Line #82 VideoGame/ArcanaHeart


1	%%
2	%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1649697987096223000
3	%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
4	%%
5	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arcanaheart3.png]]
6	%%
7	''Arcana Heart'' is a FightingGame series developed by Team Arcana. The series features an [[ImprobablyFemaleCast all-girls]] cast.
8
9	Many years ago, the human world and the Elemental World coexisted peacefully, but were forcibly separated by a dimensional barrier. However, somewhere above [[TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse 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.
10
11	The original ''Arcana Heart'' was released in arcades and for the Platform/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, who each have their own moves and techniques. 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.
12
13	An updated version, entitled ''Arcana Heart FULL!'', addressed some character balancing issues.[[note]]The regular and ''FULL!'' versions of each character are selectable in the home version.[[/note]]
14
15	There's also the sequel ''Arcana Heart 2'', and its enhanced remake ''Suggoi! Arcana Heart 2''. The latter got a [=PS2=] port of [[PortingDisaster questionable performance]].
16
17	''Arcana Heart 3'' was released December 2009. It was ported to the Platform/PlayStation3 and Platform/Xbox360. The game was published by Creator/ArcSystemWorks. The game is only available in North America through the Platform/{{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 Platform/{{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 {{Platform/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 characters, Pistrix and Dark Heart. ''SIX STARS!!!!!!'' was released on Steam on December 12, 2017.
18
19	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''.
20
21	The series has had various publishers: AQ Interactive (''1'' & ''2'', JP), Creator/{{Atlus}} (''1'', NA), Andamiro (''2'', NA), [[Creator/ArcSystemWorks Arc System Works/Aksys Games]] (''3'' & ''LOVE MAX!!!!!'', JP & NA), Zen United (''3'', EU), and [[Creator/NipponIchi NIS America]] (''LOVE MAX!!!!!'', EU).
22
23	----
24	!!Stand-by Angel! FIGHT!
25
26	* 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.]]
27	* AwesomeButImpractical: Most of the cast's Critical Hearts can fall into this category. Critical Hearts are generally the character's most impressive and damaging move they have, but beyond just needing full three bars to perform, many of them require specific inputs or conditions to be set, so successfully pulling one off can be way too difficult for normal play.
28	* BigFancyHouse: Petra's stage. This is justified considering she's the Ojou.
29	* BodyguardLegacy: Both Koinumaru and Inuwaka clan of [[LittleBitBeastly dog]] ninjas try to select and train retainers for the Millennium Guardian, Kamui Tokinomiya. The former clan was able to send Konoha to be a retainer for Kamui, Nazuna, and Akane coming from the latter clan to try to be Kamui's retainers as well.
30	* BorderOccupyingDecorations: ''3'' was one of the last fighting games designed for a 4:3 aspect ratio SD display. The Platform/PlayStation3 releases added animated sidebars to preserve this aspect ration when playing on a widescreen HD display, along with a trophy for seeing all possible variants of the sidebar animations. This is averted in the Platform/{{Steam}} release, which was rebalanced for widescreen play.
31	* CapcomSequelStagnation: ''3'' has gotten several updates, beginning with ''LOVE MAX!!!!!'', followed by ''LOVE MAX SIX STARS!!!!!!'' and ''LOVE MAX SIX STARS!!!!!! XTEND''.
32	* CastFromHitPoints: The main gimmick of Sorwat, Clarice's default Arcana.
33	* ChromosomeCasting: As noted in the description, the cast is all-female.
34	* ComboBreaker:
35	** Going into the once-per-round [[SuperMode Arcana Force]] mode will automatically free a player from a normal combo. Super attacks cannot be escaped.
36	** In ''3'', this has been separated into [[SuperMode Extend Force]], which acts as a {{Cancel}} instead, and Arcana Burst, which functions as a Combo Breaker.
37	* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: At least for the semi-boss of Story Mode.
38	* DisturbedDoves: One of Petra's winposes has her shoot one of her guns in the sky, and a flock of doves fly past her.
39	* DoItYourselfThemeTune: The first game's opening is performed by Creator/MikakoTakahashi, the voice of series' protagonist Heart Aino.
40	* DoppelgangerAttack:
41	** Two of Konoha's super attacks, a normal super and her [[LimitBreak Critical Heart]] in ''2''.
42	** Ditto for Akane.
43	* DoppelgangerSpin : Lilica uses "afterimage" (i.e. extreme speed) style doppelgängers in two of ''her'' supers.
44	* ElegantGothicLolita: [[GratuitousGerman Obligatory German girl]] Lieselotte practically ''defines'' this.
45	* ElementalPowers: In addition to the characters' standard attacks, the Arcana grant additional powers to the Maidens, and can be used interchangeably by anyone.[[note]]Though the characters all have their own preferred default Arcana.[[/note]]
46	* EmpathicWeapon: Yoriko's staff, who is actually a very powerful demon.
47	* EnfanteTerrible:
48	** Kira Daidouji, who already has [[TakeOverTheWorld world domination]] aspirations at the tender age of 11.
