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*Other male characters besides Rinnosuke exist, but most of them are either not named, not [[humanoid]] ([[Genjii]], [[Sokrates]], [[Unzan]]) or do not have official appearances ([[Youki Konpaku]], [[Marisa's unnamed father]], [[Tenma]], [[Myouren Hijiri]]). Another male character with a name and an official appearance is [[Unshou]].
*Other male characters besides Rinnosuke exist, but most of them are either not named, not [[humanoid]] ([[Genjii]], [[Sokrates]], [[Unzan]]) or do not have official appearances ([[Youki Konpaku]], [[Marisa's unnamed father]], [[Tenma]], [[Myouren Hijiri]]). Another male character with a name and an official appearance is [[Unshou]].
*Rinnosuke and Yukari are often credited as the two people from Gensokyo who have some idea regarding the [[outside world]], with a basic understanding of technology. Other characters may also know about the outside, but there is no direct description by [[ZUN]] so far. Of course, this does not include [[Sanae Kochiya]], [[Kanako Yasaka]], and [[Suwako Moriya]], who are all from the outside world.
*Rinnosuke and Yukari are often credited as the two people from Gensokyo who have some idea regarding the [[outside world]], with a basic understanding of technology. Other characters may also know about the outside, but there is no direct description by [[ZUN]] so far. Of course, this does not include [[Sanae Kochiya]], [[Kanako Yasaka]], and [[Suwako Moriya]], who are all from the outside world.
*Rinnosuke had been to the outside world long ago. He remarks about the "outside world I knew", and tries to imagine it from old memories, but that too much time has elapsed.<ref>[[Curiosities of Lotus Asia/Chapter 03|Curiosities of Lotus Asia: Chapter 3]]</ref> By the time he visits it again in a dream-like sequence in [[Curiosities of Lotus Asia/Chapter_11|''Curiosities of Lotus Asia'' chapter 11]], it's a completely alien environment to him.
*Rinnosuke had been to the outside world long ago. He remarks about the "outside world I knew", and tries to imagine it from old memories, but too much time has elapsed.<ref>[[Curiosities of Lotus Asia/Chapter 03|Curiosities of Lotus Asia: Chapter 3]]</ref> By the time he visits it again in a dream-like sequence in [[Curiosities of Lotus Asia/Chapter_11|''Curiosities of Lotus Asia'' chapter 11]], it's a completely alien environment to him.
*He's one of only a few characters with glasses, the others being [[Rikako Asakura]] and [[Mamizou Futatsuiwa]].
*He's one of only a few characters with glasses, the others being [[Rikako Asakura]] and [[Mamizou Futatsuiwa]].
*It's often pointed out that Rinnosuke shares some personal points with {{nihongo|''Akihiko Chuuzenji''|中禅寺秋彦}}, one of the main characters of a novel series written by [[wikipedia:Natsuhiko Kyogoku|Natsuhiko Kyougoku]], who ZUN is known to love. One of the points is, e.g., Akihiko manages a used-book shop, and the name of his shop is {{nihongo|"Kyougokudou"|京極堂}}, which is also his nickname; this resembles "Kourin" except it lacks the suffix "dou".
*It's often pointed out that Rinnosuke shares some personal points with {{nihongo|''Akihiko Chuuzenji''|中禅寺秋彦}}, one of the main characters of a novel series written by [[wikipedia:Natsuhiko Kyogoku|Natsuhiko Kyougoku]], who ZUN is known to love. One of the points is, e.g., Akihiko manages a used-book shop, and the name of his shop is {{nihongo|"Kyougokudou"|京極堂}}, which is also his nickname; this resembles "Kourin" except it lacks the suffix "dou".

Revision as of 03:14, 4 June 2013

(もり) (ちか)   (りん) () (すけ)
moɽʲit͡ɕʲi̥ka ɽʲinːosɯ̥ke (♫)
Rinnosuke Morichika
Rinnosuke Morichika
Rinnosuke Morichika in Curiosities of Lotus Asia
The Unmoving Used Goods Seller
More Character Titles
Nickname

Kourin (こう) (りん)

Species

Human/Youkai half-breed

Abilities

Knowing the name and utility of tools

Age

Unknown, at least a few decades

Occupation

Owner of Kourindou, an antique shop

Location

Kourindou, on the edge of the Forest of Magic

Music Themes
Appearances
Official Games
Print Works
Other
  • Touhou Unreal Mahjong (Playable Character, Possible Opponent) Note: This appearance is unofficial, but Rinnosuke's theme was composed by ZUN

Rinnosuke Morichika (森近 霖之助 Morichika Rinnosuke), nicknamed Kourin (香霖), is the main character of Curiosities of Lotus Asia. He's an half-human half-youkai hybrid and using his ability to know the name and purpose of an object, he runs Kourindou, an antique shop specializing in items from the Outside World. He's one of the few male characters depicted in the Touhou Project.

