“One, two,
She counted stars,
And made a wish,
Three, four,
Instead of her,
The night sky wept.”

Marisa Kirisame is a magician who loves stars. On that night, too, Reimu was by her side.

What is that hand-written manuscript you’re holding?

At shooting star wishing parties, participants stare up at shooting stars. Since Marisa Kirisame heard about meteor showers from Rinnosuke, she’s held one every year, with the parties now being a staple in the Gensokyo calendar. The very first one, however, was organized by Rinnosuke, and he, Marisa, and Reimu attended. That night, Marisa came prepared with over 100 wishes.

After the party, Marisa asked Rinnosuke for the dates of all the meteor showers to come. She became so fond of shooting stars that she began looking out for them even when she was alone. Apparently, she became able to use star magic shortly after that first wishing party.

The Kirisame Magic Shop lies in the Forest of Magic and is Marisa Kirisame’s home. Or rather, that’s the name she refers to her home with when she’s supposedly doing business. However, it doesn’t seem like she’s ever made a sale…

There appear to be several rooms in her house. It’s thought that, at the very least, she has a room filled with magic items she’s collected and one that she uses to research magic. Oh, and her tsuchinoko should be around somewhere.

Kourindou is an antique store run by Rinnosuke Morichika that sits near the entrance to the Forest of Magic. The antiques lined up on the shelves are joined by items Rinnosuke finds in Muenzuka, including many rare tools that have drifted in from the outside world. The store doesn’t get many customers―in fact, it gets very few. However, though they don’t come often, a wide variety of people visit the store from within and outside Gensokyo. There are many tales that start with someone patronizing Kourindou. Despite this, the store rarely seems to make any sales. In fact, the owner doesn’t appear interested in selling things at all. Supposedly, an inventory log simply called the Kourindou Catalog exists, so one can only conclude he does occasionally sort through his items… right?

Stars are points of light that glimmer in the sky and are symbols of both freedom and selfishness. Star Essence is one of the three Essences, the other two being Sun Essence and Moon Essence.

The world is underpinned by the three Essences, the four seasons, and the five Phases. The four seasons are, of course, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The five Phases are Wood Phase, Fire Phase, Earth Phase, Metal Phase, and Water Phase.

You can divide all but one of the Essences, seasons, and Phases into two categories: Yin and Yang.
Yang: Sun Essence, spring, summer, Wood Phase, Fire Phase, Earth Phase
Yin: Moon Essence, autumn, winter, Metal Phase, Water Phase, Earth Phase
Neither: Star Essence

Earth Phase is particularly accepting and so falls under both Yin and Yang. Star Essence, on the other hand, is freedom in its purest form and so falls into neither category.

It turns out Marisa and Reimu’s true natures are not so different.