Howdy, it's a pleasure to meet all you kind internet strangers.
Seeing as this is an introduction, how about I start with how I got into Touhou in the first place.
My story begins in the early days of college. I was assigned to make a brief paper on whatever topic of my choosing, and for some reason or another, nuclear energy clicked with me. And so as I worked on the project, I wanted to find some music to listen to as I wrote the paper. Looking for something more fitting, I search "Nuclear Fusion music".
I think you can see where this is going.
And so through the theme of the three-legged hell raven, I found myself quickly getting sucked into the rabbit hole that is Touhou.
But that is not where the story ends, as that is simply the beginning.
I quickly found myself delving into the lore of both the characters and the world they lived in, and I was fascinated by this hidden little wonderland. A world where simply being strong or smart doesn't mean you'll decimate any opponent. A place where fights are dictated by beauty, and most conflicts end with you having tea with your foe.
And I loved every bit of it.
The world ZUN has created mixes so many mythologies in such a unique setting, that I can't help but get sucked into hour-long delves whenever I visit the Touhou Wiki.
And that's not to mention this creative and welcoming community, as I wouldn't be in this fandom if it wasn't for people just like you reading this.
So, you have my thanks.
You may or may not have guessed by now, but I come from the Reddit exodus as their admins and owner try to kill the platform as a whole. So, I wanted to share what I wrote about Touhou, and maybe meet a few new friends along the way.
My first and current only series I'm been working on is called "A Guide to Headpats: Touhou Edition", though the name is a tad deceiving.
It's an exploration of Touhou's characters and world, and every chapter focuses on a different location. It also catalogs my own experience with learning about Touhou's lore, as I mainly delve into the wiki for information on writing these, along with a few of the manga.
So, if you ever wanted to know about the Kappa's hideout, where it's located, who lives there, their history, how to befriend them, and ultimately headpat them, maybe check it out.
I plan to go over and polish it a bit before I post it here.
I suppose I should also go over which Touhou characters I like and why.
The first would likely be Yukari Yakumo.
I find her to be a fascinating character, one covered in mystery and yet predictable in some manner.
She is by far the most informed person in all of Gensokyo, and likely one of the strongest with how much utility her authority over the concept of boundaries is concerned.
She works in the background, keeping Gensokyo safe and maintaining the barrier that separates them from the outside world. Even helping manipulate events to maintain the delicate balance that holds Gensokyo afloat.
So whenever she comes up in the lore, the manga, or the games, I look forward to whatever scraps of information she'll drop.
The next would be Doremy Sweet.
I feel that she is a character that hasn't been explored nearly enough, along with the dream realm as a whole.
Does that dream realm connect to the people in the outside world?
Are there other entrances to the dream realm?
What other creatures live in such a place?
Are there more youkai like Doremy?
The fact Doremy is connected to such a strange realm that could potentially expand across all people, along with her ability to manipulate this realm, I find it to be an untapped gold mine.
Also for whatever reason, every dream I've ever had has been connected to the last. So for just over twenty years it's been a single growing storyline that has a stable continuity, a plethora of characters, and is just overall fun to write about.
Now, I believe I've rambled long enough.
Thank you for being such a welcoming community, and I wish you all a wonderful day.