100 years into the future, the world is being conquered by a country known only as the Dominion. They've taken over much of the globe already, and have recently invaded Japan. Led by a revolutionary government official named Yokoichiro Ozora, Japan dissolves its parliamentary government and elects Ozora as the First President of New Japan.
Tragically, President Ozora is felled by an assassin's bullet just as the new government is on the verge of making headway in the resistance movement. His daughter, Shoko, quickly steps into action and is elected Second President of New Japan. Armed with her Humongous Mecha the Liberator "Kamui" and the Battleship Nagata, Shoko leaps into the battlefield to fight for her country's freedom.
Stages consist of Shoko piloting Kamui through a Dominion controlled city of Japan, destroying enemies with either a barrage of homing missiles or a high powered laser beam. Both are powered by Kamui's shield, leaving you vulnerable to enemy attack while it's recharging.
Your goal in each stage? Destroy the Greater Conduit Spike that is siphoning Spirit Energy from the Earth. Before you can do that, however, you must take down the three Lesser Spikes that are powering the shields protecting it. All while swarms of enemy units are shooting at you from all directions.
Originally part of the Japanese-only Level-5 game compilation Guild 01, Liberation Maiden was released in Europe and the US as a standalone 3DS eShop title in October 2012. It was also ported to iOS in March 2013.
In 2013 a sequel/spinoff was released for the PS3 and Vita, titled Liberation Maiden SIN.
It is a Visual Novel about Kiyoto Kaido, Shoko's new chief of staff, who can read people's thoughts, and features several new characters including Shoko's all-female cabinet.
For another game that also involves a fictitious president piloting a mech to save their country, see Metal Wolf Chaos.
Provides Examples Of:
- A Nazi by Any Other Name: The Dominion. Besides its massive expansionist policies and war driven economy, the Gallery gives the nation charmingly facist undertones with descriptions like "Their radical political philosophy is little more than a front for spreading their own ideals and national interests". Not only that, "the Chairman" is implied to originally be a Prime Minister who gained absolute power by taking direct control of the nation's military.
- Action Girl: Shoko, of course.
- All There in the Manual: The Gallery - a list of achievements that, once accomplished, unlock character/weapon profiles and back story.
- Applied Phlebotinum: Japan's "natural mechanical engineering", which translates into manipulating earth's magnetic fields as an environmentally regenerating power source.
- Authority Equals Asskicking: The President of Japan gets to pilot a mech, apparently.
- Big Good: Shoko herself, especially in SIN in which she is no longer the perspective character.
- Bolivian Army Ending: Battered and exhausted from her battle with the Guardian Spirit Yatagarasu, Shoko comes face-to-face with a huge Dominion airship. Despite Kira's pleas for her to retreat, Shoko is so awed by the beauty of the now purified Japan that she becomes more determined than ever to protect her country: no matter what. Turning back around, she goes head to head with the airship, the game ending on a freeze frame of her heading straight into another battle.
- Boss-Only Level: Stage 5.
- Boss Subtitles
- Bullet Hell: The final boss fight against Yatagarasu might give you an idea of what this might look like from an over the shoulder perspective.
- Cliffhanger: The game ends with one, with Shoko going off to destroy a Dominion airship before the credits roll.
- Desperation Attack: If you ever get to the point where one more hit would finish you, and you happen to have a full blade bar, then rather than getting killed the next time you're hit, you will automatically activate the blade and temporarily enter a state where the game will prompt you to hack away at everything to your heart's content.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: The Dominion is lead by a Chairman, and has a flag that resembles that of a certain real-life rival of Japan.
- The Empire: The mysterious Dominion is this in spades.
- Energy Weapon: Your other attack.
- Finishing Move: The Sacrifice Drive, used to finish off every Greater Conduit Spike.
- Flunky Boss: The third boss calls in a Giant Mecha to assist it once you make progress in the battle. The mech can't be destroyed, but it can be temporarily disabled if you damage it fast enough. In the meantime, it will seriously up the ante on you by joyously partaking in Macross Missile Massacre.
- Gaia's Vengeance: The final boss is an enraged Guardian Spirit, wounded by several Conduit Spikes that you must target.
- Genre Throwback: To arcade shoot 'em ups. It's a short game where the emphasis is on racking up high scores. Getting a Game Over results in a "credit" getting used up, taking you back where you left off. Run out of credits and you're taken back to the title screen.
- Green Aesop: A game mechanic and major theme of the story involves the "purification" of a stage, destroying Dominion constructs to restore the natural beauty of Japan. A minor goal of the game is to reach 100% purification in each region/stage.
- Japanese Pop Music: The first and final boss themes are in this genre, although they are original songs made for the game.
- Laser Blade: The Kamui has one. It charges up as you destroy enemies and purify the land, and serves as both your Smart Bomb and your Desperation Attack.
- Last Chance Hit Point: Everytime you have a full blade bar and are down to your last hit.
- Latex Space Suit
- Macross Missile Massacre: Your primary attack.
- Male Gaze: The animated FMVs from the beginning and end of the game seems to focus quite a bit on Shoko's... assets.
- Magic by Any Other Name: While the game fluff claims all the advanced technology is due to "Earth's Electromagnetic Fields", it also keeps bringing up terms like "animism", "spiritual energy", and the energy veins seem to act more like supernatural Leylines. And despite saying Japan created the Guardian Spirits to manage the nation's magnetic fields, the exact likeness of the Deity Yatagarasu is a bit much.
- Meaningful Name:
- Shoko's full name roughly translates to "Great Sky Flying Girl", and she pilots a flight-capable mecha.
- Kamui is named after the conception of the gods in Ainu mythology, fitting for a futuristic tech that's based on animism and natural energies.
- Mission Control: Shoko's guardian and First Secretary, Kira.
- Mystical White Hair: Shoko, considering practically all of your efforts to liberate Japan can be called a purification. This is even what your "destruction" evaluation is called.
- One-Man Army
- President Action
- Razor Wind: Yatagarasu's most common attack.
- Regenerating Shield, Static Health: The Kamui has a regenerating shield that also serves as your source of ammo. Attacking becomes a risk in itself as you leave yourself vulnerable for a few seconds.
- Death or Glory Attack: In essence. You COULD go all guns blazing in a particular bombing run. Just make it count.
- Self-Destructive Charge: The Sacrifice Drive. You have before your shields and health gives out to destroy the boss.
- Sequel Hook: The game ends with Shoko flying off to destroy a Dominion battleship, and the credits roll as she prepares to attack...
- Considering the sequel is a Visual Novel, it's likely that it will just show the results of the hook.
- Smart Bomb: The Kamui's sword, which charges up as you destroy things. When full, you slide the blade bar, as if you would unsheath the sword, then watch as the Kamui throws its sword like a spear and it creates an enormous explosion that purifies everything within it. Naturally, Conduit Spikes are immune to it.
- Stealth-Based Mission: The first half of Stage 3.
- You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: Happens with Kira on the game over screen."Madame President!... Do you copy?!... SHOKO—!!"
