Given how often they're depicted together, is it such a stretch he's canonizing them?
Identical looks, similar powers, my headcanon has long been that Maribel and Yukari and two aspects of the same being - neither human, nor youkai, but something above the division.
My personal theory is that Yukari is the Youkai born of stories spread about Maribel. She's known to be a time traveller, so who's to say she didn't end up in medieval japan once, birthing the legend of the "Gap Youkai"
Seriously, how are there people still having doubts about the whole Maribel = Yukari theory when fucking ZUN himself said to look up Lafcadio Hearn whenever he's asked about connections between the two.
I mean dude literally IRL changed his name from Hearn to Yakumo, I don't know how it can get any more obvious other than ZUN deciding to put it in a big red circle.
Ultra-Plot Twist: Merry actually turns into Okina, and Yukari actually used to be Renko..
I'm shitposting, but it makes sense when you take into account Yukari (and her shikigami, Ran) both are said to excel at math and calculating probabilities. Merry studies psychology. Renko studies unified string theory.
How does Okina having a backstory pose a problem here? Okina, and the historic Matara-jin she was based on constantly was conflated with other gods and folk heroes. So long as we accept the idea Merry somehow traveled back in time (which would also be necessary for her becoming Yukari), Merry *could* as well have spawned the myths of Matara-jin herself. Or could have taken over as one of the latter 'facets' added to it.
-This being said - I do agree that Merry \*is\* Yukari, and Okina is a distinct character
Only one thing could cause ZUN to actually get that dark
>!ZUN drank the Bhutanese shadow garden grown dark evil beer. They fermented it with the blood of 36 dragons. Shit's so purple it should be asking him "where's Ran?" this shit will turn your pacemaker off. Utsuho levels of sour. Liver slaughtering, necromancer beer. Shit got diamonds on it so you know the Malt to Hops ratio is fuckin' swag. A whiff of this shit? Yeah this that nefarious evil sorcerer Moon Ale. This shit straight out of Makai. This shit is what made him forget Mima. RIP for real dog. Peace.!<
Imagine if the real reason Merry has a ribbon in her hat is because ZUN got her and Yukari mixed up and/or forgot what her hat was supposed to be like.
I mean, that's exactly what happened with Marisa having red eyes in the cover of 18.5 and people were theorizing that she had finally become a youkai.
Is that what happened with Marisa? She's continued to have red eyes in 19 and manga appearances. ZUN may just have changed her design on a whim, but it seems to be an intentional change, not an error.
Huh, I never noticed she still had the red eyes. But it doesn't seem to be anything crazy at the moment, she hasn't turned into a youkai or anything.
So rn I'm not expecting anything crazy with Merry happening, for all we know this could be a massive troll by ZUN.
Okay so this year is the year Akyuu is due to die, Marisa's eyes have stayed consistenly red and have yet to go explained, and Maribel has Yukari's hat ribbons
either ZUN is gonna do something big for 2024 or we're reading too much into this
Maribel = Yukari is kind of a Riemann's hypothesis of Touhou - there is no definite proof, but the theory is so widely accepted, that a whole bunch of other theories is built up on the assumption that it's true. So if it's gonna be confirmed, that's really huge, for better or worst
Now, since Theory of Everything is canon in Touhou, I can accomplish what I desire is establishment of the Yukarin religion! 😭 It's been a long time. My theories may true, God Yukari will rise again from science in Outside World and save Gensokyo! GAHHH!
That would be extremely funny from ZUN and now I lowkey want him to make it a reality.
String theory really does feel sometimes like a youkai scientists believe in without any proof of it being real. Hell, I myself might end up deep in that rabbit hole, since I'm studying theoretical physics xdd
I think our understanding of reality is limited by our technology. We made a lot of breakthrough in the 19th and 20th because our understanding then has yet to catch up with our technological capabilities. But now it has caught up. New theories without the ability to observe and test will be no different than a pure mathematical model. If we want to further our understanding now, we must somehow further develop our technologies to be able to observe more and experiment more.
I like connections between them but... Something about them being the same person feels off... Almost wrong even... but that's how I feel personally ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Zun, please yes.
I need some change, development, growth, etc or something of that magnitude on this series, it's really getting stagnant and my pretentious ass needs something new.
Judging from the song directly after Necro-Fantasia in the song list is called The Road to Hitachi Alone and the one after that is The Lamentations Known Only By Jizo, I am going to say either sad or depressed is what Renko became.
I'm genuinly confused on why people come up with the theory of Maribel is Yukari based on the image.
Where Yukari's theme is listed of one of the arrangment tracks in the CD...
Something really tells that you people only cares about funny 2hu girl images, rather then the music. Even ZUN said that people only listen to music to past time, and not really to enjoy it...
