Thanks Kern!

I have to be honest. It was mostly reading your posts about this game that made me want to play it. It is really hard. But this is one of the best games ever! Ive read all the "its not a real cave game" and "its more a raizing game." Thats all fine, I wouldnt know, but the game is so tight. Maybe people just dont want to really
PLAY? Besides maybe one of the Gradius series 10 years ago, Ive never completed a shmup. Ive never even seen the end of Ikaruga using continues.

Since getting into cabs this past year, Ive only been playing SF3 3s, SF4, and basic console games. I grabbed the FBA Cave roms for Donpachi, Dodonpachi, Guwange, Esprade, and what not to play while I waited for Ibara to arrive the other day. And I would love to own any of those. But Ibara is so good. I love playing the different ships and just the mayhem. I want to play right now. It does f*** with my eyes a little. And my hands are kind of hurting.

But being my first arcade jamma pcb shmup, this will be my fav for a long time I think. Day 5 and I just keep getting better.

I can feel 2mil coming soon. I think.

I didnt want to start a whole thread for my rant so I hope its ok here. I have a few questions:
1. I do not speak Japanese and understand the whole story of the game but Im pretty sure the 3 dolphins that swim by at the start of the game are very important. Does anyone know their names?
2. How do I trigger my hadou, or whatever special weapon? You need 1 full bomb and hold down B for a bit and then release. Ive done it once. The rest of the times it just shoots my normal bomb. Shouldnt you be able to do it right when you start the game? I want to be able to make the beams come out of Dyne's ship when he holds the hadou before launching.
3. What stage can I actually increase my score by getting out of my ship and partying? I mean there are all these hot chicks, surely there is some time for a drink with the ladies. Im expected to dodge all this craziness and blow s*** up, but I think my pilot could use a little down time.
4. There is a pot on the board you can turn I assume for audio? What should it be at?