I played this and Kuru Kuru Kururin on recommendation from Transparency and had honestly never heard of these games or that they were related to Ghosts 'n' Goblins.

I went into this game with zero expectations and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed playing as Firebrand and navigating the stages and the overworld. The ending mechanically feels a bit underwhelming, but it also feels pretty suitable to be so powerful that the final boss quakes in terror. Recommend giving this one a try.