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FullHitPoints — Mystic Square Explained
#louise #mai #meira #mima #orange #sara #shinki #touhou #yuki #yumeko #walfas #mysticsquare #alicemargatroid #marisakirisame #reimuhakurei #touhouproject #yuukakazami #walfasstationwagon
Published: 2017-03-26 04:47:30 +0000 UTC; Views: 6607; Favourites: 66; Downloads: 17
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Description
It's no secret I love Mystic Square. I personally consider it to be the game that has the best plot out of the entire Touhou series, so much so that I feel that the genius plot-twist of the game goes completely unnoticed by the majority of Touhou fans. To rectify that, I've provided my personal interpretation of the plot behind Mystic Square.Prop credits
Hands, Gohei by Ceej39
Soft shadow by Rumiflan
Crossed Arms by Tsukune429
Tower , Makai , Bent Elbow by Reimu-and-Cirno
Inverted Darkness , Darkness Pillar by rsgmaker
Tears by Scarlet-the-Leafeon
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Comments: 49
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I find it a little hard to take pc-98 seriously when (spoiler alert) the ending looks a little like this . I'm not saying your entire comic is wrong, I just feel like Touhou is very inconsistent when it comes to how serious the plot is (youkai eats humans but also visits Reimu for tea, what's up with that?).
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You don't need to worry about spoiling me on this one. I've already seen all of Mystic Square's endings. While I do agree the ending does clash with the overall tone of Mystic Square, I find it doesn't take away from any of the darker aspects of the game's plot. If anything, I find it adds to it.
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The spoiler was for other people who may never touched MS before, although if they are reading this comic it might be too late.
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I'm a fan of the Mystic Square myself and I thought that the Mystic Square incident was the most tragic incident of all the incidents I've ever seen. I mean, the whole incident where Shinki was used as a scapegoat where the true villain(s) were nowhere to be found. I thought that was the worst incident by far of all the Touhou Games I've played. I still wish that ZUN will make a game that can re-implement the Makai incident where Reimu and the rest not only enter Makai again, but save Makai instead.
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So far, the closest we've come is UFO.
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I've always wanted to play Mystic Square, and after seeing this comic, now I want to play it a lot more......if it were even possible with my Windows 10 laptop
I always wanted to take on worse-gatekeeper-than-Meiling, local tourist, Lolice, dumb and dumber, original blade maido, and Satan.
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What emulator are you trying to use? I personally use Anex 86.
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I don't use any emulators. Nor do I know of any.
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>Anex86
Oh dear Shinki almighty. FullHitPoints , you recommended this emulator; even with all it's problems with input lag, bullet flickering, and poor sound emulation? While input lag and flickering can be reduced via setting Video update strategy to Sync 1, it doesn't stop it completely, and the sound stays badly emulated no matter what you set the settings to.
I would never recommend Anex86 over the likes of T89-Next or Neko Project 2, and Gii, all these work on Windows 10 via my testing with my own laptop with Win 10, and only Neko Project 2 has major performance issues with it, so take this for what it's worth, but know that Anex86 does actually have these issues just by design.
I don't mean to sound biased as I have spend actually many years actually using Anex86 myself, and I know it works fine and especially since has no problems running in good performance even on weak PCs, but these facts about Anex86 make it hard to stick with, and that's from experience. I would very highly recommend using T98-Next for this given it's easy enough to set up compared to Neko Project 2 and is a powerful emulator, and I hope you try this as well, FullHitPoints , please give it a try and see how different it is.
Here is the link to resources you need for T-98 Next setup as well as Anex86. As an addendum to this post for T98-Next, you actually want to enable everything in the Rom under the MotherBoard Setting, and also Clock can be set to the max MHz, frame rate locked at 1.00 so it doesn't fluctuate, and memory can be anything above 4 MB for Touhou. I'm pretty sure you aren't going to be able to set this one up with a controller natively via this program like Anex86, but know that a third-party programs like JoyToKey that can still allow you to do the same thing for T98-Next.
