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Team Shanghai Alice

Dōjin video game developer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Team Shanghai Alice
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Team Shanghai Alice (Japanese: 上海アリス幻樂団, Hepburn: Shanhai Arisu Gengakudan; lit. "Shanghai Alice Fantasy Ensemble"), formerly known as ZUN Soft, is a Japanese dōjin game developer. Since 1995, the sole member of the group, Jun'ya "ZUN" Ōta, has independently developed and self-published the Touhou Project, a bullet hell shoot 'em up series, as well as collaborated with other circles to produce related print works and music albums.

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Name

"ZUN Soft" was originally created as a generic developer name for each Touhou Project game. After Touhou's PC-98 era, ZUN changed the name of the team to "Shanghai Alice". According to ZUN, this name was chosen to fit the overall theme of the Touhou Project. "Shanghai", to him, is a multicultural city where Western and Oriental styles meet, and "Alice" evokes a feminine or gothic lolita feeling.[1] "Fantasy Ensemble" (幻樂団 Gengakudan) stems from ZUN's unsuccessful attempt to register the group as a music circle for Comiket 61 in December 2001; he decided to keep the name while applying as a game circle for Comiket 62, where he would release Embodiment of Scarlet Devil.[1]

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Productions

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Main article: Touhou Project

Games

As ZUN Soft:

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As Team Shanghai Alice:

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Music CDs

ZUN's Music Collection

  • Dolls in Pseudo Paradise (蓬莱人形, Hōrai Ningyō; lit. "Hourai Doll"; 2002-12-30)[37]
  • Ghostly Field Club (蓮台野夜行, Rendaino Yakō; lit. "Night Trip to Rendaino"; 2003-12-30)[37]
  • Changeability of Strange Dream (夢違科学世紀, Yumetagae Kagaku Seiki; lit. "Changing Dreams in the Age of Science"; 2004-12-30)[37]
  • Retrospective 53 minutes (卯酉東海道, Bōyu Tōkaidō; lit. "East-West Tōkaidō"; 2006-05-21)[37]
  • Magical Astronomy (大空魔術, Ōzora Majutsu; lit. "Celestial Wizardry"; 2006-08-13)[37]
  • Unknown Flower, Mesmerizing Journey (未知の花　魅知の旅, Michi no Hana, Michi no Tabi; 2011-05-08)[38]
  • Trojan Green Asteroid (鳥船遺跡, Torifune Iseki; lit. "Ruins of Torifune"; 2012-04-30)[39]
  • Neo-traditionalism of Japan (伊弉諾物質, Izanagi Busshitsu; lit. "Izanagi Object"; 2012-08-11)[40]
  • Dr. Latency's Freak Report (燕石博物誌, Enseki Hakubutsushi; lit. "Swallowstone Naturalis Historia"; 2016-05-08)[41]
  • Dateless Bar "Old Adam" (旧約酒場, Kyūyaku Sakaba; lit. "Old Testament Tavern"; 2016-08-13)[42]
  • Rainbow-Colored Septentrion (虹色のセプテントリオン, Nijiiro no Seputentorion; 2021-12-31)[43]
  • Taboo Japan Disentanglement (七夕坂夢幻能, Tanabatazaka Mugen Nou; lit. "Mugen Noh of Tanabata Hill"; 2024-05-03)[44]

Akyu's Untouched Score

  • Akyu's Untouched Score vol.1 (幺樂団の歴史１, Yōgakudan no Rekishi 1; lit. "History of Yougakudan 1"; 2006-05-21)[37]
  • Akyu's Untouched Score vol.2 (幺樂団の歴史２, Yōgakudan no Rekishi 2; lit. "History of Yougakudan 2"; 2006-12-31)[45]
  • Akyu's Untouched Score vol.3 (幺樂団の歴史３, Yōgakudan no Rekishi 3; lit. "History of Yougakudan 3"; 2006-12-31)[45]
  • Akyu's Untouched Score vol.4 (幺樂団の歴史４, Yōgakudan no Rekishi 4; lit. "History of Yougakudan 4"; 2007-12-31)[46]
  • Akyu's Untouched Score vol.5 (幺樂団の歴史５, Yōgakudan no Rekishi 5; lit. "History of Yougakudan 5"; 2007-12-31)[46]