49	** Lieselotte's pretty damn creepy. She carries her sister's soul in the body of a legless puppet.
50	* ExtremityExtremist: Saki and Akane mostly kick, and Zenia mostly punch. However, they also have one or two moves which involve their unused limbs.
51	* {{Fanservice}}: In large quality and quantity, mainly in moe archetypes. Compared to other fighting game series known for fanservice, mainly ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'', it's pretty tame.
52	* FullFrontalAssault: One of the concept characters that never came to be named Omega takes the games' fanservice to its logical extreme. Aside from the tattered remains of the straitjacket that used to bind her and some manacles, she walks around stark naked. The only thing preventing one from getting a peek at her privates are various objects that conveniently get in the way such as a belt or her hair.
53	* GenkiGirl: Heart and Lilica. In the case of the former, she won't allow anything to deter her.
54	* GratuitousForeignLanguage: The names of many of the Arcana attacks. For example, one of Bhanri's Super Moves is called Fearg Lorg.
55	* HalfHumanHybrid:
56	** Lilica is an half-demon.
57	** Konoha is part-dog.
58	** Akane has fox ears that she's somewhat embarrassed about.
59	* HeroicSacrifice: Surprisingly, ''Mike'', of all [[strike:people]] demons, is implied to do one in Yoriko's bad ending (first game), shielding Yoriko and Lilica from the energy of the spirit world long enough for them to escape:
60	-->"Don't worry about me, [[BadassBoast even this much power is but a refreshing breeze to a demon king]]!"
61	* HeroOfAnotherStory: Everyone to each other in ''3'' because every single character ending is merely a short scene on how everyone is affected afterwards. And Elza's story ending takes place before the game even begins.
62	* HumongousMecha:
63	** Well not ''humongous'' per se, but the mech Catherine drives is fairly large (standing, it fills the vertical screen space).
64	** [[spoiler:Ragnarok, the final boss of ''3'', is a true humongous mecha. Sort of. It's actually an oversized artificial Arcana.]]
65	* ImprobablyFemaleCast: Justified since this is an all-girls fighting game series.
66	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Mike, the self-proclaimed "demon king" sealed in Yoriko's staff. He's abrasive, boastful, and often callous (he's the one responsible for Yoriko's pact with the Death Arcana, which terrifies her), but he's also intensely protective of Yoriko, and seems to cause her inconvenience only out of denseness.
67	* KamehameHadoken: Partinias' Ouranio Toxo. In the second game, Petra's Critical Heart.
68	* LeotardOfPower: Mei-Fang and Catherine both wear one.
69	* LimitBreak: The Arcana Blazes, which can only be used in [[SuperMode Arcana Force mode]]. Critical Hearts in the second game also count.
70	* LittleBitBeastly:
71	** Konoha is a dog girl ninja with the cutest little ears to match.
72	** ''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.]]
73	* MightyGlacier:
74	** Kira is slow, because of her large blob, but deals a lot of damage with her grapple moves. Catherine, who was added in the second game, uses a mech instead.
75	** Fiona. She's extremely slow, she does wear pieces of ''plate mail armor'' and carry around a sword larger than she is, but has very high HP and defense ratings, her Arcana's defense oriented and she hits like a truck with that sword.
76	* NebulousEvilOrganisation: The Drexler Institute in the third game and its updates.
77	* NunsAreMikos: Elsa and Clarice. Elsa plays this straight, but Clarice is [[NaughtyNuns kinda naughty]].
78	* PlayboyBunny:
79	** Catherine's outfit. Or perhaps, better said: Swimsuit + Bunny Ears.
80	** Dorothy plays it straight in one of her special victory poses in ''3''.
81	* PlayingWithFire: Mei-Fang's default Arcana.
82	* ThePowerOfLove: Taken literally with Heart's default Arcana Partineas, the Arcana of Love that launches {{Energy Ball}}s and [[KamehameHadoken huge beams of sheer whoopass]].
83	* PowersAsPrograms: The Arcana.
84	* PunctuatedForEmphasis: In the After Story mode of ''LOVE MAX!!!!!'', when Elsa warns Petra about the dangers of the rainbow-colored stones, she responds, "Why. Didn't. You. Tell me?!"
85	* SaveBothWorlds: This is the main plot of the series.
86	* SecretCharacter: Fiona in the first game, [[spoiler:Scharlachrot]] in the third.
87	* ShoutOut:
88	** [[spoiler:Scharlachrot]] has two. A number of fans have compared one of her attacks with [[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom2 the Omega Destroyer]], while on the character select screen she may mutter [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion "Anta baka?"]]
89	** Eko's Critical Heart bears more than a passing resemblance to [[Franchise/TouhouProject Oni Sign "Missing Power".]]
90	** One of the console trophies is named "Sword Summoner mark III." Mark I and II were used by Nu and Lambda in the ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' series.
91	** Some of the downloadable color palettes in ''Arcana Heart 3'' make references to ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' and ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'' ([=ASW=]'s other works). For example.
