History VideoGame / ArcanaHeart

Many years ago, the human world and the Elemental World coexisted peacefully, but were forcibly separated by a dimensional barrier. However, somewhere above Tokyo, there is someone actively working to break down the barrier and merge the two worlds once again, which could bring disastrous consequences to all of Earth. A handful of maidens have been given the power to communicate with elemental guardian spirits known as Arcana, which grant them the power to take the necessary steps to prevent this from happening.

''Arcana Heart 3'' was released December 2009. It was ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/Xbox360. The game was published by Creator/ArcSystemWorks. The game is only available in North America through the UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Network}}, while it received a physical release in Europe. The Japanese arcade version saw an UpdatedRerelease with ''Arcana Heart 3: LOVE MAX!!!!!'', which is mostly about rebalancing issues and a cosmetic update. ''LOVE MAX!!!!!'' was ported to the [=PS3=] and UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation Vita}} with extra features such as an After Story scenario and Trial Mode. Another update, titled ''Arcana Heart 3: LOVE MAX SIX STARS!!!!!!'', was released for Japanese arcades in Winter 2014. It features a new character, Minori, and a new Arcana (the Arcana of Blood). As of September 2015, ''LOVE MAX!!!!!'' has received a PC port from Creator/ArcSystemWorks, and is available in North America on {{UsefulNotes/Steam}}. After initial problems of trying to bring ''SIX STARS!!!!!!'' into retail, [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/99831120/arcana-heart-3-love-max-six-stars-2d-fighting-game/ a Kickstarter]] was made to bring the game to Steam. The Kickstarter succeeded while also bringing Parace L'Sia back as a usable Arcana and introduced two new playable character, Pistrix and Dark Heart. ''SIX STARS!!!!!!'' was released on Steam on December 12, 2017.

* RomanticTwoGirlFriendship: Saki and Heart, and ''maybe'' Lilica and Yoriko; others are by one's own interpretation.

** Both Avalonnes.
** Parace in ''Suggoi! Arcana Heart 2''. She comes back in the Score Attack Mode of the console port of ''Arcana Heart 3''. OhCrap.

** Eko's Critical Heart bears more than a passing resemblance to [[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Oni Sign "Missing Power".]]

*** One of Heart's is [[VideoGame/{{Persona 4}} Yukiko Amagi]].

** The Xbox 360 achievements are all over the ears with these such as "[[Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar Atatatatatatatatatatatatatata!]]", "[[Film/DirtyHarry Do You Feel Lucky, Punk?]]" and even "[[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Yukkuri Shiteitte Ne]]".

[[caption-width-right:350:This is not the cover of a dating sim.]]

* {{Ninja}}: Konoha.

* {{Samurai}}: Kamui.

* WidgetSeries: [[ImprobablyFemaleCast All. Moe]]. [[FightingGame Fighting. Game.]] The fact that it actually stands on its own merits is notable.

The original ''Arcana Heart'' was released in arcades and for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2. Apart from the roster of characters, this game's play mechanics are similar in some respects to ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'', with their emphasis on speed and combos, and the ability to take battles really high into the air. Each character is actually divided into two parts: The fighter herself and her Arcana. Though each character has one canonically set to her in the story, the game allows you to choose whichever one you want when you play.

* ZettaiRyouiki:
** Heart has the knee socks variant.
** Petra's outfit. Long boots version.

* AGodAmI: The big bads of the series have attempted to use the Arcana for their own gain.

''Arcana Heart'' is a FightingGame series developed by Examu. The series features an [[ImprobablyFemaleCast all-girls]] cast.

** Pistrix' Shark Tornado super is a pretty blatant nod to the ''Film/{{Sharknado}}'' franchise. Meanwhile, her Critical Heart is a giant nod to ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', complete with a ''Jaws'' theme sound-a-like.

** Pistrix' Shark Tornado super is a pretty blatant nod to the ''Film/{{Sharknado}}'' franchise. Meanwhile her Critical Heart is a giant nod to Film/{{Jaws}} complete with a Jaws theme sound-a-like.

** Pistrix' Shark Tornado super is a pretty blatant nod to the ''Film/{{Sharknado}}'' franchise.

** Pistrix' Shark Tornado super is a pretty blatant nod to the ''Film/{{Sharknado}} franchise.

Heart Aino, the first game's main character, would later appear as the sole Arcana Heart representative in the MassiveMultiplayerCrossover VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle, alongside characters from VideoGame/BlazBlue, VideoGame/UnderNightInBirth, WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}, VideoGame/Persona4Arena, VideoGame/AkatsukiBlitzkampf, and VideoGame/SenranKagura.

Heart Aino, the first game's main character, would later appear as the sole Arcana Heart representative in the MassiveMultiplayerCrossover VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle, alongside characters from VideoGame/BlazBlue, VideoGame/UnderNightInBirth, WebAnimation/RWBY, VideoGame/Persona4Arena, VideoGame/AkatsukiBlitzkampf, and VideoGame/SenranKagura.

* PettingZooPeople:
** Konoha is a dog girl ninja with the cutest little ears to match.
** ''Suggoi! Arcana Heart 2'' adds a [[ExtremityExtremist kick happy]] dog girl and a dog girl who is basically an {{expy}} of Nakoruru (complete with bird), mounted on a wolf with a staff. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_oRwjzxtj0 There.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arcana_heart_bonus350_4379.jpg]]

* CapcomSequelStagnation: ''3'' has gotten several updates already, beginning with ''LOVE MAX!!!!!'', followed by ''SIX STARS!!!!!!'' and now ''SIX STARS!!!!!! XTEND''.