Collaborations with Twilight Frontier

  • Immaterial and Missing Power OST (幻想曲抜萃, Gensōkyoku Bassui; lit. "Collection of Illusionary Music"; 2005-08-14)[47]
  • Scarlet Weather Rhapsody OST (全人類ノ天楽録, Zenjinrui no Tengakuroku Tōhō Hisōten; lit. "Celestial Music Record of All Humankind"; 2008-08-16)[48]
  • Touhou Hisoutensoku OST (核熱造神ヒソウテンソク, Kakunetsuzōshin Hisōtensoku; lit. "Thermonuclear Titan Hisoutensoku"; 2009-12-30)[49]
  • Hopeless Masquerade OST (暗黒能楽集・心綺楼, Ankoku Nōgakushū; lit. "Dark Noh Collection"; 2013-08-12)[50]
  • Urban Legend in Limbo OST (深秘的楽曲集　宇佐見菫子と秘密の部室, Shinpiteki Gakkyokushū ~ Usami Sumireko to Himitsu no Bushitsu; lit. "A Deeply Mystic Music Collection ~ Sumireko Usami and the Clubroom of Secrets"; 2015-08-14)[51]
  • Urban Legend in Limbo OST 2 (深秘的楽曲集・補 東方深秘録初回特典CD, Shinpiteki Gakkyokushū - Ho ~ Tōhō Shinpiroku Shokai Tokuten CD; lit. "A Deeply Mystic Music Collection Supplement ~ Touhou Shinpiroku First Pressing Special CD"; 2016-12-08)[52]
  • Antimony of Common Flowers OST (完全憑依ディスコグラフィ, Kanzenhyōi Disukogurafi; lit. "Perfect Possession Discography"; 2018-05-06)[53]
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Member

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Quick Facts Jun'ya Ota, Born ...
Main article: ZUN (video game developer)

Team Shanghai Alice consists of a single member, ZUN, who serves as the programmer, writer, artist, and composer for the group's productions. His real name is Jun'ya Ōta (太田 順也, Ōta Jun'ya); he picked the pseudonym due to its similarity to his given name.[54] He was born on March 18, 1977, in Hakuba, Nagano,[54] and is well known among fans for his fondness of beer and his penchant for wearing flat caps. He has sometimes playfully referred to himself as the "Hakurei Kannushi" (博麗神主, lit. "head priest of the Hakurei Shrine").[55] In 2012, ZUN revealed that he had recently married a programmer, with whom he has 2 children.[56]

His interest in creating music began in elementary school, when his parents gifted him an Electone as a birthday present.[57] In junior high school, he played the trumpet in a brass band and began composing his own music.[57] In 1995, he began developing a series of bullet hell video games under the name "ZUN Soft" while studying mathematics at Tokyo Denki University.[54] The games, which would become the first five entries in the Touhou Project series, were developed for NEC PC-9800 personal computers and published by Amusement Makers, a student video game development club:[58]

After graduating in 1999, ZUN was hired by as a video game programmer by Taito. He is credited in the production of several titles:[citation needed]

During this period, he contributed soundtracks to several games developed by his junior classmates in Amusement Makers, notably the Seihou Project (西方Project, Seihō Purojekuto; lit. "Western Project"), a series of bullet hell games for Microsoft Windows by Shunsatsu sare do? (瞬殺サレ道？).[59] The series was intended as a counterpart to the Touhou Project, featuring highly similar gameplay as well as cameo appearances by Reimu Hakurei, Marisa Kirisame, and Yuuka Kazami:

  • Shuusou Gyoku (秋霜玉; lit. "Autumn Frost Orb", 2000) - part of the Seihou Project
  • Torte Le Magic (トルテルマジック, Torute Ru Majikku; 2001) - a bullet hell game by Pietoro (ぴえとろ) based on the manga 10 Carat Torte! [ja][60]
  • Kioh Gyoku (稀翁玉; lit. "Rare Venerable Orb", 2001) - part of the Seihou Project
  • ZUN's Strange Works (その他の作品; lit. "Other Works", 2000–2001) - a collection of six MIDI tracks for the Roland SC-88 Pro, including unused music from Shuusou Gyoku[61]

In 2007, he left his job at Taito to focus on the development of the Touhou Project.[62] Later that year, ZUN provided programming for Uwabami Breakers (黄昏酒場, Tasogare Sakaba; lit. "Twilight Bar Room"), a beer-themed bullet hell game published by "The Drinking Party" (呑んべぇ会, Nonbe-ekai).[63] The game uses the same engine as Mountain of Faith and shares many similar gameplay features, including a "Beer Gauge" that increases shot power based on damage dealt.

