's outfit is a combination of a traditional miko dress and a Western dress. This is also why, while one of the main characters is a miko (Japanese thing), the other is a more western witch. Finally this is why EoSD is about a group of f westerners entering Gensokyo.
However, this impression seems contradictory to where we then see the series going, with western influence not even being talked about until the Hobbgoblins and Chupacabra show up along with the speculations about DDC.

Aba Matindesu!

  • keep it gwiyoming
  • DASEU RAESISSEU
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #633 on: January 22, 2014, 08:13:44 PM »
It already happened with LLS through EoSD and a bit of PCB.


teets mi hao 2 2hu teets mi teets mi hao 2 2hu

Monkeypro257

Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #634 on: January 22, 2014, 09:59:53 PM »
Since there seems to be a lot of ZUN interest here let me ask this.
At one point I thought I heard that ZUN wanted Touhou to be cross-cultural. This is why Reimu's outfit is a combination of a traditional miko dress and a Western dress. This is also why, while one of the main characters is a miko (Japanese thing), the other is a more western witch. Finally this is why EoSD is about a group of f westerners entering Gensokyo.
However, this impression seems contradictory to where we then see the series going, with western influence not even being talked about until the Hobbgoblins and Chupacabra show up along with the speculations about DDC.

Also a bit with Parsee's design, right? (um, Persian was it?)

Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #635 on: January 22, 2014, 11:02:02 PM »
Since there seems to be a lot of ZUN interest here let me ask this.
At one point I thought I heard that ZUN wanted Touhou to be cross-cultural. This is why Reimu's outfit is a combination of a traditional miko dress and a Western dress. This is also why, while one of the main characters is a miko (Japanese thing), the other is a more western witch. Finally this is why EoSD is about a group of f westerners entering Gensokyo.
However, this impression seems contradictory to where we then see the series going, with western influence not even being talked about until the Hobbgoblins and Chupacabra show up along with the speculations about DDC.

EoSD in general feels a bit different compared to other Touhou games in terms of character design, and I too feel like Touhou became more Japanese after that.  That said, there's evidence that suggests ZUN still wanted it to be cross cultural, though, because there are lines in Perfect Memento in Strict Sense as well as CoLA that describe Gensokyo as international (Akyuu mentioning that many youkai even not from Japan came to Gensokyo, and Rinnosuke also stating that and adding that it made Gensokyo very "international in spirit".)

Possibly it leans towards Japanese a lot just because that's what ZUN has the most knowledge of.

xJeePx

  • Danmaku Aesthete
  • 夢幻王子
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #636 on: January 23, 2014, 01:05:47 AM »
Since there seems to be a lot of ZUN interest here let me ask this.
At one point I thought I heard that ZUN wanted Touhou to be cross-cultural. This is why Reimu's outfit is a combination of a traditional miko dress and a Western dress. This is also why, while one of the main characters is a miko (Japanese thing), the other is a more western witch. Finally this is why EoSD is about a group of f westerners entering Gensokyo.
However, this impression seems contradictory to where we then see the series going, with western influence not even being talked about until the Hobbgoblins and Chupacabra show up along with the speculations about DDC.

I think while ZUN's intention was to make Touhou cross-cultural, he also wanted Eastern influence to be dominant. This can be seen even in the very beginning of Touhou.

In HRtP, on one hand we have Western Hell (Makai) with references to Abrahamic religions (Ruins of Binah, a giant cross in the Fallen Temple, Elis and Sariel - a devil and an angel respectively), while on the other hand, we have Eastern Hell (Jigoku), with heavy influence of Shinto (Rotting World of Flames aka Yomi, and Kikuri, who resides here) and Buddhism (Konngara, an attendant of Fudo-Myoou, who is surrounded by Siddham characters, which used these days mostly by Japanese buddhists). The rest of HRtP cast screams "East": we have a Japanese shrine maiden (Reimu, whose outfit in PC-98 games resembled traditional miko clothes much more than her redesign in Windows games), a being of Japanese origins who symbolizes the concept of duality (Shingyoku), a Japanese youkai (Yuugenmagan) and a Japanese vengeful spirit (Mima, who later was redesigned to look more like a Western magician).

Quote
the speculations about DDC.

