Characters/Abilities

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Abilities (能力, Nōryoku) are one of the main concepts of the Len'en Project, which are given to various characters to show their strength and power.

General Information[edit | edit source]

The vast majority of people who live in Mugenri do not have an ability. Some can be born with an ability, or some can find an alternative method to obtaining one, such as practising or contracting.[1] As for the outside world, it is extremely rare for people there to be able to obtain an ability, but even then, people are generally unaware of such thing.[2] Despite that, a number of outsiders already had abilities before arriving in Mugenri, e.g. Yabusame Houlen and Aoji Shitodo. It is also possible for a character to gain new abilities on top of their current ones.[3]

The meaning of "的な能力"[edit | edit source]

In official works, abilities are described with a phrase which translates roughly as "something like (ability)" (的な能力, teki na nouryoku). It is based on the "capable of" (程度の能力, teido no nouryoku) from the Touhou Project, and referenced as such officially.[4] Seen in almost every character profile, this phrase has become a trademark of JynX and the Len'en Project in general. However, it was originally implemented by Daijin, since the phrase has existed since Emergency Everyday.

Although JynX and Daijin could have simply chosen to phrase their abilities as "ability to ~" (~する能力), their choice of the vague "something like (ability)" is a way to add ambiguity in its meaning. As such, abilities are described in a way that, when a character possesses an ability without a clear idea of what the ability is, they think it sounds like one thing, but could actually mean something else. For example: a character could've thought that their ability allows them to stop time, but actually had the ability to move at the speed of light. Only a supernatural presence can tell the true meaning of one's ability.[4] It also shows the degree, similarity, extent, or order of magnitude of the strength of the ability a character possesses in general.

Some of this vagueness can be seen in characters such as Clause (who can manipulate gravity, but isn't very good at it) and Tsurubami Senri (described to be something like raising poultry, but is actually raising the true potential of other character's abilites). JynX also indicated that the phrase is an excuse if the characters' abilities just so happen to change within a future part of the story.[4]

Opinions[edit | edit source]

JynX has suggested favouring various abilities in different forms:

  • Overall favourites: possibly Yabusame Houlen and Tsubakura Enraku's, because a lot of thought was put into what they should be.
  • Most interesting: Tsurubami Senri's, because it has a wide variety of applications.
  • Most dangerous: Yabusame's, reasons being a secret.
  • Most useful: Kuroji Shitodo's, to flip hamburgers.
  • Most useless: Clause's, because it is "annoying".[5]

List of Abilities[edit | edit source]

Abbreviation List[edit | edit source]

Emergency Everyday[edit | edit source]

Character Japanese Translated
次元を越えられる的な能力 Something like crossing dimensions (Pre-EE)
ゲームを楽しむ的な能力 Something like enjoying games (Pre-EE)
ダンボールの中に入っている限りありとあらゆる物に感知されない的な能力 Something like being completely imperceptible by anyone while hiding inside cardboard (Pre-EE)
幽体離脱できる的な能力 Something like having out-of-body experiences (Pre-EE)

Evanescent Existence[edit | edit source]

Character Japanese Translated
次元を越える的な能力 Something like crossing dimensions (EE, EMS, RMI, BPoHC, AWOF)
墨を操る的な能力
遊ぶべきを楽しむ的な能力
Something like manipulating ink (EE, AWOF)
Something like enjoying that which is enjoyable (EE, EMS, RMI, BPoHC, AWOF)
気配を知られない的な能力 Something like hiding their presence (EE, BPoHC, AWOF)
渦を巻く的な能力 Something like creating whirlpools (EE, BPoHC, AWOF)
冷熱を司る的な能力 Something like controlling hot and cold (EE, BPoHC, AWOF)
表裏を逆転させる的な能力 Something like reversing front and back (EE, EMS, RMI, BPoHC, AWOF)
重力を操る的な能力 Something like manipulating gravity (EE, BPoHC, AWOF)
文字を操る的な能力
家禽を育種する的な能力
Something like manipulating letters (EE, AWOF)
Something like raising poultry (EE, BPoHC, AWOF)

Earthen Miraculous Sword[edit | edit source]

Character Japanese Translated
雨を司る的な能力 Something like controlling the rain (EMS, BPoHC)
雨を誘う的な能力 Something like inducing rain (EMS, BPoHC)
光を取り束ねる的な能力 Something like taking and bundling light together (EMS, BPoHC)
利を取る的な能力 Something like making a profit (EMS, BPoHC)
形を象る的な能力 Something like modeling things into shapes (EMS, RMI, BPoHC)
雲を薙ぎ払う的な能力 Something like mowing down clouds (EMS, RMI, BPoHC)
縁を絶ち斬る的な能力 Something like severing relations (EMS)
曇天を操れる的な能力 Something like manipulating cloudy weather (EMS, RMI, BPoHC)

Reactivate Majestical Imperial[edit | edit source]

Character Japanese Translated
地下を知る的な能力
地上を治める的な能力
Something like knowing the underground (RMI, BPoHC)
Something like conquering the above-ground (RMI)
ありとあらゆる物を乗りこなす的な能力 Something like riding anything at all (RMI, BPoHC)
波を越える的な能力 Something like crossing over waves (RMI, BPoHC)
魂を遷す的な能力 Something like transferring souls (RMI, BPoHC)
精神と自我を取り込む的な能力 Something like absorbing one's spirit and self (RMI, BPoHC)
結界を造る的な能力 Something like producing barriers (RMI, BPoHC)

Brilliant Pagoda or Haze Castle[edit | edit source]

Character Japanese Translated
人を魅入らせる的な能力 Something like enchanting people (BPoHC)
トラウマを映す的な能力 Something like projecting trauma (BPoHC)
摩擦をなくす的な能力 Something like getting rid of friction (BPoHC)
ヌルヌルに分裂する的な能力 Something like dividing slipperily (BPoHC)
魔を討つ的な能力 Something like vanquishing evil (BPoHC)
財をかき集める的な能力 Something like gathering financial fortune (BPoHC)
瘴気を操る的な能力 Something like manipulating miasmas (BPoHC)
幻想を使役する的な能力など Something like employing illusions to do work, etc. (BPoHC)
狙いを必ず撃ち抜く的な能力 Something like always hitting their target (BPoHC)
知識を奪うく的な能力 Something like stealing away knowledge (BPoHC)
天を統べ、地を平らげる的な能力 Something like controlling the heavens and subjugating the earth (BPoHC)
魂を従わせるく的な能力 Something like making souls obey (BPoHC)
情報を再現する的な能力

事実を改変する的な能力

Something like reproducing information, etc. (BPoHC)

Something like altering facts, etc. (BPoHC)

奇跡を必然にする的な能力 Something like making miracles inevitable (BPoHC)
牌を扱う的な能力 Something like manipulating cards (BPoHC)
武具を創り出す的な能力 Something like creating weapons (BPoHC)

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Interview with JynX (2017): Setting, Question 3
  2. Interview with JynX (2017): Setting, Question 4
  3. Interview with JynX (2015): Question 18
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Evanescent Existence: omake.txt
  5. Interview with JynX (2017): Personal/Opinions, Question 139