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I've never personally had any problems with Anex86, but then again, I probably have a much-higher end computer than the norm. I've never noticed anything like bullet flickering or input lag.
However, the main reason I pointed him towards Anex86 is mostly because it's in English, it's very easy to use, and the English patches come with instructions on how to set it up for the best possible experience. Those qualities alone make it good for an extry-level PC98 emulator.
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You're not wrong that it's easy to use, it's just the setting can be a little too important and not everyone knows how to set it up for the best experience, though both these emulators both are in English. T98 has a weird interface, but one that it worth getting used to.
Ah, well, the problems with bullet flickering are more prominent in Touhou 1 HRtP, and especially on Sariel's fight, and input lag is one of those things that can be harder to notice. I actaully first noticed it when I made the switch to T98, the controls felt more responsive, but this is because I was using the default ASync 30, and that was really bad. The real deal-breaker for me is the poor music quality, and given ZUN's excellent soundtracks in PC-98, I cannot ignore that.
Since Gii828 is using Windows 10, I couldn't recommend Neko Project 2 like the English patch guide highly recommends since it has problems on that platform I've been able to spot just with general use, which is actually what I use on my home Window 7 computer where it works best.
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Well there's your problem: you're trying to use a game that was made for a Japanese home computer on a regular Windows operating system. The two are completely incompatible without an emulator of some kind.
www.zophar.net/pc98/anex86.htm… - This will get you the emulator I use. It's simple to use, it's in English, and best of all, you can bind keys to a controller if you'd like.
www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/ind… - This should be the English patch for the PC98 games. It should also contain instructions on how to properly configure Anex86 (As it defaults to a rather crappy video and audio setting). It also contains a link to a program call "EditDisk," which you will need to install the English patch.
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Which is why many fans dictate that Mystic Square is why spell card rules exist.
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It's actually not, though, that was the Vampire Incident that first spawned the spell card rules we know today.
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Which is why many fans <---
I was referring to many less educated fans in the community.
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Of course, just pointing it out for those who didn't know this.
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If nothing else, you've demonstrated your technical expertise in making Walfas comics: every panel differs; every sprite differs, and is active; the speech bubbles are well-placed, and just the right mixture of thorough and concise; and the simple special effects just beautify everything overall.
I think you could do quite well for yourself if you were to, say, illustrate a story. I believe you have at least one in mind...
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Thanks. I didn't make this comic for the longest time because I couldn't summarize the interpretation without sounding like I'm rambling, and as Shakespeare once said, "Brevity is the soul of wit." I wanted to explain it without going on and on and on about something that, in the end, might not actually be true. Not only that, but a long-winded comic with lots of text would turn off viewers very quickly, and I feel like this is already pushing the limit on wordiness. I finally got around to making this because I've finally come up with a way to present it in a quick, brief summary that's only eleven panels long.
As for the fic that builds off of this idea, I'm still trying to work out some of the more finer details, but once I get around to writing that again, it won't be a Walfas comic, it'll be hand-drawn.
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...And this is why a retcon occurred and Windows Touhou become canon.
But then the PC-98 aren't out of canon yet either.
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I personally believe the interpretation presented is unabashedly canon, mostly because it's the perfect setup for a fic in which Reimu and Marisa are confronted with the sins of their past.
I also find it interesting that the depiction of Reimu being a jerkass fantasy-racist with zero empathy has pretty much become the standard depiction in fandom, which is exactly how Reimu behaves in Mystic Square.
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Ironically, Youkai like Reimu, while humans are ungrateful for how much she's helped them. In the hands of any other author, this would be the setup for at least a subplot.
Nah, I shouldn't be too hard on ZUN. Lemme rephrase that: in the hands of any other fandom...
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Well now. This sheds some light on something truly unseen.
I guess this may also explain why mima's not in the windows games anymore as well.
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I have a theory to suggest why she's no longer around. In Mima's Good Ending, she ponders about whether or not it'd be possible to become a god. Her Extra Ending reinforces this by suggesting that she considered becoming a god for real. So perhaps the reason we never see her any more is because she's achieved godhood.
