Worldbuilding: Touhou as a Tolkien Fantasy | Video Essay

The Touhou Project’s unique use of fantasy elements in its worldbuilding are a large part of what has made the series so popular. In this video essay, I frame these elements using J. R. R. Tolkien’s insights on Fantasy; and by extension- Fairy Stories. A conclusion to my series on what defines Gensokyo’s fantasy. Songs Used Magical Girls Crusade Legend of Hourai Forest of Dolls Legend of Aokigahara Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring The Purest Sky and Sea A Maiden’s Illusionary Funeral ~ Necro-Fantasy Clair de Lune Voice of Flowers Flower of Life (NAGI☆ ver.) 0:00 Fairy Stories 1:14 Defining Fairy Stories 2:38 What is Fairy? 5:06 What is NOT a Fairy Story 7:04 Gensokyo as a Fairy Story 7:43 Subcreation 10:01 Secondary Belief 12:36 Fairy Story Elements 12:56 Fantasy 13:54 Recovery 14:43 Escape 15:58 Consolation 17:14 The Bottom Line ►Twitter: ►Artist Twitter: