Line #20 VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvoltSeries


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/azure_striker_gunvolt_striker_pack_key_art_5.png]]
2	''Azure Striker Gunvolt'' (''[[MarketBasedTitle Armed Blue: Gunvolt]]'' in Japan) is a series of 2D [[ActionGame Action]]-[[PlatformGame Platformers]] [[SpiritualSuccessor in the vein of]] the ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' games developed and published by Creator/IntiCreates with input from Creator/KeijiInafune (of ''Franchise/MegaMan'' and ''VideoGame/MightyNo9'' fame). It is Inti Creates' first self-published title and multimedia franchise.
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4	InAWorld TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, superpowered beings called Adepts have begun to emerge at a rapid pace all across the planet. With the world unable to cope with the sudden influx of meta-humans, Adepts quickly instigate global destabilization of world order. The only country safe from the Adepts' influence is Japan, whose Adept population is kept in check by the Sumeragi MegaCorp. It is here where the stories of two teens are brought to light, embroiled deep within the heart of the Adept conflict.
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6	''Azure Striker Gunvolt'' primarily focuses on two major protagonists:
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8	* '''Gunvolt''', hero of the series and the titular Azure Striker, an Adept who has dominion over electricity. Rescued from horrific Sumeragi experiments by his father figure, Asimov, Gunvolt is an idealist hero who seeks to bring down Adepts who would use their powers for evil and believes that Adepts and humans can live in harmony. Gunvolt's gameplay is reminiscent of classic RunAndGun with puzzle elements, attempting to tag enemies with his gun then electrocute them to rack up {{Combos}}. As Gunvolt defeats bosses, he earns new guns with unique shot patterns to wield in combat.
9	* '''Copen''', second protagonist and rival of Gunvolt. Copen is an AntiHero who seeks to [[FantasticRacism exterminate all Adepts with extreme prejudice]], believing them to be a danger to the continued existence of the human race. His radical views against Adepts draws him into conflict with Gunvolt on multiple occasions. PromotedToPlayable in the second game, Copen's gameplay is highly evocative of an action platformer with RunAndGun and StylishAction elements, mixing up high speed, high flying platforming with aerial shooting combat. As Copen defeats bosses, he [[PowerCopying learns the attacks of fallen Adepts]] and uses them as his own.
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11	Compared to other platformers and side-scrolling action games within its genre, the ''Gunvolt'' series takes a unique "easy to learn, hard to master" approach. For more casual players, the games can tend to fall on the easier side due to the numerous safety nets afforded to the player, but for experienced players, the game's unique ScoringPoints system, Kudos, challenges players to master the characters and level navigation to their utmost limits to achieve the highest scores possible and claim the elusive high ranks. In addition to standard cutscenes, the games offer a unique storytelling experience called "Story Mode+", where characters continue dialogue and communicate with one another during stages, offering an expanded breadth of worldbuilding and characterization without disrupting the flow of gameplay or story.
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13	''Gunvolt'' currently consists of five major installments:
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15	* ''VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt'' (2014) — During a mission to assassinate the virtual idol Lumen, which Sumeragi is using to locate and capture Adepts, Gunvolt discovers that "Lumen" is actually a humanoid manifestation of a Septima known as "The Muse" possessed by Joule, a young girl under Sumeragi's control. Rescuing her and taking her into custody, Gunvolt begins to work alongside Joule and his allies at QUILL to take down a league of Adepts controlled by Sumeragi known as the "Sumeragi Swordsmen" while fending off the mysterious avenger Copen.
16	* ''VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt2'' (2016) — Shortly after the events of the first game, Gunvolt and Copen simultaneously intercept a Sumeragi airship hijacked by Adepts, where an encounter with Eden, an international AntiHumanAlliance, leads Joule's power to become split into nine Shards. Gunvolt and Copen proceed to hunt down the Shards while simultaneously supressing Eden's "Seven", a dangerous group of Adepts who harbor a deep-seated hatred against humanity.
17	* ''VideoGame/LuminousAvengerIX'' (2019) -- A spin-off of the main series under the ''Gunvolt Chronicles'' banner. Set an unspecified time after the events of ''Azure Striker Gunvolt'', Copen attempts to free a distant country from the iron grip of Sumeragi and its elite squad of "Falcons", powerful Adepts under Sumeragi's employ, while searching for a mysterious entity only known as the "Butterfly Effect".
18	* ''VideoGame/LuminousAvengerIX2'' (2022) -- A direct sequel to ''VideoGame/LuminousAvengerIX''. After mysteriously receiving a [[VideoGame/BlasterMaster Blaster Rifle]], Copen is suddenly [[TrappedInAnotherWorld whisked off to a parallel universe]] where humanity has vanished and androids called Workers are attempting to revive the ruined planet. With the guidance of a Worker named Null, Copen climbs the Grave Pillar, a massive tower containing the remnants of humanity's knowledge, to find a way back home.
19	* ''VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt3'' (2022) -- The third entry in the main series. After awakening to a power known as "Primal Dragon", Gunvolt is forced to undergo sealing under Sumeragi's watch to contain his unstable powers. Decades later, Kirin, a Battle Priestess of Shadow Yakumo, is deployed to seal away the Primal Dragon. Kirin and Gunvolt join Sumeragi and team up to stop the Berserk Adepts, Adepts corrupted by Dragon Radiation, in the process bringing to light dark secrets of Sumeragi and confronting a mysterious foe that seeks to use that power for their own gain.
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21	Both the first and second ''Gunvolt'' games were packaged up together and sold as a CompilationRerelease called the ''Striker Pack'', released initially for the Platform/Nintendo3DS and later ported to the Platform/NintendoSwitch and Platform/PlayStation4. While the [=3DS=] version was a simple compilation of both games, the Switch and [=PlayStation=] 4 version introduces [[UpdatedRerelease multiple enhancements]], such as 60 FPS presentation with HD artworks and all of ''Gunvolt 2''[='=]s DLC included with the pack, with the [=PlayStation=] 4 release adding an extra song for Lumen.
