I've got trouble with Orin and her fairy attacks, the ones that follow you. I know you can redirect them to somewhere else and then shoot the boss but when I redirect them, Orin's bullets somehow kill me.
And what's really hard is Utsuho altogether. I seriously don't know how to fare with her. It's pretty much just her spells. The first one last way too long, the second one seems like luck that it doesn't wall you, the third is hard when I die from the suns for no reason (I know the trick to stay in one spot) and the fourth I've only reached twice and it seems much harder than it is. It starts throwing out the bullets immediately unlike lunatic where they sit there for a while so you can get more damage on the boss. I can't say anything about her last though, as I've never reached it on normal.
Also, do you have to beat the stage to unlock it in practice? I ask this because I have SA minimized and I'm continuing like crazy hoping to beat it with as little lives as I have.
Orin... I only really have trouble with her last card now, since the timing is a bit iffy on it (redirect and get back to the bottom before you see red bubbles). The first fairy one you can just start at the top, follow her bullets in a circle, and dart back to the bottom. You shouldn't have to repeat it again since the pellets will spread out enough to dodge easily... Especially with ReimuA, she's a powerhouse.
Orin's first is tough only because of the circumference of the nukes... Strategy is the same as Orin's wheels (aimed nukes, dodge blue bullets), just with bigger bullets. With the second, just stay to the bottom almost exclusively, watch mostly for the blue bullets behind the nukes, and watch a bit for the nuke positions... If you think you're gonna get walled, get to a different position if possible. You shouldn't need more than 1-2 bombs on this.
I assume this is the trick you're referring to with the third? If so, that's pretty much the easiest way to do it, so stick to it. Fourth? Good luck bro, hardest card in the game I'd say. Try to keep under Okuu as much as possible, move between the bullets, bomb when the pressure gets to be too much. Play it safe, but it runs for a while, so you will likely burn a life and a good few bombs. Last card is suction. Position yourself above a red bullet, watch the pellets as they come out, position yourself to be pulled between a gap in the pellets, move your way back, repeat. Very simple card, but movement can be tricky, and like all last spells, it speeds up towards the end.
I'm sure a lot of this may have been obvious to you, but that's what I've got to say on it =p. As to your last question, I believe you need to clear the stage without continues to unlock practice... Your best bet is to download someone's score.dat if you want stage practice. The same goes for UFO.
Here's mine if you want it actually. I think I only have stage 6 open for 3 shot types, but ReimuA is one of them. Just be sure to back up your own score.dat first.
