If you know of and can think of martial arts like aikido and tai chi chuan, with their "soft" circular movements as "soft", then Shotokan would be a "hard style". It is more linear than circular and it can be very aggressive and devastating to an opponent.
Shotokan is not suited to all people, just as other arts are not. There is no such thing as the perfect martial art. Nor is there any one art that is better than another/all the rest. The art is not better, only the practioner. But, remember that on any given day, anyone can beat anyone!
on the history of Karate.