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23	''Gunvolt'' hit it off enough to be featured in various spinoffs and crossovers, which include:
24	* ''Literature/AzureStrikerGunvoltFleetingMemories'': A web novel series that takes place before the original game and focuses on an entirely original cast. Features one season and ends on a {{Cliffhanger}} with no word of continuation.
25	* ''Anime/AzureStrikerGunvolt'': A 26-minute OVA based on the prologue mission of the first game, with [[BroadStrokes some adaptational liberties taken.]] Released for the [=3DS eShop=] and later on DVD via the Striker Pack.
26	* ''VideoGame/BladeStrangers'': Gunvolt appears as a GuestFighter and one of the titular Blade Strangers.
27	* ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster'': The saga of a boy, his frog, and his massive battle tank. ''Zero'' and ''Zero II'', both developed by Inti Creates, feature Gunvolt and Copen respectively as {{Guest Fighter}}s, and later ''Gunvolt'' games establish the ''Blaster Master/Metafight'' setting as a [[TheMultiverse parallel universe]] to the ''Gunvolt'' setting.
28	* ''GUNVOLT RECORDS Cychronicle'': A Multi-Platform RhythmGame where players match the control and button inputs to the featured in-game songs.
29	* ''VideoGame/IndiePogo'': Another Gunvolt guest fighter appearance among various other indie video game characters.
30	* ''[=PuzzMiX=]'': A ''VideoGame/SuikaGame'' clone that features Lola (''[=LAiX=]'' version), complete with different in-game songs (one original, and one instrumental). The gameplay involves matching the Lola Pods of the same color, each growing large after mixing a certain Lola Pod.
31	* ''VideoGame/MightyGunvolt'': A {{Retraux}} {{Crossover}} game that brings Gunvolt together with its sister series ''VideoGame/MightyNo9'' and Inti's eroge RailShooter Widget Series ''VideoGame/GalGun''.
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34	!!STRIKE:
35	* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The series is set in a world that is very similar to ours except set an unspecified time into the future. [[spoiler:''[=iX=]'' averts this with a 100 year TimeSkip]], as does ''Gunvolt 3'' which skips forward several decades.
36	* AchievementSystem:
37	** The first and second games feature Challenges that reward Gunvolt and Copen for clearing in-game objectives. The Steam version of the first game also has integrated Steam Achievements.
38	** ''[=iX=]'' notably removed Challenges, since ItemCrafting was also kicked out and thus there would be nothing to earn from them besides Credits.
39	* AIRoulette: Most bosses and minibosses select their attacks this way. Bosses tend to add two or three more attacks to the roulette when their first HP bar is depleted, and bypass the roulette to do a LimitBreak when they reach their final HP bar.
40	* AllThereInTheManual:
41	** Many gaps in the story (primarily offscreen events and TimeSkip details) are filled in by various audio dramas.
42	** Every member of the QuirkyMinibossSquad in each game has a backstory that is only briefly touched upon in-game. Their full backstory details are typically revealed in promotional material, such as official website profiles.
43	* AlternateTimeline:
44	** As the game's chronology goes, there are two current timelines in existence, with the branch-off being [[spoiler:the ending of [[VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt the first game]].]]
45	*** The first timeline follows [[spoiler:the TrueEnding where Joule sacrifices herself to save a barely-alive Gunvolt, who kills Asimov in vengeance and stops his plans before they start. This timeline leads into ''VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt2''.]]
46	*** The second timeline follows [[spoiler:the BadEnding where Asimov successfully kills both Gunvolt and Joule and goes through with his plans to make an Adept-only world, taking over Sumeragi and leaving the barely-alive Copen the only one to stop him. This timeline leads into ''VideoGame/LuminousAvengerIX''.]]
47	** [[spoiler:Most of ''iX 2'' takes place in yet another alternate timeline due to Copen being TrappedInAnotherWorld, although the details surrounding this one are very vague. As it turns out, the Teleporter in the Grave Pillar has the ability to link parallel universes, and in Hard Mode Copen acquires this ability for himself.]]
48	* AlwaysNight:
49	** Justified in the first game as QUILL is at its most active during night time, and use this opportunity to strike (where operating during daytime will cause them to stick out like a sore thumb).
50	** Inverted in its spin-off series Luminous Avenger iX where operations are always set in daytime (the only mission set in nighttime is the Medical Center stage).
51	* AntiHumanAlliance: In this case, Anti-Muggle Alliance, both Eden and the Sumeragi Institute want to kill all non-adepts to ensure that only adepts are left in the world but with differing goals. Eden wanted to created an adept-only utopia while the Sumeragi Institute believe in adept supremacy.
52	* AnyoneCanDie: Nearly every single boss you fight in the series is KilledOffForReal within a single battle besides a couple exceptions, including the more sympathetic ones. The BadEnding of the first game [[spoiler:sees both Gunvolt and Joule murdered by Asimov, which becomes an entire AlternateTimeline to boot, meaning even the protagonists aren't completely safe.]] Averted in ''3'', where bosses survive every encounter.
53	* AutoRevive: In all three games, you may be revived by your support character in the event that you die in battle. This is marked by your character respawning on the spot with full HP, a BattleAura, and [[BackgroundMusicOverride kickass music]] as your support character [[SuperMode unleashes her Anthem Septima.]] This always results in the player gaining a massive power up to give them a huge advantage over enemies, but triggering Anthem in a stage [[EasyModeMockery prevents you from gaining any Kudos.]]
54	* ArtEvolution: Key art for the original game used a sharper style that emphasized details on characters and was overall darker in design. Artwork for the second game onward streamlined the designs and characters became more rounded and stylized as a result.
55	* ArtisticAge: The artbooks reveal that despite their height, they have a confirmed age that makes them younger than their appearance would suggest (Nova and Viper, for example, are 14 and 15 respectively but they are as tall as an average adult male, etc.)