General Information

Abilities

Knowing the name and utility of tools

By examining any manmade object, Rinnosuke can learn its name and what it's used for. While knowledgeable, this doesn't, however, tell him how to use it, and the information he receives can sometimes be vague or confusing. He lacks an overall understanding about the outside and modern science, so he often ends up drawing strange conclusions about certain items (in one case leading him to mistake a Game Boy for a doomsday device). This even extends to his theories about Gensokyo. ZUN is quick to mention that Rinnosuke doesn't know as much as he thinks he does and his various hypotheses about everything are mostly pulled out of thin air.

Non-combatant

Apparently, Rinnosuke doesn't have any fighting abilities like Reimu Hakurei or Marisa Kirisame do, which makes him an ideal character to describe typical daily life in Gensokyo. ZUN has stated in an interview that Rinnosuke isn't the type to use spell cards. Perfect Memento in Strict Sense states that he is not very strong due to a lack of training. Additionally, in a reply to the second question on Gensou Bulletin Board on the date stamped 031212, it was stated that he actually cannot fight with Reimu and other characters using danmaku.

Species

Rinnosuke is an half-human and half-youkai, where his life span is longer than a human's. Because of this, youkai do not attack him, and he does not attack humans.[1] Being a human-youkai hybrid, Rinnosuke only needs to drink a cup of sake with a couple of side vegetables to provide enough sustenance for a meal. However, full meals are preferred.[2] He avoids staying in the human village for long because his lack of aging brings unease to the humans there.[3] Also, he's resistant to both human diseases and youkai diseases, but he can still get ill every once in a rare while, however.[4]

Backstory

A few more years than eleven years ago (a few years before 1996), he worked as an apprentice for Marisa's father at his store in the Human Village. However, his ability and interest in the outside wasn't being put to its best use. So, he left and opened Kourindou, an antiques shop on the border of the Forest of Magic specializing in objects from the Outside World, which he acquires after they fall into Gensokyo through the Hakurei Border. Located between the forest and Human Village, he chose the location in the hopes that both human and non-human customers would visit.

However, between his poor business sense, such as his refusal to let go of any useful or interesting items, personality, location, niche merchandise, and inability to determine just how to use something, his business can be deemed a failure. Currently, with the exception of just a few visitors, Kourindou is often deserted.

Character Design

Name

His surname "Morichika" means "near the forest", which is the location of Kourindou. His first name means "helps the long rain", and it possibly has something to do with Marisa Kirisame since her last name, "Kirisame", means drizzle.

Design

Shown in a number of works, Rinnosuke has golden eyes, short silver hair, and wears a pair of glasses. His clothes are black and blue, and he often carries a small bag with him. His appearance has not changed since Marisa was a small child, indicating his status as a half-youkai.

Story

Main article: Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red/Rinnosuke

One day, a hookah (called a nargile in the article) appears for sale in Kourindou. Aya comes to write an article about it, as well as offer her opinion. Unfortunately, the owner, Rinnosuke Morichika, has no idea of how to use the device, despite knowing its function. He proposes that it be used as a decoration.

Some time after the article is written, Aya comes back to see if the hookah had sold. Rinnosuke informs her that he decided to keep it for himself after being taught (by Yukari Yakumo) how to use it. Aya wonders out loud if he really intends to run a business. She considers the odd hookah to be nonsensical. Rinnosuke counters by stating that all luxury goods are nonsensical, and that people who buy them are interesting. Aya agrees with him.

Rinnosuke Morichika in other Canon Works

D.N.A Software

Rinnosuke made an appearance in the 2009 fangame Touhou Unreal Mahjong, by D.N.A. Softwares. Rinnosuke is one of the many playable characters of the game and he also has his own story. His appearance is, however, unofficial and non-canon to the Touhou Project, but on the other hand, ZUN had involvement with the game and composed the theme "Curious old Shanghai tile", which is Rinnosuke's theme in that game. In official terms, this is thought to be Rinnosuke's official theme.

Relationships

Since he rarely leaves Kourindou and has a somewhat difficult personality, Rinnosuke is mostly acquainted with those who come by his store, either as freeloaders or the few customers he has.

Marisa Kirisame

Rinnosuke worked for Marisa's father and then started his shop before she was born, and he has known Marisa Kirisame since she was small. She must have known him at least since 1996, as from Curiosities of Lotus Asia chapter 6's prologue, Marisa once eavesdropped on a conversation between Rinnosuke and her father during one of Rinnosuke's rare visits to the Kirisame residence, and Rinnosuke stated in Curiosities of Lotus Asia chapter 20 that it's been 10 years since he last saw Marisa's father. Marisa thinks Rinnosuke is stiff with her because of her family, but the truth is Rinnosuke keeps his guard up with her because he doesn't want her to suspect when he's lying to her, particularly when it comes to her paying Rinnosuke with items that she collects. She's seen as an annoyance who constantly imposes herself on him and takes what she likes from the store, but they are still on good terms and he seems to welcome her company. They're friendly enough that he created and later gave her the Hakkero. She's also the only one to call him by his nickname "Kourin", although whether it implies fondness, or just that they've known each other for so long, is unknown.