Actually, I was surprised so many people got the impression ZUN was going to focus on the Western themes in DDC. When I played the trial version, I thought it was very Japanese, with the only exception of the bosses' music titles (Mermaid, Dullahan and Werewolf).
« Last Edit: January 23, 2014, 01:07:35 AM by xJeePx »

Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #637 on: January 23, 2014, 05:37:58 AM »
I think the short answer is that he changed his mind partway through. He's been doing this for a long time now, and it'd be even weirder if he hadn't changed at all during that time. It's pretty easy to see a transition from more Western to more Eastern throughout the games. Heck, you could probably just count the number of characters with non-Japanese names and plot a nice, smooth, downward curve from EoSD to DDC.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2014, 05:42:39 AM by Clarste »

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
  • *
  • I said, with a posed look.
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #638 on: January 23, 2014, 11:15:29 AM »
I'm more curious about a cite for this ZUN quote, tbh. I mean I think some western influence is obvious and indisputable; just interested in his exact words on his actual intentions.

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."

Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #639 on: January 23, 2014, 06:57:31 PM »
I'm more curious about a cite for this ZUN quote, tbh. I mean I think some western influence is obvious and indisputable; just interested in his exact words on his actual intentions.

I think the context was his explanation for why he chose the name "Team Shanghai Alice".

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
  • *
  • I said, with a posed look.
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: 4317 circles registered for Reitaisai 11
« Reply #640 on: January 23, 2014, 07:00:08 PM »
I think the context was his explanation for why he chose the name "Team Shanghai Alice".
I remember something like this, too, but I think that was about east and west. And again, I am genuinely curious to see his exact words on the subject (even if the "cross-cultural" influences are apparent).

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."

cuc

  • *
  • Probably won't respond 'til this mess is sorted o?
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: FS Vol.2 cover art; ZUN to speak at BitSummit
« Reply #641 on: February 11, 2014, 10:23:18 AM »
I have a few updates in mind to be written, but before that, the important things.

Touhou Suzunaan ~ Forbidden Scrollery Vol. 2 will be released on February 26. Again, this blogger will be keeping track of the store-specific pre-order bonus items.

Melonbooks gets another book cover:


WonderGOO has a postcard, showing the cover art of Vol. 2:



The 2nd BitSummit event for Japanese indie games will be held from March 7 to 9. ZUN is set to appear at a roundtable at the event. This will be much greater than last year's TGS outing.
http://bitsummit.org/speakers.html
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

game2011

  • mineiptXD
    • Supreme ??asual Dating Verified Women
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: FS Vol.2 cover art; ZUN to speak at BitSummit
« Reply #642 on: February 14, 2014, 05:23:56 AM »
Possible chance of ZUN announcing a new game there?

Thanks in advance!

Colticide

  • Awoo!~
  • *
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: FS Vol.2 cover art; ZUN to speak at BitSummit
« Reply #643 on: February 14, 2014, 05:43:20 AM »
Will there possibly be video of the roundtable event? Would love to see ZUN talking with other Indie devs! Wait ... Yoshiro Kimura, the guy behind Rule of rose will be there talking with ZUN! Now I really want to see this. Also a Bit surprised to see John Baez from The Behemoth, and to see kickstarter there as well. I heard that the way kickstarter works Japanese Indies can't use it. I can't see ZUN using kickstarter anyway, his games sell like hotcakes so he doesn't neeed to worry about money I guess.
Touhou Fugyouseki ~ Nightmare of Sleeping Girl English Patch
I run a crappy YouTube channel, check it out if you wish~

cuc

  • *
  • Probably won't respond 'til this mess is sorted o?
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: FS Vol.2 cover art; ZUN to speak at BitSummit
« Reply #644 on: February 17, 2014, 01:16:43 AM »
At 9:00PM JST tonight, there will be a live broadcast about ZUN Beer and Reitaisai Super Condensed at the 3rd NicoNico Super Conference (April 26 & 27). We can expect ZUN to talk about what he's brewing for the Super Conference this year, and perhaps give a hint about what he's working on.

http://live.nicovideo.jp/gate/lv168584601

Some of my friends believe they'd heard ZUN say there will be no new game for 2014, but funnily enough, none of them can name a source!
« Last Edit: February 17, 2014, 01:19:37 AM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Drake

  • *
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: FS Vol.2 cover art; ZUN to speak at BitSummit
« Reply #645 on: February 17, 2014, 01:38:21 AM »
Considering DDC was released in August, the last large book in Spring 2012, and the last CD in Summer 2012, I find it difficult to believe that no game will be released in 2014, never mind some other works as well. Book/CD in the summer, spin-off game in the winter?

