I wrote that walkthrough. As soon as I have the time, I'll be
revamping it dramatically.

1. The Battle Menu is pretty straightforward.

If you've made it as far as you have, you obviously know the main
options.

-The 3 choices after choosing defend are-

Defend
Defend for another Party Member
Dodge

-the 2 choices under Items are-

Items
Equipment


2. There aren't any leveling up/moneymaking tricks.


3. The story begins with the mischievious young Manji whose grown up
relatively poor.

After the invasion from outer space, he learns that he's a decendant
of one of the ancient Fire Warriors/Clan, who slew the Demon Orchids
back in the day.

Early on during his travels, Manji meets the world famous theatre
actor/dancer: Kabuki Danjiro, whose is arogant and obnoxious
(rightfully so).

He also encounters the 3 evil Doctors: Beron, Deron, Deroren, who are
always trying to trip him up.

Always the to save Manji when he really neads it, are the Momochi
Sandayuu girls(sisters?).

And popping up every so often are the ambitious Ashimoto brothers who
are always hatching some sort of scheme.

After defeating the 3 Skeletal Kings, Manji receives the first Spirit
Sword, which contains the soul of an original Fire Warrior. Manji
uses the Sprit Sword to destroy the first of the Demon Orchids.

Kabuki then joins Manji onward in his journey to free Jipang of the
menace of the Dark Orchids and the evil Daimon Cult.

They soon encounter Kikugoro, the 'pink typhoon', Kabuki's fierce
rival, who appears to be tied into the source of the evil vines
engulfing the nearby Province.

The two warriors work together tracking down Kikugoro by uncovering
some of the many secret devices laid dormant in Jipang, once utilised
by the ancent Ihican race.

After defeating Kikugoro, retreiving another Spirit Sword and
destroying the local Devil Orchid, Manji and Kabuki carry on through
Jipang, until Kabuki decides he can do better by traveling ahead
without Manji.

Upon visiting the Subterranean Mermaid Village, Manji learns of the
abduction of the Mermaid Princess. After rescuing her, the Mermaids
allow Gokuraku to go free, -who had been imprisoned for 900 years.

Manji and Gokuraku continue on, enountering Daimon Stones(boulders
that fall from the sky to block their enemies path). After slaying
the Daimon Priests and destroying the Daimon Stones, the two confront
the evil Princess Hamaguri, and destory another Devil Orchid using a
recovered Spirit Sword.

Manji and Gokuraku then meet the young sorceress Kinu and her kanine
companion: Shiro. As Kinu's powers are so great she cannot control
them, she asks you to retreve a mystical chain that will a subdue her
energy and allow her to join Manji's crusade against the Daimon Cult.

Kinu warps the Party to another region plagued by the Demon Orchids.
They unlock the ancient Ant Lion chariot and traverse into the desert
pyramid where they defeat the evil Queen Barbara, whose partner Duke
Pepe cowardly flees.

After destroying another Orchid, the warriors soon encounter the
insanely stupid, yet immortal ape named Manto. After beating him into
submission, they continue to the next region infested with Dark
Orchids where Shiro is kidnapped.

The evil Nikusuke tries to force Shiro to kill his friends by using
mind control, but Shiro sacrifices himself to save his friends.

After mourning Shiro's loss, the Party comandeers a Daimon Cult mech
to reach and defeat Nikusuke(when Kabuki returns and rejoins Manji),
as well obtain the mystical dragon spirit ropes which Gokuraku uses
to pull the northern island(nesting two Dark Orchids) to the mainland.

The party dispatches the Orchids and goes on to chase down Duke Pepe,
who has stolen an ancient air fortress, constucted by the Ihicans.

With the help of the eccentric american missionary: Hotei Maru(and a
few Ihicans engineers), they defeat many enemies, free the air
fortress from Duke Pepe and slay another Orchid.

Manji and his commrades use the Steel Air Fortress to warp to the
remaing Provinces plagued by the Orchids. The party seeks the Dragon
Clan for help and finds Kinu's mother being kidnapped.

After freeing the Dragon people and resting, Manji awakes to find
Kinu missing. Still, he carries on and endevours to awaken the
ancient sleeping turtle giant, who sails Manji and his friends to the
Ice Palace where they confront the evil mamoth Hyakan Maru.

When you try to free Kinu's mother she reveals her true form and
tries to kill Manji and the others. This causes Kinu to unleash her
full power, the dark energy consuming her to the point of torturing
and mutilating her evil mother.

After consoling Kinu, everyone continues onward to defeat the seventh
and final Dark Orchid. But instead of freeing Jipang of the Daimon
curse, a powerful earthquake ensues and a giant Dark Orichid explodes
from the earth at the center of Jipang.

Apparently by destroying the Orchids, Manji had unknowingly aided the
evil Doctors to errect the giant Orchid tower and ressurect their
evil lord Yomi.

In order to confront Yomi, Manji's force journey's to uncover the
ancient powers of the Fire Warriors, hidden deep within the land.
After persevering to win the mystical Fire Hammer from its demonic
guardian, the party narrowily manages to escape with their lives
thanks to the sacrifice of the brave Momochi Sandayuu girls.

Manji travels to the ruins of the Fire Clan's city and uses the Fire
Hammer to forge his own soul into his family's sword, creating the
ultimate weapon to defeat Yomi.

Another sacrifice is made when Hotei Maru gives his live using the
Steel Fortress to blow an entrance into the impenetrable Orchid Tower.

The brave warriors traverse deep into their enemy's fortress, where
they battle the evil Doctors, but cannot destroy the Yomi larva
before it develops into it's true form.

Still, they persevere and finally manage to defeat Yomi, not only
returning peace to the land, but in turn also ressurect their fallen
friends.

And so, they all lived happily ever after...

-except for Kabuki, whose lust for adventure would lead him on many
more quests.











--- In turbografxnetwork@y..., texanstar22 <no_reply@y...> wrote:
> I'm playing TM2 Manji Maru currently, with help from the
walkthrough
> at gamefaqs...
>
> 1. Does anyone have a translation for the battle menu and its
> submenus?
>
> 2. Anyone have any leveling up or money making tricks? I'm a little
> past halfway in the early part of guide 3/4.
>
> 3. Does anyone know of any kind english story synopsis of the game.
> Generally, it's hard to follow a detailed story as this is, without
> japanese knowledge ;).
>
> Thanks,