56	* BackFromTheDead:
57	** Elise's Septima, Resurrection, can bring back (supposedly) most forms of life, including herself. In her level, the ZombieApocalypse-style theme of her level is the result of her using her Septima on deceased humans and invoking CameBackWrong, remarking that Sumeragi "should've been more specific".
58	** The Muse Septima can go as far as to revive dead Adepts. This is incorporated as an AutoRevive mechanic for the heroes.
59	* BackgroundMusicOverride: Used with nearly reckless abandon throughout the series, as music is a major element across the franchise.
60	** If you're holding onto 1000 unbanked Kudos, the main character gets a BattleAura and Lumen/Joule/Lola becomes corporeal. During this time, one of several music tracks will play over the normal stage music, which includes the main theme and a selection of various vocal tracks that can be picked at semi-random or with special equipment. In the first game, achieving this in the BossRush BonusLevel will cause an English version of the [[ThemeMusicPowerUp theme song]] to play instead.
61	** Dying and triggering the AutoRevive will cause Lumen/Joule/Lola to cast Anthem and transition into Muse/Awakened Form, where a song unique to the SuperMode will play: "Reincarnation" for Lumen/Joule, and "Igniter" for Lola.
62	** ''[=iX=]'' also features the song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loYVreibsgc "Beyond Probability"]] for when Lola activates [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Darkness Trigger]].
63	** Whenever you defeat a boss in ''3'', [[spoiler:there is a chance that Luxia will revive them, thus granting them a 4th Health Bar and the song ''Boundless Myth'' will play. The chances of triggering it corresponds to how well the player is doing and defeating them in this fashion will grant them an extra Image Pulse as a reward.]]
64	** ThemeMusicPowerUp is also used gratuitously at key points, up to and including invoking and inverting it in the same game.
65	* BigBrotherInstinct: Both Gunvolt and Copen have loved ones to care for: Joule, an abused MacGuffinSuperPerson whom Gunvolt gives her freedom, and Mytyl, Copen's sickly and mute younger sister whom even he keeps the true nature of his one-man war from. Both girls give the heroes something to fight for, and touching a hair on their heads with even the slightest of malevolent intent is the fastest way to incur the wrath of either hero.
66	* BewareTheSuperman: The series takes place in a world where meta-humans called Adepts had emerged in huge numbers and destroyed most of it through uncontrolled use of their powers, causing the hatred and contempt of non-Septimal humans who discriminate them to varying degrees. This led to the formation of Eden, a multi-national alliance of young Adepts who seek to take down all ordinary humans so they could live in peace. The Sumeragi group also took advantage of the Adepts to create a systematic plan for the sake of controlling and containing them, making Japan one of the few safe places away from the Adept chaos in the outside world.
67	* BossBanter: The series is quite infamous for this. In the first two games, Gunvolt/Copen will always [[CasualDangerDialogue hold a conversation (usually of expository value) with their quarry in the middle of combat]], which can take ''minutes'' to fully get through, not to mention some dialogue is triggered at certain health thresholds. You can typically finish a boss fight in a fraction of the time it takes to get though the entire chat. ''[=iX=]'' removed these along with most mid-stage dialogue due to the de-emphasis on story (all of the brief mid-stage dialogue comes from Lola but rarely).
68	* BossRush: A carry-over from its ''Franchise/MegaMan'' influence. Notably, each boss rush is justified due to the presence of an Adept who can either [[BackFromTheDead bring the dead back]] or [[MookMaker can create copies with all the powers and even personality of the originals]]. Each game also features a special post-campaign mission that pits the player against all of the game's bosses in sequence.
69	* BottomlessPits: The heroes will oftentimes traverse over precariously placed obstacles, with imminent death awaiting if they fall. Unlike most normal hazards, Anthem can't save you from falling to your death.
70	* BottomlessPitRescueService: The Steam version of ''Azure Striker Gunvolt'' will automatically save you from bottomless pits in Easy Mode. In ''Gunvolt 3'', Gunvolt himself serves as this for Kirin, thereby making all pits NonLethalBottomlessPits (unless your HP is low enough).
71	* ClothingDamage: This applies to Sumeragi mooks upon defeat. Looking closely on them shows their skintight uniforms being torn and their visors shatter; revealing some of their skin underneath.
72	* ColorCodedCharacters:
73	** Gunvolt, the Azure Striker, has... [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin azure clothing.]]
74	** Copen is identified by his white attire and hair with red accents.
75	** Kirin is clothed in yellow and orange.
76	** Most members of the QuirkyMinibossSquad in each game have an identifying color that is used on their TronLines.
77	* {{Combos}}: Gunvolt gains more Kudos for defeating multiple enemies at roughly the same time - up to eight enemies in theory, though more than three or four is usually infeasible. Copen, conversely, gains more Kudos for every enemy he defeats without landing, up to 5x the base value. Kirin is mainly rewarded for staying in the air like Copen, but also gets small bonuses for simultaneous kills like Gunvolt.
78	* CompetenceZone: A justified example.
79	** Adepts are comprised mostly of teens or younger due to them being a recent occurence and are a minority population, the only Adept who is an adult is Asimov who is 24.
80	** Averted in the ''[=iX=]'' spin-off games where Adepts are now the majority population and come in all ages, most of the Falcons (bar Rebellio, Isola, and Blade) are adults with the oldest being at the age of 27.
81	** Also averted in ''3'' where due to a several decade time-skip, the Adepts are now as numerous as the non-Adept population and also come in all ages. Apollo (an adult) for example, worked as a supply manager for Neptune prior to his transformation into Primal Dragon and his subsequent recruitment into the Bureau of Dragon Saviors.
82	* ContrastingSequelAntagonist:
83	** Sumeragi in the first game is a primarily human-led MegaCorp who seeks to use Adepts to subjugate Adepts to preserve the human race and maintain world order (in their own twisted way). Eden in the sequel is an Adept-led organization that wishes to annihilate the human race for their mistreatment of Adepts and create a world where Adepts can thrive.