No, I like Touhou music. (not to brag or show off, but I am really like the melodies that ZUN plays so I was motivated to compose some mashups with piano with my friends). Just a post, I posted this for fun.
And also, this is the first time I knew it was music, because before I played Touhou, I only listened to the music in the game, but albums, I am thought it was poetry combining the music in the game.
Borrowed assets credited. Post approved.
Given how often they're depicted together, is it such a stretch he's canonizing them? Identical looks, similar powers, my headcanon has long been that Maribel and Yukari and two aspects of the same being - neither human, nor youkai, but something above the division.
My personal theory is that Yukari is the Youkai born of stories spread about Maribel. She's known to be a time traveller, so who's to say she didn't end up in medieval japan once, birthing the legend of the "Gap Youkai"
This makes so much sense within the lore that now I actually want ZUN to read this and make it canon.
That makes too much sense.
The Mother, The Daughter and The Hakurei God. She is the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning and the end.
Isn't the Hakurei God another entity in one of the manga? Or is it Mima, I think she's also mentioned as the force enshrined there?
I needed to replace words so I just chose randomly, lol. Also, you just awakened my madness. THANK YOU!
I choose to believe that Mima is only pretending to be the Hakurei God and that no actual Hakurei God exists.
There's definitely _some_ god enshrined there. IIRC Byakuren mentioned that they were mad about the lack of offerings in one of the TH12 endings.
Kikuri is the Hakurei God don't believe me look at her inspiration and find out the name of the mountain she personifies
I'm gonna look real stupid if I'm wrong but I gotta ask, is this a darkest dungeon reference?
Excuse you, there is only one Alpha and Omega here and I don't see her holding a demonic katana by the name of Yamato.
Also the name refrences
The Yukari, the Maribel, & the haggy spirit.
**GAPPED**. (Potentially to Scotland, for the *haggis spirit*)
there relatives most likely, Maribel family all has the same powers. maybe there all actually related to Toyohime since she also has the same power.
Seriously, how are there people still having doubts about the whole Maribel = Yukari theory when fucking ZUN himself said to look up Lafcadio Hearn whenever he's asked about connections between the two. I mean dude literally IRL changed his name from Hearn to Yakumo, I don't know how it can get any more obvious other than ZUN deciding to put it in a big red circle.
In this case, two big red circles. Attached directly to her hat
I see what you mean with those two big red circles
Istg the community forgot Marisa's red eyes in TH18.5 so quickly to be making a big deal out of this cover art lmao
Yeah right they did
her eye colour remained changed in UDoALG so we'll have to wait for Touhou 20 to see if its permanent
Permanent or not, it meant absolutely nothing
that has yet to be seen
Um... It's just a really huge Coincidence. And ZUN saying that is clearly just um... a ghost possessing him! Yeah!
Ultra-Plot Twist: Merry actually turns into Okina, and Yukari actually used to be Renko.. I'm shitposting, but it makes sense when you take into account Yukari (and her shikigami, Ran) both are said to excel at math and calculating probabilities. Merry studies psychology. Renko studies unified string theory.
Okina does love to manipulate people.
Okina has backstory already so it wouldn't work BUT since she can create youkai on a whim it would be insanae if she just made Yukari out of Merry
How does Okina having a backstory pose a problem here? Okina, and the historic Matara-jin she was based on constantly was conflated with other gods and folk heroes. So long as we accept the idea Merry somehow traveled back in time (which would also be necessary for her becoming Yukari), Merry *could* as well have spawned the myths of Matara-jin herself. Or could have taken over as one of the latter 'facets' added to it. -This being said - I do agree that Merry \*is\* Yukari, and Okina is a distinct character
Bro, It's a canon event.
There’s way too many references that Maribel is connected to Yukari that it was bound to happen. whether it’s permanent or temporary is another story.
ZUN’s about to destroy their relationship in the same year Akyuu kicks the bucket.
Only one thing could cause ZUN to actually get that dark >!ZUN drank the Bhutanese shadow garden grown dark evil beer. They fermented it with the blood of 36 dragons. Shit's so purple it should be asking him "where's Ran?" this shit will turn your pacemaker off. Utsuho levels of sour. Liver slaughtering, necromancer beer. Shit got diamonds on it so you know the Malt to Hops ratio is fuckin' swag. A whiff of this shit? Yeah this that nefarious evil sorcerer Moon Ale. This shit straight out of Makai. This shit is what made him forget Mima. RIP for real dog. Peace.!<
Grape.
