Gunparade March

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.

Plot

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.

Gameplay

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.

Anime

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.