Ghostly Field Club - Track 7: Strange Bird of the Moon, Illusion of Mysterious Cat

[@geeseispluralforgoose]

Zun’s comments on this song: This is obviously Renko and Merry's song. The Strange Bird is Renko, who is represented by the fast first half of the song. The Mysterious Cat is Merry, who is represented by the strange rhythms in the second half. It's almost like riding a bird flying through a city at night, or almost like a drunken cat staggering through the city. That was the intent I had in mind when I wrote this song. If you don't understand the theme, it's impossible to make any sense of it. To be honest, this song is meant for nothing but my own self-satisfaction, so I wonder if it's okay to just put it on a CD. I still like it, though

[@camagician]

The bird is Renko, the cat is Maribel. At least that's how I interpreted it

[@camagician]

Renko's "power" is to tell where she is at any time by looking up at the stars (therefore is "of the moon"), and she is a physicist. Maribel's ability makes her somewhat illusionary wherever she is because you're never sure when she's going to disappear, and she is way more mysterious than Renko. Also ZUN said Renko was the bird and Mari was the cat in his comment on the work in Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red

[@camagician]

***** Hmmm, I don't see it, but it's up to the listener, as always. ZUN seems to prefer it that way himself.

[@bookfound]

Cam Frog I have read somewhere that Maribel Hearn's name means "bird of the moon".

[@camagician]

bookfound Citation or no point

[@alucardi.7828]

I don't think so; People have already pointed out that Maribel Hearn is a nod to Lafcadio Hearn (google it), who wrote a collection of books about Japan and its legends and also went by his Japanese name, Koizumi Yakumo.

[@myeyesarespiders]

I hear a few tunes from other themes 0:28 Sagume 1:18 Flandre 3:38 Remilia (briefly)

[@bamshablam5977]

this thing was released in 2003

[@myeyesarespiders]

@@bamshablam5977 not saying zun took anything from other songs, it's just interesting how the tunes link up

[@Xenomorthian]

@@myeyesarespiders they're his own songs he ain't taking anything (p.s hot dayum you replied to a comment this month that replied to your 6 year old comment)

[@Sacriven]

What a beautiful piece of work. I'm surprised about how few the number of people that know the existence of this song.

[@popcioslav]

Intro to this track seems quite similar to Sagume's intro in LoLK. I wonder if ZUN forgot he used this melody here or maybe he tried to reference it? Yes, I've edited my 5 year old comment to rephrase it, I hate my old writing.

[@insertgenericallyironicnam601]

Popcioslav - Really? I think Midnight Spell Card sounds like this.

[@MrAsyo1]

It's true

[@insertgenericallyironicnam601]

Hmm, yes. This track is quite unique, ZUN must have liked it a lot to take so much from it. It's like Magic Mirror in the regard.

[@DBetz109]

It's like as if ZUN just likes to do different, uh, let's say remixes, of songs, kinda like the titles, you know what I mean?

[@MrAsyo1]

+Sophia Wright OMFG ITS TRUE

[@morganite123]

i love you for this, ill be playing this as part of my medley at a festival in about a month

[@MaleficWeegee]

How did it go?

[@mononokehime3182]

@@MaleficWeegee I would like to know too

[@bloons27]

The real Renko and Mary's theme.

[@geeseispluralforgoose]

Kinda!

[@ivatigerfox2548]

At first, I liked this song because I saw bird and cat in the title. BUT OH GOD THIS IS......................................... _speechless_

[@yejianyue]

Ah, that's a good question, FlandresOldWorld. Was it the Maribel that lived in the past dream of Yukari was the reflection? Is it the Yukari who lives in the lucious dream of Maribel is the reflection? Who is the "Illusion" and who is the "Mysterious Cat", I wonder? The horizon of Reality and Illusion had never been vaguer.

[@udon8347]

This sounds like it could be either a first stage boss theme or a final stage theme.

[@yejianyue]

+Toast-ito Well, it's a final boss theme for The Alternative Age made by danmaq, though.

[@udon8347]

夜见月 I couldn't see this theme being a final boss theme, but I guess it depends on the person?

[@yejianyue]

+Toast-ito It sorta close to a final boss theme in that game if you compared the rest of themes. You should check it out

[@geeseispluralforgoose]

It doesnt fit anywhere in a game, thats why its in the cds. Only by doing this can zun make music outside of “bullet hell” or “fighting games” and actually let his ideas run wild. This song is obviously made with renko and maribel in mind! Thats why i appreciate the cd music :)

[@wraitsoth]

I remember hearing this song in the All-Star Touhou video and searching for it years ago, and I never did. But here I am now, wow

[@roberthunter6122]

That ending bit~ So. GOOD!

[@Alyssa_Swift]

Oh, the curse of TV Tropes. It's weird, almost supernatural how addicting it is.

[@247snowflake]

Can't stop thinking it's Satsuki Rin's theme. Thanks a lot, KimikoMuffin. :\

[@AA-dq5jd]

The beginning sound like Dreamy pilot

[@lukasi6688]

Okay. I'm back because I think I see something in the name. In Silent Sinner in Blue (is it?), Yukari sent a crow subordinate to the moon (in which it's later killed.). That crow might be the strange bird of the moon, but I don't know what's the illusion of mysterious cat. So far all the cats I can think of are Cheeeeeeeeeeen, Orin, and a PC-98 era cat that I forgot its name.

[@SerabiiBot]

Ellen's cat, Sokrates?

[@lukasi6688]

Exactly xD

[@GarryDumblowski]

I suddenly remembered the cat in Utsuho's spellcard background. It's a stretch but I think that might be a place to look.

