Favorite final bosses in shmups?

[xxx1993]

Surprised no one's mentioned this yet. Tsukiko from Castle of Shikigami III.

[xxx1993]

Is it okay if I include light gun games here? Because I got plenty.

[Major Stryker]

The Final Boss in Air Gallet. IREMS games are always so detailed and vibrant.

[xxx1993]

Oh yeah, Air Gallet. It's a giant statue armed with so many turrets. You even fight it amongst the flames. And then there's its true form, a skeleton head that looks like Dr. Wily's logo.

[Squire Grooktook]

Embyron in G-Darius is definitely one of the STG encounters for me.

On a more purely gameplay level, I very much enjoy the TLB in Cho Ren Sha 68k.

Guwange's final boss is also a favorite on both aesthetic and gameplay levels. Cool designs, great music and atmosphere, and a fabulous mix of fast dodging patterns and gimmicks that force mastery of both dodging and the Shikigami mechanic.

Ikaruga's finalie is fantastic. Wonderfully cinematic and expressive, and tops off the supposedly static/sterile game with utterly manic rng dodging. Incredibly intense every time.

eXceed 2nd's final boss rush lets you push the aggressive risk/reward bombing style to its limit with the overload of bullets to absorb. Definitely another favorite.

[xxx1993]

Words cannot describe how epic Ikaruga's final chapter is.

[xxx1993]

By the way, the final fight in Gun Frontier reminds me a bit like Strania's true final boss.