84	** Eden's Seven in ''2'' is made up of Adepts who willingly joined the organization to [[PayEvilUntoEvil exact vengeance on the human race]] due to their [[FantasticRacism horrible mistreatment by humans]], and fight Gunvolt and Copen to the death due to their desire to protect humans. Sumeragi's Falcons in ''[=iX=]'' by comparison is made up (mostly) of Adepts who are forcefully conscripted into Sumeragi's employ against their will and have no personal qualms with Minos or Copen of any sort, but must fight to the death because of the untold consequences if they don't do their duty.
85	* CrapsackWorld:
86	** The setting in the ''Gunvolt'' series isn't exactly sunshine and rainbows. Adepts across the globe have pretty much destabilized world order, with horrible implications. Ironically, because of Sumeragi's tight leash on Adept activity, Japan has been able to maintain relative peace and societal order, having a society extremely similar to the real world but with Adepts.
87	** The setting of ''[=iX=]'', however, is an out-and-out straight example, with Sumeragi having effectively [[TakeOverTheWorld taken over the world]] and killed off most normal humans. The Adepts live in a {{Dystopia}} setting while the surviving humans, now called Minos (for "minority"), hide in the slums away from Sumeragi's watchful eye.
88	* DefeatEqualsExplosion: Nearly all enemies explode on death, ranging from MechaMooks, flesh and blood footsoldiers (including if you only defeat them with untagged attacks) except that their bodies remain intact (minus their damaged armor, firearms, and helmets), and bosses whose explosive deaths are suitably flashier and have different visuals depending on the game. Even in ''ASG 3'', where Kirin doesn't actually kill bosses, their defeat animations still include bright explosions with the ATEMS knights' being preceded with PreExplosionGlow.
89	* DeflectorShields: Gunvolt's Flashfield doubles as an energy barrier that destroys tangible projectiles like missiles on contact. Copen's Flashshield/Flashfield does the same, but activates automatically and only if his EX Weapon Gauge is full.
90	* DifferentlyPoweredIndividual:
91	** Superpowers are called "Septima", and superpowered people are called "Adepts" (both are called "Seventh" in the Japanese version). The name is attributed to a PowerLevel scale called the "lifewave", of which Adepts stand on the highest, 7th tier. [[spoiler:Then ASG 3 introduced ''Octima'' (called "Eighth" in Japan, which interesting sounds like [[TheAce ace]]), one step even higher than Septima.]]
92	** In the Japanese version of the ''Luminous Avenger [=iX=]'' spinoff series, the powers are now called "Septima" like the English localization, but the superpowered people are now called "Septima Holders". Still called Septima and Adepts in the English version, though.
93	* DifficultyLevels:
94	** Starting from ''2'', games feature alternative options for Kudos: Gutless, Cautious, and Fearless. These don't immediately affect gameplay, but does make Kudos retention easier or harder in exchange for boosting the max Kudos multiplier limit.
95	** Starting from ''[=LAiX=], switching up difficulty level also changes the bosses' arsenal, forcing players to adapt.
96	** The Steam port of ''Gunvolt'' has traditional difficulty options in Easy and Hard flavors.
97	* DubNameChange: A tradition for the series is to change the names of some of the named characters, some terminology, and nearly all of the LimitBreak names whenever the games are localized. To name a few:
98	** The series itself was originally named "Armed Blue: Gunvolt". "Armed Blue" became "Azure Striker", and the name of the titular Septima was changed accordingly.
99	** Septima and Adepts are both known as "Seventh" in Japanese. ''[=iX=]'' shook this up a bit by adopting the term Septima, but then changed "Adepts" to "Septima Holder" while the localization stuck with "Adept".
100	** Gunvolt's primary ability, Flashfield, is called "Raigekirin". Copen's derivative version is called "Flashfield" in Japan, so this was changed to "Flashshield" to avoid confusion with Gunvolt's ability. Incidentally, the localization of ''[=iX=]'' changed it back to "Flashfield".
101	** Copen was originally called "Acura", fitting in with the VehicularThemeNaming convention of the Sumeragi Swordsmen despite being unrelated to them.
102	** QUILL was known as "FEATHER" in Japan. Unlike "QUILL", "FEATHER" is not an acronym.
103	** As mentioned, most of the [[LimitBreak SP Skills]] undergo name changes to ditch the GratuitousEnglish or altering any particular [[PunnyName word-play]] to fit in English. Starting from ''2'', all of the SP Skill callouts were also re-dubbed in the original Japanese to fit the localized name in non-Japanese versions.
104	* DullEyesOfUnhappiness: A downplayed variant. Protagonists and supporting casts are drawn with a subtle white glint at the side of their irises, and antagonists are drawn without it. The only exception is Copen in ''2'', who carries over his lack of glint from the first game, when he was exclusively an antagonist, including his incarnation in ''[=iX=]'' who also lacks a glint despite being much more heroic here. It's played straight for ''truly'' deranged or broken characters such as [[spoiler:Zonda and the Mother Computer, who have both dulled eyes and expressions. It also becomes subtle {{Foreshadowing}} for Asimov's antagonistic role, since if one looks at his eyes behind his sunglasses, he's drawn without the glint from the beginning.]]
105	* EasterEgg:
106	** In both the first and second games, you can mash the Jump button on the loading screen to interact with it.
107	** The first game also featured various collectible {{Retraux}} icons in each of the stages that set your Kudos to 1000 when picked up. They can only be revealed by shooting them with the Mizuchi, otherwise considered a next-to-useless weapon.
108	* FacelessGoons: Sumeragi, Eden, and ATEMS soldiers all wear helmets that completely conceal their faces.
