Kutaka Niwatari's usual outfit. It features an orange casual dress, white bolero, and a cute red scarf.
White Chicken Blessing
Kutaka's Fantasy Rebirth outfit. It was fashioned at Kourindou based on information in the journal.
Crispy Chicken Delivery
Kutaka's delicious delivery service uniform. By the way, what are the ingredients for this dish?
Come Get Your Christmas Chicken!
Kutaka's Christmas shop clerk outfit. It was made at Kourindou and she wears it while working at Rin-Rin Mart... whatever that is.
Clerical God of Hell's Checkpoint
Voice Lines
Gacha Pickup
I'm Kutaka Niwatari, the god of chickens. Lady Eiki told me to come here... but I didn't expect to find such a cute child!
Introduction
Wow, I didn't expect to meet such a cute child! I'm Kutaka Niwatari, the god of chickens. I'm also a god who protects children. Does your throat hurt? I'll fix it for you right away... Oh, you're fine? You wanted to meet the clerk of Hell's checkpoint? Oh, right. Yes, I am also the Mikumari god, so I stand at the boundary and manage the destinations of all who pass through... What do you need?
Purple Heart
Lady Eiki is a wonderful boss. And she's also one of the great and magnificent Yama!
Blue Heart
Each day I wake up, eat breakfast, then commute to Hell from my house on the mountain!
Green Heart
Sorting out different souls doesn't require much power. But the time and place is an extremely important factor that determines whether the sorting is correct or not. For example... Ummm...
Orange Heart
For example, even an oni from Hell can only travel to the destination indicated by the overseer and nowhere else. Or rather, even if the overseer let them go somewhere else, the other oni and powerful beings of Hell would never forgive the transgression. Hell is a chaotic mess of various factions constantly at war.
Pink Heart
You want to know how I manage the destinations of souls? I manipulate the flow of souls with my power as Mikumari. It is similar to a drainage divide. Souls are of the Water Phase, so they flow in the same way. But why are you asking me this?
Summer
I'm in high demand during the summer, probably because of all the singing festivals. But when someone calls for me, half of the time it's for Choujuu Gigaku... Throats can only take so much abuse!
Login
I would usually be working as an overseer right now, but Lady Eiki ordered me to come here and guide you. I'll be commuting to you directly from my house. Let's enjoy our work again today!
Enhancement
I can now caw for even longer! Let me give it a try. *caw*
Return
We were able to thread through the gaps in the bullets thanks to my blessing... I think!
Home 1
I usually live at the top of a waterfall on the mountain because that's the kind of god I am. There's a great view up there. I also play shogi with kappa and tengu.
Home 2
Not many people know how great Lady Eiki is as one of the Yama. She is a shining example of virtue and morality! ...But I would like to go home early once in a while.
Home 3
Miss Komachi isn't really all that hard-working, but I honestly think she's Lady Eiki's favorite. How do I know? If you ever see Lady Eiki give Miss Komachi a lecture, I'm sure you'd understand.
Reaction 1
Nothing good comes from speaking to a Hell raven!
Reaction 2
You shouldn't believe everything the animal spirits say.
Reaction 3
They're all really nice? Sheesh, you're so...!
Task
Ooh, a task! I'm not sure how to solve it myself, but I can give you a blessing!
Task Complete
You finished your task, so you deserve a pat on the head. This is also good for your throat!
Mail
I'm not a messenger pigeon but a messenger chicken! ...What? Someone's already used that joke?!
Errand Finished
Someone has returned! Let's go out to greet them!
Start of Battle
Let's make them behave and go home!
Mid-Wave
I'll keep a lookout, OK? I'm really good at it!
Victory
You need a stronger spirit, or you'll get eaten by an oni. Come back when you're ready!
Defeat
I lost... But why did I lose again? I've already forgotten.
Spellcard 1 Chant 1
OK, we're going to decide
how the water will be distributed.
Spellcard 1 Chant 2
There won't be any left if
you don't come quick!
Spellcard 1 Casted
Water Sign: Ultimate Tribulation of Mikumari
Spellcard 2 Chant 1
Hell. The world of humans.
The land of oni.
Spellcard 2 Chant 2
Where are you heading?
Do you have a permit?
Spellcard 2 Casted
Bloody Battle: Highly Spirited Oniwatari
Last Word Chant 1
I may not be one of the gods
recorded in the ancient chronicles...
Last Word Chant 2
But I'll fulfill my duty as defined
by syncretism. Please WAKE UP!
Last Word Casted
Divine Cock-A-Doodle-Do
Boost 1
Haaaa!
Boost 2
Taaa!
Boost 3
I won't hold back!
Graze 1
There!
Graze 2
Ha!
Graze 3
I won't give you anything!
Command A
Let's do that!
Command B
OK!
Command C
The chicks agree too.
Command D
Let's test them to their limits!
Skill A
Shall we do some vocal exercises?
Skill B
Make sure you take good care of your throat!
Shot A
I've got a package for you!
Shot B
I won't lose!
Damage
Urgh!
Heavy Damage
*caw*
Guard
Grrr, I held on somehow!
Graze Activated
Heh heh heh!
Change to Rear
OK, I'll stay at the back then.
Change to Front
That was very impressive.
Buff/Heal
Whoa! Thank you!
Knocked Out
W-Well done... I can't stop them!
Voice Sets
Chicken Liberator
VA: Takahashi Rie
Healer of Throats
VA: Ueda Reina
Overseer of Hell's Checkpoint
VA: Kito Akari
Character Information
Temperament: Asayake
Asayake (a Touhou LW original) refers to a foreglow, the glow of light in the eastern sky preceding sunrise. This is an apt temperant for the god of chickens, who announces the break of dawn. Kutaka is endowed with Water Phase, as she controls the flow of water and spirits, and Sun Essence, because she reliably performs her job.
