【Touhou Lyrics】 Rigid Paradise

/ lyricalive
Yoshika's theme. ...This is just a sort of experimental one. I did a lot of research on the poet that Yoshika's character is named after, presumably the person she was before she died. The history is really interesting, and I referenced a lot of things about this other "Miyako no Yoshika" in the lyrics.
The idea here is that she is drifting in and out of the Spirit World, juxtaposing her rotten-minded zombie self with the enlightened scholar of her past. It's quite a sharp contrast, although emptiness and enlightenment have been noted to be similar. Also, doing that gross voice was a ton of fun.
DOWNLOAD ON MY BLOG: asa-turney.tumblr.com/lyrics
Touhou Project 13, Ten Desires
Yoshika Miyako: "Rigid Paradise" (normal version + Spirit World version)
Original music by ZUN.
English lyrics and fandub vocals by me.
TD sprite rips from www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/in..., art by ZUN.
---
EVERY BODY!
A precious flesh case, with a soul to protect.
What I need, open up and eat it.
Army, we fight to re-resurrect!
“People may sit till the cushion wears through,
But never quite know of the one real Truth.
Let me tell now of the ultimate Tao:
It is here, enshrined within…”
HOLY TEMPLE!
A mesh of treasure, for a soul to collect.
When I strike thee, become more like me.
We wish one wish, to keep us perfect!
Too empty or too enlightened (to fall) for a surprise…
At the highest or at the lowest point is nowhere farther to go, nothing left but a rigid paradise.
You may only see the inside, the precious contents, when the shell falls apart:
There inside, never changing, is the heart.
I AM DYING!
A beast unliving, with no soul left to feel.
What I need, open up and eat it.
Trick or treat, nice to meet my next meal!
“Wind combs the locks of the young willow’s hair.
Rains rinse the beard of the old moss bare.
Three thousand faces of the world unfold,
And the twelve-link chain starts where?”
I AM LIVING!
A mass undying, still “I am” at the end!
What is left to be done, I do it.
Let us all play alive- let's pretend!
Too empty or too enlightened (to rise) for something new…
At the lowest or at the highest point is nothing further to do, nothing left but to stop and see it through.
You may only see the inside, the precious contents, when the shell falls apart:
There inside, never changing, is the heart.

[@WatcherCCG]

What's really the saddest part of Yoshika's existence is that she's a true corpse - she's a soulless husk running entirely on what's left of her memories in her physical brain and whatever commands Seiga has her performing in a given moment. If this setting wasn't as lighthearted as it is, Kasen - who, mythologically, considered Yoshika her closest human friend - would probably have murdered Seiga for desecrating her best friend's remains like she has. Then again, Kasen also has a cover she's trying to keep, and Seiga's absolutely smart enough to call her out as Ibaraki-douji if they ever came to blows.

[@fluffy_cheese7478]

Aw your right, that’s sad

[@WatcherCCG]

@Asashi More that if she was outed as basically the second most notorious oni to ever live (after Suika AKA Shuten-douji), the fact she'd been masquerading as a hermit would completely obliterate any good faith normal humans had in hermits as a whole. Plus Kasen has strongly implied she wants to put that old life so far behind her that no one remembers her as being Ibaraki-douji.

[@jambon2730]

I don't thin Seiga would even care about Kasen's revenge Seiga has been escaping a kishin chief way stronger than her for more than 1000+ years and always doing fine, she's just doing a little trolling

[@spongeintheshoe]

Or maybe "Yoshika" is just some random corpse that Seiga decided to give Yoshika's name out of spite? After all, the real Miyako no Yohika was, y'know, a guy.

[@WatcherCCG]

@@spongeintheshoe This is Touhou, friend. Zun slaps boobs on a lot of historically male figures.

[@j-ace3106]

I love how you did the change from her zombie-like self and her past self.

[@jikosemu]

"Too empty or too enlightened for a surprise" Kogasa?

[@lyrica-live]

CORRECT! ;P The line means, there are too reasons someone might not be able to appreciate a surprise: either because they don't understand anything so it doesn't faze them, or because they already know everything so nothing shocks them. Those extremes play on Yoshika's identity crisis here. But I chose to phrase it that way specifically as a shout-out to her adorable midboss (who just couldn't get her to fall for a surprise) and I was hoping someone would catch it.