A Colorful Calculating Creative and Cuddly Crafty Callipygous Clever Commander
- original art by Aiけん | ウサホリ -

cuc

  • *
  • Probably won't respond 'til this mess is sorted o?
Re: ZUN and Touhou status update: FS Vol.2 cover art; ZUN to speak at BitSummit
« Reply #646 on: February 17, 2014, 03:08:59 AM »
An hour ago, Amazon Japan has put up a large cover art image for FS Vol.2.


Marisa for Vol.3, Akyuu for Vol.4, and Mamizou for Vol.5?

EDIT:
The artwork for Toranoana's bonus clear file folder looks nice.
« Last Edit: February 17, 2014, 08:34:29 AM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

cuc

  • *
  • Probably won't respond 'til this mess is sorted o?
Today's broadcast has ended. The most important thing ZUN said is probably this: "I plan to burn Reitaisai's master disc on the day of Super Conference. If it fails, it's all your conference's fault."

While this was said in jest, the message is clear: something new will be released on Reitaisai 11 (May 11).


- The broadcast started with Ban (NicoNico's director for anime/manga/etc-related business), ZUN and another man at a table in a bar of Baird Beer's (the brewery where ZUNBeer is brewed). While I don't know who's the third person, he should be someone in charge of Reitaisai.

- During last year's conference, ZUN sold 7017 cups of beer, weighing about 2 tonnes.
- There will be a score attack contest for DDC at Super Conference 3.
- ZUN: (Reitaisai) is already entering the 11th year. That feels so stupid.

- Two guys suddenly show up behind them with a copy of DDC for ZUN to sign. This will be the prize for the score attack contest.


- Hiroyuki (founder of 2ch) has finally arrived.
- Then came an unexpected guest, Kishida Mel, the artist known for his work on the Alchemists of Arland games, and recently, cosplay shenegians. This is the first time he met ZUN.

- Kishida: While I've never drawn art [for Touhou], I've always been playing the games.
ZUN: Thank you for playing such kuso games.

(Left to right: Ban, ZUN, Kishida, Hiroyuki)


- Ban: The (NicoNico) comments are talking about the new work of Touhou. Is it game or music?
ZUN: ...
Ban: ZUN-san, are you really making a new work?
ZUN: ... It's still really rough. Let's not talk about it now.



The FS manga has been selling fairly well. Vol.1 has sold either 100 or 200 thousand copies, depending on the source. While FS Vol.2 is not yet released, Kadokawa has already announced... a very special edition of Vol.3.
http://www.kadokawa.co.jp/shop/sp/shop_sp_271.html

This edition of Vol.3, costing 2484 yen (tax included), will come with a Kosuzu figure and 3 props: gramophone, desk and chair. However, the limited edition is for preorder only, and will be manufactured strictly according to the number of preorders.

The cutoff date for the preorder is Sep 1, 2014. FS Vol.3 itself will be released on Dec 10, 2014.
« Last Edit: February 17, 2014, 04:10:05 PM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Wait, ZUN sells beer too???
Now we know where he got his earnings when he's not making Touhou.

From how he said it, it's likely that it's a game. I would love a new music disc or a continuation/prequel to the Maribel and Renko's story, but this is pretty good too.
Now the big question is whether it will be a main, spinoff(Photo or Phantasmagoria), or an entirely new gimmick game. With it being "rough", it leans to the latter.
Photo game might be possible too, but Phantasmagoria seems unlikely with a new arc that just started in DDC.

Good to hear that the books are selling well. Though how much does ZUN gets from it anyway?

Maiden Synnae ミ☆

  • Wizard Maiden
  • ★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
*has high hopes that it's a non spin-off game*

Sweetness and love~ ♥

Serela

  • Moon Tiara Magic
  • VIA PIZZA SLINGING
*has high hopes that it's a non spin-off game*
ZUN would most likely have released a demo by now if it wasn't; it'd probably be better to hope it's a game at all and not a music CD :V Not that I wouldn't still be happy to see a music CD

But yes, ZUN has always released a demo for not-decimal-number games, so it's fairly safe to say it's not going to be one of those.
<mauvecow> see this is how evil works in reality, it just wears you down with bureaucracy until you don't care anymore

Drake

  • *
He can't be releasing a game demo at Reitaisai why, exactly?

