What do Touhou themes make you feel or think about?

[Kaizaki]

What goes into your mind as you listen to them? Do you have thoughts that you'd like to share, but which are probably not enough to make a thread for?

Any kind of theme is welcome (title, stage, boss, ending, etc.). For boss themes, I'm aware that there is the "Characters, music, personalities." sticky, but what you have to share might not pertain to the bosses themselves. (If they do, it's probably better to post them there, rather than here.)


I'll start:

Nostalgic Blood of the East ~ Old World

This reminds me of the times when my family would travel and drive past villages at night. This was back when I lived in Asia, and I still remember the orange glow of street lamps, and lights coming from houses (or lack thereof when it was very late); quite a fond memory. Amusingly, it was later when I learnt that ZUN describes it as nostalgic (as it says on the tin ), and that the stage itself involves travelling to/through a (non-existent) village in the dark.

[UnendingEmpire]

In my case, there are three songs that stand out above the rest in terms of evoking certain thoughts or feelings.

The Venerable Ancient Battlefield ~ Suwa Foughten Field
The feels this song evokes in me are quite simple.  The utter feeling of "Dude, you're fucked", alongside awe and respect toward the power of a god.  Just the way ZUN wanted it, iirc.

Septette for the Dead Princess
This song feels prominently nighttime-ish to me.  Looking on it as a whole is almost like reading a small story.  The intro and first part are the night; calm, not bustling and noisy like the day.  The second part is a buildup to what comes next.  After that super-brief silence, it feels like this is really Remilia's theme; the melody feels like a vampiric thing to me, and the improv/solo at the end of the loop feels like something Remi would do.  Basically, this song makes me think of the character it's written for, more than most other boss themes.

Kid's Festival ~ Innocent Treasures
One of two Touhou themes to ever move me to tears (the second being Emotional Skyscraper ~ Cosmic Mind).  This song...this fucking song.  I can't even properly summarize what this makes me feel.  It's like everything that is Touhou coming to hit me all at once.  ZUN said that he wrote it as his theme, and I can see that, but more importantly, this feels like the theme song of Touhou itself; never mind that particular title screen tune.

[Failure McFailFace]

Stage 1 theme of IN and Wriggle's theme makes me think about sitting next to a campfire at night listening to someone play those songs on a guitar.

[Shiina Tamai]

Spring Lane ~ Colorful Path makes me think of the first time I ever played something related to Touhou and when I realized that Touhou was far more than a glorified Space Invaders clone.

[TresserT]

Alice in Wonderland sounds like Grave of Fireflies to me, it's depressing but I don't want it to stop (if it stops, it means they're dead). And it's regretful, because the whole time I can't help but feel whatever is causing the sadness could have been avoided. That's how it sounds to me.

Traditional Old Man and the Stylish Girl sounds like magical girls or a pop concert. It's so overly energetic but it doesn't feel fake. It's like watching little kids run around and wondering where they get that much energy.

Thunderclouds of Magical Power is probably the most "literal" song in all of touhou. In otherwords, it perfectly conveys the feeling of a dangerous typhoon or hurricane. There's nothing else it could sound like besides a thunderstorm.

Greenwhich in the Sky sounds like someone getting really pumped up about something nobody else is interested in. It's like they just keep talking and talking and you really don't care, but you don't want to stop them because they're so passionate about the topic.

Silk Road Alice sounds like I've literally died and am on my way to Heaven.

[Raikaria]

I'll put some others have not put, while also avoiding obvious ones like 'Phantom Ensemble makes me think of a band'. A lot of the time themes make me think about the correct topic, because ZUN is ZUN.

Staking Your Life On A Prank -
Makes me think of a high tension situation; especially the opening, although it gives way into a more playful tone at times as well. Perhaps some children running around scared... oh wait it's GFW that's probobly what ZUN was going for.

Spirit Battle ~ Perdition Crisis
Opening gives me a mysterious feel, while the main theme feels like a frantic fight while keeping the feel of mystery. It makes me think of fighting some sort of hard boss in an adventure game.