The flexible and patient Water Phase resists Metal Phase, because metal collects water, but it is weak to Earth Phase, because earth directs water.
The alluring and arrogant Sun Essence resists the diverse and uncooperative Star Essence, but it is weak to the cooperative and indecisive Moon Essence.
Ability/Backstory: Capable of healing throat illnesses
Kutaka Niwatari's ability as the god of chickens. Presumably, her divine blessings are a result of this ability.
The Niwatari god is known by many different names including: Miwatari, Omiwatari, Oniwatari, Newatari, and Niwatashi. The name is also written with a variety of different kanji characters combined with the "tari" character, which means passage or delivery. These include but are not limited to the kanji characters for "goods," "garden," "oni," "child," "sight," "new," and "beauty"... This god's divine aspects and blessings also vary slightly from region to region. However, the god seems to be almost universally revered as the god that can heal throat illnesses, particularly whooping cough that afflicts children. In Japan, whooping cough is also sometimes called tori-shabiki (bird with a cold), as the sound of coughing resembles the cry of a chicken. It is also common practice to pray for this illness to be cured by using some sort of tool that relates to chickens. Perhaps Kutaka also saves the children in the Human Village if they are ever afflicted with whooping cough.
Since ancient times, birds have been regarded as creatures that carry souls and as vehicles that carry souls through other worlds. Perhaps the legend of Ama no Torifune, a ship and a god that was ridden by gods, and the tale of Mizue no Uranoshimako, who transformed into a crane at the end, took inspiration from this concept. Kutaka, as the clerk of Hell's checkpoint, spends each day guiding spirits to their correct destination.
Kutaka is said to be the god of wild chickens from before they were domesticated. It seems she is not very happy about how the chickens have been reduced to a source of food for humans. She apparently wishes to raise the status of chickens... but does she know how much the children enjoy eating fried chicken?!
Attacks
Niwatashi
Kutaka Niwatari's Spread Shot (a Touhou LW original). She attacks by powerfully delivering goods. The name for the god of chickens, Niwatarijin, is sometimes written with the kanji characters "niwa" and "tashi" that collectively mean "delivery of goods." There are various theories as to why this is the case. Still, it probably has something to do with how Niwatarijin is conflated with the god, Mikumari, and their connections with the distribution of water and crossing rivers.
Bullets
Chirping Delivery
Chick Shopping
Chirping Box
Chirping Transportation
Chirping Unattended Delivery
Chick Mail Order
Miwatari
Kutaka Niwatari's Focus Shot (a Touhou LW original). Chicks make a spectacular charge in this attack. The name for the god of chickens, Niwatarijin, is sometimes written with the kanji characters "mi," "wa," and "tari" that collectively mean "three-wheeled legs." There are various theories as to why this is the case. Perhaps it is linked to Niwatarijin's strong connection with water and the god's power over flood prevention, irrigation, and crossing the sea.
Bullets
Chick Trike
Chick Auto Rickshaw
Chirping Triad
Chirping Three-Wheeler
Chirping Tricycle
Chick Three-Wheeled Car
Water Sign: Ultimate Tribulation of Mikumari
Kutaka Niwatari's Spell Card. Chicks distribute water in this attack. There is a theory that Niwatorijin and the god Mikumari are one and the same. Mikumari means "water distribution," so it is believed that this god manages irrigation―the distribution of water for agriculture. The distribution of water was probably treated as a divine ritual because it is so vital to the everyday lives of rural communities.
Bullets
Mikumari Irrigation Test
Niwatari Call
Water-Distributing Chick
Mikumari Flood Prevention Test
Niwatari Order
Water-Delivering Chick
Bloody Battle: Highly Spirited Oniwatari
Kutaka Niwatari's Spell Card. In this attack, she makes her opponent take her final spiritual trial. It is said that Niwatarijin was first called Oniwatari because adding the "o" prefix to a name shows respect. However, Oniwatari was then later written with the kanji characters for "oni" and "passage or deliver." It is also theorized that the name is written this way due to the exploits of a certain general who vanquished oni.
Oni could also refer to the deceased. Thus, Oniwatari could mean the act of delivering or ferrying the souls of the deceased to the Netherworld. Bird spirits are also deeply connected to the souls of the deceased, and it was even believed that they preside over reincarnation.
Bullets
Guide to the Human World
Guide to the Oni World
Chicken Guidance
Chicken Announcement
Chicken Information
Guide to Hell
Divine Cock-A-Doodle-Do
Kutaka Niwatari's Last Word (a Touhou LW original). She attacks with a long crowing at the break of dawn. The god of chickens, Niwatarijin, is not mentioned in the ancient chronicles of Japanese mythology, but they do describe the chicken as a sacred animal. The Yaoyorozu no Kami tried to use the cawing of a chicken to call Amaterasu out of the Ama no Iwato (Cave of Heaven), where she had secluded herself. That chicken was called Tokoyo no Naganakidori (bird with an eternally long crow). This attack is a ritual of the rising sun, and the chicken is a sacred bird that announces the time.
Bullets
Kutaka's Long Crowing
Kutaka's Long Song
Sacred Crowing
All-Out Crowing
Kutaka's Long Call
Kutaka's Long Poem
Skills
Skill: "Please move!"
Kutaka guides the spirits and oni. You should heed her instructions.
Skill: "Don't run on stairs!"
Kutaka warns the sprirts and oni. Running could cause an accident.
Skill: "The line ends here!"
Kutaka informs the spirits and oni. You must always join a line from the end.