"Standing watch over the media tower is Sumeragi's shining sentinel, Jota. Light and lightning will soon clash and be tested..."
神明の名を冠する光塔に立つ光翼の剣
“傲慢なる残光”
摩天楼の頂で相対し、交錯する雷光と光刃ヤイバ
The light-winged blade standing in the minaret bearing a God’s name…
The “Arrogant Afterglow (Silhouette Pride)”…
The opposing lightning (blade) and the light sword (blade) clash with each other on the skyscraper’s top…
Minaret is one of the main missions in Azure Striker Gunvolt, taking place in the stage Media Tower. Gunvolt's objective is to sabotage the tower, which previously broadcast Lumen's songs and now just Sumeragi's propaganda.
Banking 3000 or more kudos in the stage will unlock the Lumen Audiolocket 3 pendant, which when equipped causes Azure Door to always play when reaching 1000 kudos.
The stage itself is a primarily vertical ascent to the top, where the boss Jota awaits.
Various linear catapults are located in the level, ostensibly for cargo transport across the tower. There aren't too many long footholds on the exterior of the tower, and a fall is easily instant death. Some of the catapults have been converted into traps. Some merely push you back, others maliciously toss you into spikes. Thankfully, none are made to launch you into the abyss. The hexapyle takes you through a shortcut in the tower that leads back outside the tower.
The second half of the stage takes place primarily on the tower's exterior, where there exist many "chains" of launchers that boost Gunvolt to great heights, and are required to be used unless certain Equipment that grant air hops are worn. However, be wary that you may be ambushed by enemies at the end of these launcher chains. Other than that, it's a simple enough ascent.
Jewel Location
During the last section of the stage, there will be a chasm with difficult-to-navigate catapults guiding you across it.
Hug the far left of the screen and use your Flashfield to slow your movement between jumps, you'll find the Jewel on a stable platform.
Challenges
Aerial Daredevil: Clear in 7 minutes or less. (Reward: Kripp Alloy x8)
Light Speed Ascent: Clear in 4 minutes or less. (Reward: Custom Servophoton x1)
Bane of Icarus: Clear with a rank of B or higher. (Reward: Graym Culture x8)
Steal Back the Sun: Clear with a rank of S or higher. (Reward: Propulsion Mechanism x1)
Media Blackout: Clear with a rank of S+. (Reward: Propulsion Mechanism x5)
Waste Not Launch Not: Clear using catapults 20 times or less. (Reward: Custom Servophoton x2)
Angel of Mercy: Clear without defeating any enemies besides Jota. (Reward: Propulsion Mechanism x1)
Gallery
Concept art
Stage select backdrop
Stage select icon
Background
Where Jota is fought
Trivia
There exists a secret icon in the second half of the stage that can be accessed by shooting an area with Mizuchi five times, and will set your Kudos to 1000. This icon is of Comcept's mascot pig, Comcept being the company behind Mighty No. 9.
In the English version it's known as "UTU Media Tower" while in the Japanese version it's known as "Grand Radio Tower Amaterasu", named after the Goddess of Sun in Japanese mythology.
When the stage was first teased by the official Japanese Inti Creates account, it was referred to as a "very hard 'hidden' level."[1]