[@wessltov]

That line got me thinking: If emptiness is close to Taoist enlightenment, why would Koishi go to Byakuren's Buddhist temple?

[@GirlWhy31]

Lyrica Live I mean... good luck trying to legitimately scare a zombie

[@mabelpines1533]

Seiga will see a corpse and say "is anyone else gonna desecrate that?" and not wait for an answer

[@songoku9566]

Dead girls can't say no

[@Servo_M]

@@songoku9566 Hakurei shrine open up!

[@ultimate.funkypunky]

The spirit trance detail

[@Jann75]

I watched a playthrough of TD a few weeks ago, and when I saw Trance Mode, I went "OH".

[@Dreigonix]

**about to 1cc Remilia** **Lyrica Live uploads** Hang on. Gotta see this. (Also, your zombie voice is adorable. Just like Yoshika.)

[@wessltov]

Well, did you win? Or did the song rip you out of your concentration?

[@zonda2220]

More importantly, what difficulty?

[@pocodyess6050]

wessltov hopefully they paused the game

[@jadeng.s.2549]

*Died on Scarlet Gensokyo*

[@naughtymidnight585]

Yoshika... ge Kira

[@ScarletRxses]

We all knew the zombie needed some love

[@GrahamChapman]

There's another thing I like about ZUN's Eastern Project; he makes people read up about Japanese stuff they otherwise wouldn't even have heard about, like long dead poets and crown princes... though I do wonder what Ibaraki Douj- I mean, Kasen would say if she learned that one of her fellow hermits had desecrated the tomb of her favorite poet? Everyone ships Yoshika with Seiga, and I support that ship. (Yoshika wanna nyan-nyan with the niang-niang.) Me, I ship Yoshika with Remilia, solely because they're both vampires. I've yet to find a single Yoshika/Remilia piece of fanart. (I! Don't! Care! I Ship It! You're on the canon ground, I'm up in crackship space~♪) addendum: Having listened to this song a few times now, it almost moved me to tears (yes, I know, this of all songs moved me to tears, unbelievably silly isn't it?) how well you presented the duality between Miyako Yoshika on her highest point, as an enlightened scholar, philosopher and poet, and her lowest point, as a mindless and hollowed corpse, and yet found that balance where the two opposites are still two halves of a whole. Truly, even if the Yin and Yang become so unbalanced that one of them completely usurps the other, there's always a small fragment of one, deep within the heart of the other... The Tao is strong within this song. Happy Halloween~!

[@WatcherCCG]

If Kasen didn't have a cover to keep up, I don't think Seiga would still be alive. Yoshika was Ibaraki's best friend after she lost her arm and mellowed out. Seeing her as a soulless corpse would have pulled very hard on her old oni rage. Possibly hard enough to put that arm back on and murder her way through Senkai to make a meal out of Seiga.

[@chickennuggets1990]

I don't think I would ever read up about history outside of Touhou either

[@AsCiMaToR]

You have just been spooked by a Spooky Scary Stage 3 Boss. Complete a Normal run of a Touhou game until midnight or you will be forever spooked.

[@zonda2220]

Get the feeling I'll remain spooked forever.

[@okguy167]

but I'm not that good at touhou!

[@elvergalarga-jo9vs]

Done

[@fluffy_cheese7478]

But I have no skiiiiiil I’m gonna die

[@someweirdowhoknowsyourloca1020]

~sPoOkY sCaRy StaGe 3 bOsS~

[@robert.vilkelis]

I love how you really leveraged the Spirit Trance dynamic of Ten Desires and incorporated it into this song! Brilliantly innovative. The first time I listened, I didn't fully catch the juxtaposition of the rotting mind and the enlightened scholar, but it really comes through the more I listen to it. It's one of the brilliant things about your renditions - there's always more and more left to discover and learn with each listening! Not to mention you once again brought a new side of a Touhou character to light for me in the form of Yoshika's namesake. Seeing the little +1 next to your channel name in my subscriptions tonight was a joy as always :D

[@okguy167]

Interesting... the odd numbered trances last exactly 10 seconds. On top ofthat, this is easy to get lost in. Love it.