The Tank Girl's Dream -

It sounds outright victorious at the start. That said, it is probobly an achievement in itself making it to Evil Eye Omega. The theme overall mixes the victorious theme with a frantic theme which sets the tone of the fight. You're close to winning... but man it's not gonna be easy! I'd see this fitting as a final boss theme in most sorts of games.

Strawberry Crisis:

And here we have one of my favorite Touhou themes full stop. The rhythm has a distinct scientific feel, yet it still retains the magical feel of many other Touhou themes [Particularly those in PoDD and PC-98 in general.] While at the same time it feels climatic as well. It gives me the impression of a showdown between science and magic.

Reverse Ideology -

Unlike many other Touhou themes, this one sounds menacing. Also it sounds chaotic. And it sounds more menacing as the theme progresses and the music gets deeper. At the same time, especially for a Stage 5 boss, it sounds climatic, and even victorious towards the end. Probably because Seija's actually the one behind it all, she's just using Sukana.

So yeah, it makes me think of a villain's theme.

Magical Storm:
Aside from the obvious 'It sounds like a storm' it makes me think of specifically a boat at sea during a storm. It gives me more of a sea and ship-sinking vibe than MURASA. How does that work? Who knows. [Captain Murasa is actually one of my least favorite themes.] Magical Storm is my favorite stage theme out there, with the possible exception of Hellfire Mantle.

[Tengukami]

This is a good thread.

Any kind of theme is welcome (title, stage, boss, ending, etc.). For boss themes, I'm aware that there is the "Characters, music, personalities." sticky, but what you have to share might not pertain to the bosses themselves. (If they do, it's probably better to post them there, rather than here.)

A number of themes bring back specific memories or sets of memories for me, in vivid detail. Just a couple examples:

Voyage 1969 is a great song in a game full of great songs. It brings back a string of memories that all share the common element of looking at the night sky: standing outside of my old apartment, walking home from a friend's, taking a long, long cab ride from DC to my dad's house on my second visit to my family in 12 years. This song is the night, or the feeling I get flying into it, if only in my mind.

Lullaby of a Forgotten Hell is a song I connect to one specific memory in my life. Five years ago, I was on vacation in Bulgaria with my family and in-laws, who lived there. It was a hot summer day, not a cloud in the sky, and all of us - my daughter, her mom, her parents and cousins of all ages - were on the beach of the Black Sea, just wading in the water, this endless sea before us. I was struck by how beautiful this moment was, and the realization that it would end, and I would never experience it again. It made the moment all the more dear to me. It also happened I was thinking of this song as we walked into the waves. This was because earlier that morning, I had shown my 10-year-old cousin-in-law Kefit's SA Stage 5 Lunatic replay on YouTube.

Beloved Tomboyish Daughter reminds me of when my daughter was still a baby. She enjoyed the song, and I had it as my alarm tone for a long time.

Little Princess reminds me of the summer and fall of 2013. I hitched and camped the highway that circles Iceland for the third time, a very good friend of mine from Sweden came to visit for a month, and I suddenly made a circle of friends that included the woman who's now my girlfriend.

Chinese Tea reminds me of the summer of 2002, when I went from working as an "agricultural worker" on a series of strawberry and raspberry farms in Qu?bec with a bunch of other immigrants, high school kids, and pro migrant laborers, (e: one of my co-pickers was a woman my age from Shanghai, my hand to the gods. She was fortunately talkative, and had a lot to say about growing up in China and living in Japan, as she still does today) all of us getting paid by the quantity we picked ... to moving back to Iceland in late August, happy to be home, renting a room with some family in the burbs, and enjoying the peace and solitude as the leaves changed from green to gold.

[Mеа]

Pretty much the entire soundtrack of Imperishable Night reminds me of when I first got into Touhou. I would play it in the dead of night with the lights off, with my room only illuminated by the dark ambient night-time world of IN through my screen. IN's soundtrack is just so unified. Every track shares the same mystical, mysterious, almost spiritual sort of ambiance, along with reflections of the night sky. It's precisely this bewitching and charming atmosphere that sucked me into the game. Personally, this feeling climaxes with Reach for the Moon ~ Immortal Smoke with the scintillating piano section.
The subdued-ness of it works perfectly, it really is like I'm being spirited away or something.

