“Many of the characters and enemies are derived from that famous shooter series [Gradius], while other elements are extracted from other Konami titles, such as Antarctic Adventure and TwinBee. This game is of particular note in the series as being heavily infused with Japanese culture and folklore.”

Thanks. Until now I thought Parodius was just trying to be a funny take on shmups. I understood the Gradius/parody portmanteau, but I didn’t realize it was a true parody (e.g., clearly borrowing characters/enemies in a humorous way).