[@GUMPAAful]

Now for Halloween , a duet of Kogasa and Yoshika in Lets Live in a Lovely Cementery , i dont kno why i always thpught Kogasa and Yoshika look good together.

[@uberslowpoke9666]

All Lyrica's songs become better with every re-listening.

[@raccoonchild]

I sing this one almost every day. She nailed the lyrics.

[@winter_hope_asriel_dreemurr]

So true

[@naughtymidnight585]

HOLY TEMPLE

[@SarSaraneth]

This one grew on me. Given that I liked it on the first listen, that came as a surprise. Your talent for crafting lyrics continues to astonish. Poetry of deep meaning set to an established rhythm... It's honestly amazing.

[@CeruleanSeal]

I never would have thought you would use the spirit world versions for this as well but I LOVE the way it came out! Not sure what I expected out of this one but it most definitely came out better than I ever imagined. Honestly at 1st I felt kind of grated by your Yoshika voice but about halfway in it got quite a cute charm to it. Just as always you did well!

[@Gaclus]

Got notification -> came right here. These are literally my favourite videos on youtube. Make me happy 100% of the time. Please upload more, so I can be happy more

[@shovelofwalnuts]

what a wonderful halloween song!

[@GUMPAAful]

Ooh, Yoshika was a schoolar? Never knew that but either way your voice here was adroable and fun to hear and also combininf some part of the spirit world was a great idea. Now i thinking in reality, what does Yoshika thinks? Does she hates Seija or not? Does she even think? No one knows, noq that i think about it Yoshika can be very interesring, never thought a Song could make me see how interesting a character is , qell either way great video

[@dileblade7659]

GUMPAAflux yoshika in canon is actually the dumbest character in the touhou series, but only cause her brain has rotted before seiga revived her. It's stated she was a smart and quite girl who liked poetry. This is explained in canon though outside of this knowledge not much else is known of her past life before her death and revival.

[@spongeintheshoe]

@@dileblade7659 There was a real-life poet known as Miyako no Yoshika.

[@capitalismandburgers9889]

The perfect song for just before Halloween! Then again, your songs are always perfect for whenever. Keep up the good work.

[@lyrica-live]

Thanks a lot! ;v; A lot of these comments make me really happy... Actually, while this _was_ meant to accompany the Halloween spirit, I already have something else lined up for Halloween proper. So please stay tuned.~ (Not much of a hint, though, since almost every Touhou can be considered "spooky"!)

[@starsapphire6522]

Lyrica Live I'm guessing Koishi.

[@enderking1525]

Please tell me it's "Merry the Magician". If it is, please keep the seperate vocal files. I found an arrange I'd like to mix them with: kzbin.info/www/bejne/povEk5aLjqp2Ztk

[@raccoonchild]

I've been waiting for this one and I couldn't be happier with what I got. Everything I wanted to see on your lyrics for Yoshika is there. Fantastic job as usual ♥

[@MercyPerson]

:D Yoshika's theme is just my fav music to listen to if the day felt stupid and now you made this into a heavenly melody

[@joitsjustjo1124]

yyyyyYYYEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS MY LIFE IS COMPLETE NOW

[@silverflower2970]

Damn your voice sounds so good in this cover :00

[@okuuunyu6222]

Woah! Spirit world version

[@Gaudimann]

Dead, but somehow still alive! The fate of a zombie, I guess! Anyways, nice song there.^^ Hmmmm.... you have done my favorite character (Komachi) already, so.... it would be cool to see Shikieiki (2nd) or Letty (3rd) here once, but I would prefer Letty because Winter is coming soon. xD

[@ColossatronProductions]

Gaudimann She said she would do one for Halloween as well. I hope it's Mystia's or Remelia's theme.

[@gigi12gigi12]

Do you have any plans to write separate poems? In my opinion you have talent to become a good poet.

[@danielgreen7374]

Amazing zombie voiceee!!!!