109	* FamilyFriendlyFirearms: ZigZagged. Most of the enemies utilize energy weapons that fire beam or photon shots but they also possess ballistic weapons, such as missiles and bullets (the latter mainly reserved for mini bosses). One of the ATEMS soldier types is armed with an HMG loaded with live ammo, and Apollo's offhand remark that he once deflected a stray bullet implies that even in a several decade Time Skip, ballistic based firearms still exists.
110	* FantasticRacism: There are more than a few humans who have a less than desirable outlook on Adepts, and vice versa. This is the primary reason why people like Dr. Kamizono and Sumeragi perform live experimentation on Adepts. Discrimination against Adepts also factors into the backstories of every single one of Eden's Seven (and heavily implied with its founder), motivating most of them to join the group.
111	* TheGhost:
112	** There is an overseas company named Eunos whom Sumeragi has collaborated to develop the Plasma Legion [[spoiler:(and later the upgraded Mantis Legion)]]. So far none of their members appear in the game proper.
113	** The Governmet which consists of both the Defense Ministry and the Army (whom Jota once belonged to) only show up in an Audio Track set before the first game, and it is unknown what happened to them once Sumeragi took over.
114	* HaveANiceDeath: Most bosses have a unique dialogue that will play should you lose to them in ''Luminous Avenger iX Duology'' and ''Azure Striker Gunvolt 3''.
115	* HolidayMode:
116	** The Steam port of ''Gunvolt'' unlocks bonus holiday-themed {{Arrange Mode}}s when the game is booted up on certain dates.
117	** Starting up ''[=iX=]'' on certain days will grant Kohaku [[AndYourRewardIsClothes a themed outfit.]]
118	* IdolSinger:
119	** Lumen is a virtual idol ("cyber diva" in Japanese), whose music is wildly popular across the nation. She is also a manifestation of Joule's Septima, and because her songs have MagicMusic properties, she (and Joule) is constantly hunted by people who want to exploit that power.
120	** Lola is one in ''[=iX=]'', raising the morale of the surviving Minos by uploading her songs to the Under-net.
121	** Isola moonlights as one, using her position as a Falcon to use her Septima to spice up her concerts. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYH_ZW9hvKM She also has her own song.]]
122	* IndieGame: ''Gunvolt'' is Inti's first attempt at one, as it is their first self-published project. The success of ''Gunvolt'' has lead them to following up with several other independent titles, such as their ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster'' reboot series and ''VideoGame/DragonMarkedForDeath''.
123	* InteractiveFiction: A short text adventure called ''Azure Striker Gunvolt DOS'' was released as a promotional item at PAX Prime 2015 on an actual floppy disk (thus making it unplayable on most modern systems). It's loosely based on the first game and uses a lot of IntentionalEngrishForFunny. [[http://inticreates.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gunvolt.html It has since become playable online]], but [[GuideDangIt the codewords needed to progress were only revealed at the actual event]], [[spoiler:and the secret phone number that is awarded at the end of the game (originally made to tease ''Azure Striker Gunvolt 2'') now redirects to a completely unrelated line]].
124	* IntraFranchiseCrossover: Kirin from ''Gunvolt 3'' [[EarlyBirdCameo debuted]] as a DLC boss in ''iX 2'', making her way over from the main series.
125	* KidHero: Both playable characters are in their teens. Despite this, they speak with baritone voices and have experience well beyond their years.
126	* KillAllHumans: Eden wants to wipe the human race off the face of the planet to create a paradise for Adepts. Also [[spoiler:Asimov's]] goal before Gunvolt put an end to his machinations. [[spoiler:Although in [[VideoGame/LuminousAvengerIX the timeline where he killed Gunvolt]], he comes a hair's width to actually pulling it off.]]
127	* KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter:
128	** Inverted, ballistic rounds such as missiles, rockets, live bullets (fired from an ATEMS heavy gunner) and grenades can be deflected with Flashfield/Flashshield. It's the EnergyWeapons that can go through it, forcing Gunvolt, Copen, and Kirin to dodge them.
129	** ZigZagged with the weapons system used by the Mantis and Fazent; on one hand their missiles can be deflected, however, when it comes to their gatling cannons, it can easily pierce through Flashfield/Flashshield as the bullet's size (combined with high velocity speed) being too much for GV and Copen to easily deflect.
130	* LastGirlWins: Due to extenuating circumstances, Gunvolt ends up with Quinn by the end of ''Azure Striker Gunvolt 2''. Although if ''Gunvolt 3'' is anything to go by, that arrangement didn't last long due to factors out of Gunvolt's control.
131	* {{Leitmotif}}: Most of the more important characters are assigned certain musical leitmotif, and thus astute listener may immediately notice that certain songs refer to which characters, occasionally leading to MusicalSpoiler.
132	* LimitBreak: Dubbed "Special Skills" or "SP Skills", they're a staple of the series. Gunvolt's SP Skills in the first two games are managed by his SP Gauge, and casting them requires SP Points. These range from Astrasphere, a concentrated burst of electricity, Luxcalibur, an electric sword that shoots forward, and Voltaic Chains, a [[SmartBomb screen-nuking attack]] that covers the screen with electrified chains. Copen and Kirin have multiple SP Skills, but all are functionally {{Smart Bomb}}s. All bosses also have SP Skills, which are usually triggered when [[DesperationAttack their HP reaches the last 1/3rd of their gauge]].
133	* MagicMusic: The Anthem Septima is a recurring element of the series. A rare and powerful Septima, Anthem has the power to drastically magnify the power of Adepts who hear the user's song. It is thus highly coveted by both heroes and villains, even moreso than the titular Azure Striker Septima, and is frequently integrated into gameplay.
134	* MechaMooks:
135	** Both Sumeragi and Eden deploy these, providing assistance to their flesh and blood soldiers. They make up most of the fighting force within the two.
136	** All enemies in ''iX2'' play this straight as the entirety of them are MechanicalLifeforms.
137	* MultipleEndings:
138	** ''Gunvolt'' features two different endings, [[spoiler:both of which lead into different timelines.]]
