The usual outfit of Zanmu Nippaku. She was once a monk, but you'd never know that looking at her now.
Christmas Eve Party at Hakurei Shrine
Zanmu's Christmas Eve party outfit. It was made at Kourindou. Even on holy nights, oni are allowed to have fun.
King of the Silent Bliss of Nirvana
Voice Lines
Gacha Pickup
My name is Zanmu Nippaku. Are you a human brimming with potential? Or... are you more like what I used to be?
Introduction
I've been watching since the very beginning. My name is Zanmu Nippaku. I'm an oni from Hell... but that doesn't matter right now. I want to find out if I can control you, or if you're like Reimu and Hisami. I'd prefer if there weren't many more of their ilk, but I'd like to know either way. Will you... forsake Yukari and join me? It would be easy. All you'd have to do is feed your intel to me. There's no harm in considering it.
Purple Heart
The difference between nothingness and emptiness? That's a difficult question.
Blue Heart
Stability without cause will crumble without cause. Everyone wants to believe that all stability is ushered in by heroes.
Green Heart
If you blame everything on oni, then it's heroes who establish all stability and peace. That's what everyone wants. They want simple stories of good versus evil.
Orange Heart
I fundamentally dislike conflict, so I prefer to rule over my subjects and control their actions discreetly. That way, there are very few casualties. But I once aspired to be like someone very different... Yes, the Hakurei shrine maiden is doing a fine job.
Pink Heart
Thinking about it, I'm a walking contradiction. No matter how stable and good a future lies in wait, my youthful soul yearns for something different. Youth has a will of its own. Even if its choices may lead to an unsightly and dangerous future, the only option is to watch over it.
Summer
The instant I became an oni, the heat stopped bothering me... But I suppose I can still appreciate the changing of the seasons. You there, ice fairy. Try and cool me down.
Login
Strange. I left Hisami in charge, but for some reason, she's here. Well, this wasn't unexpected. It wasn't unexpected, but... No, I won't finish that sentence.
Enhancement
Fantasy has intensified. Now is the time to face the future.
Return
There were so many incredible bullets. I have to admit, when it comes to bullets, the sages of Gensokyo certainly have style.
Home 1
Kicchou, Kurokoma, Toutetsu... The leaders of the Animal Realm are acting as I intended. As are the three spies. They're such adorable beasts. Hehehe.
Home 2
Reimu Hakurei, huh? She's like I was long ago, but that's not all. She's able to accomplish without effort that which I never could. She's even befriended Suika Ibuki. There's no way I can control her.
Home 3
Until very recently, I had no idea that Gensokyo was now like this. I assumed the sages' plan was to stay hidden and bide their time... My, how did it come to this?
Reaction 1
Bold of you to allow sleepiness to take hold in my presence...
Reaction 2
Come here and rest on my lap. Shall I recite you a sutra in place of a lullaby?
Reaction 3
There were innocent children like you back when the world rife with wars.
Task
I actually get teased for being overly intellectual, so I could take a look at one of your tasks... That surprises you?
Task Complete
Wow, well done finishing your task. Come on, I'll give you a head pat. *pats head*
Mail
In this current age, even young people can read... This letter's addressed to you.
Errand Finished
Someone's back from an errand? It's almost definitely Hisami. In fact, it has to be Hisami!
Start of Battle
Be filled with fear beyond the bounds of fantasy!
Mid-Wave
None of you have free will.
Victory
Your time in the spotlight is over. Leave now and I'll invite you to a banquet.
Defeat
What do you think you're doing? This won't help you achieve your goals.
Spellcard 1 Chant 1
Choose now. Forget everything,
or return it all to nothing!
Spellcard 1 Chant 2
Go, pure spirits. None
will stand in your way.
Spellcard 1 Casted
Pure Spirit Shot
Spellcard 2 Chant 1
You, the masses, with all your worries,
surrender your souls to me.
Spellcard 2 Chant 2
This world is made of emptiness and
fantasies. Accept the salvation I offer you.
Spellcard 2 Casted
Kingdom of Lost Sheep
Last Word Chant 1
There's no need to fight any
longer. Leave everything to me.
Last Word Chant 2
Attack quietly. Rule solemnly.
This is to secure the future.
Last Word Casted
Law of Creation & Destruction - Into Nirvana
Boost 1
Struggle.
Boost 2
Writhe.
Boost 3
Suffer in this nothingness.
Graze 1
Fight.
Graze 2
Resist.
Graze 3
Use all your might to go beyond fantasy.
Command A
Everything's been accounted for.
Command B
I figured.
Command C
What did you just say?
Command D
Play time's over.
Skill A
Right on time.
Skill B
Just as planned.
Shot A
How'd you like this?
Shot B
I can do this, too.
Damage
Urgh.
Heavy Damage
What do you think you're doing?
Guard
It's pointless.
Graze Activated
This is true fear.
Change to Rear
Go on, get out there.
Change to Front
Think I'll venture out.
Buff/Heal
I'll remember this.
Knocked Out
You got me, you got me. I surrender.
Voice Sets
Sinful Monk of Nothingness
VA: Inase Aoi
Border Between Humans and Oni
VA: Suzumoto Akiho
Relocator of Hell
VA: Fujimoto Yuri
Character Information
Temperament: Ganshou
Ganshou (a Touhou LW original) refers to magma. This is an apt temperament for Zanmu, a human-oni who rules over her own Hell. Zanmu is endowed with Sun Essence as an intelligent ruler and Star Essence due to her transgressions.
The alluring and arrogant Sun Essence resists the diverse and uncooperative Star Essence, but it is weak to the cooperative and indecisive Moon Essence.
The diverse and uncooperative Star Essence resists the cooperative and indecisive Moon Essence, but it is weak to the charming and arrogant Sun Essence.
