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1[[quoteright:274:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DoDonPachi_DaiOuJou_Edited_Art_8175.JPG]]
2[[caption-width-right:274:''"[[PrepareToDie Finally, it is time for you to die.]] [[FinalBoss Farewell.]]"'']]
3->''[[BulletHell Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do]]! Do '''DON''' Pachi!''
4-->-- Title Screen, '''[=DoDonPachi=]'''
5
6The ''[=DonPachi=]'' series (also known as the ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' series, after the second game) is a series of BulletHell {{Shoot Em Up}}s by Creator/{{CAVE}}. It is by far one of Cave's most iconic game franchises, with ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' [[TropeMaker being one of the earliest]] Bullet Hell titles.
7
8At first glance, it appears to be yet another game about flying a ship and blasting alien/robotic invaders, but many dark secrets lie beneath the surface. Art design for the first three games is done by "Joker" Creator/JunyaInoue.
9
10Gameplay-wise, the games are known for giving the player access to regular gunfire as well as a [[WaveMotionGun powerful laser beam]] that deals concentrated damage but which slows down the player's craft, making them less mobile but also giving them better dodging precision. The games' scoring systems usually revolve around maintaining an unbroken string of enemy kills, with point bonuses getting higher the longer the player's chain is. Finally, the games are infamous for not only their thick bullet patterns, but also having brutally hard {{True Final Boss}}es, with Hibachi in ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' being the TropeCodifier for the trope in the shoot-em-up genre.
11
12The series spans seven games:
13* ''[[VideoGame/DonPachi1995 DonPachi]]'' (UsefulNotes/{{Arcade|Game}}[[labelnote:Hardware]]CAVE 68000[[/labelnote]] / Platform/SegaSaturn / Platform/PlayStation, 1995)
14* ''[[VideoGame/DoDonPachi1997 DoDonPachi]] '' (Arcade[[labelnote:Hardware]]CAVE 68000 [[/labelnote]] / Saturn / [=PlayStation=], 1997)
15** ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' ''Campaign Version'' (Arcade, 1997) -- An ArrangeMode of ''[=DoDonPachi=]'', see below
16* ''[[VideoGame/DoDonPachiIIBeeStorm DoDonPachi II: Bee Storm]]'' (Arcade[[labelnote:Hardware]]International Game Systems's [=PolyGame=] Master[[/labelnote]], 2001) -- Developed by Taiwanese company IGS with no involvement from Cave; published by Capcom. A proof of concept game for the Polygame Master PCB; essentially a [[RecycledInSpace rehash]] of DDP - despite this, it is still considered canon by Cave despite fans [[GodNeverSaidThat saying Cave did the opposite.]]
17* ''[[VideoGame/DoDonPachiBlissfulDeath DoDonPachi Blissful Death]]'' / ''[=DoDonPachi=] [=DaiOuJou=]'' / ''[=DoDonPachi=] III'' [''DEATH Label''] (Arcade[[labelnote:Hardware]]IGS PGM, but a variation tailored for CAVE[[/labelnote]] / Platform/PlayStation2 / Platform/Xbox360, 2002) [[note]]Is also named ''[=DonPachi=] Episode 4'' in a [[https://www.cave.co.jp/gameonline/daioujo/gallery/img/clear01.jpg level transition.]][[/note]]
18** ''[=DoDonPachi=] [=DaiOuJou=] Black Label EXTRA'' (Xbox 360, 2009)
19** ''[=DoDonPachi=] [=DaiOuJou=] Tamashii'' (Arcade, 2010, China only) -- A China-region release of ''DOJ'' with an "easy mode" running on different hardware.
20** ''[=DoDonPachi=] Blissful Death'' (Platform/{{iOS|Games}}, 2012)
21** ''[=DoDonPachi=] [=DaiOuJou=] Re:incarnation'' (Platform/NintendoSwitch and Platform/PlayStation4, upcoming for December 7, 2023) -- As part of the ''Creator/{{M2}} [=ShotTriggers=]'' lineup. It includes the original version, ''Black Label'' and the previously unreleased ''[=DoDonPachi=] III'' international version.
22* ''[[VideoGame/DoDonPachiResurrection DoDonPachi Resurrection]]'' / ''[=DoDonPachi=]: [=DaiFukkatsu=]'' (Arcade[[labelnote:Hardware]]Cave [=SH3=][[/labelnote]], 2008; JP Xbox 360, 2010; [[Platform/IOSGames iOS]] and Android, 2010; EU Xbox 360, 2011; Windows (via Platform/{{Steam}}), 2016; Platform/NintendoSwitch, 2021)
23** ''[=DoDonPachi=]: [=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label'' (Arcade, 2010; Xbox 360 port released on February 3, 2011 [Two versions: As add-on in form of DLC, or as stand-alone game with an exclusive ArrangeMode, which basically is a crossover of [=DaiFukkatsu=] and VideoGame/{{Ketsui}}.])
24* ''[[VideoGame/DoDonPachiMaximum DoDonPachi Maximum]]'' (Windows Phone 7 / iOS, 2012)
25* ''[[VideoGame/DoDonPachiTrueDeath DoDonPachi True Death]]'' / ''[=DoDonPachi=] [=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' (Arcade[[labelnote:Hardware]]Cave [=SH3=][[/labelnote]], Spring 2012)
26** ''[=DoDonPachi=] [=SaiDaiOuJou=] Kan'' (Xbox 360, Spring 2013)
27** ''[=DoDonPachi=] Ichimen Banchou'' (iOS, December 2015, 3-stages-only remake of [=SaiDaiOuJou=].) [[note]]Recieved an English port by the name of ''[=DoDonPachi=] Unlimited'' in 2016; both versions were removed from their respective app stores around 1 year after their release dates, for unknown reasons.[[/note]]
28** ''[=DoDonPachi=] True Death: Exa Label'' (Arcade[[labelnote:Hardware]]exA-Arcadia[[/labelnote]], 2020)
29
30''[=DoDonPachi=] [=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' is currently [[GrandFinale the last game in the series]].
31
32The series is [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant not to be confused with]] that spiky orange guy from ''Manga/BoboboboBobobo''.
33
34----
35!!The ''[=DonPachi=]'' series provides examples of the following:
36
37* OneUp:
38** Like many other shmups, [[EveryTenThousandPoints you gain an extra life at point-based thresholds]]. By default, you can only do this twice per game, or once in ''[=DonPachi=]''.
39** Every game has a hidden 1-up token, usually requiring you to destroy a particular target in Stage 3 or 4 ''without'' using bombs.
40* ActorAllusion: If you happen to play as [[Creator/EriKitamura Hikari]] in ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' and was able to get to [[Creator/AoiYuuki Hibachi]]'s TrueFinalBoss form, then you may have been able to spoil the entire second half of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' [[ItMakesSenseInContext inversely]] and [[FridgeHorror straight]]. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXoklEOJL8g&t=1680s Go figure]].
41* AIIsACrapshoot: Hard to tell without a human translation, but Perfect☆ developed her speech patterns and behavior entirely on her own. The Element Daughters based on the original three Element Dolls are also this.
42* AlasPoorVillain: [[spoiler: Hina (Hibachi/Inbachi)]] in ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]''.
43* AllegedlyFreeGame: ''Ichimen Banchou'' is a free-to-play mobile game with microtransactions.
44* AlternateContinuity: ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' is not set in the same continuity as the rest of the series.
45* AnimeThemeSong: ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' has "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWjT99lnHeE Hoshikuzu Garandou]]" sung by Creator/AyaHirano as the opening theme and the Zwei song "Heading For Tomorrow" as the ending theme.
46* AnnouncerChatter: ''[=DonPachi=]'' features a noticably enthusastic announcer that commentates excitedly as the game progresses. A lower-pitched version of his voice clips are used in ''Dai Ou Jou''.
47* AntiFrustrationFeatures: In ''dai ou jou''[='=]s 2nd loop, the chain meter decreases more slowly to compensate for the increased difficulty.
48* ArcWords: "Shinu ga yoi"[[note]]"Dying is good." Or in {{Woolseyism}}, "Go on and die."[[/note]] in ''[=DaiOuJou=]''. This gets echoed in ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' [[spoiler:by Inbachi during her final pattern.]]
49* ArrangeMode: In spades.
50** ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' has the "Campaign" or "Blue Label" version, which is considered to be a precursor to ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', due to increased difficulty, and a prototype of the [[SuperMode Hyper]] system that would appear in ''[=DaiOuJou=]''.
51** ''[=DoDonPachi DaiOuJou=]'' has the "Black Label" arrange, which decreases the difficulty of the first loop, but increases the second loop's difficulty in exchange. Furthermore, the player is asked if they want to do a one- or two-loop game; choosing a one-loop game results in [[TrueFinalBoss Hibachi]] appearing at the end of that one loop. It also fixes a few bugs that main programmer Tsukeni Ikeda had problems with.
52** The Platform/PlayStation2 port of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' has the "Death Label", a BossRush mode which pits you against all of the bosses at second loop difficulty In a row with maximum firepower and a full Hyper meter per boss. And then it pits you against [[DualBoss two]] Hibachis (at reduced power). If you somehow make it, you get a second loop... With [[NoDamageRun one life]], [[PointOfNoCOntinues no continues]], and [[NoSell bomb-immune bosses]]. Oh, and you still fight the Hibachis at the end, but at '''''full power'''''. It's so hard, it took '''''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8JBDyFC9BE seven and a half years to beat.]]'''''
