Candidates for Orochi Necks (Kannazuki no Miko/Destiny of the Shrine Maiden)

[JameyoftheMegacosmos]

So I've once again went through Kannazuki no Miko (aka Destiny of the Shrine Maiden), which was the first yuri series (though I like more other, less popular reasons).

The special thing that came to mind were the villains of the series, the Orochi Necks.

For those who don't know the series, Yamata no Orochi is this god who gets released from his seal on the Moon to destroy the world on October 1st. Since he cannot die, his adversary, Ame no Murakumo, is tasked to seal him away once more with help of the Solar and Lunar Priestesses.

The thing is, Orochi also has his own group of servants, the respective Necks, who pilot mecha that combine into his final form. Orochi thrives off of the evils committed both by and towards humanity, so he naturally chooses people who suffered horrible experiences or are outright miserable in some way to become his Necks. While she regaining his final form, they're given power (and robots) to go blow up everyone and everything living on Earth and elsewhere, in addition to trying to kill the two priestesses before they could summon Ame no Murakumo.

This set off the idea of characters from other series being selected as Orochi Necks.
It should be noted that:

• Kannazuki no Miko/Destiny of the Shrine Maiden has this setup that combines pretty much every known demographic (shonen, shoujo, seinen, josei, etc.) as well as all types of genres (romance, action, mecha, magical girls). So not only can the pool be from a very diverse bunch, including series that aren't mecha/shonen/magical girl (Hell, they can be from a historical fiction or romantic comedy series, for crying out loud), but they could even be from video games, western cartoons, literature, films, and whatnot.
• Backgrounds of the Necks don't seem to matter, including ones who even had any combat experience in the first place, never mind piloting mecha. This applied to even the original Necks; who were had decent capability of operating their machines even when they just started attacking g everyone. The only part of their background that matters is their own misery.
• The only other part that isn't arbitrary is how they are placed. While there is a hierarchy in place where the first two are on top, each mecha is vastly distinct and so the Necks are placed more which mecha suits them best.
• The Necks have weapons and abilities outside of their mecha, where even harmless tools become dangerous weapons.

In any case, time to start churning out candidates.

 

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[] Fortuna, Arknights

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If we're talking miserable, Arknights has plenty of candidates, even among minor characters.

If I had to pick one for a yuri series, then Fortuna would be perfect. Sankta/Angel from a traveling and lost monastery whose object of faith is the Law, and the symbol of their faith is the gun. Every Sankta has a guardian gun, and Fortuna inherited her father's. It hasn't functioned in a long time, but when the monastery finally makes contact with Laterano, the residents are forced to make a choice.

Rejoin their mother country but expel their Sarkaz brothers and sisters who've suffered with them through thick and thin, or continue wandering and scorn their faith. Fortuna doesn't want to let go of her Sarkaz neighbors, but she's endlessly fascinated by her home country and has one of the church's agents fix her father's gun. This ends in tragedy when she and Delphine, her friend/GF get into a disagreement about the future of the monastery with Fortuna's guardian gun as a focal point. There's a struggle and Fortuna's gun, the symbol of her faith, goes off and kills Delphine.

Fortuna falls. Her halo and wings grow dim, and she grows horns like the Sarkaz of the monastery. In the end, the question of whether to stay or not is decided for her, and she's banished to travel the wastes along with the Sarkaz to cover up the secret that the Sarkaz and Sankta are one people.

Also, gun-angel/devil. That's cool as hell!

 

[JameyoftheMegacosmos]

[X] Fortuna, Arknights



If we're talking miserable, Arknights has plenty of candidates, even among minor characters.

If I had to pick one for a yuri series, then Fortuna would be perfect. Sankta/Angel from a traveling and lost monastery whose object of faith is the Law, and the symbol of their faith is the gun. Every Sankta has a guardian gun, and Fortuna inherited her father's. It hasn't functioned in a long time, but when the monastery finally makes contact with Laterano, the residents are forced to make a choice.

Rejoin their mother country but expel their Sarkaz brothers and sisters who've suffered with them through thick and thin, or continue wandering and scorn their faith. Fortuna doesn't want to let go of her Sarkaz neighbors, but she's endlessly fascinated by her home country and has one of the church's agents fix her father's gun. This ends in tragedy when she and Delphine, her friend/GF get into a disagreement about the future of the monastery with Fortuna's guardian gun as a focal point. There's a struggle and Fortuna's gun, the symbol of her faith, goes off and kills Delphine.

Fortuna falls. Her halo and wings grow dim, and she grows a tail and horns like the Sarkaz of the monastery. In the end, the question of whether to stay or not is decided for her, and she's banished to travel the wastes along with the Sarkaz to cover up the secret that the Sarkaz and Sankta are one people.

Also, gun-angel/devil. That's cool as hell!

Click to shrink...

Definitely would be a great Neck.

The question here is which position though. I'll make another post here that'll display what each one does.

 

[JameyoftheMegacosmos]

So I've once again went through Kannazuki no Miko (aka Destiny of the Shrine Maiden), which was the first yuri series (though I like more other, less popular reasons).

The special thing that came to mind were the villains of the series, the Orochi Necks.

