Mima Love?

[Power]

Yeah I still don't get Mima?  She's not part of the window series yet I see she's very popular for some reason.   Yeah I would really love to know because random people in English and Japan love Mima a lot.  Anybody care to explain why everybody loves her?

[PhantasmStardust]

I think it was because she is thought to be Marisa's Mentor,Twilight Spark (Touhou Soccer 2) and probably Reincarnation. Although I think it's just used as a meme nowadays for any PC-98 character not appearing or for a new Touhou game

[Desu_Cake]

Because she appeared a lot in the PC-98 games, her dialogue is fun, and she looks cool.
The same sort of reasons people like any character.

[Tiamat]

Mima's like, some sort of proto-Yukari or proto-Marisa (or both).  So in terms of personality, she's probably popular for the same reasons they are.

In terms of looks, she has an interesting dignified and exotic look. The stars that surround and sparkle around her add to the mystique.

In terms of relationships, she was the first Reimu troll as well as Marisa's mentor.

She was also a playable character and a major villain.

It's odd. It always seemed to me that ZUN had a soft spot for her too given how she was a playable character and a final boss etc etc and she even made the cover of Akyu's untouched score. Yet he never did bring her back.  Strange. Admittingly, these days Marisa's so independent that it might be strange having her around now.

[DeltaSierra4]

I would have to think that her frequent appearance in the PC-98 games played a role in her popularity. Also, her relationship with Marisa, who already has significant popularity within the fanbase, could've contributed to Mima's popularity as well.
And I'll be the pessimist here and say that probably she will never come back.

[Drake]

lol her appearances aren't part of the reason why people like her, that's just something they figure out after and use it to go "omg zun mima next game plz"

basically the main reason is that mima fans depict her as a huge badass despite her not really being a badass, because of things like complete darkness and twilight spark which isn't actually a thing she even does, ever

she's just sort of a good character and is also a dick

[_cf]

One thing I like about ZUN is that he doesn't buckle to fandom's wishes and try to fit popular characters because they're popular.

Mima is surely still around. Marisa's very first comment in EoSD refers to her. But she's taking it easy for now.

[iK]

I can say the English community pays more mind to the older works and characters because of our more lax view on emulation of the games, but she is certainly not without japanese fans. Consistently scoring high from the pc-98 cast (Along with Shinki and Yumemi) helps bolster her popularity despite not appearing in windows canon. Derivative works are also a big influence.

[Tengukami]

I'm glad someone asked this question. The Mima fandom is unlike any other in the WTC. While you definitely see pretty devoted fandoms around certain characters, their motivations are very different.

For example, I think the Cirno fandom saw quite a boost in terms of sheer numbers after IOSYS' "Cirno's Perfect Math Classroom" appeared - before then, it was just a lot of people goofing off of ⑨. The major characters in the game have fandoms in large part because of being symbolic of the entire series. There are fringe-character fans as well as nice little islands of fandom around pretty much each of the main players.

But Mima fandom is in a class all its own. She has appeared in so many of the PC-98 games, and had such a fair amount of character development (when compared to other PC-98 bosses, that is) that she more or less represents the entire PC-98 series. She is an iconic character, then, and became a central point of focus for PC-98 fans.

Somewhere along the way, Mima fans developed a reputation for being pretty passionate about their love for the character. She has never appeared in any Windows games, and yet she is arguably the most speculated potential boss whenever a new Windows game is pending. This probably originated from PC-98 fans, but then attained memetic status. Why? Because if there's one thing the WTC will embrace like a fat kid on a Twinkie, it's potential meme material. For example, there was an incident from last year, when ZUN appeared on Ustream, and a bunch of people from /jp/ jumped on to demand Mima's return in the channel's chat. This could very possibly have just been /jp/ trolls doing what comes natural, but even so, it still underlines how viral just the Mima meme is.

I think then that what makes the Mima fanbase the way it is, is that you have a foundation of actual PC-98 fans behind the WTC's eagerness to embrace anything memetic, which has kind of snowballed into what it is today.

[Momiji]

PC98 games are superior in every way*, and Mima's like that character that's pretty much 130% everywhere and has her hand in pretty much 130% everything and pretty much 260% awesome.

You know it's true, don't deny.

Spoiler:

* except for MoF, which is also superior

[iK]

That's


520 percent Mima has associated with her!

[Momiji]

It's Mimamatics.  It's a force that doesn't just bend reality, but stomps all over it while Naga-laughing, only Naga wish she could laugh like Mima.

HOHOHOHOHOO~~~

[orinrin]

Even ZUN likes her enough to do multiple arrangements of her theme (Reincarnation).

[Matteo]

Also helps that Mima is protected by copyright from Amusement Makers . Without their permission ZUN can't use mima. Of couse their permission won't be free of charge so...why ZUN should pay them? Fan's love for mima isn't enough!

Told by a Fan of mima that try to put some logic in the matter

[Momiji]

Also helps that Mima is protected by copyright from Amusement Makers .

This makes absolutely no sense.  Anything made from anyone in "Amusement Makers" is a doujin work.  And even so, that same logic would've kept Reimu, Marisa, Alice, and Yuuka from being in any of the Windows games as well.  And that definitely didn't happen.

[Edit]  Wait, that was tongue-in-cheek, wasn't it.

[_cf]

Also helps that Mima is protected by copyright from Amusement Makers . Without their permission ZUN can't use mima. Of couse their permission won't be free of charge so...why ZUN should pay them? Fan's love for mima isn't enough!

Told by a Fan of mima that try to put some logic in the matter

Sure, let me put some logic into it: It's bullshit, a lie spread on the internet. Stop believing on it.

[Matteo]

Who knows? Maybe i'm simply ignorant in the matter, or maybe not.