53** The Platform/XBox360 port of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' also introduced the X-Mode, An 1-loop mode where the [[SuperMode Hyper]] system can cancel bullets[[note]]Shotia cancels bullets with shots, Leinyan with the laser, Exy can cancel with both shots, but requires two hyper levels to activate, and Piper can do the same as Exy, but with only one hyper level, and with a shortened duration[[/note]], and each bullet canceled applies one point to the hit chain.
54** The ''Re:incarnation'' edition of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' features three arrange modes, each based around a specific Elemental Doll. All of them have only one loop and Koryuu's second form and Hibachi are always faced at the end. Mode-specific details:
55*** Arrange S (Shotia) gives the player a narrow-range shot that is always in Hyper and no laser (holding down the shot button merely rapid-fires the shot) or bombs. Firing at an enemy that can sustain more than one hit's worth of damage builds up a Rinne gauge, which rapidly depletes when not firing continuously at the same enemy; if the enemy is destroyed when the gauge is full, it will release large star items. There is no hit combo system in this game, so bees instead award points based on how many big stars have been obtained by destroying enemies with a full Rinne gauge. To make up for the lack of bombs, you gain an extra life after destroying each midboss or boss, up to 20.
56*** Arrange L (Leinyan) is closer to the original experience, featuring the combo system and the more traditional shot and laser, and swaps out the Rinne gauge for a Tensei gauge that similarly fills up when firing the laser at the same enemy continously. Destroying an enemy with the Tensei gauge at full cancels all bullets on-screen and adds cancelled bullets to your combo (similar to ''[=DoDonPachi=] Resurrection BLACK LABEL''). Getting hit with bombs will automatically fire a bomb, and getting hit with a Hyper will automatically activate Hyper (which takes precedence over bombs). You gain an extra life after defeating each boss.
57*** Arrange EX (Exy) is similar to Arrange L, but features second-loop bullet patterns and the more lenient combo timer of the second loop. Like Arrange S, you get extra lives from defeating midbosses and bosses.
58** ''[=DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu Black Label=]'', despite bearing the title of an UpdatedRerelease, is more of a mix of this and a GaidenGame. Programmed by S. Yagawa of ''VideoGame/BattleGaregga'' fame, this mode adds in a Red Mode that bears resemblance to the [[DynamicDifficulty rank]] system often seen in his games, and allows you to shoot both the shot options and laser at the same time. It also introduces a '''''harder''''' TrueFinalBoss form of Hibachi in [[spoiler:Zatsuza]][[labelnote: Unlock Requirements]]Use Strong Style, meet the Hibachi requirements and beat Golden Disaster without dying[[/labelnote]].
59** ''[=DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu Black Label=]'' which adds in the Tiger Schwert and ''Ketsui'''s chips (which go up to '10'), a remixed version of its soundtrack by Creator/{{Virt}}, and even DOOM as the TrueFinalBoss.
60** ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'''s iPhone port has the Phone mode, which has the "Slaughter" and "Menace" {{Super Mode}}s. The "Menace" mode is activated by grazing bullets, and builds up multiplier for a maximum of x1000, which is cashed in by a hyper, and activates the "Slaughter" mode. The "Slaughter" mode increases ship firepower and makes enemies drop stars, but also rapidly decreases the multiplier. This mode also allows you to play as Hibachi by beating the game on one credit and defeating her[[note]]You could use a cheat code, but [[NoFairCheating you have to reenter it every playthrough]][[/note]].
61** ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'''s port for the Platform/Xbox360, titled "Resurrection", also includes a few arrange modes of its own:
62*** Arrange A (ver L) gives you the Type-A ship from ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' with increased option sets [[note]]Three sets of options in normal mode, four in Boost[[/note]], and switches up the Hyper System into the medal-based system featured in ''[=DaiOuJou=]''. This mode is actually a sequel to ''[=DaiOuJou=] Death Label'', complete with stage end pictures from ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', and a GoldenEnding [[spoiler: where Leinyan stops Exy from altering the past, preventing the StableTimeLoop from ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' from happening.]]
63*** Arrange B is played one stage at a time, where, after the stage is cleared, the next playthrough will be more or less difficult, but enemies give out more points. The combo counter has been removed, and bee icons now change the "Grid" of the screen. While a "Grid" is active, Enemy patterns change, and their corresponding rank increases as well[[note]]Blank is the default grid, and allow both bullet speed rank and bullet quantity rank to be manipulated, the Red grid makes the enemies fire slow but dense patterns at you and increases bullet quantity rank, the Blue grid makes the enemies fire aimed high-speed patterns, and increases bullet speed rank, and the green rank has both ranks increase and enemy patterns are both fast and dense[[/note]].
64*** ''[=DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu Version 1.51=]'' has the Hyper counter function as a [[DynamicDifficulty Rank]] system, with the counter increasing by one every time a Hyper is activated. At Hyper Rank 7, normal enemies use their harder Ura loop bullet patterns for the remainder of the stage, and at Hyper Rank 9, bosses do the same. In addition, the bomb and Hyper systems are now the same button (Hypers take priority), collecting a bomb item now completely replenishes bomb stock and puts you in Maximum mode, and aerial star value is multiplied by the HIT count. Lastly, the conditions for reaching the TrueFinalBoss are much, ''much easier'' here than the other modes, as all the player needs to do is reach Hyper Rank 9 in two of five stages and nothing more.
65** ''[=DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou=]'''s 360 mode has you control Saya, who has an energy meter instead of typical VideoGameLives. [[CastFromHitPoints Her special Shot-Laser consumes energy]], getting hit activates her autobomb, which also costs energy, and she has no extra lives, so it's game over if you don't have energy to spare, but you can regenerate it by collecting aerial stars while in Hyper mode. The ''EXA Label'' version of this mode imposes a persistent DamageOverTime effect to bring it in line with [[NintendoHard arcade-level difficulty]].
66*** ''EXA Label'' has EXA Mode, which massively overhauls the game to something resembling a score attack mode, emphasizing risk and reward in its scoring system. Among these changes, grazing bullets now charges your Hyper meter, and Hyper Shot now cancels bullets akin to ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''. In addition, the Rank cap is now 100 as opposed to 50, Rank also varies wildly with player action, and bombs are now a more strategic resource with the MAXIMUM bonus removed and cancelled bullets creating aerial stars. Overall, EXA-Label is a love child of DOJ X-Mode and DFK Arrange A's Hyper Systems combined with DFK Black Label's DynamicDifficulty.
67* ArtShift: The art direction for the first three games was done by "Joker" Creator/JunyaInoue, the art for ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' was done by Kouji Ogata, and the art for ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' was done by [[VideoGame/ExaPico Nagi Ryou]].
68* AscendedMeme: The infamous 'full extent of the jam' text from ''[=DoDonPachi=]'''s original legal warning was [[https://twitter.com/cavegames/status/657547380372299776 later]] [[ThrowItIn placed in]] [[VideoGame/MushihimeSama Mushihime-sama]]'s legal warning for its Platform/{{Steam}} re-release.
69* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: AI from ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' is sometimes portrayed this way in official artwork, stomping around Tokyo, being (futilely) attacked by the [[TitleDrop DonPachi]] ships, and crushing one in her hand.
70* AwardBaitSong: Heading For Tomorrow, the ending theme from ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]''.
71* AwesomeButImpractical: In ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' and ''[=DoDonPachi=] Dai Ou Jou'', firing a laser bomb at the boss when its health is in the critical red part of the gauge will raise the hit combo by a large amount (moreso than laser bombing when its health is in the yellow). The increased combo can increase your end-of-stage bonus and it looks cool to bomb the boss as a FinishingMove, however this also means you start the next stage (if any) with one less bomb, and the games feature a Maximum bonus that awards points per frame, with the bonus increasing the more excess bombs you've collected, so bombing will end that Maximum bonus, negatively impacting your score in the long run. As such, this technique is only to be used as a last resort (e.g. to avoid being killed by a difficult pattern)
72* BalanceBuff: Traditionally, dropping a SmartBomb destroys your combo, whether it's at 10 hit or 10,000 hit. In ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'', manually firing a bomb now only reduces your combo by 30%, although an auto-bomb (if you choose to enable auto-bomb) will still remove the entire combo.
73* BattleshipRaid: "Wow! Look at the size of that battleship! Keep your finger on the trigger, rookie!" And they only get more powerful from there.
74* BeamOWar: The counter-laser mechanic that was introduced in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' and has been present in every ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' release since. You can block enemy lasers with your own laser.
75* BeeAfraid: Embodied in the form of Hibachi. Reinstated by Zatsuza. Reinforced by Hibachi's theme song from ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', in which the background guitar sounds like a swarm of bees buzzing.
76* BeehiveBarrier: The incarnation of Kouryuu in ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' uses these in its boss fight.
77* BigBad:
78** There is no particular BigBad in [=DonPachi=], unless you count [[spoiler: Taisabachi, the true final boss.]]
79** [[spoiler:Colonel Schwarlitz Longhena is this in [=DoDonPachi=], when he reveals that he orchestrated you destroying the lost fleet of the [=DonPachi=] Corps.]]
80** Hibachi ''itself'' is the main villain of [=DaiOuJou=], being the leader of the mechanized hordes looking to eradicate humanity: the cause of the Blissful Death Wars.
81** [[spoiler:Colonel Godwin Longhena (Schwarlitz's descendant) and Next EXY form a BigBadDuumvirate in Dai-Fukkatsu.]]