139	** ''2'' had the True Endings be accessible by completing both campaigns and is an extended version of the normal ending, [[spoiler:the point of view depending on whether you beat it as Gunvolt or Copen.]]
140	** ''[=iX=]'' did away with any ending variations, having only one concrete ending.
141	** ''[=iX=] 2'' brought them back with 3 different endings: a normal ending, a bad ending version of normal, and the True Ending only accessible by beating Hard Mode.
142	** ''3'' has a bad ending, a true ending which was later updated (The unaltered true ending can secretly be found [[spoiler:by wearing the GV? Image Pulse for the final battle]]), [[spoiler:and a secret joke ending]].
143	* NoDamageRun: While the conventional type of "no damage" is very easy thanks to the Prevasion mechanic, not triggering Prevasion at all (i.e. not getting hit) is a different story entirely. The latter is vital to getting the best score.
144	* OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo: The Japanese titles of the main series games after the first one have a subtitle related to one of the characters in the game. The second game has "Sou", meaning "claw", and is associated with Copen's imagery in that game. The third game has "Gibs", the Japanese name of Kirin's Septima. The English titles [[MarketBasedTitle forgo these]] for standard numbered titles.
145	* OnceAnEpisode: The main series has a RunningGag with instant ramen, which gets mentioned at least once per game. Joule/Lumen is usually involved.
146	* PickupHierarchy:
147	** '''Primary''': Jewels in ''Gunvolt 1''.
148	** '''Secondary''': Bolts, Clips (''Gunvolt 2''), Skills, and synthesized gear for Gunvolt, EX Weapons, Subroutines, and Memory Upgrades for Copen.
149	** '''Tertiary''': Healing items, crafting materials, vig.
150	** '''Extra''': Points and Kudos.
151	* PostCyberpunk:
152	** The first game initially isn't this as it's about a LaResistance vs MegaCorp that goes into {{Cyberpunk}} territory. The second game and onwards plays this straight and focuses more on fighting enemy groups to maintain peace.
153	** ''Luminous Avenger iX'' also follows the first game's theme. Fighting against a MegaCorp that has become a OneWorldOrder government. [[spoiler:It's only after Demerzel's defeat that it becomes this.]]
154	* PostDefeatExplosionChain: Most larger bosses explode in this fashion upon defeat, ending with a screen-wide fade to white.
155	* PowerLevels: According to ''Fleeting Memories'', supernatural or supernatural-sensitive entities are graded on scale from Level 1 through Level 7; the lowest level are essentially {{Muggles}}, Level 7s are [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Adepts]], and anyone in-between possesses some form of lower power that elevates them above normal humans but are not tangible or accessible enough to be considered a superpower, a la Quinn. [[spoiler:The climax of ''3'' involves going up against an Octima, a power one tier higher than a Septima: essentially a PhysicalGod.]]
156	* PowerLimiter:
157	** The Glaives, a sword-shaped weapon created by Sumeragi that contains an Adept's "Adept gene" that holds their powers in the "septimosome". As a result, Adepts under Sumeragi's employ generally stay in the form of normal humans until they enter combat, upon which they use their Glaives to activate their Septimal power. They can also boost an Adept's power without sealing their Adept gene into it, but the resulting power boost is marginal by comparison. By ''3'', a new type has been developed that inhibits Septimas in a range around itself without needing to extract and contain the septimosome.
158	** ''3'' introduced Binding Brands, a type of sealing sword created by Shadow Yakumo that serves as the prototypical form of the Glaives currently used by Sumeragi. Like the Glaives, they are also capable of controlling Septima, although due to the advent of Glaives, the Binding Brands have fallen out of use. Unlike Glaives, however, the Binding Brands don't need to contain the Adept gene to fully empower their wielders and can function as a straight-up AmplifierArtifact. They become the resident {{MacGuffin}}s in the second half of the game, as [[spoiler:they are sealing something important deep within Sumeragi's archives that ATEMS wants.]]
159	* RandomlyDrops: In the main series, players are awarded with random prizes at the end of each stage. In the first two games, you earn materials for use in the ItemCrafting system, with more prizes awarded for a higher rank. In ''3'', you instead earn Image Pulses.
160	* RandomlyGifted: Having {{Muggle}} heritage does not necessarily omit you from gaining Adept powers from birth. Tenjian and [[spoiler:Zonda]] were both subject to this, and their birth parents abandoned them as a result.
161	* RPGElements:
162	** You gain EXP for defeating enemies, which turn into Levels that award more HP and unlocks new Skills or Memory Expansions. You also have access to a variety of equipment that you can fuse with materials found by completing stages and augment your powers.
163	** ''[=iX=]'' tones them down significantly; EXP and Levels are still a thing, but ItemCrafting and Copen's Memory system have been kicked out, with a set list of freely-changeable abilities that you can buy with Credits taking their place.
164	* RunningGag: In the chats of the ''Azure Striker Gunvolt'' games, at least one character per game expresses confusion about how instant noodles work: Joule in the first, Quinn and Joule again in the second, and lastly BB and Lumen in the third. By the third time, Gunvolt, who has heard all three cases firsthand, [[SarcasmFailure can no longer muster a verbal reply]].
165	* ScoringPoints: The main gimmick of the series is the Kudos mechanic.
166	** By dealing damage, defeating enemies, and performing certain stylish actions such as [[{{Combos}} defeating multiple enemies in a row/simultaneously]] or finding secrets, you gain Kudos, tracked by a counter at the left side of the screen. Kudos aren't points, but by touching a checkpoint or casting most Special Skills, you can "bank" Kudos, converting them into points by multiplying the current value by the accompanying Kudos Multiplier. The multiplier rises as you gain Kudos, encouraging you to hoard lots of Kudos and then turn them into a big score stash at once. The main threat is that if you get hit, even if your Prevasion activates, you lose all of your unbanked Kudos and the points are wasted. In addition, your score at the end of the stage is affected by multiple additional factors, including clear time and (in ''[=iX=]'') DifficultyLevel. This encourages the player to play fast, efficient, and smart to maximize score and get higher ranks. The exact specifics of the mechanic have varied by game.
