Touhou Koumakyou: Reimu Wide Shot vs Marisa Thin High Power

Reimu vs Marisa shot-type comparison for Touhou Koumakyou: New Classic. Reimu A homing for stages, Reimu B needles for boss DPS, Marisa A missiles for raw power, Marisa B for Master Spark bomb safety. Pick the right shot for your first 1CC.

Touhou Koumakyou Reimu Marisa Shot Types
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Core problem: In Touhou Koumakyou: New Classic (EoSD remaster, shot types unchanged), you have to pick Reimu (wider, weaker coverage) or Marisa (thinner, higher raw power) plus A/B subtype before you start. Players want the easiest first 1CC or comfortable Extra run, especially with the new unlimited-lives option, without getting stuck on Stage 4/6 bosses or fairy spam.

1Decide Your Goal First

  • 1
    First clear / learning patterns / using unlimited lives: prioritize coverage and forgiveness.
  • 2
    Scoring or Lunatic later: prioritize raw DPS and bomb quality.
  • 3
    Reimu is slower with a smaller effective hitbox feel in practice for many; Marisa is faster but her shots demand you stay lined up.

2Shot-Type Breakdown and When to Pick Each

Shot TypeStrengthsWhen to Pick
Reimu A
Homing Amulets + Fantasy Seal		Wide homing auto-tracks off-axis fairies. Stages become much easier (especially Stage 4 midboss/fairy waves). Fantasy Seal is a strong, multi-orb bomb that clears bullets well. Boss damage is the weakest of the four.If Stage 4 or random fairy clusters keep killing you. Great for Stage 4 specifically.
Reimu B
Persuasion Needles + Evil-Sealing Circle		Straight needles concentrate into a tight "shotgun" when you get close. Best Reimu boss DPS; you can melt spell cards by hugging. Bomb is weaker and has short invuln. Coverage is narrower than A but still better than either Marisa.If you already know the stages and want to delete bosses (Remilia, Flandre, Patchouli) without wasting bombs.
Marisa A
Magic Missiles + Stardust Reverie		Very thin, high-power missiles. Excellent single-target boss damage if you stay under/on the target. Almost no horizontal coverage, so Stage 4 and some mid-stage waves become painful. Bomb does not disable your shot and hits hard if placed on the enemy.Only if you are comfortable streaming and want the highest consistent boss DPS among the four.
Marisa B
Illusion Laser + Master Spark		On/off piercing lasers plus the iconic wide Master Spark bomb (long invuln, screen-clear). Damage is inconsistent because lasers pulse. Coverage is still thin compared with Reimu.If you want the strongest panic button and don't mind the laser flicker.

Key Decisions

SituationPick
Struggling on stages more than bosses?Reimu A. Homing makes early- and mid-game waves trivial.
Dying on bosses / want faster kills?Reimu B or Marisa A. Reimu B is the safer "balanced power" pick for most first-time remaster players.
Love Master Spark / want maximum bomb safety?Marisa B.
Using unlimited lives just to learn?Start Reimu A so you can focus on dodging instead of lining up shots. Switch to Reimu B or Marisa A once patterns are memorized.
Community consensus: Reimu B is the most consistent first-clear shot for people who aren't already experts; Reimu A is the "I just want to see the ending" shot.

3Concrete Play Steps

  • 1
    Start on Easy or Normal with Reimu A if this is your first time in the remaster. Use focus (slow) only when you need precision; unfocused homing covers more of the screen.
  • 2
    Stay mid-to-low on the screen during stages so homing or needles have time to connect.
  • 3
    Against bosses, close the gap with Reimu B or Marisa A — needles and missiles scale hard when you are almost touching the target.
  • 4
    Save bombs for spell cards you haven't memorized yet or for the last two lives on Lunatic. Reimu A's Fantasy Seal is the most reliable "get me out of this pattern" bomb.
  • 5
    In New Classic, hitboxes are circular and slightly smaller than original Classic mode; use the now-visible focused hitbox to practice grazing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid