Gunparade March
A 2000 tactical RPG that was nominated for the Seiun Award.
Gunparade March is a tactical role-playing game for the PlayStation, released in 2000 only in Japan. It was developed by Alfa System and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game was nominated for the 32nd Seiun Award for Best Dramatic Presentation but did not win. Famitsu scored it 31 out of 40.
The story begins in 1945, when World War II ends abruptly as an alien race called the Phantom Beasts (Genjyu) appears and begins slaughtering humanity. By 1999, over half the Earth is under their control. Humans fight back using advanced mecha called Humanoid Walking Tanks (HWTs), but pilot casualties are heavy. To ensure the species' survival, Japan drafts high school students into HWT service. The game follows the 5121st Platoon, composed mainly of these student pilots, as they battle the aliens while trying to maintain normal social lives.
Combat is tactical and turn-based, shown on a map with symbols for characters. Players input an "Action Code" based on their choices, and after ending their turn, the action plays out in detailed cutscenes. Outside battle, players manage the characters' social lives.
The main protagonist is Atsushi Hayami, a shy and naive HWT pilot whose balanced attributes lead him to co-pilot a two-seater "Tandem" HWT with Mai Shibamura. Mai is the main heroine, a highly skilled but socially distant transfer pilot who joins the platoon after the death of an elite pilot she admired. Both struggle to admit their feelings for each other.
The game spawned a manga adaptation by Hiroyuki Sanadura, serialized in Dengeki Daioh and published in three volumes by MediaWorks (2001–2003), later translated by ADV Manga (2004–2005). An anime series followed, as did a sequel trilogy for the PlayStation 2 called Gunparade Orchestra, released in 2006. The Orchestra story focuses on the poorly equipped 108th Guard Squad in Aomori, a unit seen as a "reject camp" for pilots not good enough for elite Hokkaido units. The game was also re-released on the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.
- Developer
- Alfa System
- Publisher
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Platform
- PlayStation
- Release Year
- 2000
- Genre
- Tactical role-playing game
- Region
- Japan only
- Award
- Nominated for the 32nd Seiun Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
Quick Facts
- Title
- Gunparade March
- Developer
- Alfa SystemAdditional work by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan.
- Publisher
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Platforms
- PlayStation
- Genre
- Tactical role-playing, social simulation
- Modes
- Single-player
- Released
- JP · September 28, 2000
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Gunparade March is set in an alternate 1999 where World War II ended in 1945 due to the arrival of alien 'Phantom Beasts' (Genjyu) that slaughtered humanity. Mankind fights back using mecha called Humanoid Walking Tanks (HWTs), but pilot casualties are high. The Japanese government drafts high school students into HWT service, and the game follows the 5121st Platoon, composed mainly of such students, as they battle the aliens while trying to maintain normal social lives.
Reader's Guide
Gunparade March is significant as a tactical role-playing game that combined mecha combat with social simulation elements. Its combat system used a map with symbols and an 'Action Code' input based on player choices, with detailed cutscenes showing the results. The game's plot, involving drafted high school students piloting HWTs against alien invaders, was praised for its creativity and attention to detail, earning it the 32nd Seiun Award for Best Dramatic Presentation over works like October Sky and The Iron Giant. It also received a score of 31 out of 40 from Famitsu and was a nominee for the Japan Game Awards' 'Game of the Year,' losing to Phantasy Star Online. The game led to a manga adaptation serialized in Dengeki Daioh and published by MediaWorks and ADV Manga, an anime series, and a sequel trilogy titled Gunparade Orchestra for the PlayStation 2 in 2006. Its legacy includes a re-release on the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.
Did You Know?
- Gunparade March was nominated for the 32nd Seiun Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, but did not win.
- The game was released only in Japan in 2000 for the PlayStation.
- A sequel trilogy, Gunparade Orchestra, was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2006.
- The game's combat uses an 'Action Code' system where player choices are input, then viewed in detailed cutscenes.
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