Dolls in Pseudo Paradise - Track 5: Strange Oriental Discourse

[@eizneckam4936]

"I ran until I couldn't breathe anymore. Being the most cowardly of the group, I was so afraid of this paradise. This was only to be expected, but no matter how far I ran, I couldn't find a way back home. All the people I cared about had disappeared, and I thought I had no more reason to live, so in my despondence I threw a rope over a branch and hanged myself. ...Yet somehow, I'm still conscious. Was the rope too weak...? I, the most cowardly of the group, had been reborn. I have nothing to lose, so why don't I try pretending to be human just once more?"

[@davidjackson1283]

Fun fact: Strange oriental discourse is written 東方怪綺談 in kanji, which is actually the japanese name of Touhou 5: Mystic Square. This means that the title of the song was later used as the name of a game. Also, this theme is the first theme that ZUN has composed.

[@GarryDumblowski]

@Laura Santana Eternal Shrine Maiden may be the first song he composed for Touhou specifically, but I believe what @David Jackson means is that this was the first song he composed for any reason at all, period. Maybe. Another thing is that ZUN's habit of composing the Stage 1 theme as the very first thing ever made for each game may have been acquired later, so Eternal Shrine Maiden may not have been the first for those reasons.

[@lexrilrideout1757]

@@GarryDumblowski Ellen's theme was created years before touhou was in ZUN's mind... So.... That probably is the first track he composed... Maybe.

[@AzuRemilia]

well... you're not completely wrong. Theme's title has the 奇(meaning strange) kanji on the wiki, while the game's title has the 綺(meaning beautiful), though I must, they are very, very close (just one kanji apart)

[@PropHuntGuy]

That’s true about being Zun’s first track. It was the round 6-10 theme for Touhou 1: Highly responsive to prayers!

[@abystrous]

*technically* there's a difference of a single kanji between strange oriental discourse and mystic square's title but they're both said and romanized as Touhou Kaikidan so it counts

[@sigurdtheblue]

I love how it sounds both festive and somber as well as steeped in that stereotyped Asiatic sound. It gives me the feeling of lives being lost in a war of faith or something.

[@zinovyrozhestvensky3636]

this is a comment i would have made 4 years ago familiar stranger

[@Supperdude9]

People also miss Mima since she was a 2-time playable character in the PC-98 era. 3 and 5. AND she was in every PC-98 except 4 I believe. She was a big part of that era.

[@SaintCharlos]

_This would be cool for an extra stage theme in which the boss is Mima_

[@randomspartanhoe4501]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2TCk6GFn5tmrtU , you welcome

[@JaredGonzales-gv9yh]

Mima will return one day. I've heard there's yet a newer Touhou game but I'm pretty sure she ain't in it....

[@painovoimaton]

Love the colorful picture.

[@TouhouForIdiots]

I'm surprised that no-one's screaming about how Mima is in the background of the picture. ... I've hexed it, haven't I?

[@JaredGonzales-gv9yh]

10 years later and still no Mima in sight...

[@ВоваМ-х9з]

Me too.

[@ВоваМ-х9з]

@@JaredGonzales-gv9yh she's on the stairs. Take a better look.

[@Shaker626]

This really brings out the Yellow Magic, if you know what I mean.

[@JaredGonzales-gv9yh]

Love that group!!

[@maruyu]

I love how cute and happy Akyuu looks here. And I love this song so much.

[@iAozora]

I have my first university test coming up in a few hours. It's about Said's book "Orientalism" and "The Oriental discourses" he pointed out. It's dull but, stuyding became a lot more interesting with this song playing in the background. Thanks ZUN.

[@justanothertouhoufan6484]

I see Mima. Also this theme is godly

[@okuu5091]

Ironically, despite being ZUN's first composed song, this is probably my favorite Touhou song.

[@joetan8000]

Neko Marisa?! Oh wait,its just a mask... Although Reimu also wore one.And yes,I see our lovely Mima chillin out in the background.

[@SHinierthennyourforehead]

This theme is so amazing. It feels so nostalgic and nice. I love the instruments at the start. ZUN is soo good with making music.

[@elenarivera5322]

Esa cara que pone Akyuu☺️ como cuando estás relajada en el baño oyendo música

[@tayofubuki]

This composition gives me a feeling of boundless and at the same time very pleasant melancholy

[@rejiesan2590]

Wah! That image! Really cute, it really adds the "oriental" in the song too!

[@Roflcopter147]

Ah, my head hurts from this strange oriental discourse that surrounds me.

[@emishimaru-sama6449]

Are those Akyu and the certain character many fans love back there In the stairs? [Edit: Mima] [Everybody knows the others are Marisa and Reimu so ;]

[@candlelitsmiles]

I’m just here because of Rydeen by YMO, but Touhou games are cool too

[@dabarfusion]

THE OFFICIAL THEME FOR INTRA-ASIAN TUMBLR DISCOURSE

[@kl3321]

I wish I'd known of this song during my HS Asian club days. Though we usually just talked about anime and food, so it wasn't very high-level discourse.

[@crism8868]

It's Rydeen! 😊

[@krustygraze189]

This is super good wtf

[@Kamo9]

cute akyuu

[@cobaltJude]

THE CISCOURSE™

[@TealComet]

When some drunkard announces the next Touhou game :

[@crushthegreat1136]

I wished that Zun added it in touhou 16..

[@PrincessJiselle]

This should be the Stage 4 Theme for Touhou 15!!

[@UltimatePhantasm]

Mima-sama... ;~;

[@tristar6118]

Omg is there a list of the instruments being used here? I really like one of the ones from the beginning.

[@maybefreeze]

why does this sound like last remote from SA?

[@4storyboss]

wait, i thought this was in hrtp

[@painovoimaton]

It was and this is a rearrangement for this album.

[@abarette_]

I thought it was Ghostly Eyes at the start lol

[@spacehunter2004]

Sounds like it’s made by both ZUN and camel (D-Gate)

[@TouhouForIdiots]

But I've always liked Yuuka so much more! I mean, geez, I read the description on a Touhou Pocket Wars Reincarnation video the other day. It was all like 'MIMA IS THE BEST AND STRONGEST AND GREATEST ALL PRAISE AND HAIL OUR EXALTED LORD MIMA!' Why do people like Mima, anyway?

[@beepboopily6285]

4 years later and mima still sucks

[@marisakirisame867]

Very japanese

[@rebeccascarlet4305]

1375 * 123 = 137500+2750+4115=144365did i get it right?

[@Ehtis1]

mima moment

[@new_donker7189]

Un dos tres cuatro

[@letthebasscannon223]

this song is permanently ruined for me because the first few seconds sound like the start of the San Andreas theme

[@friendlyneighborhoodshinigami]

but this album(2002) came out before san andreas(2004)

[@herohamza1196]

Is that Frisk or chara?

[@armormakes]

Akyuu (although this image of her does resemble them)

[@CreamPuffssz]

No bruh 😢

[@TouhouForIdiots]

Autism?

[@zinovyrozhestvensky3636]

yes