92	*** Saki's DLC 3 palette is [[VideoGame/GuiltyGear Ky Kiske/Millia Rage]].
93	*** Clarice's DLC 3 palette is [[VideoGame/GuiltyGear Bridget]].
94	*** Fiona's DLC 3 palette is [[VideoGame/GuiltyGear May]].
95	*** Konoha's DLC 3 palette is [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Bang Shishigami]].
96	*** Kamui's DLC 3 palette is [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Hakumen]]. For a moveset ShoutOut, she gets something of [[VideoGame/GuiltyGear Johnny]]'s Mist Finer.
97	*** Mei-Fang's DLC 3 palette is [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Litchi Faye-Ling]].
98	*** Petra's DLC 3 palette is [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Rachel Alucard]].
99	*** Dorothy's DLC 3 palette is [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Carl Clover]].
100	*** Lilica's DLC 1 palette is [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Morrigan Aensland]].
101	*** One of Scharl's is Black*Rock Shooter.
102	*** One of Lilica's is [[VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness Etna]].
103	*** One of Heart's is [[VideoGame/Persona4 Yukiko Amagi]].
104	** Several of the characters' alternates unlocked through DLC/Online resembles ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', in particular, Heart as Madoka Kaname, Saki as Homura Akemi, and Petra as Mami Tomoe.
105	** Catherine's color scheme and fighting style resembles [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Dr. Eggman/Robotnik]].
106	** 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 "[[Franchise/TouhouProject Yukkuri Shiteitte Ne]]".
107	** Petra is a GunsAkimbo character in ''2'' and ''3''. One of her win poses has her shoot in the sky, followed by DisturbedDoves flying past her. She's obviously a reference to Creator/JohnWoo movies.
108	** Pistrix's 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.
109	* SNKBoss:
110	** Mildred in the first game. During the first phase of the battle, she's in a cocoon like object while she transforms into her archangel form. She's protected by two orbiting {{Attack Drone}}s that fire projectiles that cover the length of the stage and only reliable way to attack her without getting defeated is if the player has a character or Arcana with good projectiles. She's fought in her archangel form regardless of whether the player wins or loses. However, if the player doesn't defeat her during the first phase, she starts the match off with a maximum super meter. Furthermore, she has a collection of all the best moves in the game, and she can dish out more damage with a special move than the player can with a super move. Finally, Mildred has a screen filling super that will take half of the player's health if she catches them off guard.
111	** In ''Suggoi! Arcana Heart 2'', Parace L'Sia, like Mildred, has a collection of the game's best moves. However, she has less health. That doesn't matter because she recovers her health gradually, and her regular attacks have range akin to projectiles that comes out too fast to dodge. Parace also has a OneHitKO super move that cannot be dodged, another super move that allows her to rapidly heal herself ''and'' refill her super meter, and she teleports like crazy. In ''3'''s Score Attack, she's somehow even worse, which quite possibly makes her the single hardest fighting game boss ''ever''. While her above mentioned super move is no longer a one hit KO, she is able to reads your inputs and is far more aggressive. She can easily pull off combos that will deplete your lifebar if she manages to hit you even once. She teleports a lot more as well, making even hitting her a chore. Pretty much the only reliable way to beat Parace is to try again and again, because the more times you lose to her the less health she starts the fight with. As of ''[[UpdatedRerelease LOVE MAX!!!!!]]'', however, the final part doesn't happen anymore as she's a fought as a challenge separate from Score Attack.
112	** Ragnarok in ''Arcana Heart 3'' gets extra points for being a boss designed for an ''entirely different style of gameplay''. And if time runs out, you can't continue.
113	** The final fight against Kamui in Survival Score Attack: Kamui moves ridiculously fast; showering you with attacks, barely giving you any opportunities to attack or guard. Kamui is also in permanent [[SuperMode Extend Force mode]] and to top it all of she can use Anutpada's [[TimeStandsStill abilities]].
114	* SuperMode: Arcana Force mode. Can be activated once per round, and provides an additional Arcana-specific benefit.
115	* TeenGenius:
116	** Kira, who is actually a preteen. She built her own ether-powered [[BlobMonster blob]], and the ether-circuits used to power Mei-Fang.
117	** Catherine Kyohbashi is another one, having built the huge robot she controls by herself.
118	* TimeStandsStill: Anutpada (the time Arcana)'s LimitBreak.
119	* TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse: Though, the third game's scope expands to all of Japan.
120	* TokyoTower: The backdrop for Lilica's stage in the first game.
121	* VariableLengthChain: [[spoiler: Scharlachrot]] uses them. Lots of them.
122	* VictoryPose: Starting with the second game, this is notably {{inverted\|Trope}}. If you win a round, but not the entire match, the ''loser'' is the one who has an animation and voice line while the winner remains in her idle pose. You do get a normal victory pose upon winning the match.
123	* WorldOfActionGirls: It's a fighting game where all the player characters are various female anime character archetypes.
124	----

Context VideoGame / ArcanaHeart