[Kaizaki]

Awesome replies, thanks! They were interesting to read.

You can post your thoughts on themes already mentioned, because everyone will have something different to offer. I'm hoping to have this thread function similar to certain Touhou theme videos on YouTube, like those with interesting descriptions and the (rare) sensible comment, e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w5s7dwrH7Q (Ctrl+F "L.K" in Top comments, one from a year ago). Except that replies won't be on YouTube-level, and there will be more insights like this. (I swear, trying to find comments like this is like trying to find a diamond: d*mn hard, but it's sweet and pays off if and when you do.)


Akutagawa Ryuunosuke's Kappa ~ Candid Friend
I have always wondered what ZUN was thinking when he composed and named this. This is because it honestly sounds, to me, like a person (piano) and their candid friend (trumpet?) talking the first time I heard it. Let's use this as reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KkcwBE7vx0

0:00 - 0:25 The first friend relating/confessing an anecdote/thought, with the melody repeat sounding like they were explaining/discussing at length and in depth.
0:25 - 0:42 The first friend sounds sad and frustrated or at a loss on what to do (or maybe has already given up), then asks their friend what they think or for advice.
0:42 - 0:50 The second friend (the candid one) gives their opinion frankly, says what their friend did wrong or could do better, and perhaps give a light scolding.
0:50 - 0:51 The two notes sound like the candid friend saying "But then"...
0:51 - 0:59 ... and proceeds to honestly tell the good points and what their friend did well, lifting their spirit (this passage sounds uplifting) and saying things will be all right.

Typed out, you could say the first friend was also candid with their feelings. This one was an instant favourite.


Gah, I have more to share and I want to respond to some people, but I have to go; RL and a veeery long commute got in the way for a month and a bit, and they await me still~

[Ozzter]

Oh boy, I need to narrow down my list a bit, so many song give me all kinds of different feelings.

I guess I'll start with my absolute favorite somg, Yukari's theme: Necrofantasia. When I hear this, it makes me feel that this is a true challenge, and the upbeat, fast tune just adds to the mood of the fight. This song always get's me excited when I hear it, and just makes me wanna do something!

My next would be Pristine Beat. What really gets me in this song is the drumbeats. It reminds me of the small time I spent in a band, where I was a drummer. Of course this was a long time ago in elementary school, and all I remember is how messed up that school was when they restricted band for older kids at the time. Also I really like the taiko drum bit in the song, and the amazing feeling when Raiko's shots match up with the beat.

Lastly for now would be The Shining Needle Castle Sinking in the Air, DDC's stage 5 theme. The start of this song gives off a mysterious feeling, which fits the stage itself, using some unique bullet patterns for a Touhou game. Coupled with the fact that this is a floating, upside-down castle, this theme really makes the stage as a whole as some kind of strange place. The other part of this song that really grabs me is the bit that usually will be playing when Seija appears as the midboss. This part always made me feel like a devious foe has just appeared, yet it also feels calming at the same time. This part makes me want to sing along to it, even though Seija is there shooting all her bullets. It's such a feel-good song for me that combines mystery, curiosity, and a calming feeling throughout the song.

Those are just a few opinions on some of my more favorite songs, I didn't want to write too huge a wall of text , and my current time is limited. But still, I'm just happy to share my opinions about my favorite part of Touhou!

[Silent Harmony]

It's really hard for me to separate Touhou themes from their stages and bosses. I'll try though.

Bamboo Forest of the Full Moon: This song makes me think "race against time"; it's so full of energy. When Kagerou appears in the chorus it makes me imagine her and the player flying through the bamboo full-speed throwing attacks at each other. Think that speeder-bike scene from Star Wars VI, but with bamboo and danmaku.

