Touhou Project 12.5 ~ ダブルスポイラー (Double Spoiler) announced, girls are preparing.

[Danielu Yoshikoto]

Urgh... Great... First Pok?mon HeartGold/SoulSilver (Release in Europe 26.3. btw.), then my first time going to an Anime Convertion (17.4.) and now THIS! (14.3. !? WOW that?s so close!)
This must be the best year ever!

wait nevermind I fail at StB, but oh well I might still try Double Spoiler.

[lumber_of_the_beast]

MotK is anti-piracy, so very likely not. If the upload was not Japanese in origin then odds are it was someone from 4chan.

That hardly means it's not a member of MotK, just that said member would be unwilling to admit it.

[Firestorm29]

I'd debate the Japanese economy failing any time soon, mainly since I've heard several reports recommending investing in Japanese companies due to it's growth over the past year or so. I swear they'd probably declare a national holiday here if they matched that growth here in the US right now. :/

I never knew that about the Japanese adopting the "No child left behind" type of teaching. I've seen a few attempts before this health care snafu about how the education adviser would cite other countries for having better education systems than the US, I think Japan usually got a mention during these.

[N-Forza]

I will buy DS for people who want them, but only once the game is released in stores.

[Bananamatic]

That hardly means it's not a member of MotK, just that said member would be unwilling to admit it.

you'd have to be pretty stupid to admit yourself to piracy here...it's the fastest way to Banland on MoTK IIRC.

The next 2 are being Chagen and Pedonymous.

[Lucarius]

That hardly means it's not a member of MotK, just that said member would be unwilling to admit it.

Yes quite. I didn't ask on the will to act against the uploader, nor did I expect to actually get an identity of any sort. However, it is probably best kept in the back of my mind.

If whether I trust the people here or don't trust the people doesn't make much of a difference, I would choose to trust them. There are only social demerits in the initial stage of distrust.


Also, since no one has pm'd me, I'd like to thank the person who made gave me the Spechul Membuh tag.
I don't believe I did anything to earn something from this forum though.

[Barrakketh]

Also, since no one has pm'd me, I'd like to thank the person who made gave me the Spechul Membuh tag.
I don't believe I did anything to earn something from this forum though.

Speshul Membah: Contribute something notable to this site. Also sometimes handed out on staff whim.

The latter easily covers it, but I think more than a few of us think your posting qualifies you for the former.

[Bananamatic]

If I can ask in this thread...how much are the touhou games in Japan?
Heard something around 10$...is this for all of them?

[Lucarius]

If I can ask in this thread...how much are the touhou games in Japan?
Heard something around 10$...is this for all of them?

Toranoana prices minus tax: (festivity prices are lower) (in yen)
th6 1000
th7 1400
th7.5 2500
th7.5OST 1200
th8 1400
th9 1400
th9.5 1000
th10 1400
th10.5 2500
th10.5OST 1200
th11 1400
th12 1400
th12.3 2000
th12.3OST 1000

ZUN's Touhou CDs cost 500 festivity price and 700 in stores.
Seasonal Dream Vision cost 1800 at Tora.

Iirc, at C76, th12 cost 1000, and th12.3 cost 1500. At C77, th12.3 soundtrack cost 700.
Essentially, store prices go up 40%-50% from festivity prices. Note that festivity prices tend to be a multiple of 500 for the sake of easy transaction.


Can someone tell me why my firefox displays all of ZUN's pages correctly (without ��݁A�X�ŕ��) except for the page on UFO, IN, IaMP, PCB, and EoSD? My internet explorer displays it fine.

Oh also, if anyone is interested in what I bought at C77 using nearly 3000$, direct me to a suitable thread or something. Looking at my receipts for prices brought on some nostalgia.

[Helepolis]

One thing that always sparked my curiosity is the price ZUN is putting on his work and games. They are, in my opinion, quite low if you consider he is doing everything on his own for the regular Touhous and takes him like a year. Just normal music CDs here in Holland cost around 25-30 euros. And most of those songs suck anyway. You cannot play a game with them either.

I understand ZUN is not out for money, but sometimes I ask myself: Would fans buy the game if he added another 1000 yen on top of it?