A Colorful Calculating Creative and Cuddly Crafty Callipygous Clever Commander
- original art by Aiけん | ウサホリ -

Serela

  • Moon Tiara Magic
  • VIA PIZZA SLINGING
this is...

a good point
<mauvecow> see this is how evil works in reality, it just wears you down with bureaucracy until you don't care anymore

I could be wrong, but I recall ZUN releasing the Ten Desires demo during the Air Reitaisai a few years back, so it's entirely possible and even likely that he'd release a demo then. That being said, it's hard to tell if it'd be another main game already...I'd be extremely excited if it was, but I won't get my hopes up. Honestly, I'd be thrilled if it was even a spinoff game.

While I might not be as ecstatic if it's a CD or book, any sort of Touhou release is great, so I look forward to hearing about what ZUN has planned.

cuc

  • *
  • Probably won't respond 'til this mess is sorted o?
Since IN, main game demos have always been released at Reitaisai first, and on the web later. Except for TD, due to the Tohoku earthquake. The wiki is your friend.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2014, 10:31:17 AM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Espadas

  • *
  • You're gonna have a bad time
If it's a new main game i will scream like a little girl out of happiness.... there are NEVER enough main games of Touhou!  8)

The question might be stupid but..... would it be possible to be another written "expansion" like Silent Sinner, Perfect Memento and the likes?   :wat:

cuc

  • *
  • Probably won't respond 'til this mess is sorted o?
I could be wrong, but I recall ZUN releasing the Ten Desires demo during the Air Reitaisai a few years back, so it's entirely possible and even likely that he'd release a demo then.
Air Reitaisai... It was a hashtag meme on Twitter, where some circles who had already finished their works for Reitaisai put their works up for sale at doujin channels, and tweeted on March 11 (the day Reitaisai 8 was going to be held) pretending it was Reitaisai. The Reitaisai committee also joined in with one tweet, and that's as official as it got.

It was kind of a sweet moment of fandom solidarity, but ZUN didn't take part in this, and the TD demo was released on April 16.

The way it's written on the wiki is also misleading, as if Air Reitaisai was an actual, official event.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2014, 01:47:35 PM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter

Maiden Synnae ミ☆

  • Wizard Maiden
  • ★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
Forgot to mention, but I'm also interested to see what Tasofro has planned for us.

Sweetness and love~ ♥

Air Reitaisai... It was a hashtag meme on Twitter, where some circles who had already finished their works for Reitaisai put their works up for sale at doujin channels, and tweeted on March 11 (the day Reitaisai 8 was going to be held) pretending it was Reitaisai. The Reitaisai committee also joined in with one tweet, and that's as official as it got.

It was kind of a sweet moment of fandom solidarity, but ZUN didn't take part in this, and the TD demo was released on April 16.

The way it's written on the wiki is also misleading, as if Air Reitaisai was an actual, official event.

Ah, well, forgive me for my lack of knowledge regarding the subject~ I should have done the research. My point still stands though, a demo being released during the upcoming Reitaisai is definitely possible.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2014, 05:06:08 PM by LuckySmash »

cuc

  • *
  • Probably won't respond 'til this mess is sorted o?
Quote
ZUN: "The Girl from Gunma", that's a fun shooting game. It's way too MSX [a home computer system popular in Japan].

That's 群馬県から来た少女 Gunma-ken kara Kita Shoujo, a free Android and iOS game released to promote the eponymous light novel, which in turn promotes/parodies the local culture of Gunma Prefecture. Actually, the author of the book seems to at least have a hand in making the game...

It looks very, very MSX indeed (video):


Quote
Someone: ZUN-san, here's something interesting in America~~

[Link: "Touhou Cafe to open in America"]

ZUN: What? I need to go there again lol

This "Touhou Cafe" will be opened on March 21 during Con-nichiwa, in Tucson, Arizona.




You can already buy FS Vol.2 in bookstores around  Japan now.

Photo from Melonbooks Yokohama:


Quote
ZUN: While we are discussing the next FS chapter, the editor puts on a mysterious show.

Text on the cake: Congratulations for release
« Last Edit: February 21, 2014, 04:01:27 PM by cuc »
Touhou Fantasy News: twitter