Promotional poster of the 12th Touhou M-1 Grand Prix.
The Touhou M-1 Grand Prix (東方M-1ぐらんぷり) is a series of CD/DVDs released yearly by R-Note (formerly YELLOW ZEBRA) wherein the characters from Touhou perform animated manzai skits. The project is built around a mock manzai tournament, also hosted and judged by the characters from the series.
There are currently 16 editions of the M-1 Grand Prix and two remakes of the 1st and 2nd M-1 Grand Prix. Though fans translations of various languages were found on the internet, R-Note has removed a majority of these and uploaded clips of the skits onto their official YouTube Channel. The skits from the 3rd to 12th editions as well as the remakes from the 1st and 2nd editions are free to view, while full versions of grand prix as well as the 13th and latest 16th editions can be viewed by becoming a member of the channel.
Tewi wants to start over in the Lunar Capital. Reisen scolds her and reminds her of the "Five Laws of Earth Rabbits". However, what Reisen says starts to sound suspicious.
Judges: Yukari, Toyosatomimi no Miko, Satori/Koishi, Tenshi, Yuuka
Hosts: Rinnosuke, Shou
Losers Bracket Studio: Ran
Prize: Seed of Senka and 10 million Yen
Judges: Mononobe no Futo, Byakuren, Shinmyoumaru, Raiko, Shikieiki
Hosts: Rinnosuke, Iku
Losers Bracket Studio: Wakasagihime
Prize: A year supply of sake and 10 million Yen
Suika signs up to recite the player's pledge at Youkai Olympics. She invites Reimu to follow her speech, though she makes her say ridiculous things over and over.
Miko suggests Kokoro should become a gourmet critic to improve her facial expressions. Kokoro acts harsh towards bad food, but Miko convinces her to lie about it so she can get paid a large ammount of money.
Seija wants to get rid of the "strong ones" of Gensokyo and assassinate them all. Nue helps to practice the murders by transforming into various characters. However, an elaborate plot reveals...
Kokoro attends school and has Miko as her new teacher. Kokoro keeps spacing out and getting herself in trouble.
Choujuu Gigaku (Kyouko & Mystia) + Final Judging — WINNER
Kyouko says she wants to reincarnate in the outside world, but instead of reincarnating as a simple human, she wants to be a half-man half-animal to participate in contests.
10th Touhou M-1 Grand Prix (Comiket 89)[]
Cover of the 10th Touhou M-1 Grand Prix
Judges: Akyuu, Kasen, Mima, Kaguya, Sagume
Hosts: Rinnosuke, Suika
Losers Bracket Studio: Clownpiece
Prize: A three-night journey into the Dream World and 10 million Yen
Sakuya and Koakuma are eager to run their own business, however, they can't decide on how to divide their profits fairly. Their discussion somehow turns into some talk about Nintendo games.
Ringo demands Seiran to stop speaking in Hourai dialect. Seiran refuses.
MikoMiko Spark (Reimu & Marisa)
Marisa wants to perform a public execution as their manzai. Reimu convinces her to perform a scene in which Marisa does a good deed instead, but Marisa becomes violent because of Suika's sake.
Wriggle believes she's already a celebrity since she's appeared in all ten editions of the Grand Prix (at least at the losers' studio). Rumia acts as an overly attached fan of hers.
Finals:
MikoMiko Spark (Reimu & Marisa) — WINNER
Marisa and Reimu are worried that her pervert fans will show up at the New Year's event. Marisa acts as one of those, but the skit has a twist as she becomes violent again.
Lunar Dango♪ (Seiran & Ringo)
Seiran and Ringo notice that heroic sci-fi isn't popular in Gensokyo. Seiran then plans to make a sci-fi TV show in Gensokyo starring Ringo as Sweater Moon.
11th Touhou M-1 Grand Prix (Comiket 91)[]
Cover of the 11th Touhou M-1 Grand Prix
Judges: Kagerou, Mamizou (in human form), Clownpiece, Remilia, Komachi
Hosts: Rinnosuke, Marisa
Losers Bracket Studio: Reimu
Prize: 10 「Starbow Break 」Spell Cards and 10 million Yen
Yukari wants to become a fortune-teller, but her fortune-telling only exposes Ran's embarrassing past, and later turns into complaints towards her shikigami.
Satori has become a dramatic artist and wants to enact a legendary battle as her favorite historical figure. Koishi keeps messing up her act with dirty jokes.
Hecatia and Junko complain about their misrepresentation on their profiles at the Touhou M-1 Grand Prix website. Their conversation grows to an argument between them.
Satori is worried about what kind of man Okuu might have got married to after the 6th Grand Prix. Koishi acts as the perfect son-in-law, with the exception that he is a murderer.