The Gensokyo the Gods Loved: My favorite theme. This song just screams "paradise" to me. Considering the stage takes part over a river, it makes me think of a relaxing boat trip on clean, clear water through a lush forest full of life.

Night Sakura of Dead Spirits: To me, this theme is the best of the Netherworld themes. Solemn and dark, yet peaceful; this theme makes me imagine a peaceful death; a soul escaping the mortal world and passing onto the next life without regrets.

Traditional Old Man and the Stylish Girl sounds like magical girls or a pop concert. It's so overly energetic but it doesn't feel fake. It's like watching little kids run around and wondering where they get that much energy.

I could never get into this theme until I read this. It really does remind me of anime where the main character transforms or powers up their super signature attack.

[haoreos2]

Walking the Streets of a Former Hell invokes a kind of wistful melancholy, the kind where something has changed not necessarily for the worse, but you recognize that you'll never again see it the way it was before. Like the old school you used to go to getting renovated; you might never have intended to set foot in the place again, but the fact that the opportunity is now gone even if you suddenly felt like it produces a very specific feeling that this song seems to encapsulate.

Green-eyed Jealousy (in particular this violin arrangement) invokes a much stronger melancholy, one characterized by apathy. It brings to mind the image of someone sitting quietly, head resting on their knees, eyes looking inward; not because they're an introvert, but because the world outside seems to have lost all colour. Rather than invoking the emotion itself, the music seems to express the state of mind of the person who is feeling the emotion, if that makes any sense.

Nostalgic Blood of the East actually makes me feel pretty much the same as Walking the Streets of a Former Hell, but much more deeply. Rather than regret and losing an opportunity one wouldn't have taken anyway, its (like it says in the title), a mournful nostalgia for something the feeler will never again experience. Like the feeling you get, years later, recalling fond memories of a closely knit community, circle of friends or the like that have gone their separate ways, or a favoured pastime from your youth that you cannot revisit.



I actually imagine an animation when I listen to Ancient Venerable Battlefield, depicting a battle with Kanako and Suwako's armies. Starts off with each army preparing, then Suwako's side starts taking the lead before the crescendo. During that (starting about 1.25 in) it has flashbacks to Kanako's villagers struggling, and her intervention (bringing rain to help with crops and whatnot) helping them thrive. When the intensity spikes (about 1.50 in) it goes back to the battle, with Kanako's soldiers being all resolute and determined, and finishes with the gods engaging each other themselves at the climax before the music loops.
'Course there's always the chance that's an actual existing animation that I saw at some point and promptly forgot about, but eh.

[jester147]

Bloom Nobly, Cherry Blossom of Sumizome ~ Border of Life and Border of Life. This theme really shows the beauty of Yuyuko, combined with the awesome mix of butterfly danmaku and cherry blossoms. The last theme is even more stunning just because Yuyuko is bent to reviving the Saigyou Ayakashi and the body buried beneath it, and also the spell card accompanying it makes everything really beautiful, stunning and thrilling. I think PCB has the best impression of completing the game because of the music reaching the climax while everything is in slowdown. Really made me cry the first time I play it.

Reach for the Moon, Immortal Smoke. The theme shows the tragic part of Mokou of being an immortal and mixed it with some terror of being faced with her phoenix-like powers in the beginning.

Emotional Skyscraper ~ Cosmic Mind. A beautiful theme, that shows Byakuren's benevolent nature. Her spell cards even complement the beauty, especially Magic "Mystic Fragrance of a Makai Butterfly".

Voyage 1969 and Gensokyo Millenium ~ History of the Moon. Both really give you the feeling that you are in space.

Well, that's it for me.

[anthonyshu01]

Paradise ~ Deep Mountain: I think about this song in my head when im taking a stroll outside in the spring.

Starry sky of small desires This song sounds very techno and makes me think about a futuristic city of robots.

The bridge the people no longer cross Definetly a cave theme, it makes me want to go play the underground level in mario

Solar sect of mystic wisdom Sounds like im at a final boss level and i have to defeat several forms of the boss before getting to their final form