Agadan

Agadan---on the Persian Gulf, known in Japanese as the Gulf City Gran (湾岸都市グラン), is the first stage in Cannon Dancer.

Story

Agadan is a port city located on the Persian Gulf, shown to be a high-tech city with large skyscrapers, waving spotlights and high-rise suspended roads. The city has been infiltrated by the ideological terrorist cult known as Slaver, taking full control over it^[1]. Tired of these cultists, the Federation's General Attorney Jack Layzon hires Kirin of Teki in order to recapture the city back from these cultists.^[1][2]

In the midst of night, Kirin jumps off the waters and enters the city through one of its harbors. Quickly taking care of the soldiers and defense machines on the area, Kirin proceeds further into the city, eventually arriving at a parking lot where he confronts the large mecha Gamran. After destroying the robot, Kirin continues into the heart of the city where the Slaver Temple is found.

As Kirin sets foot in the proximity of the temple's area, Slaver notices his presence and wonders aloud who dares enter her territory.

Layout

Note: Area names are not official

Starting Area
The starting point is the city's port area, with two anchored ships visible in the background. It begins with a simple path with a few Foot Soldiers and a pit with two active flames. As soon as Kirin jumps over these, the flames shoot upwards and become beams, creating a wall of fire that can't be passed over without getting hit. Right after this section Kirin arrives at a circular area he needs to climb, with what appears to be a half-cut giant gear in the background. A few soldiers stand to the right ready to shoot Kirin as he climbs. Once on top, there are some breakable boxes in the path, followed by a simple area with two platforms where soldiers and defense machines await.

Next to this is a second pit with three flames covered by the security machine Visete. Visete does not attack and two strikes make it fly away, and as before the three flames shoot forward once jumped over, creating a wall of fire that can't be crossed.

City outskirts
The area begins with a second ascending part with two of the same half gears, with both soldiers and flying weapons coming down to attack. On top of this area stands another set of breakable boxes, piled up as to block the path. After breaking through them, Kirin arrives into an open area where three Guardian machines appear to fight him.

Following this section Kirin meets with a helmet-less soldier standing on top of a limousine, which at his signal raises up to reveal the large statue boss known as Material. Once Material is destroyed, the soldier jumps away as the limousine explodes.

Parking lot
This area is a vertical parking lot made of metal girders holding up a number of red cars in separate sections. As Kirin moves up there are cars blocking his way that must be destroyed, and soldiers can be seen running up to the right side and position themselves in an attempt to take shots at Kirin.

Eventually Kirin reaches the domed top of an old-looking building called the Nozawa Bank, where two circular contraptions trap him and he's forced to fight the dual boss Computer. Once destroyed, the contraption breaks down and Kirin follows down the building's other side, ending into an spacious parking lot. Before he can proceed, however, the large robot Gamran falls from above and Kirin engages it in battle.

Stage Enemies

Enemies present in this stage include:

• Foot Soldier (base, blue, red, green)
• Visete
• Spider Weapon
• Flying Weapon
• Guardian
• Boss: Material
• Boss: Computer
• Boss: Gamran

Design Notes

Agadan's aesthetics and visuals are majorly inspired by the cyberpunk sub-genre of fiction^[3]. The city view at the beginning also shows some similarities to the Kazakh capital as depicted in the Strider Hiryu manga, in particular with their similar use of suspended roads and angled skyscrapers. The setting's aesthetics are owed to Isuke's preference for more obscure, exotic locates that aren't as prevalent in movies and games of the time, and the desire to create a "near-future, stateless image."^[4]

The first and second stages were originally a single stage, before being separated for the final release. The most notable change was the boss order and placement, with Visette being faced instead of Material, a number of Rotating Saws appearing instead of Computer and Material taking Gamran's spot, with Gamran himself not even being a boss of this stage, but instead a mid-boss in the 3rd stage.^[5]

In the final game, there's an inaccessible area right behind Gamran that keeps some elements of the original arrangement, including two platforms off-screen and the background art transitioning into the start of stage 2, although without solid ground to stand on.

The large building near the end of the stage identified as the Nozawa Bank appears to be named after one of the stage designers, K. Nozawa.

Gallery

References

Cannon Dancer
Kirin
Moves: Bunshin • Cartwheel Jump • Plasma Whirlwind • Slide • Taijutsu
Stage Enemies
Foot Soldier • Spider Weapon • Flying Weapon • Guardian • Tiger • Desert creatures • Draft • Black Commander Mizuchi • T-Tank • Ijiryu • Flame Fairy
Bosses
Material • Computer • Gamran • Visete • Herio • Sandora • Euro-Gam • Fake Tianon • Cannons • Willf • Die Rudel Taktik • Slaver
Locations
Agadan • Slaver Temple • Cabil • Indian Ocean • Woods & Prague • Saskiraf
Related Articles
The Federation (Jack Layzon) • Slaver (cult) • Teki