[@momokun90]

I somehow feel there's a metaphor intended. Not that cats must the mysterious cat for the title. Just my opinion though.

[@GarryDumblowski]

Atsushi Kakeru Actually, that does make a lot of sense.

[@yejianyue]

The actual metaphor for Strange Bird of the Moon is Mokou. Because Mokou is phoenix(bird), and she reach for the moon. The Illusion of Mysterious Cat is actually Yakumo Ran. Cat is Chen, of course, and the over-protective Ran always stalk Chen in shadow, making her look like some sort of apparition. So when people see Chen, they also possibly spotted Ran, thinking what they saw was "Illusion of Mysterious Cat". Imma a genius rite?

[@king_of_the_world.mp3710]

夜见月 yes

[@MattJDave]

Anyone demanding to be hailed as a genius is no genius.

[@rebeccascarlet4305]

since someone pointed out that this track ca!e before IN, the "strange bird" could possibly be Sariel since she does have wings. She could be mistaken for a bird with 6 wings so that's what the "strange bird" is. The cat could be Chen. But, I doubt Ran is overprotective over her. it never says in the wiki that ran overprotects chen. "Ran's shikigami. Since their relation is the same that there is between Yukari and Ran, one would expect Chen following anything Ran commands, but is known that Chen is unreliable and it is difficult for Ran to depend upon her." ~ Touhou wiki

[@IceWrenSolstice]

0:00 Magical Power of the Mallet 0:14 The Reversed Wheel of Fortune 0:28 Midnight Spell Card 1:10 Stirring an Autumn Moon ~ Mooned Insect 1:18 U.N Owen was her?

[@abarette_]

0:00 feels more like one of the ISC tracks EDIT: oh yeah Midnight Spell Card is the name nevermind

[@FlandresOldWorld]

@BioBen9250 Yes, the new Fantasy Kaleidoscope video looks amazing (is kind of disappointed since I was expecting Imperishable Night), but hey, I think Parsee's moment in it just made me fall in love. i don't know why, but I adored her jealous expression. And about Skype, I was thinking about getting it, but I promise to PM you once I do ^_^

[@satothesmol3052]

Oooooooooooooh Yeeeeeeeaeaaaaahhh Fuck, this track is AESTHETIC aF

[@satothesmol3052]

I don't remember having written this comment and I wonder, what I was thinking when I wrote that.

[@scroogemcduckenjoyer]

drunk af maybe?

[@benial870]

Drunk on *R E V E R B*

[@ArcticCactie]

@@satothesmol3052 that reply is the story of my life

[@helioabc]

Just a note for anyone not aware of the more accurate translation: Youkai Bird of the Moon, Illusion of the Bakeneko.

[@ВоваМ-х9з]

Touhou Wiki says it's Renko's theme, according to article about her.

[@lemonadeWithExtraE]

Imagine if TAA (the alternative age) was popular as ctc, this theme will be bombarded with taa fans

[@bouteilledeau1463]

I smell Zun's signature in this. Listen closely to the notes.

[@DioBrandoZaWarudoMudaMudaMuda]

Cause ZUN made this???

[@bouteilledeau1463]

Frejya Wion Zun made all of the official CD musics, including his album about Renko and Maribel to the 3 tunes only in CDs related to mangas.

[@Chen_YaFumo]

there is no bird ... just Yukari

[@monsterclown4455]

Sagume

[@joegamewaffle5967]

Feels like a cross between Yuyuko and either Shou or Koishi.

[@dreamingsoul4722]

Anyone else hears the windows 'pop' sound effect at 0:28 ?

[@shadows651]

this song is as unique as the name...and i love the mysterious feeling about it ^^

[@hashtagNight]

when the thumbnail was your ipads lock screen *knifed*

[@benial870]

*R E V E R B*

[@Hellparadiseneutralmage0proof]

i always like to say to myself my cat is my litle poop why...because Mysterious Cat ,and this cat. like this poop

[@YukahoreineRiyamolet]

Strange Bird=Zenki or/and Goki Mysterious Cat=Chen?

[@thettbd]

Yukahoreine Riyamolet Actually, the bird is Renko, and the cat is Maribel. ZUN even confirmed this.I think.

[@YukahoreineRiyamolet]

The Terrible Bullet Dodger Oh,Thank you! Could you tell me where did you find it?

[@thettbd]

Yukahoreine Riyamolet I found it on another person's comment about it. I can't remember who.

[@YukahoreineRiyamolet]

The Terrible Bullet Dodger Mmm...I'll look for it.. Thanks =)

[@爛帽子]

kinda late but it from Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red ZUN said: This is obviously Renko and Merry's song. The Strange Bird is Renko, who is represented by the fast first half of the song. The Mysterious Cat is Merry, who is represented by the strange rhythms in the second half. It's almost like riding a bird flying through a city at night, or almost like a drunken cat staggering through the city. That was the intent I had in mind when I wrote this song. If you don't understand the theme, it's impossible to make any sense of it. To be honest, this song is meant for nothing but my own self-satisfaction, so I wonder if it's okay to just put it on a CD. I still like it, though. Sauce: en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Bohemian_Archive_in_Japanese_Red/Music_Columns#Strange_Bird_of_the_Moon.2C_Illusion_of_the_Mysterious_Cat

[@OMORI_Y]

ok I thought I was listening to a nyxtheshield thing at the beginning but no

[@slowkole]

kinshin aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[@slowkole]

SAGUME SAN

[@commaluigi]

Nice profile picture.