82** [[spoiler:In ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'', Hina, a.k.a. Hibachi/Inbachi]], fulfills a very similar role to that of the Hibachi in [=DaiOuJou=] in that [[spoiler: she wishes to eradicate humanity and make way for the "evolution" that is her and the Element Dolls.]]
83* BittersweetEnding:
84** Emphasis on "Bitter" in ''[=DonPachi=]'', where the pilot has finally joined the [=DonPachi=] Squadron, but only after [[spoiler:destroying countless numbers of his comrades, who all willingly gave their lives up via aerial assaults as part of his training]].
85** In the 2nd-loop ending of ''[=DoDonPachi=]'', it's revealed that [[spoiler:in killing his own allies, Colonel Longhena, and his special forces, the player character ironically solved the problems of overpopulation, environmental pollution, and the arms race. As to whether [[WellIntentionedExtremist this was what Longhena wanted]] or [[NiceJobFixingItVillain something that just so happened to be as a result of his orders]], not even the protagonist knows.]]
86* BossGame: ''[=DaiOuJou=] DEATH Label'', which comes with the [=PS2=] port of ''[=DaiOuJou=]''.
87* BossOnlyLevel: In Ichimanbanchou, several levels you can unlock [[spoiler: and Hibachi for EX 1-3]] are this.
88* BossWarningSiren:
89** "WARNING: THIS IS NOT SIMILATION. GET READY TO DESTOROY THE ENEMY. TARGET FOR THE WEAK POINTS OF F**KIN' MACHINE. DO YOUR BEST YOU HAVE EVER DONE." in [=DonPachi=].
90** "You are approaching the target of attack. The mission starts now! Are you ready?" in [=DoDonPachi=].
91** "Watch out! Watch out!" ("WARNING: Huge battle machine is approaching. Control system is changed into proximity battle mode.") in [=DoDonPachi: DaiOuJou=].
92** "An unidentified battleship/unprecedented tremendous force is approaching!" ("Impact.") in [=DoDonPachi: DaiFukkatsu=].
93* BraggingRightsReward: Beating Hibachi (or any variant) in any game. Admittedly, it's ''well''-earned bragging rights. In the mobile ports of [=DaiFukkatsu=], you even [[DefeatMeansPlayable get it as a playable character]] once you beat the entire game on one credit and defeat it.
94* BreakingOldTrends: For the ''Re:incarnation'' version in particular:
95** It is the first ''Creator/{{M2}} [=ShotTriggers=]'' port not to feature a "custom" mode that can alter the game beyond the original [=ROMs=]' specifications (such as boosted shot power, auto-bomb, starting on the 2nd loop, and hitbox size reduction).
96** It is the first ''[=M2STG=]'' port to lack score and Arcade Challenge gadgets in vertical orientation.
97** Its Arcade Challenge mode is the first one to have an optional fail condition other than getting hit. In this case, there is a setting that forces a retry if you miss a bee, and another that forces a retry if you break your hit combo or again miss a bee[[note]]Requiring bees to be collected ensures that the player eventually starts a hit chain, since uncovering a bee adds to combo. Otherwise, one could just simply [[invoked]][[PacifistRun avoid shooting]] so that [[LoopholeAbuse they never technically break combo in the first place]].[[/note]].
98* BulletHell: ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' is widely considered the TropeCodifier for the entire genre. ''[=DonPachi=]'' was more of an "in-between" game, with the TropeMaker having been Creator/{{Toaplan}}'s ''Batsugun''.[[note]]CAVE was one of the companies that was formed by former Toaplan developers after the latter's closure.[[/note]]
99** "Do" is the onomatopoeia for guns firing in Japanese. That intro narration ''is'' BulletHell.
100** SerialEscalation: See the last bullet wave in the above Black Label Hibachi video.
101** Hibachi's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG9COkH6QYs&feature=related DaiOuJou incarnation]] has fewer bullets, but teaches us why we should thank god for slow bullets.
102** Then there is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPlcN1wiPYw Hibachi Arrange A]] which somehow manages to one up Zatsuza.
103* CanonWelding: With ''Ketsui'':
104** In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK LABEL''[='=]s ArrangeMode, what seems to be a plotless crossover with ''Ketsui'' at first [[spoiler:turns out to be a simulation for the pilots of ''Ketsui'', making it a StealthPrequel.]]
105** ''Maximum'' explains that the enemies fought throughout the former series were developed by EVAC Industry.
106* {{Cantata}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWuHfINP5ms "Longhena Cantata"]]. Colonel Longhener/Longhena's theme, played during the boss battle between him and Golden Disaster. It's also one of the video game's {{leitmotif}}s and an OneWomanWail.
107* {{Cap}}: ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' has a score cap that could be easily reached by more skilled players. [[ExpansionPack Version 1.5]] of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' corrects this by adding more digits.
108* ChineseGirl: Leinyan from ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' and her evil countepart in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', Ray'n.
109* ChromaticArrangement: The three main types of ships are Red (straight-forward shot), Green (turning shot), and Blue (wide shot). This extends to the playable characters of ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' as well.
110* {{Combos}}: The essence of the series' scoring systems.
111* ContinuityNod: ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' is the only direct sequel in the series; the backstory consists of the code of the Elemental Dolls (the protagonists of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'') performing a FaceHeelTurn and going back in time to 2008. [[spoiler: Colonel Godwin Longhena, the descendant of Schwarlitz Longhena from the original ''[=DoDonPachi=]'', turns out to be responsible for the events of the whole series. [[TimeyWimeyBall Kind of.]]]]
112* CreepyDoll: The Element Dolls themselves are life-sized versions of these. One piece of artwork also shows Shotia laying in a pile of them.
113* {{Crippling Overspecialization}}: Some shot types in the series suffer from this.
114** In ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', Type A with Leinyan (A-L) and Type B with Shotia (B-S). The former has amazing boss performance but its extremely narrow shot raises the difficulty of many stage portions significantly, while with the latter, even though it has the biggest spread shot of the game and the highest number of bombs, it suffers from a severe reduction of speed and damage when holding fire, turning high HP enemies into a nightmare, and god help you if ever Die on a stage portion with A-L/boss fight with B-S.
115* {{Crossover}}: ''[=DoDonPachi=] [=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label Arrange'' incorporates many elements from another Cave shooter, ''VideoGame/{{Ketsui}}'', complete with the cover art being a big throwback to that game. It even has the TrueFinalBoss of ''Ketsui'', Evaccaneer DOOM. It can be seen in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_LGyRaPTPc this trailer]].
116* DarkerAndEdgier: Series-wise, ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', but when compared to other BulletHell games, the series is this.
117* DeconstructorFleet: The storyline of the series, at the very least, is a deconstruction of many typical scrolling shoot-em-up plots.
118** ''[=DonPachi=]'': How do we create a OneManArmy capable of destroying enemy fleets? [[spoiler:Make our recruits [[KlingonPromotion destroy our own fleets]].]]
119** ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' could also be this for the whole concept of a FanService RobotGirl.
120** ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'': {{Robot Girl}}s? Let's try to make them out of the population of an entire city and see what happens! Meanwhile, the Pilot himself is a deconstruction of the ExcusePlot and a TakeThatAudience--not caring about the damage he causes so long as he carries out his orders. [[ThisLoserIsYou Sound familiar?]]
121* DegradedBoss: Kouryuu appears in ''[=DoDonPachi=] II'' as the first enemy you encounter in the game, but it's with none of their additional attacks, and it goes down very quickly. It regains its proper status in ''[=DaiOuJou=]''.
122* DifficultButAwesome: While the whole game can be counted as one by BulletHell standards, Exy in ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' has the lowest bomb count of the three Dolls, but gets both Shotia's regular shot and Leinyan's laser shot, and only loses one power level of each upon death instead of one of one shot type and all of the other.
123** In ''Dai-Fukkatsu'', Power Style also qualifies. You can't bomb (except you do get one auto-bomb upon picking up a bomb item) and the shot is still slightly weaker than Strong Style even in Boost Mode, but Power Style also builds up Hypers the fastest ''and'' any bullets cancelled by your Hyper while in Boost Mode also charge up your ''next'' Hyper. Play your cards right and you can have a Hyper ready basically anytime you want.
124* DifficultyByRegion:
125** For ''[=DonPachi=]''
126*** The Hong Kong version of ''[=DonPachi=]'' is '''insanely difficult''' (much more difficult than the Japanese version), in part due to a larger player hitbox, and doesn't have cutscenes. The HK version wasn't completed for '''''26 years'''''...until December 2021, when a European superplayer, [[https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1246147701 "Plasmo" finally completed it.]]
127*** The Korean version is mostly the same as the Japanese version, except the first boss was made slightly easier and the text is in Korean.
128*** The American version is '''much easier''' than any other version of the game, since in this version the difficulty is lowered significantly and the bombs get restored after every stage, which doesn't happen in any other version of the game. In this version, the text is also in English.
129** ''[=DoDonPachi=] dai ou jou'':
130*** The cancelled international release of ''dai ou jou'', titled ''[=DoDonPachi=] III'', features some adjustments to make the game easier. Some of these adjustments would be adapted for ''dai ou jou Black Label''.
131*** The Chinese version of the game, ''[=DoDonPachi=] dai ou jou Tamashii'', features an Easy difficulty not found in previous arcade versions of the game.
