History YMMV / Mushihimesama

* GoodBadBugs: The "counter banking" technique in the original game, allows you to get much higher scores than intended in Maniac and Ultra modes.

** The 360 port of ''Futari'' by Creator/{{M2}}, featuring a Novice mode, both the original revision of ''Version 1.5'' and an Xbox 360 version with upgraded graphics, a tag-team ArrangeMode, and ''Black Label'' albeit as a DLC purchase, and all with a mere ''2'' frames of input lag. It is widely regarded as ''the'' best CAVE port on Xbox 360, as well as one of M2's finest works that isn't one of their later ''M2 [=ShotTriggers=]'' releases.

** The 360 port of ''Futari'' by Creator/{{M2}} is widely regarded as one of the best CAVE ports on 360, featuring a Novice mode, both the original revision of ''Version 1.5'' and an Xbox 360 version with upgraded graphics, a tag-team ArrangeMode, and ''Black Label'' albeit as a DLC purchase, and all with a mere ''2'' frames of input lag.

* MemeticMutation: "THE HARDEST VIDEO GAME BOSS EVER!"[[labelnote:Explanation]]The title of a rather infamous ''Futari'' video showcasing the TrueFinalBoss on Ultra difficulty. Note that many shmups fans do ''not'' consider Spiritual Larsa to qualify for that title, possibly because the ''Black Label'' version wasn't showcased yet at the time.[[/labelnote]]

* TierInducedScrappy: Almost no one uses Reco-Abnormal, and for good reason--her shots are difficult to master, and her speed when using her focus shot is ''faster'' than her normal speed, in a defiance of usual BulletHell conventions.

%%* ContestedSequel: Well, Contested ExpansionPack: ''Futari Black Label''.
%%* EvenBetterSequel: ''Futari''.

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel -- ''Mushihime-sama'' was interesting for its different premise and music, but otherwise had rather simple gameplay and visuals, especially compared to other Creator/{{Cave}} games. In some ways it was even simpler than ''VideoGame/DonPachi''. Then ''Mushihime-sama Futari'' came along, turned the music up to eleven, made big improvements to the gameplay, and is considered to be one of the prettiest Cave games of all time.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Composed by shmup soundtrack legend Creator/ManabuNamiki, as well as Creator/MasaharuIwata (composer of soundtracks for ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur IV'', ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', among others) and Creator/KimihiroAbe for the sequel. There's also the Double Arrange album which re-arranges the tracks from both games through a variety of other famous composers.

** While [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnDmM1nBVZE Furthermore, Cross the Desert Too]] is nice, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNQS7j0s0OE arrange album version]]? Composed by none other than Creator/ShinjiHosoe.

** Here's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIl73pGFywI Sea of Frozen Crystals]] from ''Futari''. Believe it or not, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KKVP9GoaVk arranged version]] is composed by the one and only ''[[Creator/YokoShimomura Youko Shimomura]]'' herself.

** The final boss theme of the same sequel? Cry! Scream!, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n9Td9I1pbo as aptly named]]. Arranged version by [[Creator/AyakoSaso Ayako Sasou]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56b_idOq8Qw here]].

** Speaking of the prior final stage theme, there's also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KoapSL3lIE On The Verge Of Madness]], which packs some oddly upbeat Chinese instrumentals but may be enough for you to take on Queen Larsa to stop her once and for all. For any ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' fans (and the despite the lack of the prior Chinese instrumentals), ''Creator/KotaHoshino'' did the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-vUhqPBmnI arranged version]].

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel -- ''Mushihime-sama'' was interesting for its different premise and music, but otherwise had rather simple gameplay and visuals, especially compared to other Creator/{{Cave}} games. In some ways it was even simpler than ''VideoGame/DonPachi''. Then ''Mushihime-sama Futari'' came along, turned the music UpToEleven, made big improvements to the gameplay, and is considered to be one of the prettiest Cave games of all time.

* NightmareFuel: [[AbusiveParents Queen Larsa]], who's basically inverse AdultFear. Her older son Aki dies and she threatens to kill Reco, who she hold responsible for his death. What does she do to Palm, her younger son, when he tries to convince her that Reco did nothing wrong? [[TheUnFavorite Disown him and leave him to be killed by her forces.]] When he comes back to confront his mother, she attempts to kill him ''with the same amount of firepower she would use on Reco''; in other words, she thinks so poorly of her son that to her, he's simply another bit of opposition who needs to [[OffingTheOffspring die]].

* ContestedSequel: Well, Contested ExpansionPack: ''Futari Black Label''.
* EvenBetterSequel: ''Futari''.

* ItsEasySoItSucks:
** Averted with ''Futari'' Novice; many players regard it as well-designed and as an opportunity for non-shmup players to get into the genre.
** On the other hand, played straight with ''Futari Black Label''[='=]s Original and Maniac modes.

* NightmareFuel: [[AbusiveParents Queen Larsa]], who's basically inverse AdultFear. Her older son Aki dies and she threatens to kill Reco, who she hold responsible for his death. What does she do to Palm, her younger son, when he tries to convince her that Reco did nothing wrong? [[TheUnFavorite Disown him and leave him to be killed by her forces.]] When he comes back to confront his mother, she attempts to kill him ''[[FridgeHorror with the same amount of firepower she would use on Reco]]''; in other words, she thinks so poorly of her son that to her, he's simply another bit of opposition who needs to [[OffingTheOffspring die]].

** The Nintendo Switch port of ''Mushihimesama'' may well be the best version of the first game, featuring all content under one purchase and with only 3 frames of input lag when using a wireless controller (4 with a wired one).

* PortingDisaster: The [=PS2=] port, handled by Cave itself, doesn't emulate the arcade version's slowdown properly, and the game is downscaled in screen resolution, causing it to look blurry when played with the game window oriented vertically to fill the screen. The Steam port, as of this writing, is also plagued by a number of irritating (but not game-breaking) bugs, which CAVE has assured players that they will soon patch.