I haven't played this game (only the 1st two), and I assume that all enemy hits do not knock you back unlike in the prior games.
I compared this run to the currently published one, but mostly to Xipo's (linked above). You end Stage 1 with 4 HP. That's 3 hits you could have used to save time, such as in the 2nd room, where you jump in between enemies to avoid damage and stop forward momentum, as well as kill an enemy in that room (assume this is unavoidable as Xipo did it as well). Unless there's a reason for it.
I don't really like the killing with your sub-weapon for a pacifist run.
- Stage 2-2B, you kill an enemy with your sub-weapon.
- Stage 3-1A, you attack an armored enemy, although doesn't kill. Does that count against pacifism?
- Stage 3-2D, your horizontal speed stops right before the boss, even though you have plenty of life to take the hit. Xipo keeps on moving forward. Better luck manipulation?
- Stage 4-2 had a lot of kills, and if you go for pacifist, you should avoid those kills at all cost. Also noticed you grabbed the wall before entering the boss room. Is that avoidable, like in Xipo's (altho his spikes were moving down)?
- Stage 5-2, all of this is much easier to compare with Xipo as you both must avoid damage. In 5-2A, you stop to walk under the jumping ball enemy, while Xipo moves forward. Not quite sure if frames are saved, as I'm just comparing movies.
- Stage 5-2B, you kill 2 eye enemies, whereas Xipo only kills 1.
- Towards the top of 5-2B, Xipo spawns only 1 spider, allowing him to not spawn the last enemy and run by faster. Because you spawn a 2nd spider, you need to jump earlier, causing you to lose lots of frames jumping in between gunfire.
- Stage 5-2C seems to be done much quicker (or at least more fluid) for Xipo than you. Is the ninja scroll necessary?
- Stage 5-2E, why do you jump over the 3rd last enemy? You have the HP to take a hit
- Stage 6-2B, you use your sub-weapon to kill 3 enemies and get through the last part instead of waiting. You also kill 2 enemies, where Xipo demonstrated that it can be done without killing.
- Stage 7-1A is faster for Xipo by at least 1 real-time second (unless the movie timers are off)
- Stage 7-2C is doable without sub-weapon, as demonstrated by Xipo spawning the enemies earlier and manipulating them
- Stage 7-2D, killed an enemy for the potion
- Stage 7-3A, looks like you can minimize kills by jumping before moving to 7-3B, but you fall and kill 2 extra enemies, I think
Overall, I like a no damage run (such as Xipo's). There are only a few parts where you really notice the excessive waiting to manipulate enemies. But no damage also creates really cool scenarios, such as 7-3C and several others I already forgot.
This submitted run seems to have several arbitrary uses/bending of rules, although my guess is that the Xipo run wasn't known to the author. There are definitely some parts which are improvable. But I'm voting no not only because of the improvements but also because of the bending of rules when it saves time. Otherwise, you might as well just do a regular run. Xipo's run would get a yes from me (if submitted), since he doesn't bend any rules, so it's much easier to judge. I think if you avoid using the sub-weapon to kill enemies and kill just as many as Xipo, I'd vote yes. I don't mind taking damage to save time in this run.
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