132* DifficultyLevels:
133** ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label'' features a variant of this: Bomb Style is the "normal" mode of the game, granting you a standard bomb stock and standard firepower. Power Style is the "hard" mode, granting you a very limited bomb stock in exchange for two different firepower modes, and forcing you onto the hidden paths and bosses of Stages 2 through 5. Finally, Strong Style is the HarderThanHard mode; it's Bomb Style with more firepower, but it features devilish base difficulty, is the only way to unlock the TrueFinalBoss, and gives you a ContentWarning informing you that the mode is for advanced players only. (It's ''not kidding.'')
134** The pattern continues in ''Saidaioujou'', where Shot mode is designed for survivability, Laser mode is designed for a more challenging experience, and Expert mode combines the advantages of Shot and Laser mode but also brings up the difficulty to "play at your own risk" levels.
135* DistractedByTheSexy: Apparently {{Inverted}} in ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]''. The [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/02/04/your-swimsuit-drives-enemies-wild-in-next-dodonpachi-game swimsuit costume]] makes enemy attacks more intense.
136* DoItYourselfThemeTune: ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWjT99lnHeE Hoshikuzu Garandou]], the opening theme sung by Creator/AyaHirano, who plays the Platform/Xbox360 exclusive character Saya.
137* [[AutobotsRockOut DonPachi Squadron, Rock Out!]]: The ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label'' soundtrack as well as its Arranged Mode variant, which takes that album up to eleven. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ2y67EjyUo Here's the normal Boss theme from Arranged Mode]].
138* DoubleMeaningTitle: A subtle example in [=SaiDaiOuJou=]'s logo; the kanji in the red circle (kan/完) can both mean 'complete' (referring to the game being a more improved version of [=DaiOuJou=]) and 'end' (referring to the game being the GrandFinale for the series as a whole). Doubles as a JustifiedTitle for the same reason.
139* DownerEnding: The [=DonPachi=] series is known for it dark endings, I'm afraid...
140** At the end of the first loop in ''[=DonPachi=]'', [[spoiler:the horrible truth is [[TheReveal revealed]] to the player that the pilot has been fighting comrades the whole time (and apparently knew it).]] At the end of the game, [[spoiler:take [[http://www.vgmuseum.com/end/arcade/d/donparun.htm a moment of silence for the thousands of your fellow soldiers you've killed]].]]
141** While not precisely the end of the game, the ending of the first loop of ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' is perhaps even more chilling because [[spoiler:you are tricked by your commander, Colonel Schwarlitz Longhena, into believing that the invading enemy force are mechanized aliens, and you don't know that they're really your comrades until your commander reveals this upon you unlocking the second loop]]. It's even worse if you don't fulfill the requirements to get to the second loop, as that means [[NightmareFuel the pilot will forever be left in the dark as to who he was fighting and why.]]
142** In two of the three endings for ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', expect the ending to leave you either sad or scared. [[spoiler: Shotia's ending is the sad one; her memory is deleted bit by bit by a virus until the last memories in her are of her human days; she smiles fondly of them as they go too, and she dies. Exy's ending, on the other hand, is horrifying: she goes crazy and chokes her operator to death while crying blood, then goes and does things leading to ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''.]]
143** ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' 's ending is perhaps the worst of all. Not only is your mothership destroyed by Colonel Godwin Longhena and the Golden Disaster (though you ''do'' kill Longhena and destroy Golden Disaster and Hibachi), but it's revealed that in an attempt to stop the events of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', Next Exy already '''caused''' the events of [=DaiOuJou=] in a StableTimeLoop, rendering the events of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' completely pointless.
144*** This is subverted with [[spoiler: Leinyan's ending in ''[=DaiOuJou=]''; she is cruelly pulled away from her human pilot who she has fallen in love with and deactivated, being sent off for research. But later she escapes with the help of cyberspace and reunites with her pilot.]]
145*** Leinyan is also involved in the GoldenEnding of ''Dai-Fukkatsu,'' [[spoiler: where she stops Exy from causing the events of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' and prevents Longhena's plan from ever reaching fruition in the process.]]
146* DualBoss: ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' Death Label finishes the boss rush with two Hibachis.
147* DynamicDifficulty: The BLACK Label version of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''. When an on-screen bar (called the "reddo" (烈怒) gauge) fills up to a certain level, the number of bullets fired by enemies will increase. Watch the above BLACK Label Hibachi to ''really'' see exactly how completely insane this can get.
148** And ''not'' raising the gauge will nerf your combos and points, making the difference between survival and scoring very clear.
149** ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' has a visible numeric rank meter at the top-center of the screen.
150* {{Dubstep}}: ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]''s boss theme, "Taiji", is infamous for a twelve-second dubstep segment.
151* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness:
152** In ''[=DonPachi=]'', there are no special requirements to access the second loop. It's also comparatively light on the bullets compared to later games and, along with ''[=DoDonPachi=]'', doesn't have the Elemental Dolls that over half of the series is known for.
153** ''dai ou jou'' is the first CAVE game to get a ''Black Label'' revision, and compared to later games' ''Black Label'' versions, it doesn't change a whole lot, mainly just doing some rebalancing tweaks. By 2010 CAVE standards, it's more like a "Version 1.5" release.
154* EasierThanEasy: The [=PS2=] version of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' has a secret No Bullets option. It is ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin exactly as it sounds]]''.
155* EasyModeMockery: In [=Ichimen Bancho=], when you pick easy mode, the Bancho saids "Hmph, just a {{Mook}}!". However, playing easy mode is mandatory for unlocking further stages by achieving 80% Clear & No Miss.
156* EnergyWeapon: An enemy attack in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''.
157* EveryTenThousandPoints: [=DonPachi=] has a single extend at 2 million points; the other games will give out extra lives at two different score boundaries displayed on the title screen, which can be adjusted.
158* {{Expy}}: AI from ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' is about one dye job and outfit change from being Music/HatsuneMiku. She also resembles [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3 Yuriko Omega]].
159** Saya from ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' has a lot to do in common with Yuriko Omega. Right down to her backstory and confrontation with [[spoiler: Hina]].
160* FakeDifficulty: In the original "White Label" version of ''dai ou jou'', when you start the second loop all of your spare lives are taken away in an effort to get you off the arcade machine.
161* FanDisservice: The cover of ''[=DaiOuJou=] Black Label [=EXTRA=]'', as seen on this page. Shotia, Leinyan, EXY and Piper, all heavily damaged, and Shotia is bleeding from one damaged eye.
162* FinalBoss: Taisabachi/Colonel Bee in [=DonPachi=], [[RestrainingBolt The Final Demonic Weapon]] in [=DoDonPachi=], Kōryū (or Kouryuu) in [=DaiOuJou=], Golden Disaster in Dai-Fukkatsu, and Neo Kōryū in [=SaiDaiOuJou=].
163* FlashOfPain: For the bosses, as well as slightly tougher fodder enemies when shot.
164* ForDoomTheBellTolls: Kōryū's boss music in Daioujou. See [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSY4xRMvvOg here]]
165* TheFourGods[=/=]FourIsDeath: The boss names in ''[=DaiOuJou=]''. In order: Suzaku, Byakko, Genbu, Seiryū, and Kōryū. Hibachi comes immediately after Kōryū, as it is Hibachi's containment unit.
166* FramingDevice: In ''Maximum'', the premise is that you're a visitor at EVAC's headquarters and get to try out a "Maximum Bullet Simulator" that [[MegamixGame simulates past battles, i.e. levels from previous games in the series]].
167* FriendlyLocalChinatown: Stage 1 of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' is a large Chinatown [[RecycledInSpace in Space]].
168* GameBreakingBug
169** Arrange A in the 360 and Windows versions of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' can [[http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=58342&p=1213208#p1213208 crash]] if the player holds down the shot and full-auto buttons, then while doing that tries to change normal/boost mode and trigger Hyper Counter at the same time.
170** Also in Arrange A on the 360 port, the game uses lots of intentional slowdown to assist the player, much like in other CAVE games. In the Windows port, however, there is ''[[OhCrap no slowdown whatsoever]]''.
171*** It turns out that the supposed intentional slowdown likely [[UrbanLegendOfZelda didn't even exist]] on the Xbox 360 version either - when Degica looked into it, they found out that the amount of slowdown varied between 360 consoles, with some having significantly less slowdown than others. In other words, all of the slowdown in Arrange A appears to be hardware-based. So when you run the same code (more or less) that had hardware slowdown on an Xbox 360 using a [[FailedASpotCheck significantly better system...]]
172** ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' on 360 has the problem of not only input lag, but ''inconsistent'' input lag.
173* GameMod: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtfKz6eTzsE DoDonPachi Arrange]]'', an unofficial arrange mode in which bombs retain combo rather than break it and cause the player's score to continously increase at a rate proportional to their current combo.[[note]]For those who keep up with video game scoring mechanics, it's heavily inspired by ''Battle Bakraid''.[[/note]] Also, the boss music is replaced with [[CutSong an unused spy-esque track]].
174* GoMadFromTheRevelation: [[spoiler:At the end of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', Exy dives into the enemy information system and is able to shut it down, but goes insane; choking her ship's pilot to death and then [[TotalPartyKill slaughtering the incoming search party]].]]
175* GoOutWithASmile: [[spoiler:Shotia's ending in ''[=DaiOuJou=]'': her memories are deleted one by one [[DeathOfPersonality until her first memories - where she lived as a human - remain.]]]]
