Ok... AFAIK here in Europe Gradius I is known as "Nemesis". And there's a MSX version of that game...
*BUT*
AFAIK Gradius II here is called "Vulcan Venture" (the best game in the series IMHO)... but Gradius II on the MSX doesn't resemble Vulcan Venture at all... where are all the huge fire dragons that comes out from the magma planets? where is the firebird at the end of the first stage? it looks more like a newer game... a sort of Gradius 1.5 game to me 
So here's the question: where is the real Vulcan Venture / Gradius II for the MSX ? Do you mean that Nemesis III for the MSX is Vulcan Venture AKA Gradius II? that's a little bit confusing to me!
And where is Salamander / Life Force ? ( there was a time when I believed that Salamander was the sequel of Nemesis.. )
( P.S: doesn't matter with the above question, but I have to say that "Vulcan Venture" for the PC-Engine CD is the best Gradius conversion I have ever played
)