167	** ''2'' introduced a form of difficulty levels for Kudos, in Gutless, Cautious, and Fearless forms. Gutless prevents Kudos from disappearing at all until you use a Skill, but caps the max multiplier at 50x. Cautious allows two "strikes" before they disappear on the third hit, with a regular multiplier. Fearless functions as it did in the first game, with Kudos disappearing on any hit, but the multiplier scales up much faster. The ''Striker Pack'' added these difficulty levels back into the first game.
168	** In ''iX 2'', Kudos don't vanish until touching a Checkpoint or using a Skill, similar to Gutless, but the game also does not feature difficulty levels like ''2''. [[spoiler:Hard Mode]] reinstates the "one hit" rule from the previous games, however.
169	** In ''3'', Kudos no longer vanish at all, but being hit inflicts the Kudos Lock status, where your ability to gain Kudos is frozen until you earn back your Kudos "debt". The severity of the Kudos Lock scales proportionately to the amount of Kudos you have on-hand, with more Kudos leading to a higher Kudos Lock penalty.
170	* SharedUniverse:
171	** With ''VideoGame/GalGun'' series.
172	*** It alludes to the existence of the Kamizono[[labelnote:]]Represented by Shinobu and Maya from ''2'', implied to be Copen and Mytyl's mother and aunt respectively[[/labelnote]] and Sakurazaki[[labelnote:]]the ''GalGun'' games are set in Sakurazaki Academy[[/labelnote]] family, and as well as [[spoiler:"Kurona"[[labelnote:]]Implied to be Nori in her true form, which is supported by Mytyl's line about a charm that is said to ward off evil spirits[[/labelnote]]]], the last one appearing in Copen's Drama CD where she gives Lola a pendant, an item described as being from the "ancient times".
173	*** Furthermore, the Joule chats mention ''Aoi'' (implied to be the very same Aoi Uno) who is now a famous rockstar, suggesting that the main timeline is set just two decade later.
174	** ''iX 2'' reveals that the ''VideoGame/BlasterMasterZero'' trilogy is canon to the ''Azure Striker Gunvolt'' series in certain ways.
175	** [[spoiler:Implied with ''VideoGame/BloodstainedCurseOfTheMoon'' as one of the ending stingers for Nightmare Mode is of Zangetsu suddenly waking up in the near future where the Sumeragi HQ is visible.]] One conversation in ''3'' is about Gunvolt, who is implied to have a run-in with the figure in red before, asking Kirin if she, too, met a samurai dressed in red, only for Kirin to muse that a Samurai in this day and age, outside of cosplayers, would be non-existent.
176	* ShockAndAwe: The titular Azure Striker Septima, considered one of the strongest, if not the ''de facto'' strongest, Septima in existence. Gunvolt, owing to his skill and ability to wield the Azure Striker power, is considered TheDreaded even among Sumeragi's top brass.
177	* ShowWithinAShow: The "September" series, a series of [=MMORPGs=] developed and published by Sumeragi. The first installment, "September Record", plays a significant role in the backstory of the original game for Merak and Elise, later followed by "September Historia", which Joule plays in a chat in the first game. By the time of ''Gunvolt 3'' the series has had so many installments that it's overloaded with subtitles.
178	* SideStoryBonusArt: The games' official sites and the Official Complete Works feature art of this sort, mostly made to celebrate some occasion (e.g. Halloween 2014). Many of them depict [[GoKartingWithBowser characters who are canonically mortal enemies palling around with each other]].
179	* SightedGunsAreLowTech: On-foot mooks for some reason seem to fire from their hip instead of from their shoulder. The only characters who aim their weapons are Gunvolt, Copen, and [[spoiler:Asimov]]. The Adept that controls a broken Mantis from ''Luminous Avenger iX'' averts this by actually aiming from the gun's sights. And ''[=iX=] 2'' completely drops this where for the first time, the robotic infantry now aim and fire from their shoulders.
180	* SmartBomb: All playable characters in the series have skills that clears the screen of enemies in suspended time.
181	** Gunvolt has his Voltaic Chain in all his appearances
182	** Copen's skills have different names depending on the game: Shred Storm (ASG 2), Twin Shredder ([=LAiX=]) and [=CoLossal Maelstrom (LAiX 2)=]. Except for Shred Storm, Copen's skills are CombinationAttack with his RobotBuddy Lola.
183	** Kirin starts off with 92nd Rite - Divine Ruin Arc, which is later renamed into Hidden 92nd Rite - Divine Ruin Heresy after she recruits Gunvolt. [[spoiler:Kirin XX, her alternate form based on her boss self from [=LAiX 2=], has 88th Rite - Pale Mist Refined which has a different animation.]]
184	* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Gunvolt'' borrows heavily from Inti Creates' prior games ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'', such as the use of a mission-based format, RPGElements, and heavy emphasis on story. Ironically, PowerCopying wasn't used by playable characters until the second game, and is never used by Gunvolt by himself.
185	* SpikesOfDoom: A common level hazard, although they merely inflict damage instead of being a OneHitKill. Eden's gratuitous use of them to create MalevolentArchitecture is lampshaded mercilessly by the heroes in ''2''.
186	* SpringJump: Copen gets access to multiple.
187	** Twintail Bunker, Desna's EX Weapon, can be pointed at the ground by holding Down while casting it. If done so, Copen will launch into the air in addition to dealing damage to anything near and below him.
188	** The Code of Shovelry Subroutine allows Copen to bounce off the ground if he performs a Reload Crush.
189	** Rising Cyclone, Bakto's EX Weapon, propels Copen into the air if he is inside the vortex. This also cancels his flight, so be wary if you happen to be over something harmful.