Reimu Hakurei

He's lived long enough to know about the Hakurei Shrine and the generations of Hakurei who have come before, but it's unknown if this means he was acquainted with Reimu Hakurei's family. She's nearly as much as an annoyance as Marisa, but he tolerates and gives as much leeway to her as he does to Marisa.

Marisa's father

Rinnosuke worked at Marisa's fathers store as an apprentice in the Human Village before leaving to start Kourindou over eleven years ago. Rinnosuke refers to him as the "human whom I had received hospitality from long time ago," indicating it was Marisa's father that took him in. Rinnosuke used to make rare visits to the Kirisame residence even after that, but hasn't visited for ten years. It's unknown what caused them to lose contact for ten years, and Rinnosuke was a little nervous about seeing him again due to the time that elapsed since then, but from Rinnosuke's meeting with him in Curiosities of Lotus Asia chapter 20, there doesn't seem to be any bad blood between them.

Yukari Yakumo

Yukari Yakumo and Rinnosuke mostly have a business arrangement. In exchange for fuel for his kerosene fan heater, Yukari takes merchandise she likes and occasionally provides information on items. While he is grateful, Rinnosuke also doesn't like dealing with her all that much and makes note of how ominous she seems.

Sakuya Izayoi

Sakuya Izayoi is a customer who comes by the shop occasionally, mostly on the whims of her mistress, Remilia Scarlet.

Additional Information

PMiSS rinnosuke.jpg
  • Rinnosuke has made his first ever appearance in a Touhou Project game in Hopeless Masquerade, but only as a background cameo character. Also, he's known as the first literary character mentioned in game dialogue (as Kourin) in Marisa's Immaterial and Missing Power ending when she thinks about showing Suika Ibuki to him. Nazrin also mentions obtaining the Jeweled Pagoda from "a second-hand goods shop", which could be Kourindou.
  • Other male characters besides Rinnosuke exist, but most of them are either not named, not humanoid (Genjii, Sokrates, Unzan) or do not have official appearances (Youki Konpaku, Marisa's unnamed father, Tenma, Myouren Hijiri). Another male character with a name and an official appearance is Unshou.
  • Rinnosuke and Yukari are often credited as the two people from Gensokyo who have some idea regarding the outside world, with a basic understanding of technology. Other characters may also know about the outside, but there is no direct description by ZUN so far. Of course, this does not include Sanae Kochiya, Kanako Yasaka, and Suwako Moriya, who are all from the outside world.
  • Rinnosuke had been to the outside world long ago. He remarks about the "outside world I knew", and tries to imagine it from old memories, but too much time has elapsed.[5] By the time he visits it again in a dream-like sequence in Curiosities of Lotus Asia chapter 11, it's a completely alien environment to him.
  • He's one of only a few characters with glasses, the others being Rikako Asakura and Mamizou Futatsuiwa.
  • It's often pointed out that Rinnosuke shares some personal points with Akihiko Chuuzenji (中禅寺秋彦), one of the main characters of a novel series written by Natsuhiko Kyougoku, who ZUN is known to love. One of the points is, e.g., Akihiko manages a used-book shop, and the name of his shop is "Kyougokudou" (京極堂), which is also his nickname; this resembles "Kourin" except it lacks the suffix "dou".

Fandom

  • Kourin is also a standard nickname for Rinnosuke amongst fans.
  • As the only depicted humanoid male in a land surrounded by girls, he is a popular option for heterosexual pairings, and has been shipped with much of the rest of the cast.
  • Other fanworks persistently depict Rinnosuke in a few different humorous, but somewhat derogatory ways. In the following depictions, he is commonly called Kourin (こーりん) in Japanese and sometimes MANnosuke in the western fanbase:
    • As a lecher or pervert who runs around in a fundoshi and harasses the girls, receiving painful retribution from them for his antics in the end.
    • Some fans have jokingly stated and depicted Rinnosuke as gay. One reason would be because of the "Fundoshi Barrier" Erich uses in Touhou Soccer Moushuuden.
    • Another common scenario in fan depictions is for various members of the cast to sexually harass Rinnosuke, only to have him react with indifference and/or fear.
    • He is just as often, if not more so seen in fan depictions as extraordinarily masculine and muscular, sometimes, though rarely, possessing power equal to or greater than that of the rest of the cast. This form of his is the one most commonly referred to as MANnosuke.

Official Profiles

東方儚月抄 official website
Rinnosuke Morichika 森近 霖之助 (もりちか りんのすけ)
人間/道具の名前と用途が判る程度の能力

道具屋「香霖堂」の店主。手にした道具の名前と用途がわ
かる能力を持つ。ただ、残念ながら使用方法まではわから
ないのが玉に瑕。博識だが考え込むと籠もりがちで、店に
出ないばかりか客にも冷たい、実に商売に不向きな店主で
ある。
過去に幻想郷で最大手の道具屋・霧雨家で働いていたた
め魔理沙とは親交が比較的長い。

Official Sources

Official sources

References