For those who don't know the series, Yamata no Orochi is this god who gets released from his seal on the Moon to destroy the world on October 1st. Since he cannot die, his adversary, Ame no Murakumo, is tasked to seal him away once more with help of the Solar and Lunar Priestesses.

The thing is, Orochi also has his own group of servants, the respective Necks, who pilot mecha that combine into his final form. Orochi thrives off of the evils committed both by and towards humanity, so he naturally chooses people who suffered horrible experiences or are outright miserable in some way to become his Necks. While she regaining his final form, they're given power (and robots) to go blow up everyone and everything living on Earth and elsewhere, in addition to trying to kill the two priestesses before they could summon Ame no Murakumo.

This set off the idea of characters from other series being selected as Orochi Necks.
It should be noted that:

• Kannazuki no Miko/Destiny of the Shrine Maiden has this setup that combines pretty much every known demographic (shonen, shoujo, seinen, josei, etc.) as well as all types of genres (romance, action, mecha, magical girls). So not only can the pool be from a very diverse bunch, including series that aren't mecha/shonen/magical girl (Hell, they can be from a historical fiction or romantic comedy series, for crying out loud), but they could even be from video games, western cartoons, literature, films, and whatnot.
• Backgrounds of the Necks don't seem to matter, including ones who even had any combat experience in the first place, never mind piloting mecha. This applied to even the original Necks; who were had decent capability of operating their machines even when they just started attacking g everyone. The only part of their background that matters is their own misery.
• The only other part that isn't arbitrary is how they are placed. While there is a hierarchy in place where the first two are on top, each mecha is vastly distinct and so the Necks are placed more which mecha suits them best.
• The Necks have weapons and abilities outside of their mecha, where even harmless tools become dangerous weapons.

In any case, time to start churning out candidates.

Click to shrink...

So for the what the actual Necks do, below is are actually sprite images an artist and I are working on to give a clear image of each machine, plus sharing their capabilities.

Well, new images to share now for Kannazuki no Miko (they've been out for a while now, but still).

First Neck: Take no Yasukunazuchi

The head of Orochi. Fitting for a commander or rival machine by having the strongest combat power. Wields swords and a chest-mounted heat ray.

Second Neck: Yatsu no Onokoshizuchi

The waist of Orochi. It is piloted by who is second in command of the Necks. Grapples opponents with the legs stored on this waist and attacks with its right tendrils that can become drills or electrodes that shoot lighting.

Third Neck: Hi no Ashinazuchi

The legs of Orochi. Attacks with its rocket-powered fist and chains to restrict an enemy.

Fourth Neck: Ooube no Senazuchi

[WILL BE POSTED LATER]

The tail of Orochi. Takes the form of a giant wheel that transforms into a centipede-like mecha. Shoots acid and fires beams of green light.

Fifth Neck: Ho no Shuraizuchi

[WILL BE POSTED LATER]

The arms of Orochi. Is shaped like a Jomon-style pottery jar. Shoots a large flamethrower cannon and icicles from its two heads, representing the pilot's two faced nature.

Sixth Neck: Izuhara no Tamazuchi

The stomach of Orochi. A legless fortress equipped with countless beam weaponry stored in its wings. Also fires a large energy cannons, multiple dozen smaller cannons, and two energy whips within its main body.

Seventh Neck: Take no Yamikazuchi

The chest/heart of Orochi. A versatile machine equipped with various weapons, including bows, swords, and shoulder/wrist-mounted energy weapons.

The double forms are due to the original Seventh Neck defecting in the original series, meaning that this spot can also be used by Necks who suffered tragedies but are capable of defecting.

Eighth Neck: Yokusemi no Mizuchi

The wings of Orochi, made for a Neck who hides in the background. Initially made for high-speed and to pick up defeated members of Orochi, it can also transform its wings into a drill for defense.

 

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Fortuna's character places a lot of importance on her pistol, so the 6th Neck probably works best for her? It's the one most specced for ranged firepower over everything else, and it fits the theme of continued misery if she's in a mech whose primary form of interaction with the world is through the gun that claimed her loved one's life.

[X] Fortuna (Arknights), 5th Neck

 

[JameyoftheMegacosmos]

Fortuna's character places a lot of importance on her pistol, so the 6th Neck probably works best for her? It's the one most specced for ranged firepower over everything else, and it fits the theme of continued misery if she's in a mech whose primary form of interaction with the world is through the gun that claimed her loved one's life.

[X] Fortuna (Arknights), 6th Neck

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Interesting choice. Though I would like to argue that Ho no Shuraizuchi (5th Neck) would be a better fit. I'll have that posted soon since it's almost done, but the setup inside fits via having a reticule for shooting its flame cannon and ice shards, where as the 6th Neck is more for wide-area attacks.

 

[LowUtensil]

Interesting choice. Though I would like to argue that Ho no Shuraizuchi (5th Neck) would be a better fit. I'll have that posted soon since it's almost done, but the setup inside fits via having a reticule for shooting its flame cannon and ice shards, where as the 6th Neck is more for wide-area attacks.

Click to shrink...

That's a good point. I've changed it to 5th Neck.