[Lucarius]

I understand ZUN is not out for money, but sometimes I ask myself: Would fans buy the game if he added another 1000 yen on top of it?

The percentage of anime fans that would buy non-pirate anime DVDs is quite low. Prices are the main reason, and because that fact is known to the anime companies, DVD availability is also low.

Given that only a handful of people don't care about money, if ZUN wants his stuff to be sold, he has to consider prices reasonable not to himself, but to the buyers. It's quite obvious that as prices rise, less people will buy. I'm sure ZUN, as well as all other doujin sellers, choose these relatively low prices so their works could be aimed at the general people without money (ie middle, high, college students).

I would think that people with limited cash would prioritize buying more products for more circles than less products for one circle (ZUN). Note that these other circles need not be Touhou-related.

For instance, if one Touhou shooter cost 2000 yen at festivity, 2100 at store, I'm sure most of those with limited cash would prioritize 2-4 favorited doujin circle CDs that cost 500-1000 yen each, assuming they don't use any source of piracy for the products they don't buy. The respect they have for each of those favorite doujin circles is the same as what they have for ZUN. Shanghai Alice Project is just one circle, even if it is the founder of one of the greatest doujin works in history. If they have limited cash, they would prioritize the less expensive. That way they can support more circles and get their hands on more products.

However, because ZUN's prices are reasonable, or rather, the same as all the other doujin circles, many would prioritize Shanghai Alice Project first. Explains why on the second day, 50% of the East side line would go to that one booth, and 90% of the West side line would go directly to the East side at opening.


I wouldn't really know, because I'm one of those people who never care about money. Just random speculation.

[Helepolis]

Well it is obvious that money is a huge factor these days for games. Taking the western gaming market, how many times have people been disappointed by a certain game that they bought for 60 euros (that is the avarage price of a game these days) expecting "greatness"

Gaming companies are greedy bastards, just like music and movie companies. The very example you are giving about limited cash is mostly the reason for piracy at the end. People these days do not want to risk spending their money on something that they perhaps not like at all. Software policy in my country has 24 hour return rule. Software with a licence key or serial key cannot be returned back at all. It is quite obvious that this lures people to pirate the game first, judge if it is worth of buying then decide to buy the game in store.
Then again, Xbox360 / PS3 games are hard for people to pirate, unless they appear cross platforms. Though companies already tackled this with a devious strategy: Release the game for PC much later. So impatient people will buy it eventually.

Back to the East, prices around 1500 are very reasonable indeed. From various sources you mostly see that circle sellers keep their prices as you mentioned around 500-1000. Obviously figures and merchandise material can have greater prices. I am a student myself and I personally do care about cash. I only buy what is worth it, which is at the end highly subjective anyway.

I bet at Comiket or Reitaisai at the end of the day, even if the avarage price is around 500-1000, one would have spend surely around 10.000 ~ 30.000 yen no ?

Edit:  a zero too much in 30.000 yen :V

[Lucarius]

I bet at Comiket or Reitaisai at the end of the day, even if the avarage price is around 500-1000, one would have spend surely around 10.000 ~ 30.000 yen no ?

Edit:  a zero too much in 30.000 yen :V

Nice edit.

Note that a pillowcase or a zippo lighter already costs 10,000 yen each. However, I've never seen anything more expensive than 10,000 yen (at comiket), so figures, tapestries, clothing, stationary, and other merchandise are less than 10,000 yen.

Note also that most people already spend at least 15,000 yen coming to the festival arena via bullet train or airplane or whatever.

There really are people who just come to buy for example, th12 only, but yeah, I would suppose they wouldn't want to feel like they're wasting their travel fees or their stamina lost in waiting for 6-12 hours outside in the freezing cold. However, some even come just to cosplay or just to experience the atmosphere of comiket.

Doujin CDs and games may seem very reasonable at 500-1500 yen. However, I personally don't think 500 yen for a 10-20 page doujinshi is reasonable. Any thoughts on that?


I edit too much.

[Garlyle]

Doujin CDs and games may seem very reasonable at 500-1500 yen. However, I personally don't think 500 yen for a 10-20 page doujinshi is reasonable. Any thoughts on that?

