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Nue Houjuu
hoːdʑɯː nɯe (♫) Nue Houjuu | |
|---|---|
 Nue Houjuu in Undefined Fantastic Object and Ten Desires The Unidentified Fantastic Flying GirlMore Character Titles | |
| Species | |
| Abilities |
Making objects unidentifiable |
| Age |
More than 800 Years old |
| Occupation |
Scaring people |
| Location | |
Music Themes | |
| |
Appearances | |
| Official Games | |
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| Print Works | |
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| "Oh, I found the mysterious shining thing! Is this really an alien encounter?" |
| "What's an alien?" |
| — Sanae Kochiya and Nue Houjuu (Undefined Fantastic Object Extra Stage.) |
Nue Houjuu (封獣 ぬえ Houjuu Nue) is said to be one of the most mysterious and feared youkai in many years and has been defeated by humans many times. There are differing legends according to her appearance due to her concealed true form. At some point, she was sealed underground, but the events of Subterranean Animism caused her to resurface in Gensokyo during Undefined Fantastic Object.
General Information
Nue Houjuu first appeared in Undefined Fantastic Object as the midboss of Stages 4 and 6 hidden in a ball of light, and takes on her true form as the Extra stage boss. She later appeared as the Extra stage midboss of Ten Desires. Based on one of Reimu Hakurei's quotes in Touhou Hisoutensoku, as well as Chapter 12 of Oriental Sacred Place, she is currently living with Byakuren Hijiri in the Myouren Temple.
Personality
Nue is a mischievous girl who is sensitive about her true form. She enjoys playing pranks. Being over 800 years old, most people are younger than her. She usually treats them as such due to her nature as an ancient Youkai. After the events of the Extra Stage in Undefined Fantastic Object, she trains at the Myouren Temple. However, she is not well-acquainted with the other youkai, and has been seen near the edges of the property looking bored.
Abilities
- Making objects unidentifiable
Nue is able to conceal the true nature of other objects. She used this ability in Undefined Fantastic Object to conceal the nature of the fragments of the Flying Storehouse. An object that has lost its "identity" will appear to be a different thing depending on who observes it.
- Concealing her true form
Nue can modify her appearance to some extent at will. She has been seen as a ball of light in Stage 4 and Stage 6 of Undefined Fantastic Object as well as in a humanoid form (which she considers her true form) during the Extra Stage of Undefined Fantastic Object.
- Contact with the outside world
Nue is able to contact the outside world, which is evident from her relationship with Mamizou Futatsuiwa in Ten Desires.
Possessions
- Three-pronged Trident
Nue wields a trident that she carries wherever she goes. She uses it as a conduit for summoning Danmaku. It's possible that it can also be used for physical combat.
Character Design
Name
Her full name is Nue Houjuu (封獣 ぬえ). Like Satori, her first name is also the name of her species, nue. Nue's family name, Houjuu (封獣), literally translates to "sealed beast". "封" might be in reference to Nue's imprisonment underground prior to the events of Undefined Fantastic Object.
Design
Nue has short black hair and dark red eyes. She has three red metallic-looking wings on the right side of her back, and three blue arrow-shaped tails coming out from her left side. She carries a trident and has a snake on her right arm (which might be the Seed of Unknown Form), and she wears a black wristband on her left wrist. Her dress is black with blue and white trims in the middle, a red bow on the front, and a small, yin-yang tomoe design at the bottom corner of her dress. She wears black thigh-high stockings and red shoes with bows on them. In most official artworks, she is drawn with pointed ears.
Appearances
Games
- Undefined Fantastic Object
During the events of Undefined Fantastic Object, she found out that Minamitsu Murasa and the other youkai sealed underground resurfaced and were planning something. Not knowing exactly what, she decided to play a prank by putting the Seed of Unknown Form in the fragments of Flying Storehouse, one of the elements needed to revive Byakuren Hijiri. The snakes contained in the seeds caused the fragments to scatter into the air; the characters initially believe that the geyser from Subterranean Animism was the cause. These fragments are the UFOs that the player encounters during the game.
