'''''Shikigami no Shiro''''' (roughly translated as ''Castle of Spirits''; known as ''Castle of Shikigami'' in the West) is a series of arcade BulletHell [[ShootEmUp shoot 'em ups]] developed by Alfa System. The overarching plot involves a mysterious castle in the country of Alcaland, which has been the subject of many "missing persons" cases. A handful of psychics have converged on the location to conduct their own investigations of the incident, each for his or her own reasons.

As of 2008, all three of the main games have been released in the U.S. for the {{PlayStation 2}} (for the first two games) and {{Nintendo Wii}} (''[=SnS III=]''). Other ports on SegaDreamcast (''[=SnS II=]''), NintendoGameCube (''[=SnS II=]''), {{Xbox}} (''[=SnS II=]''), and {{Xbox 360}} (''[=SnS III=]'') are also available, but [[NoExportForYou only in Japan]]. The entire series also saw Japan-only PC ports, however a FanTranslation is in the works for the first game's PC port.

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!!This series uses the following tropes:
* BadassBaritone: Munchausen. Holy ''crap'', '''Munchausen'''.
* BadExportForYou: The first two games got completely screwed in their US localization, the first one released as "Mobile Light Force 2" ([[InNameOnly the sequel to a game that had nothing to do with]] ''VideoGame/ShikigamiNoShiro'') with all the story elements cut out, and the second game suffering from one of the most [[TranslationTrainWreck infamously bad video game translation jobs of all time.]] Thankfully, the third game turned out alright.
* BarrierWarrior: Nigi and Nagino
* BattleButler: Munchausen
* BerserkButton: Do NOT call [[HotWitch Fumiko]] an "old maid".
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Kohtaro's scenario in ''Castle of Shikigami III'' ends with him [[ManlyTears breaking down in tears]] over the apparent death of Tsukiko and Sayo comforts him.]]
* BlindIdiotTranslation: The second game is filled with very odd examples of Engrish.
* BladeOnAStick: Batu's cross-shaped spear.
* BulletHell
* CanonForeigner: Reika (''[=SnS=] 3'') originally comes from an old Laserdisc game known as ''Time Gal''.
** Nigi Gorgeous Blue was originally from ''Gunparade March''.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Reika, in that she actually ''has'' character in her appearance in the third game. In ''VideoGame/TimeGal'', she was pretty much a blank slate. In ''Castle of Shikigami III'', however, she is portrayed as ditzy and somewhat forgetful, yet still competent.
* ChargedAttack: Batu's Shikigami attacks.
* ComfortingTheWidow: Kohtaro had a woman with whom he made a ChildhoodMarriagePromise, but who is now hospitalized. Sayo falls in love with Kohtaro. In the third game, [[WomanScorned that ex]] becomes the BigBad. [[spoiler: Or seemingly so, until you realize that all the bosses in the third game are illusions and not the real people.]]
* CoversAlwaysLie: The "Mobile Light Force 2" US cover of the first game features a trio of gunslinging CharliesAngels lookalikes that appear absolutely nowhere in the game. It's also the exact same cover as the first ''Mobile Light Force'' game (which is actually ''{{Gunbird}}''. It's all rather confusing.)
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Reika is certainly..."[[{{Understatement}} out there]]".
* CuteGhostGirl: Sayo.
* EldritchAbomination: What [[spoiler: "Tsukiko" (actually an illusion)]] turns out to be in ''[=SnS=] III''.
* FedoraOfAsskicking: Gennojo wears one.
* {{Flanderization}}: In-Universe. Kohtaro's story mode in ''Shikigami No Shiro III'' involves the uneasy grounds of Kohtaro's and Sayo's partnership, with the underlying tension of undisclosed feelings; Sayo being a Tsundere (while also feeling guilty about this) with Kohtaro constaly apologizing. Come Dramatic Change Mode, many story modes where Kohtaro is one of the two selected characters involve this dynamic in a rather one-dimensional way that varies from scenario to scenario (ie, Sayo is turned into a ClingyJealousGirl in some, in others, Kohtaro is almost completely ObliviousToLove, etc).
* GameplayGrading
* HeadPet: Nagino's bunny.
* TheHero: Officially, Kohtaro Kuga, though Reika and Nagino are more prominent on the third game's cover art.
* HotWitch: Fumiko, complete with RobeAndWizardHat.
* KillSat: Fumiko and Munchausen have Shikigami attacks that rain down lasers from above that leave behind [[SphereOfDestruction Spheres of Destruction]].
* LetsGetDangerous: Munchausen. When you can ''see'' his eyes, RUN.
--> '''[[BattleButler Munchausen]]''': "''I shall educate you. Prepare yourself.''"
* LonelyPianoPiece: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qiWRu5bXkA Castle of Shikigami III's ending theme.]]
* {{McNinja}}: Roger
* MediumAwareness: Pretty much ''everyone'' makes a remark at some point that shows they know they're in a video game. For example, in the third game, Fumiko openly mocks Yukari for getting excited about being back for the third game while she doesn't appear to realize that she's been demoted from Stage 4 to Stage 1.
** Reika is another prime example, but only because she's been displaced from her game of origin. [[WrongGenreSavvy She still thinks she's in an FMV game]].
* NerdGlasses: Munchausen's specs.
* NintendoHard: Yeah, pretty much.
* NoFourthWall: The third game, in which everyone seems to know that they're in a video game.
* ParrotPetPosition: Nigi's cat.
* PhysicalGod: Gennojo and Kagachi.
* PinballScoring
* PowerNullifier: Shikou (second boss, third game) shoots arrows that temporarily seal normal fire[[note]]although Shikigami attacks can still be used[[/note]] during his second attack phase.
* ThePowerOfTheSun: Freedom Wind and the two bosses after her launch volleys of fireballs that look like miniature suns.
* PsychicPowers
* PunctuatedForEmphasis: From the third game:
--> '''Yukari:''' Yukari Horiguchi! Yu-ka-ri!
* RankInflation
* ShoutOut: Both Fumiko and Sayo resemble Marisa and Reimu of ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'', particularly their PC-98 designs. In those games, Reimu wore more traditional shrine maiden garb and Marisa in her very first appearance was a redhead with a purple outfit.
* SmartBomb: Nearly every character has this in some form, which clears the screen of bullets.
** Reika's allows her to [[TimeStandsStill momentarily freeze time]].
** Roger uses a SpinAttack to slice through his enemies.
* SmokingIsCool: Gennojo
* SpaceIsAnOcean: [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment of space]].
* TheStoic: Emilio
* StunGuns: Shikou's second attack pattern, in addition to the Power Nullifier arrows above, also shoots arrows that slow you down.
* ThirdPersonPerson: Reika in the third game.
* TimePolice: Reika. Again, a callback to her ''VideoGame/TimeGal'' roots.
* TurnsRed: Mini-bosses and stage bosses alike have at least three attack patterns, depending on how much HP they have remaining.
* {{Tykebomb}}: Nagino
* TheVamp / VillainProtagonist: Fumiko. According to the manual, she's said to be as evil, if not more so, than the game's BigBad. Her lines in games reflect this as she speaks of things like world domination.
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