[@boiIedfish]

dang , you really made me love this theme now ! you did such a good job ! ☆

[@WatatsukiNoToyohime]

I love when each the end of lyrics ends up the same words, pronounciation, just like a poem. Perhaps, even after her died, she is still a great poetric afterall

[@gemraldkid6304]

Probably some of your best work. Everything flows really well here. Not to mention that amazing duality that ties into the lore.

[@pocodyess6050]

*yoshi sounds*

[@prismus6520]

If Yoshika's theme had English lyrics already, then Seiga's must be too!

[@raccoonchild]

I'm waiting for her theme too. Seiga is great. A character I love to hate.

[@daniellxnder]

Yes, for Nyan Nyan

[@chickennuggets1990]

Still waiting. I really really really want to know what the lyrics will be kljgfkljgkdfg She's such an interesting character

[@kellytat2190]

Perfect timing for Halloween!! Keep up the good work!

[@pyroshadow4911]

This is kinda great for Halloween

[@amoura39]

Oh my, the amazing contrasts here! It's so beautiful.

[@Necronicz]

Great song as always!

[@yamatsukami987]

the lyrics are always fire

[@yourorca984]

Dang Lyrica

[@eliotmitzeus2607]

Dang gurl! This is AMAZIN! :D

[@bunny5735]

Leaked Footage of Ash Ketchum Devouring His Victims to Maintain His Youth

[@yech3461]

Wait...why does she actually sound like ash?

[@ifritdiezel]

the new small yoshika thumbnail is so cute

[@Rouen_HK]

my gosh i cant wait for septette for the dad queen XDyou have it on your list

[@user-pr4cu9tb3b]

Спасибо за перевод.

[@bitzibaerlie]

This could work really well as an anime opening, in my opinion. Awesome song (like the twenty or so I watched before this), and a successful experiment, in my book.

[@LucarioDoT]

Well. I certainly wasn't expecting this. Still, keep up the good work.

[@CeruleanSeal]

Not sure how much you know about Overwatch, but Mei's Halloween skin is a Jiang shi and will be listening to this on a constant loop in hopes I get my hands on it.

[@beatsbycossack]

Not to mention both are a pain in the ass to fight in game

[@TheGhostbuster1989]

If you liked the story surrounding the song and character, I implore you to watch Suikakasen on youtube.

[@thereptile4139]

How dare you remind me of that, now I want to cry

[@snalefriend8691]

Half an hour late, darnit! But yay!! Yoshika is done!

[@invatch6810]

Happy Halloween. We got our treat and its time to become Yoshika's

[@Sonicfalcon16]

Nice

[@tonick2208]

Are the trance part lyrics supposed to be yoshikas past soul/the poems she once wrote?

[@1000niggawatt]

do the two dogs or whatever aun's theme called. PLEASE! also pretty neat song. 10/10 it's was ok.

[@ColossatronProductions]

Punished Chen A Pair of Divine Beasts

[@raccoonchild]

"The Two Dogs" Nearly made me laugh while walking down the street

[@enderking1525]

Can you please cover Nitori's theme next? Nitori is the only character in my top 5 without a cover from you. Also, Wrryyyyyy

[@yukkuriqueen7343]

That’s sooooooooo coooooool

[@AzuRemilia]

Spirit World theme fits quite nicely. I hope you will make Septette for Dead Princess

[@angelinesmith3347]

this song brought me out of the grave known as homework. homework is death. lyrica live is life.

[@cafedew]

Yoshika looks so cute with that talisman in the thumbnail

[@mikaminpark6949]

Do Remilia's theme please! I can't find any good ones, I like your English covers

[@CeruleanSeal]

It's a work in progress, could be waiting from a month to a year but she will eventually do Septette of the Dead Princess for sure.

[@wessltov]

T. Stebins did quite a good job on that one.

[@enderking1525]

thb, Remilia is almost as overrated as Flandre

[@mikaminpark6949]

Cause i am overrated. Mainly my theme XD

[@enderking1525]

Remilia has 2nd place after Flan for most overrated 2hu

[@kreng823]

I was about to Expect that Voice to be more serious like.

[@kreng823]

Also that's a Weird Voice for a Zombie. I think you expected she was a Young Girl.