In addition to the Touhou Project games, ZUN has provided writing for several official Touhou Project print works, produced in collaboration with various illustrators and publishers:

  • Curiosities of Lotus Asia (東方香霖堂, Tōhō Kōrindō; lit. "Fragrant Rain Temple", 2004–2007, 2015–present)
  • Touhou Sangetsusei (東方三月精; lit. "Three Fairies"), which consists of:
    • Eastern and Little Nature Deity (2005–2006)
    • Strange and Bright Nature Deity (2006–2009)
    • Oriental Sacred Place (2009–2012)
    • Visionary Fairies in Shrine (2016–2019)
  • Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red (東方文花帖, Tōhō Bunkachō; lit. "Word Flower Album", 2005)
  • Seasonal Dream Vision (東方紫香花, Tōhō Shikōbana; lit. "Incense of Violet Flowers", 2005)
  • Perfect Memento in Strict Sense (東方求聞史紀, Tōhō Gumonshiki; lit. "Gumon Histories", 2006)
  • Touhou Bougetsushou (東方儚月抄; lit. "Ephemeral Moon Vignette"), which consists of:
    • Silent Sinner in Blue (2007–2009)
    • Cage in Lunatic Runagate (2007–2009)
    • Inaba of the Moon and Inaba of the Earth (月のイナバと地上の因幡, Tsuki no Inaba to Chijō no Inaba; 2007–2012)
  • The Grimoire of Marisa (グリモワール オブ マリサ, Gurimowaru obu Marisa; 2009)
  • Wild and Horned Hermit (東方茨歌仙, Tōhō Ibarakasen; lit. "Rose Poem Hermit, 2010–2019)
  • Symposium of Post-mysticism (東方求聞口授, Tōhō Gumon Kuju; lit. "Gumon Oral Teachings", 2012)
  • Forbidden Scrollery (東方鈴奈庵, Tōhō Suzunaan; lit. "Bell Hermitage", 2012–2017)
  • Strange Creators of Outer World (東方外來韋編, Tōhō Gairai Ihen; lit. "Tomes of External Origins", 2015–present)
  • Alternative Facts in Eastern Utopia (東方文果真報, Tōhō Bunka Shinpō; lit. "Word's End True Report", 2017)
  • The Grimoire of Usami (秘封倶楽部異界撮影記録, Hifū Kurabu Ikai Satsuei Kiroku; lit. "Secret Sealing Club's Otherworld Photography Record", 2019)
  • Cheating Detective Satori (<東方智霊奇伝>　反則探偵さとり, <Tōhō Chireikiden> Hansoku Tantei Satori; lit. "Strange Legend of Wise Spirits", 2019–present)
  • Lotus Eaters (東方酔蝶華　～ ロータスイーター達の酔醒, Tōhō Suichōka ~ Rōtasuītā-tachi no Suisei; lit. "Drunken Butterfly Flower ~ Drunkening and Sobering of Lotus-Eaters", 2019–present)

The releases of Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red, Perfect Memento in Strict Sense, Strange Creators of Outer World Volume 2, and The Grimoire of Marisa were accompanied by bonus CDs containing arrangements and compositions by ZUN. Additional CDs were included with several tankōbon releases of official manga: Eastern and Little Nature Deity (2007), Strange and Bright Nature Deity (2008, 2009, 2009), Silent Sinner in Blue (2008), Oriental Sacred Place (2010, 2011, 2012), and Forbidden Scrollery (2016).

Rarely, ZUN has collaborated in the production of unofficial Touhou works, creating tracks for two fangames and four dōjin albums:

  • Cradle (東方幻樂祀典, Tōhō Gengaku Shiten; lit. "Fantasy Musical Festival", 2004) - album by sound sepher
  • Seasonal Dream Vision (東方紫香花, Tōhō Shikōbana; lit. "Incense of Violet Flowers", 2005) - compilation album by Comic Toranoana, included with Seasonal Dream Vision fanbook
  • Magus in Mystic Geometries (神魔討綺伝, Shinma Tōki Den; lit. "Legend of God-Devil", 2008) - shoot 'em up game by D.N.A.Softwares
  • Touhou Unreal Mahjong (東方幻想麻雀, Tōhō Gensō Mājan; 2009) - mahjong game by D.N.A.Softwares
  • Touhou Unreal Mahjong OST (東方幻想麻雀オリジナルサウンドトラック, Tōhō Gensō Mājan Orijinaru Saundo Torakku; 2009) - album by Disaster and D.N.A.Softwares
  • 8BIT MUSIC POWER FINAL (8ビットミュージックパワーファイナル, 8-Bitto Myūjikku Pawā Fainaru; 2017) - album by Columbus Circle

Since December 2009, ZUN has written the monthly column "Which Came First, Hakurei Kannushi's Games or Beer?" (博麗神主のゲームが先かお酒が先か, Hakurei Kannushi no Gēmu ga Saki ka o Sake ga Saki ka?), in which he discusses his favorite locations for food and beer, his daily life, game development, and topics related to the Touhou Project. The columns are often accompanied by photos and/or guest artist illustrations; it was serialized in Comptiq magazine until July 2013, and in Comp Ace since September 2013.

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