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That may as well explain her disappearance. The only other thing
that could explain it would be she's disappeared due to boredom
of living at the Hakurei Shrine. But thats what fanon thinks. ZUN
would choose a much more mischievous or philosophical way
than with her just simply moving on.
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This travel agency, and whoever is behind it, created some interesting dynamics with the story as the instigators of the incident. We still have no idea who was truly behind it, or really what the tours were all about, but it's very possibly they were 'wreaking havoc', so while we know they hung around Reimu's shrine (likely more after the incident), we don't know if they were being a just a general nuisance or if the havoc was Alice acting in retaliation, and Reimu took the matter out on her either way. Of course, with the way you portray it, the characters those four faced in the game were just thrust into this mess more often by the aimlessness of the player characters just moving to and fro, so it is sad to see how even after all that, Shinki couldn't even get her creations to back off from coming to Gensokyo despite her efforts on behalf of Reimu (I wonder what Reimu's 'revenge' was like).
Ultimately, I prefer the more lighter take on the overall story given it'd be more fitting with how carefree things are, and because I'd imagine it would be a lot more serious if it involved the dark themes, but your take with the more darker elements is not unfounded, so the basis of your theory has merits, so I know this interpretation will stay in my mind. Of course, if it is true, then Reimu probably killed Orange and who knows else, but seemed to let a few live (i.e. Yuki and Mai leading her) by the end of a few stages in MS, and with the others PCs, a few Makai residents are seen in the aftermath (i.e. Yumeko clinging to Shinki/Alice in extra and endings) living. The idea of characters being killed off does not sit well with me personally; being such a huge fan of these characters n' all, so I can't accept this as canon. I'll probably take things like the dialogue talking about death and genocide as just those characters trying to be scary (which honestly worked if that's what it was).
Good job on this comic, and exploring the concept. I especially appreciate you and going the extra mile to provide interpretations based on things like the game endings, which are a lot more obscure, and quoting dialogue from the game to put emphasis to your points.
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I like to believe that, at worst, the tourists are guilty of cultural faux pas. After all, they're from a completely different culture, so it's possible that they did something that isn't technically evil, but would still be offensive to those living in Gensokyo. However, while this would explain why Reimu feels justified in her retaliation, it wouldn't justify taking it out on people who had nothing to do with it, destroying their homes, and (Possibly) committing man slaughter on such a grand scale.
I never said that everyone who encountered Reimu and Co. died from their battles. As you said, it's clear that at least some of them survived their encounters. I imagine a lot of it would have to do with their health prior to battle and the injuries they sustain. Plus, the collateral damage would be devastating to anyone caught in the crossfire and the blazing infernos, so even if none of the named characters died, there could've been hundreds, if not thousands of faceless civilians who were killed during that battle.
I can understand your feelings of preferring to believe that none of them died, and my goal isn't to take that away. I simply wanted to provide an alternative outlook on an underappreciated game with an all-to-oft overlooked plot. Where you and I differ is that I believe a good tragic death can make a character much more moving and meaningful. For example, if you're familiar with Sonic Adventure, E-102 Gamma's storyline is fondly remembered for abandoning his evil programming, rescuing his family, before committing suicide. This made people care for Gamma's character arc far more than the rest of the game, myself included. It's the same thing with Touhou; I don't believe them to have died out of spite or hate, but because I feel deep sympathy and compassion for any lives lost ingame.
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Interesting take on the private travel agency that it's more a different culture. It'd still be one that still disregarded their creator's wishes, but I'd imagine it's because they have an interest in the world of humans. Of course, with that said, it's exactly why I didn't try to justify Reimu or the other's actions even in the original material since it's not exactly the course of action that was really an ultimate solution, and ironically, it just kind of went downhill for Reimu even after she thought she was able to solve the issue via Shinki's promise, and while Marisa learned new magic, Mima and Yuuka just killed boredom: That easily makes those two much worse with your theory, given their dialogue in the original work.
