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Touhou influences
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As various games of the same genre influence each other, Touhou series is no exception. This page collects evidences of notable inspirations seen in Touhou games, as well as touhouisms appearing in other doujins, barring generic elements that have appeared since the dawn of shoot-em-ups.
Note: the tables only list earliest chronological appearance of evidences.
Influences on Touhou
Highly Responsive to Prayers (1996)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin | |
---|---|---|---|
Reimu's character | Entire game | Sayo-chan, protagonist of KiKi KaiKai (Taito, 1986) | |
Music: Angel's Legend (YuugenMagan's and Mima's theme) | Level 10 | 'Heart of Fire' from Castlevania (Konami, 1987) | |
Music: The Legend of KAGE | Makai Stages 16-19 | The Legend of Kage (Taito, 1985) |
Story of Eastern Wonderland (1997)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Bakebake | Stage 1-3, Extra | KiKi KaiKai (Taito, 1986) |
Music: Himorogi, Burn in Violet (Stage 4 theme) | Stage 4 | The Decisive Battle from Final Fantasy VI (Squaresoft, 1994) |
Phantasmagoria of Dim.Dream (1997)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Player interaction mechanics | Entire game | Twinkle Star Sprites (ADK, 1996) |
Lotus Land Story (1998)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Grazing mechanic used for scoring | Entire game | Raiden Fighters (Seibu Kaihatsu, 1996) |
Focused shot that slows down the character | Entire game | DonPachi (Cave, 1995), or Cybattler (Jaleco, 1993) |
Boss invincible to bombs (entire time or during last attack) | Extra | True last boss of ChoRenSha 68k (Famibe no Yosshin, 1995) |
Mystic Square (1998)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Marisa's bomb | Entire Game | Fighter B from Dangun Feveron (Cave, 1998) |
Louise's first pattern | Stage 2 | Double Dealer from Darius Gaiden (Taito, 1994) |
Homing lasers | Stage 4, 6 and Extra | Rayforce (Taito, 1993) |
Shinki character | Stage 6 | Last boss from ESP Ra.De. (Cave, 1998) |
Alice's second pattern | Extra | Last boss of DoDonPachi (Cave, 1997) |
Alice's sixth pattern | Extra | Several bosses from G-Darius (Taito, 1997) |
Alice's last pattern and arrowhead bullets | Extra | True last boss of DoDonPachi (Cave, 1997) |
Music: Maple Wise (Stage 4 theme) | Stage 4 | 'The Final Decisive Battle' from Lufia (Estpolis) Series (Neverland Co., 1993) |
Embodiment of Scarlet Devil (2002)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Sakuya's outfit | Stage 5 | Najji, a high-ranked maid from a manga Sarai. |
Remilia's 2nd non-spell pattern | Stage 6 | Last boss from ESP Ra.De. (Cave, 1998) |
Remilia's Spell Cards 44 and 46 | Stage 6 | Stage 5 and 6 bosses from Guwange (Cave, 1999) |
Flandre's Spell Card 63 (first half of timeout Spell Card) | Extra | Last boss of Giga Wing (Capcom, 1999) |
Flandre's Spell Card 64 (final Spell Card) | Extra | Last boss of Progear (Cave, 2001) |
Music: Apparitions Stalk the Night (Rumia's theme) | Stage 1 | Let's Meet Dr. Mince from Metal Max (1991) |
Music: Septette for the Dead Princess (Remilia's theme) | Stage 6 | Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique 3rd movement (1798) |
Music: U.N. Owen was her? (Flandre's theme) | Extra | Title Theme from The Immortal (video game) (1991) |
Music: Crimson Tower ~ Eastern Dream... | Staff Roll | Kira & Natsu-Koi Bana - Sakura (26/06/2002) |
Perfect Cherry Blossom (2003)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Sakuya-B's shot style | Entire game | Hyper Duel (Techno Soft, 1993/1996) |
Yuyuko's fan | Stage 6 | Last boss from ESP Ra.De. (Cave, 1998) |
Yuyuko's Spell Card 113 (final, timeout Spell Card) | Stage 6 | Last boss in Radiant Silvergun (Treasure, 1998) |
Yuyuko's spell card 105 | Stage 6 | 2nd form of the stage 5 boss from Guwange (Cave, 1999) |
Chen's/Ran's 5-way midboss pattern | Extra & Phantasm | Stage 5 boss from Guwange (Cave, 1999) |
