The Japanese fans are speculating that the word Kasen left off is 'oni'; that is, she's really an oni pretending to be a hermit. This might explain why she wants to sever ties between humans and hell, while confirming another theory which has been going on since Chapter 1's release: that her old name, Ibaraki Kasen, is a reference to Ibaraki Douji, a famous oni along with Ibuki Douji and Hoshiguma Douji in the tale of Shuten Douji.

Kasen seems to be hiding her true nature. It looks like she almost can't stand keeping her "hermit" attitude anymore.

Yeah,it's most likely that.The double buns and her arm are the key I think.

This series is about as subtle with Kasen's true origins as a jägermonster's poem.

That what Byakuren Hijiri's wish for Youkai & Humans to get along and the Hell residents.

The real obstacle is the fact that Youkai eat people. As long as humans are a considered a delicacy, the best course of action is to simply kill all youkai. That youkai are dangerous, numerous, and difficult to kill makes this non-viable, but really the point is that it's not simply a matter of animosity. It's literally a life and death struggle against beings that are for the most part smarter and stronger than humans, while having sociopathic dispositions.

That humans can organize and act together to their own benefit is really all that's keeping their predators at bay.

Also, I wanna know about Kasen's right arm, if it was special
Imagine Breaker? lol

glasnost said:
The Japanese fans are speculating that the word Kasen left off is 'oni'; that is, she's really an oni pretending to be a hermit. This might explain why she wants to sever ties between humans and hell, while confirming another theory which has been going on since Chapter 1's release: that her old name, Ibaraki Kasen, is a reference to Ibaraki Douji, a famous oni along with Ibuki Douji and Hoshiguma Douji in the tale of Shuten Douji.

So, that means all we have to do is wait till ZUN makes a character with the last name of Shuten, and we'll have all four mountain devas.

Suika is Shuten Douji.

grapefields said:
Suika is Shuten Douji.

You sure that Ibuki Suika isn't Ibuki Douji instead?

Baneslave said:
You sure that Ibuki Suika isn't Ibuki Douji instead?

Ibuki Suika IS Ibuki Douji.

cd_young said:
So, that means all we have to do is wait till ZUN makes a character with the last name of Shuten, and we'll have all four mountain devas.

And Shuten also has to be an oni.

grapefields said:
Suika is Shuten Douji.

This. Shuten Douji was sometimes said to have went by the name Ibuki Douji before changing his name to Shuten because it was said that he was abandoned at the foot of Mt. Ibuki as an infant. Hence, Suika is, arguably, Shuten Douji.

Originally, there is no "Ibuki Douji" in the Shuten Douji lore because all references to Ibuki Douji are that of Shuten Douji before he changed his name.

After researching a bit more. There's actually no Ibuki Douji cos he's actually Shuten Douji. This raised a question: Hoshiguma and Ibaraki are actually Shuten's two of four strongman. If Ibuki Suika is one of the Four Deva alongside Yuugi and Kasen, then where the hell are the rest of Shuten's strongmen's position, now that there's only one more empty seat for a Deva? Is ZUN going to neglect the legend?

Steak said:
The real obstacle is the fact that Youkai eat people. As long as humans are a considered a delicacy, the best course of action is to simply kill all youkai. That youkai are dangerous, numerous, and difficult to kill makes this non-viable, but really the point is that it's not simply a matter of animosity. It's literally a life and death struggle against beings that are for the most part smarter and stronger than humans, while having sociopathic dispositions.

That humans can organize and act together to their own benefit is really all that's keeping their predators at bay.

Applies in the "real world", but not so in Gensokyo.

makkun said:
After researching a bit more. There's actually no Ibuki Douji cos he's actually Shuten Douji. This raised a question: Hoshiguma and Ibaraki are actually Shuten's two of four strongman. If Ibuki Suika is one of the Four Deva alongside Yuugi and Kasen, then where the hell are the rest of Shuten's strongmen's position, now that there's only one more empty seat for a Deva? Is ZUN going to neglect the legend?

Being inspired by the legends doesn't mean obligated to copy the whole piece wholesale.

There is no Ibuki Douji. Suika is supposed to represent Shuten Douji.

Steak said:
The real obstacle is the fact that Youkai eat people. As long as humans are a considered a delicacy, the best course of action is to simply kill all youkai. That youkai are dangerous, numerous, and difficult to kill makes this non-viable, but really the point is that it's not simply a matter of animosity. It's literally a life and death struggle against beings that are for the most part smarter and stronger than humans, while having sociopathic dispositions.

That humans can organize and act together to their own benefit is really all that's keeping their predators at bay.

Humans might have been indeed be not more than cattle to the superior youkai, but you forget that exactly these youkai are putting effort into protecting these humans now.

There is no life and death struggle anymore. Only the young and inexperienced youkai are dangerous since they won't regulate their powers.

makkun said:
After researching a bit more. There's actually no Ibuki Douji cos he's actually Shuten Douji. This raised a question: Hoshiguma and Ibaraki are actually Shuten's two of four strongman. If Ibuki Suika is one of the Four Deva alongside Yuugi and Kasen, then where the hell are the rest of Shuten's strongmen's position, now that there's only one more empty seat for a Deva? Is ZUN going to neglect the legend?

well how about Konngara from Th1 HRtP?

melfice696 said:
well how about Konngara from Th1 HRtP?

People aren't even sure if her horn is even a freaking horn, let alone whether or not she's an oni. All we can say is Yuugi and Suika are called Devas of the Mountain, and there are four of such. Also, the main reason why many believe Ibara Kasen may be one of them is due to her long lifespan and the title having the word 'horned' which leads to the implication that she may have some.

In all honesty, I believe her to be an oni who likely no longer wishes to be one, tying to her missing arm which she seems to still be searching for.. Possibly a Deva, possibly not. Her lamentations about Old Hell is a large clue here, since that is where many oni live. Likely she wants to shut away her past, since a majority of her regrets/painful memories are tied to there and hermetic teachings are all about freeing one's self from one's old life and the material world.

Despite her long lifespan, she seems to still have trouble with these aspects. She may have let go of many things, but she obviously still has many ties to both the past and worldly desires, as shown by her interest in the mummified arm and here, when complaining about the geyser from Old Hell.

Hopefully the next chapter will give us more fuel got speculation, if not answers.