* ABoyAndHisX: Eko and her sentient protective drawing Kazu. He does the fighting for her.

* ABoyAndHisX: Eko is the story of a girl and her sentient protective drawing Kazu. He does the fighting for her and.

%% * ABoyAndHisX: Eko is the story of a girl and her sentient protective drawing. %% Add more context to describe their relationship and what effect it has on them. %%

* ABoyAndHisX: Eko is the story of a girl and her sentient protective drawing.

''Arcana Heart'' is also making an appearance in the MassiveMultiplayerCrossover fighting game, ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle''.

* AllYourPowersCombined: Mildred Avalon has this in the original ''Arcana Heart''.
* AnimalMecha: Two of the new Arcana in ''3'', Gottfried and [[spoiler: Baldur]] are this. This is because [[spoiler: they are artificially created Arcana, as is the boss Ragnarok.]]
* AnimeChineseGirl: Mei-Fang, particularly in some of her winposes.
* AxCrazy: [[spoiler: Scharlachrot]] comes off as this.
* BadassLongcoat: Zenia, again.
* BattleButler: Fiona Mayfield.
* {{BFS}}: Fiona wields one.
* BigBad: Mildred in the first game, and her older sibling, Angela, in the second game. Interestingly, [[spoiler:Mildred]] serves as Angela's Arcana when she debuted.
* BigFancyHouse: Petra's stage. This is justified considering she's TheOjou.
* BlackMagicianGirl: Dorothy Albright in ''2''.
* BoobsOfSteel: Mei-Fang, almost literally since she's a robot girl.

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Heart Aino.

* CoolBigSis: Akane Inuwaka.
* CuteClumsyGirl: Heart tends to fall down in the opening of her stage.
* CuteLittleFangs: Lilica has them since she is half demon.
* CuteWitch: Yoriko. Shy and bookish, but she carries a mean skeletal MagicWand.
* DarkIsNotEvil:
** In Yoriko's case. Her Arcana's element is evil, but she's really a good-natured witch.
** Clarice di Lanza is a demonic nun and seems rather nice all around, and [[SayItWithHearts speaks with music tones.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: Saki.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Kira, Catherine, and Angelia.

* EverythingsBetterWithPenguins: Zenia's default Arcana, "Almacia", the [[AnIcePerson ice Arcana.]]
* EvilAlbino: Liesolette. She's an assassin.

* ExtraOreDinary: Fiona's default Arcana, Orichalkos.

* EyesAlwaysShut: Clarice, most of the time, unless she's not in a good mood.

* TheFourGods: Mei-Fang's moves.
* FragileSpeedster: Lilica. She is fast. However, she can't take much damage.

* GreenThumb: Konoha's default Arcana, Moriomoto. It is a plant Arcana.
* GunsAkimbo: Petra Johanna Lagerkvist. She wields two guns.

* AnIcePerson: Zenia Valov in ''2'' uses the default Arcana of ice.
* IdiotHero: Heart, whose dialogue reveals her to be unbelievably dumb.
* ImprobableAge: Kira has a ''[[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Doctorate]]'', a freaking ''Ph.D'' at the age of ''11'' years old. Catherine Kyoubashi one-ups her by getting her Ph.D at the age of ''10'' years old.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: Maori, and her sisters, uses an armory full of tops and giant paper cranes.
* ImprobablyFemaleCast
* InsufferableGenius: Kira. She's extremely intelligent, but also very arrogant and condescending.
* JackOfAllStats: Heart.

* LightIsNotGood: Mildred's an angel, so her attacks are light-based versions of the Arcana users' attacks.

* LoveFreak: Come on, her name is ''[[MeaningfulName Heart Ai]]''no''.
* {{Meido}}: Fiona.

* {{Miko}}: Maori and her sisters.

* TheOjou: Petra.

* PaperThinDisguise: Not with a mask, but Kamui thinks that a ponytail is going to hide the fact that she is the Thousand Years Protector. This despite the fact that she carries a katana wherever she goes.
* PetTheDog: Mildred seems to be quite kind to Fiona. She even points out that part of her [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans apocalpytic plan]] is actually intended to help Fiona (after all, Fiona being trapped in the spirit world won't matter when it's merged), and seems genuinely shocked and hurt when Fiona objects, regardless.

** Dorothy plays it straight in one of her special victory poses in 3.

* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Kamui, being the "Thousand Years Protector", is protected by her Arcana so that she never ages physically.
* RobotGirl: Mei-Fang.
* RollerbladeGood: Lilica fights while wearing them.

* SchoolSwimsuit: Kira wears one all the time, with the occasional lab coat over it. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that she fights while being waist-deep in a large blob that mimics her moves.
* SlipknotPonytail: Zenia, if you either beat her with a good attack or if you have a close call victory with her.

* TheStoic: Zenia doesn't talk much most of the time.
* SugarAndIcePersonality:
** Saki. Aloof most of the time, but after her ordeal was over, she was rather apologetic to Heart.
** Zenia. While she's very serious most of the time, she becomes a sweet person when she's around kids.
* TakeOverTheWorld: Kira's ambition.

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: Mildred believes that the merging of the two worlds she's attempting will start a new golden age where everything will be a lot better than it is now. The fact that millions of people will die in the ensuing dimensional turmoil? Acceptable losses.