The combination of Sun Essence and Star Essence cancels out any resistance or weakness to Moon Essence.
Ability/Backstory: Capable of manipulating nothingness
The ability of Zanmu Nippaku, the heretical human-oni monk. Despite her transgressions, abandoning any hope in humanity's future, and being an oni, she has managed to attain a state of nothingness.
A state of nothingness does not refer to a sense of futility or lack of purpose. It is knowing, without any doubt, that nothing in the universe has value. Since Zanmu has attained this state, you may expect her to be apathetic or nihilistic, but that couldn't be further from the truth. It's quite likely that the whole reason why she decided to cause an incident (or rather be suspected of causing an incident and then resolving it) around the time when ownership over land had been called into question was because of this philosophy.
The idea that nothing has value is in accordance with Buddha's teachings. The true path to salvation lies in freeing oneself from all worldly desires. Simply observing the rules and traditions of a Buddhist temple is not enough. If you feel that something in this world has value, then it will become an attachment, holding you back on your path to enlightenment. Recognizing that the present has no value lets you have hope in the future. What makes Zanmu an oni is that she sought this future not in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss but in Hell.
Zanmu and Byakuren are both monks who became disillusioned with humanity. Zanmu and Hecatia both rule over their own Hells. Zanmu and Okina both orchestrated incidents from behind the scenes to announce their presence in Gensokyo. However, the person with the most in common with Zanmu has to be Reimu.
Though their exact relationships may differ, like Reimu, Zanmu is surrounded by allies who trust her. These allies include the leaders of the Animal Realm clans, her three spies within those clans, Hisami, and the denizens of Former Hell. They all trust Zanmu because, like a true oni, she's utterly ruthless. She showed this when she decided to abandon Former Hell during her reformation of Hell. Another similarity with Reimu is that while her allies may depend on her, she does not depend on them. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to call Zanmu the Hell version of Reimu. In all likelihood, if Zanmu had known more about Reimu before she started her incident, it would have been quite different.
Attacks
Transgression Shot
Zanmu Nippaku's Spread Shot (a Touhou LW original). The attack of a former monk who renounced her humanity. Zanmu gave up all hope in humanity's future when she witnessed the foolishness of war. It was the norm for humans to kill other humans on the battlefield, while it was supposed to be forbidden for monks to take life under any circumstance. However, this didn't stop temples from becoming armories or monks from carrying swords wherever they went. Zanmu became disillusioned in humans by their hypocrisy and complete lack of conviction.
Bullets
Transgression Shot
Serious Transgression Shot
Great Transgression Shot
Severe Transgression Shot
Grave Transgression Shot
Ultimate Transgression Shot
Spirit Pacification
Zanmu Nippaku's Focus Shot (a Touhou LW original). The attack of a king of Hell who rules over the dead. Youkai are born from human fears. However, oni aren't like other youkai, with some speculating that they existed first. Regardless, there still wouldn't be any oni without humans. Some oni, called human-oni, started out as humans. But don't be fooled. They are not half-human, half-oni. They are oni through-and-through and every bit as terrifying.
Bullets
Spirit Pacification
Ruthless Spirit Pacification
Great Spirit Pacification
Unforgiving Spirit Pacification
Extreme Spirit Pacification
Ultimate Spirit Pacification
Pure Spirit Shot
Zanmu Nippaku's Spell Card. She attacks with pure spirits. Zanmu has been a manager of Hell since before it was relocated, so she has a lot of experience with handling spirits. She is also an expert at manipulating animal spirits, perhaps because she absorbed some to supposedly grant them salvation. However, she also sacrificed her flesh to a starving animal, a seemingly selfless act reminiscent of Buddha. There's no doubt that Zanmu was a true Buddhist monk.
Bullets
Pure Spirit Shot
Ruthless Pure Spirit Shot
Great Pure Spirit Shot
Unforgiving Pure Spirit Shot
Extreme Pure Spirit Shot
Ultimate Pure Spirit Shot
Kingdom of Lost Sheep
Zanmu Nippaku's Spell Card. She rules over an unimaginably vast Hell in this attack. Zanmu is the one who proposed the creation of a new Hell, abandoning Former Hell in the process. Only a true oni could devise such a bold and cold-hearted plan. As a result, the youkai of Former Hell admire, fear, and, in some ways, envy Zanmu. You might expect some oni to look down on Zanmu since she used to be human, but, in truth, there is not a single oni in Hell who doesn't respect her.
Bullets
Kingdom of Lost Sheep
Kingdom of Dreaming Sheep
Kingdom of Deluded Sheep
Kingdom of Confused Sheep
Kingdom of Wayward Sheep
Kingdom of Indulgent Sheep
Law of Creation & Destruction - Into Nirvana
Zanmu Nippaku's Last Word (a Touhou LW original). She demonstrates the underlying principle of nothingness in this attack. Zanmu used to be a human monk, so where did she falter? When did she become an oni in both body and spirit? Perhaps we'll never know. Nevertheless, it's clear that Zanmu's convictions have not changed at all from when she was a human. And they didn't change while she was becoming an oni or at any time after she became one. Her only transgression was becoming an oni and falling to Hell. From her perspective, it is the world of humans that changed, not her.
Bullets
Himalayan Verses
All Acts are Permanent Bullet
Law of Creation & Destruction Bullet
Extinguished Creation & Destruction Bullet
Silent Bliss of Nirvana Bullet
Rakshasa Sutra
Skills
Skill: Heretical Sermon
If the world is at fault, the only choice is to break with conventions and create your own.
Skill: Future of Nothing
Nothingness is not a sense of futility or a lack of purpose. It is necessary to build the future.
Skill: Human-Oni of Hell
Zanmu shares the characteristics of both humans and oni, making her one of the most intelligent minds in Hell.