176* GoldenEnding: [[spoiler: ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' Arrange A's ending has Leinyan stop Next Exy from causing the events of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', preemptively stopping Longhena's "[[ForeverWar glorious]] [[StableTimeLoop world]]" from being achieved. Appropriately, the achievement in the Platform/XBox360 port for beating the second loop is called "Humanity's Triumph".]]
177* GoldenSnitch: ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' features an extreme example, with virtually all of the scoring coming at the ends of stages 3 and 5 due to an infamous overflow bug.
178* GoodAllAlong: In ''[=DoDonPachi=]'', [[spoiler:the enemy fleet you fight against turns out to be the good guys, as they were trying to stop Colonel Longhena's genocide of humanity. By following [[TreacherousAdvisor Longhena]]'s orders, [[UnwittingPawn you]] removed the major obstacle to his goal.]]
179* GrandFinale: ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' is not just this for the franchise, but is also Creator/{{CAVE}}'s last big shmup. The cover gives this quite a bit of emphasis too; [[https://hg101.kontek.net/dodonpachi/SaiDaiOuJou01.png the kanji used in the red circle in the title (完) can mean both 'complete' and 'end'.]]
180* GratuitousEnglish: In ''[=DonPachi=]'', despite the announcer's fluent English, much English ''text'' in the game was clearly inserted by someone who didn't really understand certain... vagaries (like the curious hyphenation found a couple of times in the ending). Perhaps someone should cross-check the credits with that of ''VideoGame/ZeroWing''....
181-->'''Copyright statement''': WARNING: This game is for use in <country> only. Sales, export, or operation outside this country may be construed as copyright and trademark infringement and is strictly prohibited. ''Violator and subject to severe penalties and will be prosecutedt to the full extent of the jam!''
182-->'''Boss Alert''': WARNING: This is not similation. Get ready to destoroy the enemy. Target for the weak points of [[PrecisionFStrike f**kin']] machine. Do your best you have ever done.
183** The announcers of ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' and ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' also speak in English, in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', the announcer speaks in Japanese.
184** In the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht0CdMTr5KA trailer]] for ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label''[='=]s Arrange mode: "JUST A COUPLE MORE SHOTS desu"
185** In ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'': "Hyper System: Standby!" and "Hyper System: Ready!"
186* GuestFighter: ''Maximum'', in addition to the RSF-4D from ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' and Delta Sword from ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' and ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' as the "Type-A" and "Laser" type fighters respectively, it also has ''VideoGame/{{Ketsui}}'''s Tiger Schwert as the "Lock-On" type, ''VideoGame/AkaiKatana'' 's Orchid as the "Bomb" type, and Uotaro from ''Puzzle Uo Poko'' as the "Variable" type
187* GuiltBasedGaming: Don't you dare choose not to play the second loop in ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' when prompted, or you'll be given the same ending you get when completing the first loop without meeting the requirements for the second loop!
188* HardModeFiller: Many games in the series require you to unlock and clear the second loop just to face the TrueFinalBoss (and the GoldenEnding). ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK LABEL'' and ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' are exceptions, being one-loop affairs where you face the TFB at the end of the only loop if certain conditions are met.
189* HarderThanHard: Strong Style in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label''. It grants your ship immense firepower...at the cost of making the enemies ALSO powerful.
190--> '''DANGER:''' This style is customized for '''advanced players'''. Proceed only if you have '''prepared yourself'''.''
191* HitboxDissonance: The games have relatively small hitboxes compared to the ship sizes. There's an odd example with the Type-B Helicopter (or Biaxe, as it's called in ''Dai-Fukkatsu''); in Donpachi the hitboxes are on the large side and Type-B's extends pretty from the main rotor to a ways down the tail). In Dodonpachi, the hitbox is noticeably smaller and is actually moved back a bit so that it's located behind the main rotor in the thin segment of the tail fuselage between the main rotor and the tailfin (much like how the later VideoGame/{{Ketsui}}'s hitboxes are not centered on the main rotor but placed behind them).
192* [[HumansAreBastards Humans Are]] [[HumansAreFlawed Ungrateful]] [[HumansAreBastards Bastards]]: Put this in perspective: all of the pilots are not human, forced to work for a shady organization, and ordered [[spoiler:to initiate a genocide]] as a ''training'' exercise that makes up an entire arc in ''[=DonPachi=]''.
193** Later games [[DiscussedTrope make it much more unclear]] due to [[TimeyWimeyBall just how messed up the timeline gets.]]
194* ImageSong: For ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEqsipZ4vdA DoDonPachi Dai Ondo]], as well as its [[https://youtu.be/37SDfPPC_Qs?t=2m38s official remix]].
195* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: Does the enemy really need that many {{Mook}}s and bullets just to take down ''one pilot''? Considering what the pilot is a part of, [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration yes!]]
196* IncendiaryExponent: "Hibachi" means "Fire Bee"... and indeed, Hibachi is often on fire when it fights.
197* InterspeciesRomance: [[spoiler: In Leinyan's ending in ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', said Element Doll realizes she has feelings for her pilot. Even when she is cruelly dragged away from him and deactivated, it STILL doesn't stop her from coming back to him.]]
198* {{Joshikousei}}: AI from ''[=DaiFukkatasu=]''.
199* KillAllHumans: Apparently the motive of the enemies throughout the series.
200* KillerRobot: Most of the enemies in the series are this. Hibachi is the most killer of them all.
201* KlingonPromotion: [[spoiler:Becoming a OneManArmy in [=DonPachi=] and [=DoDonPachi=] involves mowing down your own comrades. In [=DoDonPachi=], it's implied that the Pilot is promoted after taking down Longhena.]]
202* KnightTemplar: [[spoiler:Colonel Schwarlitz Longhena, and his descendant, Godwin.]]
203* {{Leitmotif}}: Since ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', [[TrueFinalBoss Hibachi]]'s had an extremely fast-paced drum 'n bass boss theme.
204** "Longhena Cantata" is Colonel Longhener/Longhena's theme, played during [[spoiler:the boss battle with him and Golden Disaster]].
205* LighterAndSofter: ''Maximum''. No deconstructive plots, no traumatizing endings, the plot consists entirely of you visiting EVAC Industry and being invited to try out a BulletHell simulator. The ending is [[spoiler:just a thinly-veiled AuthorAvatar of Tsuneki Ikeda boasting about how badass CAVE is as a game developer]].
206* LogicalExtreme: Of the BulletHell genre itself, ''[[TropeMaker which it created]]''. For comparison, let's have ''Franchise/TouhouProject'': in that series, you normally have to go through the game once to get to the ending, and then go through Extra Mode ([[NintendoHard and you can't continue on Extra Mode]]). ''[=DonPachi=]'' takes that, and decides you have to go through the game twice, with the second as Extra Mode, while normally beating every boss in the game on one life, ''and then'' beating the True Final Boss (which would be best described as [[RankInflation Extra++ Mode]]). There are fans who are dedicated enough to do exactly that.
207* LongSongShortScene: In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK LABEL''[='=]s ''Ketsui'' arrange mode, when you start the game you hear Virt's arrangement of "DOOMSDAY", the ship select theme from ''Ketsui''...for all of five seconds, as there ''are'' no other ships to select (only the Tiger Schwert) unlike in the other modes so the game immediately goes to the intro cutscene.
208* LuckyCharmsTitle: Perfect☆ from ''[=DaiFukkatsu=].''
209* MacroGame:
210** Arrange B in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' has you powering up enemies over successive playthroughs so that they become bigger sources of points.
211** ''[=Ichimenbanchou=]'' is effectively the opposite of Arrange B, starting you off with a piss-weak ship that you level up over successive playthroughs with coins that you pick up in-game.
212* ManBehindTheMan: In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=],'' [[spoiler:the entirety of the plot is revealed: exploiting their desire for revenge, Colonel Godwin Longhena manipulated the Element Dolls/Daughters into exterminating the human race, convinced of its intrinsic imperfection and aiming towards rebuilding it according to his idea of flawlessness (an attempt already foiled centuries before by the first [[TitleDrop DonPachi Squadron]]). Said ambitions come to an abrupt halt with the destruction of the ultimate fighting machine Hibachi.]])
213** It's implied in ''[=SaiDaiOujou=]'' that [[spoiler:someone similar to Longhena caused Hina/Hibachi to try to convert everything to machines and is responsible for the Inbachi personality.]]
214* ManipulativeBastard: [[spoiler:Schwarlitz Longhena from ''[=DoDonPachi=]''. Also his descendant Godwin Longhena from ''Dai-Fukkatsu''.]]
215* MarketBasedTitle: The overseas version of ''[=DoDonPachi=] dai ou jou'' was released as ''[=DoDonPachi=] [[NumberedSequels III]]''.
216* MeaningfulName: '''Shot'''ia from ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' is the shot type. Leinyan, whose name can also be pronounced '''Ray'''-nyan, is the beam (or "ray") type, and her ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' form is named '''Ray''' 'n. '''Ex'''y is good at both shots and lasers but has fewer bombs compared to the others, making her suited for '''ex'''pert players.
217* MegamixGame: ''Maximum'' simulates levels from previous ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' games, [[{{Crossover}} as well as]] one from ''VideoGame/{{Ketsui}}''.
218* {{Meido}}: Again, Perfect☆ from ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', complete with a serving tray.
219* MoeAnthropomorphism: Taken to an [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext illogical extreme]] with [[TrueFinalBoss Hibachi]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_QBisDe2OQ&t=3m20s as a little girl]] in ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]''.
