If you stare at it for too long, my head looks like an orange Ninja Turtle.
Things have always been rough in this part of the world. I've learned to just keep my head down and soldier on no matter what. So it was really strange talking to a group of other travellers who spoke of the possibility of travelling to a new island every day, where owners of islands were kind enough, if not to entertain us, at least to not to leave us waiting at the immigration counter - or at the bare minimum to shut themselves off from boats to keep them from stranding us poor wanderers there.
It really shows, you see. I've visited as many islands as Hito in front of me, but I've been travelling for a while longer than he has. Since I first left home I've already been mentally prepared, not to be optimistic or to have too high expectations of what my travels may bring. It's pretty rough feeling jaded about your future without having experienced anything at all. So, in short, I'm happy just to be here. It isn't all that bad a place, really. And I'm sure Umi senpai will agree.
Way to go by dampening everyone's expectations, Gensokyo Island!
But anyway, Umi senpai told me about this little journalism business for this 'Bunbunmaru News' we could do to pass time here on Gensokyo Island, and I thought that would be great for a little excitement. And it was good timing too, because shortly after getting our assignment from Aya Shameimaru we met none other than the elusive owner of Gensokyo Island, puttering around the docks and putting up notifications about new islanders. We decided to just go straight to the matter by asking her what Gensokyo Island was all about and what she had to do with it.
Gensokyo Island, as she explained, is an island dedicated to depicting the lives and personalities of the Touhou Project by Team Shanghai Alice, along with characters from other series the island's owner found interesting. As such, more than half of the islanders on Gensokyo Island are based off characters from the Touhou Project series, and so far all of the others have also been drawn from other Japanese game and anime series.
Of course, we're under no illusions that the islanders of Gensokyo Island are direct copies of their originals, they're more like 'look-alikes' with somewhat similar behavioural patterns. As such, due to the constraints of the island designing system, certain artistic liberties have been taken, including having some more aggressive, boisterous, or sartorially rebellious characters pose as male instead of female like the vast majority of characters from the Touhou Project. Gensokyo Island's owner has reassured me that despite these ... uh, modifications ... she loves each and every one of the islanders in their own right. It's times like these which make me glad I'm a completely original character and not a look-alike of anyone at all.
About Gensokyo Island's owner? Well, around these parts she goes by the name Okuu's Look-alike, Okuu being the nickname of a certain islander called Utsuho Reiuji. To be fair, having seen both Okuu and her look-alike, even given the differences in resolution I think they hardly look the same at all. However, I've been told that Okuu's Look-alike has threatened to forcibly evict any islander who refuses to recognise her by that moniker, so I shall withold my judgement on that matter.
Is that Okuu's Look-alike? Don't you know how to fasten a kimono properly? Ugh.
Gensokyo Island was founded on 16 November, 2014. It presently has a population of 48 islanders, although I was just informed that this number shall increase in the coming days. The island's owner has been attempting to keep the mood of the island balanced, although this has only been achieved recently and will be short lived. Of those 48 islanders, exactly half are of each gender, something Gensokyo Island's owner has been attempting to maintain despite the obvious gender imbalance in the Touhou Project series.
There are also currently 16 houses, ergo, 32 married islanders, although this number will definitely change in the future. Having two thirds of the island living a married life seems like quite the feat! Regrettably, there has also been one divorce thus far. As for the number of children born, that number increases every other day or so, but it presently stands at almost thirty. Of those children only three have made their home on this island ... or is that about to change?
Those are the basic facts of Gensokyo Island, as its owner Okuu's Look-alike has revealed to me. We'll delve further into the intricacies of life on Gensokyo Island and find out more about individual islanders in future updates, but for now, this is Yuzu signing out.
A photograph of me with Alice Margatroid! We're both short so that Napoleonic costume fits perfectly. Also, my travel card!
BUNBUNMARU UPDATES, 8th January 2015
Island Updates (Population 49)
Please welcome Hinoko Gassenarl, the newest resident of Gensokyo Island! She is an Independent Artist.
Children
Hinoko, daughter of Sanae Kochiya and Baldren Gassenarl, grew up. She was invited to live on Gensokyo Island!
Kenji was born to Youmu Konpaku and Drake Kitazawa. It's their first child! He is an Easygoing Optimist.
Minamitsu Murasa announced that her wife Aliasse Foerster was pregnant with their third child!
Gensokyo Gourmands
Kanako Yasaka tried some Clotted Cream today. She thought it was the Worst Ever!
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