/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>21841055
Final Part
>Chinese Emperor and Symbols/Juugyouman
I've seen one conjecture that the bird on the left is a fenghuang (Chinese phoenix) and the dragon on the left is a long (Chinese dragon). These are the two most prominent animal symbols of the Emperor in Chinese culture. The figure in the middle is said to be Emperor Taizong, who is purported to have visited Hell (the most popular depiction of this legend is presented in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West). But there's more. Japanese Emperors have animal symbols too, especially in banners placed at their palaces near their throne. These banners, called juugyouman (獣形幔 lit. "Animal Figure Banner"), portray legendary creatures. Among them of course is the fenghuang and long. The tradition is purported to have come from China. The title of the game, 鬼形獣, contains two of the kanji that form 獣形幔. This idea is also possible but ZUN returning to Chinese culture just one game after LoLK is pretty unlikely I think. Another Empress-type girl with a tabard will have everyone foaming at the mouth.
>Ainu Stuff
Other people believe that the sillhouettes might be Ainu animal spirits/gods. The Ainu are a minority race in Japan and the race is likely to die out. Since the game references extinct/endangered species a lot (Hard and Lunatic mode are called "Sabretooth Level and Dinosaur Level", Urumi has pet plesiosaurs and prehistoric fish in the Sanzu river and two out of the three animal spirits, Japanese wolf and Japanese otter, are extinct with Stellar's sea eagle being endangered (in Japan only)), an Ainu basis is possible. It's also pointed out that the wolf and eagle are animals that live in the colder northern parts of Japan, where the Ainu settled. It's an interesting take but it's hard to connect the Ainu with Jigoku, aka Buddhist Hell.
>Extinct Creatures
I've seen this on Futaba and Twitter a lot but it's probably unlikely. People are saying that they're dinosaurs/extinct mammals on the cover. Guesses range from archaeopteryx to pteronadon to Irish elk. I simply can't see any dinosaur on the cover but, hey, with ZUN I suppose anything is possible.
>Four Holy Beasts or Four Spirits
Although this is a common guess on Futaba it's extremely farfetched. Some believe that the sillhouettes are part of the Four Holy Beasts (四聖獣) aka the Four Symbols (Azure Dragon, Black Tortise, Vermillion Bird and White Tiger). The left figure is the bird, the right figure is the dragon and the middle is either the tiger or tortoise. Some say it instead is the Four Spirits (四霊) or a fenghuang, a qilin, a spirit turtle (霊亀) and Yinglong (應龍). Yinglong (Or another dragon called Huanglong 黃龍) is said to also be the fifth member of the Four Holy Beasts/Four Symbols and the master of them all. Yinglong cannot ascend into heaven because he committed the crime of killing two gods. That's his connection to hell, according to proponents of this theory. That's an extremely loose interpretation of the story, IMO. Also the Four Symbols and the Four Spirits are supposed to be entirely benevolent. Why would they be the antagonists? Why would any of them besides Yinglong be in Hell? They literally live in the sky as constellations. And why would only three of them be on the cover? Shouldn't it be four or five? Cool theory but, ultimately, highly unlikely.
>Yamato Takeru
One guy said that the sillhouettes may be related to Yamato Takeru aka Prince Osu. Yamato Takeru is a legendary samurai whose tales were recorded in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. He hasn't been to Hell or Yomi at all. The main "evidence" for it being him is the fact that he killed a giant white deer god and a giant snake demon. When he died he turned into a god in the form of a white bird and flew into heaven. The guy said that the person on the right is Takeru with a samurai helmet or the deer, that the person on the right is Takeru's bird form and that the middle is either Takeru himself or a snake. Pretty shaky theory.
>Other Far-Out Theories
Some people suggested Circe, a Greek witch who turns people into animals (also a devout worshipper or daughter of Hecate) because of Hecatia. Others say Cernunnos, the Celtic horned-god of the underworld who appears to have mastery over all animals.

In the end it might be one of these figures or something else entirely, who knows. What's for sure is that new characters are coming in three days. This is the first Touhou game of Reiwa and hopefully only one of many more to come. So wait warmly, girls are preparing.