Btw, i think that Mima is the least childlike character in touhou. Also...Mima has that aura of "true enemy of the hakurei shrine", she is like a nemesis for reimu. While the other characters are only troublemakers, she is clearly an antagonist. 

[Drake]

you mean she was clearly sort of an antagonist in soew because she wanted the hakurei orb, and then after that turned into proto-yukari and would just bug reimu all the time

[_cf]

Who knows? Maybe i'm simply ignorant in the matter, or maybe not.

Let me fix your ignorance: You know who else should be copyrighted by the same Amusement Makers? Yuuka, Alice, Marisa, Reimu. It's amusing at best that this stupid idea that "ZUN can't use character X because it's copyrighted by other people!" is even mentioned in a serious tone when the MAIN CHARACTERS ARE STILL THE SAME. That's some top-class selective memory you have to do to believe it. Seriously, let this particular angle down.

Btw, i think that Mima is the least childlike character in touhou.

Eirin would like to have a word with you.

Also...Mima has that aura of "true enemy of the hakurei shrine", she is like a nemesis for reimu.

This one is actually true. Unlike the other troublemakers in the series, Mima's business with Reimu started on a personal note. This is an interesting fact and should be more explored. Mima fans should develop ideas around factual stuff like this.

[Aba Matindesu!]

Marisa's very first comment in EoSD refers to her. But she's taking it easy for now.

Spoiler:

It was referring to Reimu.

[Tengukami]

Also helps that Mima is protected by copyright from Amusement Makers. Without their permission ZUN can't use mima. Of couse their permission won't be free of charge so...why ZUN should pay them? Fan's love for mima isn't enough!

This is very wrong, as has been pointed out, but it also underlines a point made by Ruro a couple years back. An unfortunate side of the Mima fanbase is this sort reality-bending cognitive dissonance some of them engage in. I think in order to be a hardcore fan of a character who is, by all evidence, gone and never coming back, you need something else to keep your fandom chugging along, and that's where speculation and truth-stretching (or ignoring) come into play.

[_cf]

This thread went long enough without

Spoiler:

THAT FEELING IN MY BONES.

I'm fixing it.

TH 14: Eastern Holy War - A Phantasmagoria style game where all the religious factions clash. Final Boss: The perverted forgotten kami of Hakurei Shrine:

Spoiler:

Mima-sama

[iK]

It is only a matter of time before this becomes about Mima vs Mima 3 Fate of two Mimas.

[haoreos2]

I'm beginning to think that this forum operates on cycles, except lasting a month or three instead of sixty years.
First half the residents change avatars to the same theme, weather it be creepy "don't worry X I will aaahn Y you" types or those faded (watercolour?) drawn pictures.
Then someone makes a thread regarding which touhou should be president.
Then someone makes a thread alterting everyone to a totally sweet new animation/trailer thereof.
Then a wild Mima thread appears which ends up as a multi-page joke thread discussing how many Mimas they will fit into the next game.

Profit Then the cycle repeats

[Drake]

First half the residents change avatars to the same theme, weather it be creepy "don't worry X I will aaahn Y you" types or those faded (watercolour?) drawn pictures.

these are avatars put up by people who have birthday powers; many people just do random requests so you won't notice them but this happens often

Then someone makes a thread regarding which touhou should be president.

welcome to tarc

Then someone makes a thread alterting everyone to a totally sweet new animation/trailer thereof.

welcome to tarc

Then a wild Mima thread appears which ends up as a multi-page joke thread discussing how many Mimas they will fit into the next game.

welcome to tarc

[Tengukami]

I'm beginning to think that this forum operates on cycles, except lasting a month or three instead of sixty years.
First half the residents change avatars to the same theme, weather it be creepy "don't worry X I will aaahn Y you" types or those faded (watercolour?) drawn pictures.
Then someone makes a thread regarding which touhou should be president.
Then someone makes a thread alterting everyone to a totally sweet new animation/trailer thereof.
Then a wild Mima thread appears which ends up as a multi-page joke thread discussing how many Mimas they will fit into the next game.

Profit Then the cycle repeats

This is due to an influx of new users, most of whom are attracted first and foremost to TARC. Having not seen the previous threads, they're unaware of them, and thus think that "Which Touhou are you most like?" has never been posted before, and the thread is made. As more new users arrive, the cycle continues.

Personally, I think it's great. One of the things I love about TARC is seeing people who are relatively new to Touhou still amped and giddy about Gensokyo and wanting to talk about it. It's refreshing to see people inspired.

[IdiotsOpposite]

Then someone makes a thread regarding which touhou should be president.

To be fair, I'm still a new person. I don't know about this cycle stuff.

[Drake]

Well, that's exactly what Ammy just said. It isn't a problem nor is it "your fault" for repeating a thread that you didn't know happened months ago. If you were asking a question that's answered in a sticky that's something else, but never mind that.

[Power]

Yay we have a mima cycle that's awesome.  Kind of want to read over another mima thread now.   :V

[haoreos2]

IdiotsOpposite: Oh, don't get me wrong, remaking old threads once in a while is probably good if anything. Like telling an old joke to a new crowd, you'll probably get at least a few people who haven't heard it before, and everyone who has can just turn their attention elsewhere. Besides, it's kind of ridiculous to expect someone to go through an entire subforum to see if the topic was already made.

Besides, cycles are awesome. Got the nacho cycle, the literature cycle, the sleep cycle, the development cycle tricycle...

Actually, I'm surprised I haven't seen someone make a joke about people bringing back mimathreads by saying how it looks like the thread (/sunglasses) got reincarnated.

these are avatars put up by people who have birthday powers; many people just do random requests so you won't notice them but this happens often

Ahh.

welcome to tarc

Why thank you kind sir

welcome to tarc

Why thank you kind sir

welcome to tarc

Why thank you kind sir