Oh, when you're talking about that blazing inferno, I know your probably talking about the background you saw when fighting Shinki where you legit saw buildings with a on fire in the background, so the idea that the battle was collateral in nature fits with the fact that at least demons in the aftermath had a reason scared of Marisa, though interestingly not Reimu.
And yeah, when you put the perspective like that, it makes sense why you would indeed have this be meaningful. This kind of take draws a lot of sympathy for the cast of characters in Mystic Square, and it's, without a doubt, a deep personal take with a lot to it. Also understood is characters being more meaningful in death. Today, the idea that a Touhou character dying would be a heavy thing for people, and this kind of story is exactly why Osana Reimu and it's sequel ReiReimu are so effective.
If there could be a story that explores this take, I'd imagine it would be very compelling. While I ultimately consider this a fanon take, I still can enjoy so much of what you came up with for the reasons you mentioned; ultimately, that's why I said you did a good job on this. ^^
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I have a theory as to why the demons disobeyed Shinki in Reimu's ending: Perhaps now with the city being destroyed, their food stocks and food-producing industries could have been destroyed as well. The ending doesn't state how much time had passed between Reimu's visit to Makai and when the second coming of demons occurred, so "starvation" sounds like a very good reason to disobey their master. Maybe they're coming back to Gensokyo to scavenge for food supplies, rather than to annoy Reimu yet again.
It's also worth noting that Shinki comments on how Reimu "Just wrecked the place and went home," thereby confirming the flaming background as an actual element of story-telling, rather than just a meaningless image.
Geez, I just love compounding the layers of horror on this game, don't I?
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Although the endings seem to imply they are mostly around the Hakurei Shrine in the aftermath, Shinki does say they can legit open up portals anywhere they want. I wonder how they even got the power to do that, and I often wonder about those two character seen in Reimu's ending and if they had any sort of relation to that at all.
And yeah, it would appear so. ^^;
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Even in the window's games, the character's motives aren't really something to aspire to.
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Oh, my gods, this is a side to Touhou I'd never thought possible. Reimu was the villain, Shinki and Alice the great warriors who tried and failed to stop her. This changes things quite significantly.
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Touhou has had its dark side moments, but have mostly shown that in the books, and manga in the later Windows era. The PC-98 has always been more carefree, so an interpretation like this is kind of a first for PC-98, so it's really interesting. While I don't want to consider this canon because it would shoot that carefree nature in the head and also mean that characters I love would be dead, it's a solid theory that would indeed have a huge impact if true.
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This comment makes me think of Geno Frisk vs Undyne the Undying.
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Undertale's Genocide route is a pretty solid comparison. Both the Monsters and Demons are completely innocent of any crimes, and are merely the victims of your circumstances. And then the player kills them for flimsily-defined reasons. It gets to the point where they start fighting you to put a stop to your killing spree, but ultimately fail.
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I wish more Windows-era games would have as deep and dark a plot as MS; looking back, I regret not reading up on it sooner.
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There are even more obscure details not covered in this comic, beyond the dark interpretation, the fact of the matter is there there is a giant bulk of Touhou fans that do not know about these details in Mystic Square. Being one of the few that took the time to find out most details, it really does show how much there actually is to Mystic Square, and even with all there is to it, not everything is explored, leaving a lot up to interpretation still.
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Somewhere there during that incident... Byakuren was watching and was heartbroken that she can't do anything to stop it...
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Certainly puts or social justice wizard in another perspective, doesn't it? I wonder if Shinki has plans for her...?
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...well, that killed my heart. (Though it's more because of the shit the makai residents went through than what the heroines have done. I kind of expected them to not care.) (Also that last scene with Alice. Probably that as well.) (Shit)
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(Also that last scene with Alice. Probably that as well.) Actually happened, by the way.
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Again, not surprising. (Wait, heart, don't go! I'm sure we'll have many happy and heartwarming memories that'll be able to bury the sadness! Don't leave meeeee!!!)
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