During stages 4 and 6, she hides her true form in a ball of light and observes the heroine collecting the storehouse fragments. She decides to secretly follow her, hindering her progress with bullet patterns and aiding her with power items and extra lives. Once she realizes what the plan of the other youkai is, she figures that the resurrection of Hijiri would benefit her and settles on helping the heroine. She appears in the Extra Stage in her true form during the heroine's investigation of the Seed of Unknown Form.
After Sanae B's scenario, it is implied that she and Sanae Kochiya have their picture taken by Aya Shameimaru.
- Ten Desires
Nue Houjuu calls her "trump card" Mamizou Futatsuiwa from the outside world to defeat Toyosatomimi no Miko, though she is defeated by the heroine prematurely. Mamizou eventually encounters the heroine and is defeated.
- Violet Detector
She appears as an objective of the Nightmare Thursday along with Mamizou Futatsuiwa, Raiko Horikawa and Iku Nagae. She fights Sumireko Usami in the Skies of Gensokyo.
Spin-offs
- Double Spoiler
In Double Spoiler, Nue appears as a Stage 12 target, where she uses spell cards against Aya Shameimaru and Hatate Himekaidou as they photograph her danmaku.
- Hopeless Masquerade
Nue makes a background cameo in Hopeless Masquerade on the Palanquin Ship stage. She is seen floating behind the ship.
Literature
- Symposium of Post-mysticism
- Main article: Kakashi Spirit News 1
Hatate Himekaidou goes investigate after witnesses claimed to see a large fireball and a ten shaku tall alien in the side of Youkai Mountain. There, she finds out that both were the work of Nue, who was seen like that thanks to her ability while she was searching for the pieces of the flying vault.
- Forbidden Scrollery
In chapter 31 of Forbidden Scrollery, Nue is revealed to be the one who spread the rumor of a bull-headed monster that tells a story that would make its listener die of fright, wishing to turn it into an urban legend. She explained to Mamizou Futatsuiwa that she got the idea after seeing other members of the Myouren Temple use urban legends and wanted to join in on the fun. Due to the rumor causing a fear of the unknowable, Nue can benefit from a world of terror without lifting a finger. With the help of Mamizou's tanuki transforming into bull monsters, more and more villagers came to believe in the story until Reimu Hakurei spreads a flier claiming the bull-headed monster to be Gozu-Tennoh the bull-headed emperor and that the deadly story was a misunderstanding. In the end, though the rumor didn't develop quite as planned, Nue is still satisfied as something unknowable has still taken hold of the human villagers.
Relationships
Nue appears to have known Minamitsu Murasa and Ichirin Kumoi before the events of Undefined Fantastic Object.
Nue currently resides at Byakuren Hijiri's temple near the Human Village, because Byakuren was too nice to ostracize her.
Mamizou Futatsuiwa is Nue's friend. Nue summons her during Ten Desires to defeat Toyosatomimi no Miko.
