History VideoGame / Onechanbara

In 2009, two games from the series were released in the United States: ''Onechanbara: Bikini Samurai Squad'' [[note]]Known as ''[=VorteX=] ~ The Descendants of The Cursed Blood ~'' in Japan [[/note]] (for UsefulNotes/Xbox360) and ''Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers'' [[note]]''Revolution'' in Japan[[/note]] (for the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}). A live-action movie based on the series was also released in the same year.

The fifth main game, ''Onechanbara Z ~ Kagura ~ '', was released in Japan on January 19, 2012 for UsefulNotes/Xbox360. Instead of Aya and Saki, the game stars a pair of vampire sisters named Kagura and Saaya. Unlike its predecessors, ''Z'' wasn't a budget game and its marketing has been rather big. However, due to its Xbox-exclusivity, it failed to attract a wide audience (Not that it was making any pretense to do so...).
The game had an UpdatedRerelease for [=PS3=] on October 24, 2013, featuring [=NoNoNo=], a character from [=D3Publisher=]'s other franchise: the [[VideoGame/DreamCClub Dream Club]] series. One year later, a UsefulNotes/{{PS4}}-exclusive sequel, ''Onechanbara Z2: Chaos'', was released on October 10, 2014 in Japan and July 21, 2015 in the United States. The game was later released on PC through UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}.

* CloningBlues: [[spoiler: Lei in ''Origin''.]]

* SurprisinglyGoodEnglish: It seems that [=D3Publisher=] roped some bored Englishman and made him do [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQELfknZXfg this trailer]]. The English is good, but the delivery leaves a lot to be desired.
** The opening theme of ''Bikini Zombie Slayers''/''Revolution'', "Danger in Disguise", is sung in perfect English. For some reason though, the vocalists sound like a gospel choir.
** The theme song of ''Z2 Chaos'' follows suit, but with a single female vocalist this time around.
** "Unbreakable Trust", the main theme to ''Origin'' is in full English too.

* DefeatMeansPlayable: In ''Bikini Zombie Slayers'', you have to win the end boss battles against Reiko and Misery (i.e. complete Story Mode as Aya and Saki, respectively) to unlock them as playable characters.

* DifficultButAwesome: ''Z2: Chaos'' allows the ability to swap between the different characters on the fly. It takes some getting used to, and you'll need to be familiar with all four of them, but [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbNbv7-sZCM look at the fruits of your labor]].

* EvilCounterpart: Surprisingly, [[spoiler: Kagura and Saaya,]] since their benefactors are the bad guys [[spoiler: although later Subverted when [[HeelRealization they realize this]] after they're almost [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal blown up by said benefactors]], and set to correct their mistake by going after [[HeelFaceTurn their betraying bosses]].]]

* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Reiko]] in ''Zombie Hunters 2''. [[spoiler:Lei, her counterpart,]] in ''Origin'' suffers the same fate.

* GratuitousEnglish: Kagura sure loves some {{Engrish}}, constantly adding English words and phrases to her otherwise Japanese dialogue.
** Which appropriately becomes GratuitousJapanese in the English dub of ''Z2''.

* FiveManBand: An all-female team formed [[spoiler:and disbanded]] in ''Onechanbara Special''.
** TheHero: [[TheLeader Aya]]
** TheLancer: [[TheStarscream Misery]]
** TheSmartGuy: Reiko
** TheBigGuy: [[LittleMissBadass Saki]]
** TheHeart: [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Annna]]
* Another all-female team forms in ''Onechanbara Z2: Chaos'':
** TheHero: [[TheLeader Aya]]
** TheLancer: [[LittleMissBadass Saki]]
** TheSmartGuy: [[MissionControl Anna]]
** TheBigGuy: [[BoisterousBruiser Kagura]]
** TheChick: [[TheHeart Saaya]]

* FluffyFashionFeathers: Aya's outfit has the bikini and feather boa. Kagura's outfit is very similar, although she doesn't really need a boa due to her [[MegaTwintails awesome hair]].

** TheSmartGuy: [[HotScientist Reiko]]

* ShoutOut: One of Saki's stage introduction quotes in the Free Play mode of ''Zombie Slayers'' is "[[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Don't make me angry. You won't like me when I rampage.]]"

* NiceHat: Really, half the visual appeal from Aya and Kagura is not only their outrageous bikinis, but from their cool as all hell cowboy hats.

* {{Stripperiffic}}: Most of the female characters, but mainly Aya.
** Turned UpToEleven with Kagura's Limited Edition costume, which has her wearing ''sling bikinis!''

* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Aya is a FurBikini-wearing, [[CoolHat cowboy hat-wearing]] samurai, which makes her a Bikini Cowboy Samurai.

* KnifeNut: When not using her swords, Aya can use her throwing knives/kunai instead. Kagura has her Hyrda Blades
** Lei becomes this in ''Origin'' as one of her two weapon sets.

* GameplayGrading: Starting with ''Z: Kagura'', the end of each stage has a level rank. From the '''D''', the lowest, to '''V''', the highest. In addition, getting all '''Vs''' in each verse rewards with you with Platinum Ranking. Anything less will either get you Gold, Silver, or Bronze.

* GameplayGrading: Starting with ''Z: Kagura'', the end of each stage has a level rank. From the '''D''', the lowest, to '''V''' highest. In addition, getting all Vs in each verse rewards with you with Platinum Ranking. Anything less will either get you Gold, Silver, or Bronze.

* AwesomenessMeter: Start with ''Bikini Samurai Squad'', players are graded while fighting enemies and maintaining a chain of high combo hits and kills with an associated phrase. From lowest to highest in ''Bikini Samurai Squad''/''Bikini Zombie Slayers'': "Cyclone!", "Blustered!", "Ace!", "Sensual!", and "Violence!".

* {{Combos}}: In ''Zombie Slayers'', you can chain attacks after another only when you execute the attack on a specific frame during the previous one. This is referred to as "Cool Combination Attacks" and a visible motion blur signals your chance to create combos. The Skill parameter extends the time of the frames, allowing you to chain attacks easier.

* CuteBruiser: Saki, and later Saaya. The latter's more innocent-looking face and her tendency to get scared, yet not that she is any less badass, mind you.

* DiedInYourArmsTonight: [[spoiler: David in ''Bikini Samurai Squad''. Lei in ''Origin'' dies in Aya's arms]].

* FiveManBand: An all-female team formed [[spoiler: and disbanded]] in ''Onechanbara Special''.

* InterfaceScrew: In ''Zombie Slayers'', blood is splattered across the screen (and will "realistically" drip downwards) every time you hack zombies into bits. Kill multiple enemies in a single attack and almost the ''entire'' screen will be covered in blood, but all these effects will last for a few seconds.

** Also a case of OurZombiesAreDifferent - Reiko in her story arc within ''Bikini Zombie Slayers'' mentions that most zombies encountered during the outbreaks are in fact not former humans (although contact with zombie bodily fluids can still cause zombification) but made of the very stuff of the Earth itself, leading her to wonder if the zombie crisis is merely nature's revenge against the greed of humans.

* VirtualPaperDoll: ''Bikini Samurai Squad'' allows you to customize the appearance of your characters. Ditto ''Onechanbara Z'', with the ability to change costume, accessory, hat, hair, glasses, etc.