220--> '''Hibachi Hina:''' ''(while firing)'' [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall Dodododododododo-do~!]]
221* MoodWhiplash: Originally, ''[=DoDonPachi=]'s'' style is not far removed from cliched old-school shoot-em-ups, and only its endings suggest any darker turn. ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' suddenly takes a DarkerAndEdgier turn [[spoiler: with endings that include and are not limited to: the Element Dolls either dying (alas, poor Shotia) or rebelling against their masters. Special mention goes to Exy, who chokes her pilot to death while bawling tears of blood.]] Then ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' comes around, and it is extremely humorous / fanservice-y due to the [[NightmareFetishist transforming robot girls, complete with]] [[MemeticMutation white pantsu]]. Then it goes right back to Dark and Edgy with its ending, showing that the entire battle was pretty much a waste, the player's victory only having set the events of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' up in a StableTimeLoop.
222* MultipleEndings: Each game typically has at least three: one for completing the first loop without fulfilling the requirements for the second, one for completing both loops but not unlocking the TrueFinalBoss, and one for completing said boss.
223* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast:
224** Taisabachi (Colonel Bee), the boss you fight before Hibachi in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', had its name changed in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label'' to "[[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Supreme Weapon of Extreme Hellish Annihilation - Golden Disaster]]." However, people prefer to separate [=DonPachi=]'s Taisabachi from Golden Disaster in [=DaiFukkatsu=] by using the different names.
225** Hibachi's full name is "Kyokusatsu Heiki - Hibachi," (極殺兵器) "Supreme Killing Weapon - Hibachi."
226** In case you didn't get the hint that the special [=PS2=] BossRush mode of ''dai ou jou'' is for experts ONLY, it is called "'''DEATH''' LABEL".
227* {{Nerf}}: In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' Stage 5 on the Nintendo Switch port, the laser cannons at the start of the stage don't give as much combo as in earlier versions of the game.
228* NestedStoryReveal: In ''Resurrection BLACK LABEL''[='=]s ''Ketsui'' arrange mode, [[spoiler:the ending reveals that the events of the game were a simulation "based on an ancient battle" (likely the events of ''DFK'') for the pilots in ''Ketsui'']].
229* NintendoHard: Seen as ''the'' face of challenging BulletHell games. The unforgiving enemy chaining system doesn't help matters; a single wrong move can break your chain (that you are expected to maintain throughout the entirety of each stage) and continuing after running out of lives will cost you millions of points.
230** Oh, and you will be reduced to only one life upon starting the second loop in ''[=DaiOuJou=]''... but whenever you complete a stage and/or pick up the hidden 1-Up in Stage 4, you will be granted extra lives!
231* NoDamageRun: In order to unlock stages in [=Ichimen Bancho=], one has to achieve No Miss & 80% Clear, each can be done separately, and even though the game records "No Bomb, No Hit" attempts, it isn't mandatory to avoid using bombs. Although in Black difficulty, it disallows you from using bombs, making "No Bomb, No Hit" requirement mandatory.
232* NostalgiaLevel: The final stage of [=DaiOuJou=] has you revisiting the first stage of [=DoDonPachi=] as well as a [[LegacyBossBattle Legacy]] BossRush against the bosses from [=DoDonPachi=].
233* NoFairCheating: In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''[='=]s mobile ports, you can unlock Hibachi by either [[DefeatMeansPlayable defeating it in a one-credit run]], or by inputting a cheat code. However, using the cheat code causes Hibachi to lock back up upon exiting the game, while defeating it makes the unlock permanent.
234* NonIndicativeName: Stage 5 of ''Maximum'', a [[NostalgiaLevel replica]] of Stage 5 of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', is called The Dividing Road of Fate... however, "Dividing Road of Fate" is the title of the theme to the ''second'' stages of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' and ''Maximum''. The actual track played in ''Maximum'' Stage 5 is "The Battle Was Just 'To Continue That Future'", also the Stage 5 theme in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''.
235* NostalgiaLevel
236** Level 5 of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' looks like a DarkerAndEdgier version of level 1 from ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' and the bosses of levels 3, 4, and 5 (Kakou, Raikou and Rankou) appear.
237** In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=],'' bosses from both ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' and ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' can appear as midbosses, depending on how well the player is doing. If they do, a slightly different version of the BGM that includes a lietmotif from a song from ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' is played instead of the regular version.
238** ''Maximum'' is a Nostalgia ''Game'', consisting of stages from past ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' games [[{{Crossover}} as well as]] ''VideoGame/{{Ketsui}}'':
239*** Stage 1 (2008 Tokyo): ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' Stage 1
240*** Stage 2 (Battle City): ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' Stage 2
241*** Stage 3 (Defensive Line): ''Ketsui'' Stage 4
242*** Stage 4 (Fortress): ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' Stage 4
243*** Stage 5 (Dividing Road of Fate): ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' Stage 5 [[spoiler:except with Shooty replaced with Golden Disaster, the first of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''[='=]s {{True Final Boss}}es, followed by Hibachi if certain conditions are met.]]
244* NotCompletelyUseless: From a scoring standpoint, bombs are this in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK LABEL''. Normally, in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', bombs reset your combo, and since a skilled player can reach four- or five-digit combos by the end of the stage, firing a bomb wastes so much of that effort. However, in ''BLACK LABEL'', firing a bomb briefly brings your Red Gauge to maximum. Since the combo reset doesn't trigger until after the bomb animation ends, firing a bomb right as you kill a boss can be useful for reaping the big boss defeat stars (which are dropped only if the Red Gauge is maxed out) if your gauge isn't at maximum when you're about to kill it.
245* ObviousRulePatch: In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' version 1.0, there was a safe spot in one of Hibachi's patterns, and the score could be easily capped by an experienced player. Version 1.5 fixed both.
246* OneUp: In addition to the point-based extends, they appear in item form in stage 3 of ''[=DoDonPachi=]'', stage 4 of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', and stage 3 in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' by destroying a relatively large enemy in the center of the screen without using bombs.
247* OneWomanWail: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45S3NhQREts Longhena Cantata]].
248* TheOnlyOne: In ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', the two available ships are the only ships that could be constructed in order to fight against the threat.
249* OjouRinglets: Shotia from ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' and her counterpart Shooty from ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''.
250* PietaPlagiarism: The [[http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/box/5/2/1/5/34365-95215.jpg cover]] [[http://koe.anime-sharing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Cover22.jpg art]] for ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' and ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]''.
251* PinballScoring: And comboing. Each successive game raises the bar for combos, from triple-digits in ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' to the ''ten thousands'' in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''. The current world record for ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] Arrange A'' is currently set at '''''[[https://youtu.be/P6cLTdkXNvM 21 Trillion]]'''''.
252* PointOfNoContinues:
253** Unlike the original ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' (where you had to reach the second loop before continuing), ''[=DoDonPachi=]: [=DaiOuJou=]'' does not allow you to continue even after reaching the second loop![[note]]To make things even worse, no second players can join the game by that point![[/note]]
254** You can't continue anymore once you reach the second loop's final stage in ''[=DoDonPachi=]: [=DaiOuJou=] BLACK LABEL''; should you lose all your lives at this point, your game will be over instantly and for real even if there are credits available![[note]]Oh, and no second players can join should you need help (which in turn makes the "no more continuing" rule unbreakable). Rely exclusively on your skills instead![[/note]]
255* PostDefeatExplosionChain: Defeated bosses get covered by a series of small explosions before exploding violently.
256* PowerUp: ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' does away with them altogether, but if you select Power Style, you can use a stronger version of your shots, at the cost of speed.
257* PurpleIsPowerful: Bullets are often colored hot pink and light blue. Hibachi incarnations, however, have their bullets and BeamSpam ''all'' colored dark purple.
258** In ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'': Hina/Hibachi has a turquoise/blue motif. [[spoiler: The alternate [[TrueFinalBoss true final boss]], [[OhCrap Inbachi]], has dark red & purple.]]
259* ThePresentDay: ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', released in 2008, is explicitly ''set in'' 2008, albeit in an alternate timeline.
260* RecurringBoss: Many of the bosses and sub-bosses from ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' continue to return in later games of the series, especially in ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]''. And, of course, Hibachi keeps on coming back.
261** The most notable non-final boss example is the boss of Stage 1: Suzaku. A large gunship with rocket-propelled twin cannons, it has constantly showed up in every DDP game in the first stage. Its original incarnation in ''Dodonpachi'', its darker, grittier rebuild in ''Daioujou'', the return of its original design in ''Dai-Fukkatsu'' as a mid-boss, and its ''Sai-Daioujou'' incarnation with a fitting paint job of vermilion red, as fits with the meaning of its name, "Vermilion Bird."
262* RecurringRiff: In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', the first stage's theme gets a reprisal in the final stage, and again in the ending after the second loop. The intro is also a remix of ''[=DaiOuJou's=]'' first stage intro.
263* RepriseMedley: Inbachi's theme (Tenshi) is a remix of all other {{True Final Boss}}es in the series.
264%% no context * {{Retraux}}: ♪ [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LerWQeMXVd0 Sally (Select)]] from ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label''.
265* RidiculouslyHumanRobots: Especially in ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', the Element Daughters behave like GenkiGirl [[MagicalGirls magical girls]] and A.I. is confirmed to have ''white pantsu.'' Seriously, what does a transforming RobotGirl need pantsu for?!?