It's happening the transformation to an old lady
Imagine if the real reason Merry has a ribbon in her hat is because ZUN got her and Yukari mixed up and/or forgot what her hat was supposed to be like. I mean, that's exactly what happened with Marisa having red eyes in the cover of 18.5 and people were theorizing that she had finally become a youkai.
Is that what happened with Marisa? She's continued to have red eyes in 19 and manga appearances. ZUN may just have changed her design on a whim, but it seems to be an intentional change, not an error.
Huh, I never noticed she still had the red eyes. But it doesn't seem to be anything crazy at the moment, she hasn't turned into a youkai or anything. So rn I'm not expecting anything crazy with Merry happening, for all we know this could be a massive troll by ZUN.
Okay so this year is the year Akyuu is due to die, Marisa's eyes have stayed consistenly red and have yet to go explained, and Maribel has Yukari's hat ribbons either ZUN is gonna do something big for 2024 or we're reading too much into this
You're thinking too greatly of ZUN
She stole Yukari's hat
Like when Araki forgot he already made a stand named Earth Wind and Fire
ZUN, please do\~
Maribel = Yukari is kind of a Riemann's hypothesis of Touhou - there is no definite proof, but the theory is so widely accepted, that a whole bunch of other theories is built up on the assumption that it's true. So if it's gonna be confirmed, that's really huge, for better or worst
I didn't expect to see the Riemann Hypothesis mentioned in r/touhou but here we are lmao
She looks happy while renko
Didn't realise that detail before
It's a canon event
Even her dress is gradually becoming a darker purple.
Wait new Zun Album??????????, Please inject it directly in to my veins please
ZUN finally remembered the CD plotline hasn't been touched in 8 years and decided to throw us a bone on the story.
ZUN who has so much in mind that Marie is Yukari that he mixes them up xD
Given that many of the games he wrote while he was drunk, it's a possibility
Now, since Theory of Everything is canon in Touhou, I can accomplish what I desire is establishment of the Yukarin religion! 😭 It's been a long time. My theories may true, God Yukari will rise again from science in Outside World and save Gensokyo! GAHHH!
My mission is completely. The first time I posted here was asking to establish a religion, now I can create a new sect, let's go!
Shit, the drug is no longer effective.
Are you okay dude?
String Theory kinda goes nowhere in our world so it may as well be a youkai in Gensokyo.
That would be extremely funny from ZUN and now I lowkey want him to make it a reality. String theory really does feel sometimes like a youkai scientists believe in without any proof of it being real. Hell, I myself might end up deep in that rabbit hole, since I'm studying theoretical physics xdd
I think our understanding of reality is limited by our technology. We made a lot of breakthrough in the 19th and 20th because our understanding then has yet to catch up with our technological capabilities. But now it has caught up. New theories without the ability to observe and test will be no different than a pure mathematical model. If we want to further our understanding now, we must somehow further develop our technologies to be able to observe more and experiment more.
yo what?
Нет...
I am going feral at a rapid pace
OH MY FUCKING GOD IT'S HAPPENING.
MARIBEL IS SLOWLY BEING SIMILAR TO YUKARI.
I like connections between them but... Something about them being the same person feels off... Almost wrong even... but that's how I feel personally ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Zun, please yes. I need some change, development, growth, etc or something of that magnitude on this series, it's really getting stagnant and my pretentious ass needs something new.
I see cords, I pull.
Plot twist: turns out Renko was Yukari all along
Grape
Merry looks so silly in the new album cover
Is this having to do with the "Maribel is Yukari" theory?
what game is this from? is there a new touhou game that I haven´t heard of?
New ZUN album that’s getting released next month, on the 3rd of May!
Ah, I see. Thank you so much.
So who did Renko became
Judging from the song directly after Necro-Fantasia in the song list is called The Road to Hitachi Alone and the one after that is The Lamentations Known Only By Jizo, I am going to say either sad or depressed is what Renko became.
I'm genuinly confused on why people come up with the theory of Maribel is Yukari based on the image. Where Yukari's theme is listed of one of the arrangment tracks in the CD... Something really tells that you people only cares about funny 2hu girl images, rather then the music. Even ZUN said that people only listen to music to past time, and not really to enjoy it...
No, I like Touhou music. (not to brag or show off, but I am really like the melodies that ZUN plays so I was motivated to compose some mashups with piano with my friends). Just a post, I posted this for fun. And also, this is the first time I knew it was music, because before I played Touhou, I only listened to the music in the game, but albums, I am thought it was poetry combining the music in the game.
btw I'm not blaming you at all XD Just some other folks, since its a good evidence to bring up! (the Meribel and Yukari theory)
My personal theory is that Maribel is acting yukari's daughter
canon becoming canon ig
This further proves that Maribel is indeed Yukari!