This game is harder than I thought. Imaging how the real game is. I wouldn't even last a second.

This is great

I just started playing Ikaruga on DC. I was a bit confused when the boss shot the black grenades first (nearly got me) and I died more often than when I play the real game. (I die almost never usually)
I would have liked better graphical effects, but that might have done the game more harm than good.
Soundtrack of Ikaruga. What more can I say?
The whole thing felt really close to the original so I have to compliment you for this piece of work. I really loved it.

Great recreation with a few minor problems

Hey I gotta commend you on your flash abilities. This is an incredible work of art for shooters and flash alike. But there were a few problems that led to me dying (which never happens on the GC version, at least not til lvl 4). The first form of the boss doesn't move back and forth so much. I didn't even know he would go back in the original. Secondly, the grenades start white on GC, don't they? That kinda messed me up, trying to Bullet Eat the black bullets thinking they were white. But other than those two things, this is a pretty amazing contribution to Newgrounds. Congrats on making an wonderful boss fight.

I can now attest to how awesome Ikaruga really is

...I mean, COME ON! Why was this downvoted? You did a near-perfect recreation of the first boss. Now, I have one or two problems with sound and slowdown when the quality is turned up, but MAN!
The internet is the only place left for the shmup to go, and with fans like you around, it'll be a comfortable home for sure.

My record time is around 64 seconds left.

This game (demo) is absolutely perfect.
I cannot find anything negative to say about it.

Why the hell does this have a score below 4, or at the very least 3,5?

I await the (full) game.