266* RobotGirl: The Element Dolls from ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', the precursors to the transforming mecha girls of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' mentioned below.
267* RobotWar: The overall plot of the series.
268* RouteBoss: In ''Resurrection'', each stage has two different midbosses depending on whether you fulfilled certain conditions in the previous stage or in the case of Stage 1, before the route split. The A-route midboss is an a boss original to this game, while the B-route midboss is one of the bosses from the original ''[=DoDonPachi=]''. Subverted if playing the Version 1.51 or Arrange B variants of the game, or ''[=DoDonPachi=] Resurrection BLACK LABEL'' using Power Style, in which case you will always play the B-routes.
269* ScoreMultiplier: In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', there is one applied based on your current hit counter, up to x7 at 10,000 hits or more. In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] Ver. 1.5'', you need to have a full Hyper gauge but not be in Hyper mode to use it, furthermore if your combo gauge empties while your Hyper gauge is full your combo will reset to 0 instead of just rapidly decreasing. In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK LABEL'', you need to build the Red gauge high enough to activate Red Mode in order to get the multiplier.
270* SecretCharacter: A first for the series. Clearing the hidden 2nd loop of ''[=DoDonPachi=] Resurrection'' (the ''Daifukkatsu'' port to iOS) unlocks... [[spoiler:Hibachi!]] While only playable in iPhone Mode, [[spoiler:Hibachi]] is easily the most powerful of the 4 ships. On top of having the strongest lasers, it can even [[spoiler: shoot [[PurposelyOverpowered 360 degrees of pixel death]] like its boss incarnation]].
271** [[spoiler: You also get the ability to play as Saya after buying her in the story in [=SaiDaiOuJou=].]]
272* SecretLevel: ''Maximum'' has a hidden level that can be accessed by unlocking Stage 5-E, then setting the difficulty to Easy and tapping on where Stage 5-E would be. [[spoiler:It's a BrutalBonusLevel that pits you against stages and bosses from ''VideoGame/{{Ketsui}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Espgaluda}} II'', culminating in a showdown against Evaccaneer DOOM.]]
273* SequelEscalation: Each successive game one-ups its predecessor in many different aspects: overall bullet density, your ship's firepower, scoring, combos, and the difficulty of the bosses, especially the {{True Final Boss}}es. This has gotten to the point where pro players sometimes actually enable autobomb on ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'', and did not try to do scoring runs on the hardest difficulty right away.
274* SerialEscalation: To anyone who thought Hibachi's ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' incarnation couldn't be any harder, meet the ''BLACK Label'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsWhVhgEEV4&annotation_id=annotation_111728&feature=iv one]]. Cave also added a more powerful variation called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI25niUOtbc Zatsuza]], a golden variant which replaces Hibachi if the player manages to defeat Golden Disaster with no deaths and using Strong style.
275** You know ''[=DaiOuJou=] DEATH Label'' down below? If you beat it once, you get the chance to do it again, but with [[OneHitWonder only one life]], no continues, all the bosses immune to bombs... ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCKZj2Xss9A&t=2m15s and your laser bomb actually healing the boss]]''! At the end of the video, you see what is called the "True Hibachi -Custom-." In the first run, you fight two Hibachis; however, they're toned down individually compared to the original. In the second loop, they are both at ''full power''.
276*** In case you're wondering, beating the second loop of ''DEATH Label'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R87e64xdmvs&t=6m4s only nets you]] [[AWinnerIsYou a game over screen]].
277* {{Sexbot}}: Hard to tell without a human translation, but some of the Element Dolls/Daughters were originally designed to serve humans and help them feel more comfortable. Some of them also have features, such as white pantsu, that purely-military robots are... let us say... unlikely to need.
278* ShootTheShaggyDog: In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', [[spoiler:Next EXY, following the events of ''DaiOuJou'', goes back in time to destroy [=DonPachi=] Corps and prevent the Blissful Death Wars from happening. In doing so, however, she ends up ''causing'' them. You cleaning up after her mess merely leads to the events of ''DaiOuJou''.]]
279* ShoutOut:
280** The scoreboard of ''[=DonPachi=]'' spell out "Toaplan 4 Ever" if you read the first letter of each default scorer. Creator/{{Toaplan}} was a big developer of shmups and Cave is formed in majority by formers employee of Toaplan.
281** From the same game, after beating the 2nd loop, a small cutscene show Pipiru (Toaplan's mascot, mostly know for it's appearance in the ending of the arcade VideoGame/ZeroWing.) holding on one of the ships before dropping into the water.
282** The Japanese names of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'''s music tracks are puns on various shmup developers (although some of these employ AlternateCharacterReading):
283*** "Mukei" (霧警 - select theme) stands for Creator/{{NMK}}.
284*** "Tōa" (東亞 - Stage 1 theme) stands for Creator/{{Toaplan}}.
285*** "Takimi" (焚身 - boss theme) stands for Creator/{{Takumi}}.
286*** "Toreja" (獲者 - stage clear theme) stands for Creator/{{Treasure}}.
287*** "Saikyō" (彩虹 - Stage 2 theme) stands for Creator/{{Psikyo}}.
288*** "Seibu" (凄舞 - Stage 3 theme) stands for Creator/SeibuKaihatsu.
289*** "Sakusetsu" (錯節 - Stage 4 theme) stands for Creator/{{Success}}.
290*** "Taidō" (胎慟 - Stage 5 theme) stands for Creator/{{Taito}}.
291*** "Raijin" (頼尽 - GameOver theme) stands for [[Creator/EightingRaizing Raizing]].
292*** "Awaremu" (哀夢 - name entry theme) stands for Creator/{{Irem}}.
293* SignatureLine: "Just a couple more shots!" Used in almost every series game to indicate that a boss's LifeMeter is almost empty.
294* SmartBomb: Notable for being usable in two different ways: turning all bullets into score items, or powering a ''very'' big laser.
295** However, it will reset your combo meter, except in rare circumstances:
296*** ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] Arrange A'': Does nothing to combo.
297*** ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] Arrange B'': There's no combo meter. If anything, the game encourages bombing for score, with the bombs you can get as often as every 5-10 seconds.
298*** ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] ver. 1.51'': Not only does nothing to combo, it can also hit lasers for large sums of points depending on your current combo.
299*** ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'': If you have autocbomb enabled, autobombing will erase your entire bomb stock, on top of nuking your combo. However, if you bomb manually, you'll only lose 30% of your combo.
300** In ''[=DoDonPachi=] II'', you are given a choice between a conventional bomb with typical bomb stock, or a laser bomb that's charged up with grazing bullets.
301** In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK LABEL'', if you disable autobomb, your bombs will double as extra Hyper stocks. Using a Hyper from your stock will cancel bullets, but won't reset combo.
302** In ''Maximum'', the bomb is the laser bomb from the mobile arrange modes for ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', and is charged up by shooting enemies. It won't reset combo; if anything, it will ''inflate'' your combo, especially if [[InvincibleMinorMinion red enemies]] are present. However, there is a bomus for clearing a stage without bombing, and two out of the three bonuses are needed to unlock harder-tier stages.
303* SolemnEndingTheme: Heading For Tomorrow, the ending theme of ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]''.
304* SoundtrackDissonance: Apparently attempted in the iPhone version of ''Daifukkatsu''. The biggest example is the TrueFinalBoss theme, "Battle for the Last", which is way more cheerful than a track for a barrage-spewing flaming bee of death should be.
305* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Even official materials have been inconsistent across installments with respect to hyphenations in the romaji titles: "[=DonPachi=]", "[=DoDonPachi=]", "[=DoDonPachi Dai-Ou-Jou=]", "[=Do-Don-Pachi Dai-Fukkatsu=]", and "[=DoDonPachi Saidaioujou=]". As a result, fans writing about the games tend to be even more inconsistent.
306* SpiritualSuccessor: The Platform/XBox360 version of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label'' is a massive tribute to VideoGame/{{Ketsui}}. This includes and is not limited to: the cover art, the ships being replaced with those of Ketsui (such as the Tiger Schwert), and the replacement of Hibachi with DOOM (complete with DOOM's theme song).
307* StableTimeLoop: ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' and ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' form one: Humanity is invaded by the Elemental Daughters. The Elemental Daughters are defeated, and humanity reverse engineers their technology to invent Elemental Dolls. After the conflict, Colonel Godwin Longhena is made the head of the [=DonPachi Corps=] to defend humanity from further threats. The mechanical army of Colonel Longhena's ancestor reawakens and attacks humanity. The [=DonPachi=] Corps, using Elemental Dolls, defeats the army, but one of their Dolls interfaces with the enemy's main computer and goes insane. The insane Doll remodels herself and many other Elemental Dolls into Elemental Daughters. The Elemental Daughters travel back in time to attack humanity in the past. The sad thing is that [[spoiler: Next [=EXY=] attacked the past specifically in an attempt to stop the appointment of Col. Longhena because she found out he was evil.]] [[spoiler: In the [[GoldenEnding Arrange A ending]], the loop is broken when Leinyan convinces Exy not to wage war in order to change the past, thus averting the war with the Elemental Daughters.]]
308* {{Stripperiffic}}: EXY and Next EXY, apparently to make humans feel more comfortable.
309* SuperMode: Hyper Mode, introduced in ''dai ou jou'', which gives your ship a temporary power boost. How exactly it works varies by game:
310** In ''dai ou jou'', Hypers cause your hit counter to increase substantially when hitting enemies. Additionally you can stack multiple Hypers then deploy them all at once to increase the effect to your hit counter.