[@EmeraldArchive]

Oh boy

[@pocodyess6050]

Someone make a comic out of the following description: (Yoshika is almost finished with her ranpage! Only Maribel, Renko, and Seja are left...) Maribel: SHE'S TOO STRONG! WHAT DO WE DO!? Seja: Hey, look at me. Yoshika: HAHA! PUNY HUMANS! YOU MERE MORTALS ARE *NO MATCH* FOR ME! BOW DOWN TO THE ONE, THE ONLY- *suddenly, gunshot!* All: huh? (Cue a teenager, 14, red eyes, brown hair and devil horns. A tuxedo emblazons the pencil-neck figure of this hot-headed rascal, who shall be named " Edward" from here on out. Standing beside him is one of the pigs from Angry Birds, named "Poco".) Edward: Trust me, it's for your own good. Now let's go, we have to stop a knife attack on ZUN Avenue. Poco: Hey boss, can we get some Applebee's on the way? Edward: Don't push your luck, fat boy.

[@pocodyess6050]

CHARACTER PROFILES Edward Delusynul Swanson Edward (or "Ed" as everyone else calls him) and Poco are kind of like a male Sakuya in some ways. But they're different, because unlike Sakuya, they've got the sharpest wit this side of Greenwich Observatory! They get mad at even the simplest of things, but they are good at heart. JUST KIDDING! They're rotten to the core and proud of it!

[@ezzyshian]

I need marisa's theme... The magus night one...

[@tunafishe5756]

Ezra Aftarekh sorry for the late answer, but I think she already did it a while ago!

[@ripsnip5336]

Waifu Rulezz It was actually Oriental Dark Flight i think

[@petermacrae705]

Oriental dark flight

[@petermacrae705]

But HM Magus Night is amazing Pls lyrica And SWR Septette for the dead princess

[@CannedPsycho-]

I don't know why but I really like this song when it's in Russian. I hope someone does a cover of this in Russian.

[@charsage1036]

Yoshika best zombie but she'd be worst zombie if she was oh wait spoiler.

[@gluever54]

Nice Nice~

[@Touhou20246]

This song is perfect for howlween

[@diornodiovanna1151]

I’m dead ☠️

[@shinki5361]

Spook time is near

[@dookieiama]

this thumbnail is so cute dfjkkkkkkkkgdgfdjg

[@Mugenri]

Y O S H

[@rcsiapno1]

This must be played while playing COD: Zombies.

[@klaryssamurphy1750]

Do lonesome wolf please?

[@Comeoniwantaccount]

Lol nice

[@sven9900]

i though she sing by grunting and random screech

[@neontwinsneon7428]

is yoshika high? i dont know much about her

[@OddHaberdasher]

Yoshika is a Jiangshi, a type of undead being from Chinese folklore. Jiangshi can be distinguished from other types of undead by their posture (standing up straight, with their arms rigidly stretched out in front of them) and their hopping movement. Jiangshi hop because their bodies are so stiff that they can't walk, though Yoshika is able to get around this somewhat through rigorous flexibility exercises. Miyako no Yoshika was a talented poet in the Heian period of Japanese history, talented enough to get a ferocious Oni to appreciate their work, but that time is long past. Now they are nothing more than a rotting corpse, the spirit long departed, acting out the will of the wicked hermit that reanimated them. Yet, at times when her master is away on some business and Yoshika is by herself, she can be seen staring blankly into the distance and reciting the poetry she once wrote (though it is unlikely that Yoshika possesses any true understanding of the words she speaks).

[@petermacrae705]

1.25 speed singing 100% accuracy

[@synbest9300]

i have the mei skin :v

[@Rianz4_7OXS]

Imagine the lyrics in Turkish

[@abd-animation-22]

Yummy

[@ColossatronProductions]

Zambie

[@hattmanhendrix7999]

Yet

[@dileblade7659]

Try doing yorihime's theme pls.

[@GUMPAAful]

dileblade765 Wait, since when Yorohime have a theme?

[@dileblade7659]

GUMPAAflux it's in the CD that comes when you buy the silent sinner in blue canon manga. The theme is both her and her sisters theme and it is official.

[@MMock]

that was so terrible but i couldn't help to smirk through it