Doesn't seem cheap to me, but considering in the prices to cover printing and assembling I can't imagine that it's making too much of a profit - especially if the seller is small enough to only be able to produce such a small doujinshi in the first place.  It's definitely not as cheap as I'd want it to be though; for 500 yen I'd probably want about twice to three times that (But maybe I'm just greedy?)

I'm amazed at how cheap ZUN's games retail for as well upon initial sale.  But I suppose in many ways he knows that people are going to buy it, and then it'll go around to shops and continue being sold (And I assume he gets some profit for every one sold by a secondary retailer), so he can afford to do it cheap on the sheer volume of sales, most likely.

[Helepolis]

Doujin CDs and games may seem very reasonable at 500-1500 yen. However, I personally don't think 500 yen for a 10-20 page doujinshi is reasonable. Any thoughts on that?

500 Yen is like ~4 euros roughly. I have personally no idea how Doujins are evaluated by the western people. Speaking for myself, in my country there are only comic books (sure manga is sold but it is not part of the culture). And I have personally no idea how I should judge 500 yen doujin. If it was one of my favourites (like must read), I would be willing to pay 4 euros for it, but otherwise it does sounds a bit weird.

While writing this post, it made me start thinking. 500 yen sounds cheap but it is not. Especially not for a 10-20 page Doujin. Odd.

[Lucarius]

Doesn't seem cheap to me, but considering in the prices to cover printing and assembling I can't imagine that it's making too much of a profit

Just noting something everyone probably already knows.

Doujin is a hobby. Doujin circles pay to have their talent or passion of their hobby recognized. Doujin circles don't make a living off of doujin works, so they don't really care about monetary profit, as long as they can have their works out on the booth. Or at least, that's how it was back in the days when amateurs faced problems finding companies that would mass produce their works for them (now-a-these-days, you can find many willing companies on the back of the comiket catalog). I would hope it remains so today. Surely there are crazy professionals like ZUN and HanaSoumenP selling their amazing products, but I'm sure they sell their products as douijn nevertheless, no matter how professional it looks compared to the other doujin products.

There's always an article about the presence of the industrial section in comiket, which explains all of the issues raised for allowing industrial business to take place at the representative market of the doujin concept. Note that all of the expensive stuff come from the industrial section.

While writing this post, it made me start thinking. 500 yen sounds cheap but it is not. Especially not for a 10-20 page Doujin. Odd.

It is odd, right? I made that comment about 500 yen doujinshi, because when I compare for instance Touhou Magical Astronomy CD (500 yen) with a 20 page Bakemonogatari 4-window manga book (500 yen), I would believe there's a huge difference in the amount of content I'm getting for 500 yen.

Note also how not many people are fond of newbie doujinshi authors because newbie authors don't bother to advertise doujinshi in a conspicuous manner. I find it hard to imagine that someone would pick up a newbie's doujinshi and buy it for 500 yen.

[moldy_tomato]

Can someone tell me why my firefox displays all of ZUN's pages correctly (without ��݁A�X�ŕ��) except for the page on UFO, IN, IaMP, PCB, and EoSD? My internet explorer displays it fine.

Go to View -> Character Encoding
and select Japanese

An example

[Helepolis]

Back on topic entirely about Aya's pointy ears. Because ears matter! IT DOES.

?15:41:14? <Rain_Lindwurm> You know, I really want to ask ZUN about those pointy ears.
?15:41:33? <Rain_Lindwurm> Did she always have them, or did they suddenly transform, for whatever reason?
?15:42:01? <Herasy> I put it down to Zun messing around with his drawing
?15:42:22? <Herasy> Or maybe he deliberately made them pointy just to see everyone rage about them
?15:42:30? <Herasy> Zun is the ultimate troll
?15:45:06? <Herasy> No one seemed to complain about Reimu's hair length changing every game
?15:45:07? <Helepolis> Aya simply evolved over time, larger wings, longer hair and red lens on her camera
?15:45:19? <Helepolis> especially the red lens
?15:45:21? <Rain_Lindwurm> Hair tends to grow and change shape.
?15:45:31? <Herasy> The only other time I ever saw Aya's ears was in the fighters
?15:45:37? <Herasy> And Zun didn't do that art
?15:45:47? <Helepolis> Oh now you mention it, let us check Iamp and SWR
?15:46:09? <Herasy> Also I checked SWR and her ears are normal shaped
?15:46:38? <Helepolis> Herasy, this is indeed an unprecedented affair
?15:46:48? <Helepolis> first time I notice it now as well
?15:46:50? <Herasy> http://touhou.wikia.com/wiki/File:Swr_aya.jpg
?15:46:55? <Keine> Title: File:Swr aya.jpg - Touhou Wiki - Characters, games, locations, and more (at touhou.wikia.com)
?15:47:04? <Helepolis> she has pretty long hair in there as well
?15:47:08? <Helepolis> if you ask me
?15:47:28? <Helepolis> And black hair  , instead of brown



