I've been looking but I can't find a lot of info on how to do a Hard mode playthrough? Based off one thread you need 98% shotdown? Can someone clarify please?

I'm interpreting it as a requirement that analyze, shoot down, and supportitem all be set to 100%.

I've wondered thst myself. What would be the difference between hard mode and 100% then?

100% should be fine if you clear area 1 through area 5; any % for analyze, shot down, or supportitem should be fine.

If we are defining Hard Mode (HM) as 100% Shot Down (SD) / Analyze (A) / Support (SU)
then we would define these categories as:

Any% NM = Zone 1-4 any SD/A/SU
Any% HM = Zone 1-4 100% SD/A/SU
100% NM = Zone 1-5 100% SD/A/SU
100% HM = Zone 1-5 100% SD/A/SU

This would mean that the 100% normal and hard categories have the same requirements?

In summary, it looks like this:
Any% Normal: Area 1-4 Any% SD/A/SU
Any% Hard: Area 1-4 100% SD/A/SU
100% Normal: Area 1-5 Any% SD/A/SU
100% Hard: Area 1-5 100% SD/A/SU

300%clear(100% SD/A/SU) is necessary for Hard Mode run, not for 100% run.

Ahhh got it. Thanks for the clarification!

Yes, thanks a bunch! So it is based on shotdown percent. That explains why I kept having trouble with the bosses for Areas 1 and 2, I was trying to destroy everything which would otherwise be faster.