311** In ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'':
312*** In ''ver. 1.5'', Hyper Counter gives your shots the ability to cancel bullets, raising your hit counter in the process. However, the more you deploy Hyper Counter, the less effective it will be at erasing enemy bullets, and small orb enemies marked with "DANGER" will appear to harass you with lasers. In the second loop, cancelling bullets may cause them to fire revenge bullets at you.
313*** In Arrange A / ''ver. L'', Hyper Counter behaves differently depending on whether your ship is in Normal or Boost mode. In Normal, your Hyper shots won't cancel bullets, but bullets that they pass through will contribute to your hit counter. In Boost, your Hyper shots cancel bullets but will not increase your hit counter, and your Hyper gauge will deplete faster.
314* SuperSoldier: Deconstructed in ''[=DonPachi=]''. The training for it involves [[spoiler:killing thousands of fellow soldiers posing as the enemy.]]
315* TankGoodness: "Lookie what we got here: a multi-assault tank! Watch yourself, kid." And the tanks only get stronger and more numerous from there.
316* TearsOfBlood: [[spoiler: In her ending in ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', Exy is seen crying blood after choking her pilot to death and slaughtering his comrades. She is still crying by the time she is finally destroyed.]]
317* TechDemoGame: ''Bee Storm'' was mostly just developed to test-drive the [=PolyGame=] Master software. CAVE would then develop ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', a proper sequel to the first ''[=DoDonPachi=]'', on it.
318* ThisIsUnforgivable: Colonel Schwarlitz Longhena invokes this after you destroy his elite fleet to get to him.
319--> '''Longhena:''' You know, what you've done to me is unforgivable. I'll punish you myself and see to it that you'll die a miserable death with my awesome weapon. ''Die, maggots.''
320** [[FinalBoss Enter]] [[OhCrap Kouryuu]]...
321* TimeTravel: ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' takes the player characters from just after the events of ''[=DaiOuJou=]'' (which are in the distant future) back to 2008.
322* TitleDrop: The end of the 2nd loop of ''[=DonPachi=]'' reveals that the unit the player character is training for is called "[=DonPachi=]".
323** One of the achievements for the iOS version of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' is "Blissful Death," which is the translation of ''[=DaiOuJou=]''.
324* TitleScream: In almost every game, most notably in ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' and ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'', the latter being done by the main characters.
325--> '''Maria''': Do-do-do-do-do-do! [=DoDonPachi=]!
326--> '''Hikari''': [=DoDonPachi=]!
327--> '''Shuri''': [[PunctuatedForEmphasis SaiDai... OuJou]]!
328** Even Saya gets in on this in the Xbox 360 version.
329--> '''Saya''': Do-do-do-do-do-[=DoDonPachi=]! [=DoDonPachi=]! [=SaiDaiOuJou=]!
330* TomatoSurprise:
331** Completing the first loop of ''[=DonPachi=]'' has the pilot revealing that their training consists of [[spoiler:fighting their fellow forces until either side completely destroys the other.]] Completing the second loop has the pilot revealing the purpose of the training: [[spoiler:to get into the elite [[TitleDrop DonPachi]] Squadron.]]
332** The ending of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK LABEL''[='=]s ArrangeMode reveals that [[spoiler:the events of the game are a simulation for the ''Ketsui'' pilots]].
333%% * TrainingFromHell: The plot of ''[=DonPachi=]''.
334* TreacherousAdvisor: [[spoiler: Colonel Schwarlitz Longhena]]
335* TrueFinalBoss: Hibachi, first introduced in [=DoDonPachi=].
336** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI25niUOtbc Zatsuza]], the ultimate true final boss of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label'', replaces Hibachi if the player uses [[NintendoHard Strong Style]], [[HarderThanHard meets the requirements for Hibachi]] ''and'' beats Golden Disaster (Hibachi's container) without dying.
337** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoUIM63soZ8 Inbachi]] replaces Hibachi in Saidaioujou if certain conditions are met. And then proceeds to [[SerialEscalation put every other True Final Boss from each of Cave's previous games to utter shame]].
338* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: The Element Dolls from ''[= DaiOuJou=]''. The achievement for the iOS version of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'' for defeating Ray'n is "She Once Protected Us..."
339* TurnsRed: "Just a couple more shots!"
340* UntranslatedTitle: ''[=DonPachi=]'' and ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' are left as-is when localized for export markets. However, their sequels downplay this, as ''[=DaiOuJou=]'', ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', and ''[=SaiDaiOuJou=]'' are translated for overseas releases (''Blissful Death'', ''Resurrection'', and ''True Death'', respectively), while leaving the "[=DoDonPachi=]" part untranslated.
341* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler:You]], in ''[=DoDonPachi=]''. [[spoiler:The enemies you destroy are ''your allies'', which [[TreacherousAdvisor Longhena]] reveals to you upon unlocking the conditions for the game's second loop before sending you off to be killed by said loop's forces. "{{See you in Hell}}!"]]
342* [[TransformingMecha Transforming]] [[RobotGirl Mecha Musume]]: The Elemental Daughters [[spoiler:and Hibachi]] from ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]''.
343* UpdatedRerelease:
344** ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' has the above-mentioned ''Campaign Version''.
345** ''[=DoDonPachi=]: [=DaiOuJou=]'':
346*** There is the ''Black Label'', which tweaks a few second loop mechanics, allows a 1-loop game, and fixes some chaining paths.
347*** The ''Re:incarnation'' release for [=PS4=] and Switch features a variety of quality-of-life touches, the original, ''Black Label'', and ''[=DoDonPachi=] III'' arcade releases, a new soundtrack, and a toggle to use new artwork for the characters in-game.
348** ''[=DoDonPachi=]: [=DaiFukkatsu=] BLACK Label'', on the other hand, is more of a GaidenGame (It was programmed by S. Yagawa of VideoGame/{{Recca}} and VideoGame/BattleGaregga fame).
349** The ''EXA Label'' edition of ''True Death'' features all of the play modes of the original arcade and 360 versions, the HD graphics of the latter, allows Hina and her Type-D ship to be playable in all modes, conversely allows the other three characters and their ships to be played in X Arrange (previously the 360-exclusive mode), adds a new EXA Mode, features Creator/{{M2}}-style gameplay info gadgets in the unused screen space, and like the 360 version has horizontal screen support via pillarboxing (allowing the game to be installed in more cabinets, not just ones with vertically-oriented monitors). Notably, despite being released in 2020, the game (along with other games on the [=exA=]-Arcadia hardware) is compatible with CRT arcade cabinets, so even an old Astro City or Egret II can house the game.
350* VersionExclusiveContent: ''True Death EXA Label'' has the aforementioned EXA Label, which is only available for that particular version of ''True Death'', alongside a revised version of the Xbox 360 mode known as "X Arrange". [[spoiler: It also has an exclusive mode that allows the player to immediately fight [[TrueFinalBoss Inbachi]] - all versions. The X Arrange & Exa Label versions are [[WorthyOpponent tough, but fair]]...but the original is still [[PressStartToGameOver its own caliber.]]]]
351* ViolationOfCommonSense: In ''dai ou jou BLACK LABEL'', if you're going for a 1-loop clear with the ending and aren't quite skilled at the game, you're actually advised to do a 2-round game instead of a 1-round game. Doing a 1-round game dumps [[TrueFinalBoss Hibachi]] on you after stage 1-5, but if you do a 2-round game, you are asked at the end of the first round if you want to move onto the next round -- simply choose "no".
352* WaveMotionGun:
353** The Bomb-Laser, and in later games, the Hyper-Laser joins the fun.
354** Raikou, the Stage 4 boss of [=DoDonPachi=], has two Wave Motion Guns on its engines. It later reappeared in the final stage of [=DaiOuJou=], [[DegradedBoss albeit as a much weaker mini-boss]]: the first of three.
355** Speaking of [=DaiOuJou=], Stage 4 has its second mid-boss, right before the main boss, Seiryu: Shingaku, a giant, stationary Wave Motion {{BFG}}.
356* WeCanRebuildHim: Hibachi comes back ''twice.'' After it is destroyed in Dodonpachi, it is mysteriously rebuilt a thousand years later. This only results in the Flaming Bee being destroyed again in Daioujou. But ''still'' it comes back one last time: it is rebuilt one last time by Godwin Longhena in Dai-Fukkatsu, only to be destroyed for a final time, this time for good.
357* WhamLine:
358** ''[=DonPachi=]'', end of 1st loop:
359---> "Once again, we have successfully completed our mission and the usual message came up on my screen. Our mission? [[spoiler:To fight against our fellow troop members until one side completely annihilates the other.]]"
360** Colonel Schwarlitz Longhena drops this on you in ''[=DoDonPachi=]'', after the end of 1st loop if 2nd loop conditions are met:
361---> '''Colonel Longhena:''' That was a good fight. You should be commended... [[spoiler:'''Psych! You're dead meat!!''' Enemies you've been fighting against, supposedly 'Mechanized Aliens', were actually. our ''(sic)'' guys, the missing battlefleet you learned about in the academy. [[UnwittingPawn You were killing our guys without knowing it!]] [[ManipulativeBastard But I planned that all along!]] And your death... would be a nice finishing touch to my whole scheme. My special forces are the best of the best and they will be welcoming you with fierce fier ''(sic)'' power. SeeYouInHell!]]
362* WhatMeasureIsANonhuman: A theme of the series.
363----

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