Judges: Akyuu, Yuuka, Toyosatomimi no Miko, Byakuren, Watatsuki no Toyohime
Hosts: Rinnosuke, Clownpiece
Prize: Go-Reisho Document
First Round:
Jealousy Star (Parsee & Yuugi) — 4th Place
Bakusen NyanNyan (Seiga & Kasen) — 3rd Place
Choujuu Gigaku (Kyouko & Mystia) — 5th Place
MikoMiko Spark (Reimu & Marisa) — 2nd Place
Hifuudou (Rinnosuke & Sumireko) — GRAND CHAMPION
Commercial Break: Seiga's Album Collection (Seiga)
Finals:
Hifuudou (Rinnosuke & Sumireko)— WINNER
Binary Drop (Shikieki & Komachi)
Remakes[]
In June 2013, R-Note announced on their site they were working on a remake of the 1st Touhou M-1 Grand Prix, using their current animation style and voices.
The remake titled "1st Touhou M-1 Grand Prix R" was released at Comiket 84 on August 12. The script was rewritten in some cases and it also includes new characters, like Yuuka in the jury table.
On July 12, 2014, the remake for the 2nd M-1 Grand Prix was announced to be released at Comiket 86. Just like its predecessor, this edition will have Yuuka as an extra judge.
1st Touhou M-1 Grand Prix R (Comiket 84)[]
Cover of the 1st Touhou M-1 Grand Prix R
Judges: Ran, Kaguya, Lily White, Yuuka, Shikieiki
Hosts: Rinnosuke, Aya
Prize: The Hourai Elixir
NOTE: All manzai follow the same script as the originals, although some of them are slightly different in some parts.
Tewi keeps keeping wild animals as pets and wants to show them to Reisen. / Mokou interrupts TeiReisen's skit to defy Kaguya. Kaguya tricks Mokou into thinking she's a special guest for her own "TV show".
On October 12th, 2014; R-Note released a music album featuring their vocal arranges used for the credit-rolls in all the editions of the Touhou M-1 Grand Prix.
The album is titled Touhou M-1 Grand Prix ~Sound Collection~
Likewise, on March 28, 2015, they released a compilation album with voice tracks from all M-1 GP editions so far. It is titled Touhou M-1 Grand Prix ~Voice Collection~
End credits theme for the 6th Touhou M-1 Grand Prix
Notable Fan Translators[]
dgreater1 translated most of the 1st and 2nd Grand Prix.
Furienify and a few others subtitled the 3rd, 4th and 5th Grand Prix.
Railkill subtitled the 6th and 7th Grand Prix, and has started subtitling the 11th.
Reppu Kiri subtitled the first half of the 8th Grand Prix, while Railkill concluded it.
neoyasu93 subtitled most the 9th Grand Prix, while Railkill also concluded it.
bonnet12341 subtitled the missing scenes of almost all previous editions, and also started subtitling some parts of the 1st M-1 Grand Prix R.
Celeste Melancholia subtitled most of the 1st and 2nd M-1 Grand Prix R, and some missing parts of previous editions. They also subtitled the 10th and 11th Grand Prix.
It is worth mentioning that some of these efforts have used the work of Japatirador, who has subtitled every Grand Prix in Portuguese.
Rinnosuke is the only character who has appeared in all editions, as a permanent host.
Shikieiki Yamaxanadu is the founder of the Touhou M-1 Grand Prix and the director of judges.
However, she only appears at the jury table once every two editions (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th). The 11th GP was her first abscence, and Komachi took her stead.
Ran Yakumo, Toyosatomimi no Miko, Suika Ibuki and Marisa Kirisame are the only characters who have appeared as hosts, judges, and in manzai.
Marisa has done the most number of manzai: eight (not counting the one with the fake Marisa; the bonus one with Rinnosuke from the 4th GP; nor the ones from the remake of the 1st M-1 GP).
Marisa and Reimu have appeared doing manzai in the most number of editions: six each (1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th for Marisa; and 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 10th and 12th for Reimu).
Marisa, Reimu, and Rinnosuke have changed partners more than once.
Marisa has been with Alice, Reimu and Rinnosuke;
Reimu with Yukari, Marisa and Suika;
Rinnosuke with Tewi, Marisa and Sumireko.
MikoMiko Spark (Reimu & Marisa) are the only couple that have won two editions of the Grand Prix.
The Ten Desires cast can be considered too; even though Yoshika has only appeared briefly in manzai from the 7th and 8th Grand Prix, and Mamizou faked to be Nue in the 9th Grand Prix
The Subterranean Animism cast is the one with the most number of winners: four (Utsuho, Rin, Parsee and Yuugi). Satori and Koishi also have participated in two final rounds.
MikoMiko Spark and Hifuudou have been the only resurrected losers who have won a Grand Prix.
TeiReisen have been the only couple to break the 10 minutes time limit.
In the 5th Grand Prix, Nue transformed in various characters: Reisen midway the TeiReisen manzai (you can tell by the different colors of her ears and you can see her silhouette when Tewi attacks her); Murasa that apppears during Nitori and Hina's manzai (you can see the different colour of the scarf); and Chen during the last judgings.