Gallery
Illustrations
Illustration of Nue in Symposium of Post-mysticism
Illustration of Nue with Mamizou Futatsuiwa in Forbidden Scrollery
Spell Cards
| Name | Translated | Comments | Games | Stage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total: 20 | ||||||
| 妖雲「平安のダーククラウド」 | Ominous Clouds "Heian Dark Clouds" | UFO | St. Ex | |||
| 正体不明「忿怒のレッドＵＦＯ襲来」 | Unidentified "Red UFO Invasion of Rage" | UFO | St. Ex | |||
| 鵺符「鵺的スネークショー」 | Nue Sign "Mysterious Snake Show" | UFO GoU |
St. Ex — | |||
| 正体不明「哀愁のブルーＵＦＯ襲来」 | Unidentified "Blue UFO Invasion of Grief" | UFO | St. Ex | |||
| 鵺符「弾幕キメラ」 | Nue Sign "Danmaku Chimera" | UFO | St. Ex | |||
| 正体不明「義心のグリーンＵＦＯ襲来」 | Unidentified "Green UFO Invasion of Justice" | UFO | St. Ex | |||
| 鵺符「アンディファインドダークネス」 | Nue Sign "Undefined Darkness" | UFO | St. Ex | |||
| 正体不明「恐怖の虹色ＵＦＯ襲来」 | Unidentified "Rainbow UFO Invasion of Terror" | UFO | St. Ex | |||
| 「平安京の悪夢」 | "Nightmare of Heiankyou" | UFO GoU |
St. Ex — | |||
| 恨弓「源三位頼政の弓」 | Grudge Bow "The Bow of Genzanmi Yorimasa" | UFO | St. Ex | |||
| 正体不明「紫鏡」 | Unidentified "Purple Mirror" | DS | St. 12 | |||
| 正体不明「赤マント青マント」 | Unidentified "Red Cloak, Blue Cloak" | DS | St. 12 | |||
| 正体不明「厠の花子さん」 | Unidentified "Ms. Hanako of the Toilet" | DS | St. 12 | |||
| 「遊星よりの弾幕Ｘ」 | "Danmaku X from a Wandering Star" | DS GoU |
St. 12 — | |||
| アンノウン「軌道不明の鬼火」 | Unknown "Will-o'-wisps in Unidentified Orbit" | TD | St. Ex | |||
| アンノウン「姿態不明の空魚」 | Unknown "Skyfish with Unknown Shape" | TD | St. Ex | |||
| アンノウン「原理不明の妖怪玉」 | Unknown "Youkai Orb of Unknown Mechanics" | TD | St. Ex | |||
| 神星符「正体不明の怪光人だかり」 | Divine Star Sign "Unidentified Ghost-Light Crowd" | Co-owner with Mamizou | VD GoU |
Nightmare Thursday - 1 — | ||
| 緋星符「正体不明の落雷」 | Scarlet Star Sign "Unidentified Lightning Strike" | Co-owner with Iku | VD | Nightmare Thursday - 4 | ||
| 輝星符「正体不明のドンドコ太鼓」 | Shining Star Sign "Unidentified Dondoko Daiko" | Co-owner with Raiko | VD | Nightmare Thursday - 6 | ||
Additional Information
- Similar to Kogasa Tatara, she tends to scare off people by using the fear of the unknown, or the fear of her true form.
- A number of Nue's danmaku have various references:
- They're heavily reminiscent of other characters', such as Flandre, Yukari, Rumia, and Hina. Specifically, they tend to act as combinations of spell cards, often using one element from one, and one from another.
- The spell card "Danmaku X from a Wandering Star" in Double Spoiler has danmaku in shapes resembling that of the PlayStation's button logos (×, ○, ∆ and □).
- In Kyoto, the streets are laid out in grid-like pattern. Her spell card "Nightmare of Heiankyou" refers to this.
- Nue's first non-spell card attack resembles Vivit (Erich's daughter)‘s first attack as her second form in Seihou Shuusou Gyoku.
- Nue is the only Extra Stage boss to appear as a midboss in multiple stages. Ran Yakumo is also an Extra Stage boss who has been a midboss, albeit only for one stage.
- Nue's appearance as a ball of light on stages 4 and 6 is similar to the stage 2 midboss of Mystic Square. Yuuka also turned into a ball of light during her battle in Lotus Land Story. However, she bears more similarity to the Mysterious Orb in Lotus Land Story. Their appearances are identical, and both drop items when leaving the screen, each ending with an extra life.
- Nue has the tag "Heian" on her song and a some of her spell cards. Heian may be referring to the Heian period (794 AD–1185 AD) of Japanese history (traditionally depicted as a Golden Age in Japanese History) and/or to a former capital city of Japan (794 AD–1868 AD), "Heian-Kyo" (平安京), which is now the city of Kyoto. Her age of approximately 800 years also places her origins at the end of or during the Heian period.
- Her theme's title might refer to "Heian-Kyo Alien" (平安京エイリアン), a game developed in 1979.
- The bass line from the beginning of her theme is borrowed from UFO, a song by Pink Lady.
- Nue is the first Extra stage boss in the Windows series to have not met the final boss prior to the beginning of the game.