190	* StrictlyFormula: No two games in the series have the exact same structure, but all of them feature one or two prologue stages to introduce the gameplay and story, one or two waves of main stages that can be tackled in any order ala ''Mega Man'', and four or five final stages covering an assault on TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon and the story's climax and conclusion, and featuring a BossRush and at least one BossOnlyLevel. Every game except ''2'' also has an intermission stage after half of the main stages that ends with a fight against a rival who will be fought once more in the final stages. In ''2'', the first fight with your rival - [[DuelingPlayerCharacters the other playable character]] - is a miniboss in one of the main stages instead.
191	* SuperEmpowering: Even before the start of the first game, Sumeragi has been tinkering with ways to implant Septima into [[{{Muggles}} otherwise normal humans.]] The most relevant of these is Project GUNVOLT, an underground project that seeks to impart the Azure Striker Septima to normal people. The titular Gunvolt is a survivor of the project ''and'' was compatible, while [[spoiler:Nova attempted the transfusion but was unable to manifest Azure Striker powers]]. Also, [[spoiler:Blade is subject to this in the ''VideoGame/LuminousAvengerIX'' timeline, becoming the new Azure Striker [[ReplacementGoldfish in Gunvolt's place.]]]]
192	* SuperpowerLottery: Being an Adept doesn't automatically translate into you being super-human for real. The Septimas of most Adepts are too weak or too non-practical for combat use, making them no different from regular humans. Even if an Adept happens to have a Septima that is indeed practical for combat, some Septima types are significantly stronger or more versatile than others, and even within those brackets an Adept might be stronger because of they are more well-trained/pro-efficent than another in using them. Being a stronger Adept however, comes with its drawbacks; people ''will'' discriminate you if they find out, especially if your Septima is too similar to those from a known criminal, and Sumeragi might declare you a public threat and capture you for experimentation (which often makes things worse, but at least those crazed and unstable Adepts are hidden from public view).
193	* ThemeMusicPowerUp: The game's theme song may sometimes play when Anthem is activated after reaching 1000 Kudos. ''2'' also inverts this ''spectacularly'', when [[spoiler:the theme song kicks in... as the TrueFinalBoss activates his AutoRevive. Cue the ''true'' TrueFinalBoss.]]
194	* ThemeNaming: The bosses in each game follow specific naming schemes.
195	** ''Azure Striker Gunvolt'': VehicularThemeNaming.
196	** ''Gunvolt 2'': Missile defense systems.
197	** ''iX'': Science fiction movies.
198	** ''iX 2'': Bikes and motorcycles.
199	** ''Gunvolt 3'': The Primal Dragons also use VehicularThemeNaming.
200	* TigerVersusDragon: The loading screens in ''2'' makes several references to this in describing the relationship between Gunvolt and Copen.
201	* UtilityWeapon: A recurring theme with games that star Copen, as one of his EX Weapons in each game will have a secondary function of breaking color-coded box scattered throughout various levels, each one typically hiding something of great value. In ''Gunvolt 2'', this function goes to Prism Break, while in ''iX'', it goes to Orbital Edge, and in ''iX 2'' it goes to Gatling Blitz.
202	* VictorGainsLosersPowers: Drawing heavily from its ''Mega Man'' inspirations, this is one of the main hallmarks of the series alongside the basic gameplay loop.
203	** Gunvolt actually plays with it. Instead of directly getting powers from the boss, he acquires a new Dart Leader gun type for every boss he kills, which lets him shoot Darts in new ways. However, these have nothing to do with the bosses he kills whatsoever, he just gets them when he beats one.
204	** Played straight with Copen, who gets a new ability every time an Adept or Gravekeeper dies. Note that ''he'' doesn't necessarily have to kill them, they just have to be dead first, as seen in the first ''Azure Striker Gunvolt'' when Copen copies the powers of the Swordsmen that Gunvolt kills. In all games where he's playable, Lola gathers data on the defeated foe and uses it to fashion an EX Weapon for Copen to use. EX Weapons aren't exactly like the boss powers for the most part, but are closely inspired by them.
205	** Averted by Kirin, who instead creates new sword techniques inspired by her enemies after facing them in combat.
206	* VideoGame3DLeap: ''Cychronicle'' is the first entry to feature 3D graphics in any capacity. While the music videos released on Inti Creates' [=YouTube=] channel have previously featured both 3D and live-action performances, this is the first time they have been properly featured in-game.
207	* VengeanceFeelsEmpty: As stated in supplementary material, Gunvolt [[spoiler:killing Asimov, partly to stop his KillAllHumans plot but mostly to avenge Joule's murder]], didn't make him feel any better, mostly having [[HeroicBSOD the inverse effect]]. Gunvolt later tries to teach this to Copen during [[spoiler:the TrueFinalBoss fight]] with little success (Copen's not much of the "listen to his enemies" type).
208	* TheWallAroundTheWorld: The Kamishiro Barrier is a defense system which protects Japan from external threats (such as invasion or missile strikes from foreign powers), preventing entry or exit without a tedious process (unless employees are registered as part of Sumeragi, such as the Eunos Inc engineering corps). This is mainly to protect the technology behind the Glaives' creation (which is highly sought after by foreign companies and governments) and continue on monopolizing them. As a side-effect however, this caused an untold amount of plane and boat crashes due to its operators not being able to see the barrier until it's too late. There are two instances where the barrier was disabled (both of them being re-enabled after the situation was cleared).
209	* WallJump: A basic ability for all characters. Notably, the game uses ''VideoGame/MegaManX''-style wall jumping where holding against a wall and repeatedly pressing the Jump button allows the character to scale it. Characters cannot normally press against the wall to slow their descent, unlike the ''Mega Man'' games, but the Elise Image Pulse in ''3'' allows Kirin and Gunvolt to gain this ability.
210	----
211	->''CLEAR''

Context VideoGame / AzureStrikerGunvoltSeries