Likewise, the 9th Grand Prix saw Mamizou's first stage appearance, where she disguised as Nue in Amanojaku's manzai and revealed herself during the judgings
Amanojaku's manzai, specifically only Seija, has received the worst score ever by the judges: four zeros and a death sentence by Shikieiki.
In the 6th Grand Prix, the antenna placed on the TV which broadcasts Yorihime from the moon has the face of Kyubey from Puella Magi Madoka Magica printed on it.
In the 8th Grand Prix, Shou Toramaru appears wearing the shimenawa that Nazrin stole from Kanako gave her as a gift during the 5th Grand Prix, replacing the cloth she wears in her official profile. It is unknown whether this was made on purpose, or it was a mistake by the animators.
The name of the pairing consisting of Sakuya & Koakuma, "Za Maido", is an obvious reference to Jojo's Bizarre Adventure's character Dio Brando, as his stand's name 'The World' is pronounced "Za Warudo" in Engrish.
Mima is the only character from the PC-98 era who has appeared at all.
Yukari and Akyuu are the only characters who have been judges in two consecutive editions. Komachi can be considered too as she replaced Shikieiki in the 3rd Grand Prix.
All the characters from Mountain of Faith appeared in the 3rd Grand Prix.
All the characters from Subterranean Animism, appeared in the 4th Grand Prix.
All the characters from Undefined Fantastic Object appeared in the 5th Grand Prix.
All the characters from Ten Desires appeared in the 7th and 8th Grand Prix.
The 7th Grand Prix was the very first edition that didn't feature any member of the Yakumo family (Yukari, Ran or Chen).
The 8th Grand Prix features the most number of characters doing manzai who are taken from Touhou mangas: four (Rinnosuke, Kasen, Akyuu and Kosuzu).
It is also the very first Grand Prix ever to feature two male characters doing manzai: Rinnosuke and Unzan (actually the only two Touhou male characters with official portraits).
Nitori, Hina, Utsuho, Yuugi, and Mystia are the only winners of a Grand Prix that haven't appeared as judges or hosts yet.
Since the 1st Grand Prix, Lily White has been known for being speechless, communicating only with the chirping sound she makes in Phantasmagoria of Flower View. Nitori invented a voice translator for her, using the voice of Hatsune Miku.
Marisa and Satori are the only characters who have appeared twice on the DVD cover of different editions of the Grand Prix.
Warai no Uzume no Mikoto[]
Warai Uzume no Mikoto's censored face.
Warai no Uzume no Mikoto, one of the judges for the 6th Grand Prix, is an original character, which is probably why her face is censored. She is the goddess of laughter and comedy, and she might be based in Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, just adding "Warai" to her name which means "laughter".
She has won several Lunarian M-1 Grand Prix, and she is also a judge for the preliminary rounds of the "Kingdom of Gods M-1 Grand Prix". She is seen in the credits roll of the 6th Grand Prix next to her partner, who is a man probably based on Sarutahiko Okami, Ame no Uzume's husband.
Warai Uzume no Mikoto participating in the 108th Lunarian M-1 Grand Prix.
Go-Reisho Document
The Go-Reisho Document is a book written by the goddess of laughter herself. Whoever reads this book will gain as much skills for comedy as the gods.
Warning: Several spoilers below
During Kekkai Shoujou's judging in the 1st Grand Prix, Yukari asks Ran to get a human for her. At the end, Ran kidnaps Marisa for Yukari.
In the extra scene of the 2nd Grand Prix, Marisa reappears in front of Reimu. Marisa tells Reimu that she was able to steal the Go-Reisho Document, and that way, they would win the next Grand Prix easily.
Marisa officially comes back as Reimu's partner in the 3rd Grand Prix, however, Alice had used a fake doll Marisa as a replacement. When Alice sees the real Marisa coming, she explains herself saying that everyone had thought Marisa had been eaten by Yukari.
In the 6th Grand Prix, Warai Uzume, the goddess of laughter, appears as a judge, along with Yorihime and Yukari. The prize for this Grand Prix would be the Go-Reisho Document, which was won by Tokamak Club, but happened to be fake as Shikieiki's stated in an intermission. Then, Yorihime explained what really happened, just before Yukari fled:
Marisa exchanged the actual Go-Reisho Document for a fake one, the one that was used as the prize for the 6th Grand Prix. When Yukari kidnapped Marisa, she kept the actual Go-Reisho Document, erasing Marisa's memories. However, while nobody was at Yukari's house, Komachi had gone to get back the actual Document.
Shikieiki and Komachi, together as Binary Drop, then had to defend their property over the actual Go-Reisho Document in a final round against Tokamak Club, which they won with an unanimous decision by the judges.
It wasn't until the 12th Grand Prix that both Shikieiki and Komachi participated in manzai again to retain their possession over the Go-Reisho Document. They surprisingly lost to Rinnosuke and Sumireko, who together as Hifuudou, became its new owners.