Title - Sakura Taisen
Alternative title(s) - Sakura Wars/Cherry Blossom Worldwide Wars
Genre(s) - Science fiction, ren'ai, comedy and drama

So, what is so special about "Sakura Taisen"? A real popular Sega series in Japan is "Sakura Taisen", and it is more popular than many, if not, all of the other Sega series. Yes, it’s even more popular than the "Sonic the Hedgehog" series. Surprised? Well, don’t be.

Overworks, Red and Sega brought us the "Sakura Taisen" role playing games for the first time in 1996 onto the Sega Saturn. Shortly after, the anime was brought out. Since then, there have been some puzzle games and three more deep "Sakura Taisen" adventures. In terms of anime, there’s the four OVA set, a few television series, some movies, the most recent one coming out in December of last year and is now available, and there’s a new "Sakura Taisen" series called "Sumire". "Sakura Taisen 4", a really big Dream Cast game, is really popular. Man! Why is it that Japan gets every good game and those outside of Japan don’t?

I want "Sakura Taisen" too! I want my "Tokimemo"! I want my "Quiz Nanairo Dreams"! I want "The King of Fighters Ky"! Well, you get the idea. I keep on hoping that I would play a sincere "Sakura Taisen" game one day and not just "Sakura Taisen: Hanagumi Taisen Columns 2" three years ago.

I did remember a rumor a while back. There was a rumor that the "Sakura Taisen" games will reach the States. Well, at least, that’s what I heard.

Uso! Uso! Uso! (Lie! Lie! Lie!) The "Sakura Taisen" games won’t reach the States because of various reasons like cultural differences and because of what I said in my "Tokimemo" anime review, if you have seen it elsewhere by now. So, if you had hopes of the games coming to the States, forget it. There will be no "Sakura Taisen" games for the States! I shot that hope down a while back.

Now that Sega is no longer the cool company I once knew and loved, but rather a big fat mess, Sega will now make the future "Sakura Taisen" games to the Play Station 2. It’s a good move since I can never picture them on the other new generation systems, but it’s not the same, you know? It’s not on a Sega system! So, yeah, there will be remakes of some of the original games on the PS2. If not, all of them.

Yes, I am really mad at Sega of America! It’s mainly because of them that Sega now only makes games and not consoles! For example, there was supposed to be a "Bare Knuckle IV" for the Dreamcast, but hardly anyone from SoA knew about the "Bare Knuckle" series! Don’t believe me? Ask Koshiro Yuzo-san, the music composer of the series as well as other games. Yeah, I know not many Americans appreciated Sega also, but I’d rather place my blame on SoA!

It’s times like these I wish I made my own console! It would do so many tasks! It would even play Dreamcast, Saturn, and Play Station games! Oh and games for the Neo-Geo too or rather any game from the old school systems for that matter. Sadly, this is reality, not fantasy. Darn and I wanted to create a system where I don’t have to switch consoles if I wanted to play "Area 88" in one hour, "Kanon" in the next and "To Heart" after that!

Okay. I think I have done too much ranting here. I better explain the series now.

For those who don’t know, "Sakura Taisen" is a sci-fi series. There’s a ren’ai element involved as well. Why do I say this? I’ve said this many times and I’ll say it again. Ren’ai series don’t get a lot of attention outside of Japan. It’s even surprising that the anime reached the States and got it dubbed. Well, some of the series, I should say. Thank the sci-fi element, I guess.

Since there has been so many OVA’s and such, I’ll give the basis of the series. The series starts in the year 1919 and there’s trouble aboard. Dark forces are threatening the earth and it’s up to a group of girls with their machines to go out and defeat them.

There’s Kirishima Kanna, the rough, but kind karate master. Also, you have Tachibana Maria, the half-Japanese and half-Russian gun specialist. There’s Iris Chateaubriand, that French preteen psychic, with her teddy bear Jean-Paul. Then, you have Li Kouran, the Chinese mechanical genius. Next, you have Kanzaki Sumire, the rather spoiled heiress of the company who develops the weaponry the group uses. Finally, there’s Shingji Sakura, a sweet girl who has inherited a powerful sword technique from her family.

Led by gami Ichir, their leader, the group must defeat those that threaten the earth. Oh, and by the way, there’s your ren’ai element. Every girl wants to go after him. So, can the group succeed?

Better mention this. There's a "Sakura Taisen V" in the works. Not much has been revealed up to this point.

Fun - 7

I have a question. Why is it that we don’t get so much of "Sakura Taisen" here? I’m not asking in terms of the games, but of the anime as well.

Anyway, if you can catch on the story, you’ll have some fun here. Otherwise, you’re better off looking elsewhere. Then again, you’ll regret it, especially if you’re a Sega fan. True, the anime follows the games for the most part, but it’s best off if you have played the games.

Life - 6

A keeper? I’ll let you decide on that.

Story - 7

The anime is based on the games. It's not the best game to anime coversion, but it's still solid.

Audio - 10

Yokoyama Chisa-san as Sakura, Tomizawa Michie-sama as Sumire, Orikasa Ai-sama as Fujieda Ayame, I can go on and on. These three alone are a big reason why the series as a whole is popular. The group of seiy overall is fantastic, especially the three I mentioned.

Sadly, if you don’t know, Michie-sama will not play as Sumire anymore. Last year, I heard she would stop voice acting in the video game world for good. As for anime, you got me. Maybe she will stop voice acting as a whole or she’ll have a break for a year and return. She’ll be back as a mother of a character. I don’t know. I hope it’s the latter.

As for the dub, don’t ask me. I don’t know. I never heard it.

The music is pretty good. You should hear Aozora/Blue Sky, sung by Ai-sama. She had a lot passion singing in this song.

Art - 9

Fans of anime should recognize the art. Yup, the artist is Fujishima Ksuke-sensei. Do I even have to tell you how the art is like? What I can tell you is that he makes some of the cutest girls in anime. I know not all of the "Sakura Taisen" anime has Fujishima-san doing the art, which is a reason why I took away a point.

Overall - 7

“I have a dream, that one day, I will be the one who brings the 'Sakura Taisen' games to the States!”

I wish! Well, "Sakura Taisen" is an okay series. Not the best game to anime transition in my opinion, but still, it got the job done.

+

Nice art, nice group of seiy, you’re looking at a somewhat decent title here.

-

Unless you can catch the fun, this is a series for fans of the game, but even at times, the changing phase is questionable. Oh and there’s that Sega scenario also.

Date of creation - 1/11/03

Last update - 8/10/04

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