Imperishable Night (2004)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Yukari's homing option | Entire game | Grind Stormer (Toaplan, 1993) |
Remilia's "sticky" options | Entire game | Armed Police BatRider (8ing/Raizing, 1998) |
Remilia's bomb | Entire game | Gunbird 2 (Psikyo 1998) |
Youmu's option | Entire game | Battle Garegga (8ing/Raizing, 1996) |
Spell Card 191 | Stage 6B | True last boss's final pattern in DoDonPachi DaiOuJou (Cave, 2002) |
Music: Lunatic Eyes ~ Invisible Full Moon (Reisen's theme) | Stage 5 | 'Zero Stage 2' from Mega Man X5 (Capcom, 2000) |
Music: Gensokyo Millennium ~ History of the Moon (Eirin's theme) | Stage 6A | 'To the End of the Wilderness' from Wild Arms (Media Vision, 1996) |
Music: Flight of the Bamboo Cutter ~ Lunatic Princess (Kaguya's theme) | Stage 6B | Xevious (Namco, 1982) |
Phantasmagoria of Flower View (2005)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Youmu's bullet-canceling sword attack | Entire game | Radiant Silvergun (Treasure, 1998) |
Medicine's extra attack (slowdown field) | Entire game | Metal Black (Taito, 1991) |
Shoot the Bullet (2005)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Spell Card 8-3 | Scene 8-3 | Stage 4 boss of Ketsui (Cave, 2003) |
Spell Card Ex-4 | Scene Ex-4 | Stage 3 boss of Mushihimesama (Cave, 2004) |
Mountain of Faith (2007)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Using shot power for bombing | Entire game | Metal Black (Taito, 1991) |
Marisa-A's "shadow" options | Entire game | Gradius (Konami, 1985) |
Music: Akutagawa Ryuunosuke's "Kappa" ~ Candid Friend | Stage 3 | Arab Merchant from The Immortal (video game) (1991) |
Music: Fall of Fall ~ Autumnal Waterfall | Stage 4 | Blue ni Naiteru by Anzen Chitai (1984) |
Music: The Venerable Ancient Battlefield ~ Suwa Foughten Field | Stage 6 | Boss theme from Metal Max (Crea-Tech, 1991) |
Subterranean Animism (2008)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Reimu-A's options | Entire game | Thunder Force II (Technosoft, 1989) |
Reimu-C's speed-up ability | Entire game | Dogyuun!! (Toaplan, 1992) |
Reimu-C's options | Entire game | Air Gallet (Gazelle, 1996) |
Marisa-B's switchable option formations | Entire game | Battle Garegga (8ing/Raizing, 1996) |
Communication gauge mechanics | Entire game | Shikigami no Shiro II (Alfa System, 2003) |
Falling rocks that shoot revenge bullets | Stage 1 | Stage 1 of Mushihimesama Futari (Cave, 2006) |
Large red round bullets | Stage 6 | Mushihimesama Futari (Cave, 2006) |
Utsuho's Spell Card 147 | Stage 6 | Last boss from ESP Ra.De. (Cave, 1998) |
Utsuho's Spell Card 155 | Stage 6 | DeathSmiles (Cave, 2007) |
Koishi's clockwise-rotating bullet sprays | Extra | Stage 1 boss from Pink Sweets – Ibara Sorekara (Cave, 2006) |
Music: Green-Eyed Jealousy (Parsee's theme) | Stage 2 | Greensleeves (traditional) |
Music: Lullaby of Deserted Hell (Stage 5 theme) | Stage 5 | Bieito Romero's and Mike Oldfield's The Song of the Sun (1996) |
Music: Solar Sect of Mystic Wisdom ~ Nuclear Fusion (Utsuho's theme) | Stage 6 | 'Explorer' from Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II (Atlus, 1990) |
Music: Energy Daybreak ~ Future Dream... (Staff roll theme) | Ending/Credits | Cross a Fear (Castlevania: Rondo of Blood) |
Undefined Fantastic Object (2009)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Marisa-B's shot style | Entire game | Star Soldier (Hudson, 1986) |
Sanae-A's shot style | Entire game | Image Fight (Irem, 1988) |
Sanae-B's shot style | Entire game | Mahou Daisakusen (8ing/Raizing, 1993) |
Various Space Invaders cameos | Stage 6 and Extra | Space Invaders (Taito, 1978) |
Ten Desires (2011)
Evidence | Seen in | Likely origin |
---|---|---|
Spirit Realm System (Trance) | Entire game | Hyper System from DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu (Cave, 2008) |
Mamizou's transformation during Spell Card 117 | Extra | Manuke, final boss of KiKi KaiKai (Taito, 1986) |