Akai Katana
Xbox 360August 28, 2012WindowsDecember 15, 2022Switch, PS4, Xbox One • Genre — Scrolling shooter, bullet hell • Arcade System — CAVE CV1000-D NESiCAxLive (Shin) exA-Arcadia (EXA Label) is a horizontally scrolling shooter bullet hell developed by Cave and released in Japan on August 20, 2010 for arcades. A port to the Xbox 360 with additional game modes, Akai Katana Shin, followed on May 26, 2011. Rising Star Games published the console release in North America and Europe on May 15, 2012 simply as Akai Katana.
Also recorded as Akai Katana Shin
Akai Katana
- Date
- 2010
- Publisher
- CAVE
- Language
- English · French
- Genre
- bullet hell · horizontally scrolling shooter
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Xbox 360August 28, 2012WindowsDecember 15, 2022Switch, PS4, Xbox One • Genre — Scrolling shooter, bullet hell • Arcade System — CAVE CV1000-D NESiCAxLive (Shin) exA-Arcadia (EXA Label) is a horizontally scrolling shooter bullet hell developed by Cave and released in Japan on August 20, 2010 for arcades. A port to the Xbox 360 with additional game modes, Akai Katana Shin, followed on May 26, 2011. Rising Star Games published the console release in North America and Europe on May 15, 2012 simply as Akai Katana.
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In this article
The object
The object
An enhanced arcade port titled Akai Katana EXA Label was released by exA-Arcadia on February 17, 2022. City Connection ported the Xbox 360 release to Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and released it as Akai Katana Shin on December 15, 2022.
Key facts
Key facts
• Title — Akai Katana • Developer — Cave exA-Arcadia (EXA Label) • Publisher — Cave • Director — Tsuneki Ikeda • Producer — Kenichi Takano • Designer — Hideki Nomura • Programmer — Tsuneki Ikeda Shinobu Yagawa Daisuke Koizumi Toshihiko Sera • Artist — Mushimaro Tachikawa • Composer — Ryu Umemoto • Platforms — * Arcade • exA-Arcadia • Xbox 360 • Windows • Nintendo Switch • PlayStation 4 • Xbox One • Released — ArcadeAugust 20, 2010 Arcade ShinJuly 24, 2012Arcade EXA LabelFebruary 17, 2022 Shin
Gameplay
Gameplay
• Illustration — Arcade version screenshot.
Plot
Plot
Set in a parallel world resembling Japan's Taishō period, the people have discovered the powerful Blood Swords, the titular Akai Katana. Requiring human sacrifices to unleash their immense destructive power, these swords have been used by the empire to crush neighbouring countries. However, all the bloodshed and power gained through sacrificing close family members has made some of the swordsmen reconsider. With new fighter planes and the powered up swords at their disposal, this small band of rebels now fight back against the tyrannical empire.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- Japan
Named but not plotted · 1
Akai Katana is associated with Japan.
Country
Reception
Famitsu gave the game scores of 8, 8, 8 and 9 from four reviewers, adding up to a total score of 33 out of 40. GameSpot gave the game a score of 8 out of 10, describing it as "a well-crafted dose of over-the-top bullet-hell action." Destructoid gave the game a score of 9 out of 10, concluding that "you may just find yourself ascending to bullet hell heaven if you dedicate some time to learning the game’s obscure but absolutely thrilling mechanics." Mean Machines described it as a "must-have blaster" for the Xbox 360, praising the gameplay, the "masterpiece" 2D graphics, and the "fantastic" hard rock soundtrack. Crunchyroll praised the challenging gameplay as well as Umemoto's "insane guitar" music as possibly "soundtrack of the year," concluding that "anyone interested in the genre should pick this one up and reward said risk with a small swirling bundle of gold."
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.QUATRE AILES. Mushimaro Blog.
- 2.Burleson, Kyle MacGregor. Cave shooter Akai Katana descending onto the Xbox 360. Destructoid. May 5, 2012.
- 3.Akai Katana. GameSpot AU.
- 4.CRIMSON KATANA EXA LABEL. exA-Arcadia.
- 5.Akai Katana Shin for PS4, Xbox One, and Switch launches December 15. Gematsu. 2022-08-18.
- 6.CBS Interactive. Akai Katana for Xbox 360. GameRankings.
- 7.CBS Interactive. Akai Katana for Xbox 360 Reviews. Metacritic.
- 8.Pinsof, Allistair. Review: Akai Katana. Destructoid. May 17, 2012.
- 9.Patterson, Eric L. EGM Review: Akai Katana. Electronic Gaming Monthly. May 15, 2012.
- 10.Woger, Martin. Akai Katana - Test. Eurogamer. June 26, 2012.
- 11.N4G. Famitsu review scores - Pandora's Tower score.
- 12.Walton, Mark. Akai Katana Review. GameSpot. May 17, 2012.
- 13.Hatfield, Daemon. Akai Katana Review. IGN. IGN Entertainment. May 16, 2012.
- 14.July 2012, p.107
- 15.McFerran, Damien. Akai Katana review. Mean Machines. 19 May 2012.
- 16.Luster, Joseph. Review: Cave's "Akai Katana" Shoot 'em Up Scores Big. Crunchyroll. May 15, 2012.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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