If ZUN controlled the artwork looks on the fighting games, then why suddenly he changes Aya's ears? Herasy claimed it might be due to perspective change and stuff. Taking a look at Aya's hair colour also, it is black both in 9, 9.5, 10 and 10.5. (Except in the illustration of BAiJR.)

What is going on actually with ZUN. Did he ordered the wrong beer or something? This only makes me want Reitaisai faster =.=

[Serela]

Taking a look at Aya's hair colour also, it is black both in 9, 9.5, 10 and 10.5. (Except in the illustration of BAiJR.)

What is going on actually with ZUN. Did he ordered the wrong beer or something? This only makes me want Reitaisai faster =.=

It's only brown in the menu screen picture because of the lighting. In the scene selection you see the same picture, and the hair is very definitely black.

I still think the upper leg looks completely unnatural. I mean... it's like it ends at the knee. It doesn't GO anywhere D:

[Slaves]

i'm just going to go with "ZUN is bad at drawing ears". i don't really think Aya has pointy ears.

[Helepolis]

That is what I am somewhat the same feeling I am having: bad at drawing x-bodypart.

Also the screenshots ZUN posted on his blog were still "in development"  right? So basically anything we seen might not be the same when the real thing is out.

[Mounting Jaggis]

i'm just going to go with "ZUN is bad at drawing ears". i don't really think Aya has pointy ears.

Does that mean Parsee doesn't actually have pointy ears?

[Slaves]

Does that mean Parsee doesn't actually have pointy ears?

i never thought she did in the first place. :V

but it's Touhou, so think what you want, etc.

[Helepolis]

That is indeed quite odd. It was never stated that Parsee was an elf or fairy or whatever. Her profile reads: Bridge Princess. But that could be like anything anyway.

Dark Tewi?

[Kilgamayan]

"Dark Tewi" really needs to be added to the template.

[?q]

That is indeed quite odd. It was never stated that Parsee was an elf or fairy or whatever. Her profile reads: Bridge Princess. But that could be like anything anyway.

Patchouli refers to her as a "Persian girl" and has no idea why she would be down there either.

[Momiji]

Patchouli refers to her as a "Persian girl" and has no idea why she would be down there either.

See Here.  Parsee could be Zoroastrian Irani~

[?q]

See Here.  Parsee could be Zoroastrian Irani~

...
Following in a longstanding tradition, I would like to be the first this time to say: WHAT THE HELL, ZUN?

...because that actually makes a lot of sense.

[Lucarius]

...
Following in a longstanding tradition, I would like to be the first this time to say: WHAT THE HELL, ZUN?

...because that actually makes a lot of sense.

ZUN likes to put a lot of background into his wordplay, in this case Patchouli's educated guess. I would take her educated guess in SA as a simple joke, nothing factually coherent to Mizuhashi herself. (Note she's not confidently stating that Mizuhashi is in fact a Persian, just guessing so probably because Parsee's name is Persian.)

In other words, only Patchouli's educated guess and ZUN's witty wordplay originate from the whole Persia deal, not Mizuhashi herself.

I've never been to the Japanese bridge that ZUN refers to, but I've seen it on a "Around the Touhou Sanctuaries" video on nicovideo, along with the whole jealousy of the princess deal that originates from the legend of that bridge. Searching for the video, but can't find it.

[Solais]

I'm curious about that video.

Also, now we can do a Parsee x Freddie Mercury.