- Nue is the first character to appear as a boss in the Extra stage of two different Touhou Project games. She appeared as Undefined Fantastic Object Extra Stage boss and as Ten Desires Extra Stage midboss.
Fandom
Official Profiles
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○エキストラボス 未確認幻想飛行少女 封獣 ぬえ（ほうじゅう ぬえ） 種族：鵺 余りにも不可思議。 幾度となく人間に退治され、その都度、姿形が異なって伝えられた。 しかしそれらは全て作られた伝説である。 それにも飽きて、長い間地底でのんびり住んでいたのだが、今年の初めの間欠泉騒ぎのどさくさに紛れて地上に出てきた。 地下にいた時に一緒だったムラサ達も地上に出てきて、何やら企んでいるのを見た。 正体不明の種は小さな蛇の様な不思議な飛行体で、決まった姿が無い。 霊夢達には木片が空を飛ぶ筈が無いと思っていたので、未確認飛行物体の代表的な形である、円盤ＵＦＯに見えた。 ムラサ達には飛倉の破片は、勝手に間欠泉によって散り散りになった様に見えたが、実は世界にばらまかれたのはこの正体不明の種の仕業であった。 どうも、他人が楽しそうに何かをしていると、見えないところから邪魔したくなってしまう。それが彼女である。 しかし、その正体不明の飛行物体を嬉々として集める人間が現れた。 結局ムラサが行っていた事は、自分にも益がある事だと知り後で後悔する事となる。 白蓮はそんな自分の復活を邪魔した彼女も受け入れた。 |
○Extra boss The Unidentified Flying Fantastic Girl Nue Houjuu Species: Nue A great curiosity. She's been defeated by humans many times before, but each time, accounts of her appearance are different. According to one legend, she had the head of a monkey, the body of a raccoon dog, the legs of a tiger, and the tail of a snake. According to yet another legend, she had the head of a cat, the body of a chicken, and the tail of a snake. These legends were all made up, though. Eventually she got tired of that and leisurely spent a long time deep beneath the earth's surface, but she got mixed up in the turmoil surrounding the geyser incident and appeared above ground once more. She saw Murasa and the others who had been underground with her also come above ground and start plotting something. "Ah, finally I can have some fun again", she thought, and decided to give them some trouble by attaching the Seed of Unknown Form to the fragments of the Flying Granary. The Seed of Unknown Form was a small snake-like flying object with no determined form. Since Reimu and the others didn't think that a block of wood had any business flying in the sky, they thought it was a round UFO of the sort that most exemplified unidentified flying objects. Murasa and company thought that the fragments of the Flying Granary had been scattered about by the geyser, but it was in fact thanks to the Seed of Unknown Form. In any case, when it looked like others were having fun, Nue would find a way to mess with them from afar. She didn't know what Murasa's group was planning, but she thought it would be funny if they failed. However, humans appeared who seemed happy at the appearance of that unidentified flying object. Eventually she found out that what Murasa was doing would benefit her, too, and came to regret what she'd done. However, Byakuren did not ostracize her for having meddled with her return. |
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○エキストラ中ボス 古の妖怪その１
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○Extra Mid-Boss Old Youkai #1
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Official Sources
- 2009/08/15 Undefined Fantastic Object - Extra Stage dialogue; Settings and Extra Story.txt (official profile)
- 2009/08/15 Touhou Hisoutensoku - Reimu's VS dialogue with Marisa
- 2009/12/25 Interview on Undefined Fantastic Object with Chara☆Mel
- 2010/03/14 Double Spoiler - Stage 12 spellcard comments
- 2010/12/25 Oriental Sacred Place - Chapter 12
- 2011/08/13 Ten Desires - Extra Stage dialogue; Settings and Extra Story.txt (official profile)
- 2011/11/25 Wild and Horned Hermit - Chapter 9 (cameo)
- 2012/04/27 Symposium of Post-mysticism
 | This page is part of Project Characters, a Touhou Wiki project that aims to write proper descriptions for all official characters of Touhou Project. Please keep the character page guidelines in mind when contributing. |
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