Sakura Wars, also known as Sakura Taisen (サクラ大戦), is a popular series of video games, manga, and anime created by Sega. The title is literally translated as "Cherry Blossom Great War", but it can also be translated more loosely as "The Great War Among the Cherry Blossoms", sakura being the Japanese word for "cherry blossom". A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... For other uses, see Manga (disambiguation). ... // A scene from Cowboy Bebop (1998) Anime ) is a medium of animation originating in Japan, with distinctive character and background aesthetics that visually set it apart from other forms of animation. ... Sega Corporation ) is an international video game software and hardware developing company, and a former home computer and console manufacturer. ... Species Prunus jamasakura Prunus serrulata Prunus x yedoensis Sakura (Japanese kanji: æ¡œ or æ«»; katakana: サクラ) is the Japanese name for ornamental cherry trees, Prunus serrulata, and their blossoms. ...

Originally debuting as a single game on the Sega Saturn game console in 1996, Sakura Taisen featured signature gameplay best described as a mix of tactical wargames and dating sims, and a plot partially inspired by the Takarazuka Revue (宝塚歌劇団). The license's popularity skyrocketed, leading to the release of several sequels on the Saturn and Sega Dreamcast, and recently (following the official demise of the Dreamcast) the Sony PlayStation 2. Many spinoff games were also produced, covering many different gameplay types, including puzzle, action, and pure adventure games. The Sega Saturn (Japanese: セガサターン, Sega Saturn), is a video game console of the 32-bit era. ... A video game console is a dedicated electronic machine designed to play video games. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Tactics is the collective name for methods of winning a small-scale conflict, performing an optimization, etc. ... Wargaming can be one of number of ways of exploring the effects of warfare without actual combat. ... Dating simulations are a genre of computer and video games, usually Japanese, with romantic elements. ... The Takarazuka Revue (宝塚歌劇団 Takarazuka Kagekidan) began in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan in 1913 founded by Ichizo Kobayashi and had their first performance in 1914. ... It has been suggested that Licensing (strategic alliance) be merged into this article or section. ... The Sega Dreamcast (Japanese: ドリームキャスト; code-named Blackbelt, Dural, and Katana during development) is Segas last video game console and the successor to the companys Sega Saturn. ... Sony Corporation ) is one of the worlds largest media conglomerates founded in Tokyo, Japan. ... The PlayStation 2 (PS2) (Japanese: プレイステーション2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ... An example of a simple puzzle. ... Action games could be considered the video game equivalent of action movies. ... Look up adventure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Furthermore, many anime series were also created to tie in to the original games, including many OVAs, a television series, a currently running comic series (manga) featured in Kodansha's Magazine Z, and a full-length motion picture. The series is famous for having excellent voice acting talents, and performance in such has helped achieve greater fame for many Japanese seiyū, including Michie Tomizawa, Kikuko Inoue, Chisa Yokoyama, Urara Takano, and others. Its popularity is such that there are literally dozens of musical soundtracks available for purchase in Japan, including radio plays, and video recordings of live musicals put on by the voice actors (in character) on stage, performing plays and songs from the games and other properties (thus bringing the connection to the Takarazuka Revue full circle). // A scene from Cowboy Bebop (1998) Anime ) is a medium of animation originating in Japan, with distinctive character and background aesthetics that visually set it apart from other forms of animation. ... A human ovum An ovum (loosely, egg or egg cell) is a female sex cell or gamete. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... For other uses, see Manga (disambiguation). ... Kodansha (講談社 Kōdansha) is a major Japanese publisher of literature and manga, headquartered in (Bunkyo), Tokyo. ... Magazine Z is a Japanese seinen mixed-media magazine published by Kodansha, aimed at teenage males and above, but particularly at hardcore anime and manga fans, featuring articles as well as manga tied into popular franchises. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of... A voice actor (also a voice artist) is a person who provides voices for animated characters (including those in feature films, television series, animated shorts), voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Voice actor. ... Michie Tomizawa (富沢 美智恵 Tomizawa Michie, previously 富澤 ç¾Žæ™ºæ±Ÿ Tomizawa Michie, born October 20, 1961) is a veteran seiyÅ« who was born in Nagano. ... // Kikuko Inoue Kikuko Inoue ) (her maiden name is 井之上 喜久子, pronounced the same) is a popular seiyÅ« and singer born on September 25, 1964 (though she frequently says I am 17 years old) in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. ... Chisa Yokoyama (横山 智佐 Yokoyama Chisa, born December 20, 1969) is a well known seiyÅ« (voice actor/actress), born in Tokyo. ... Urara Takano ), née Hisako Takayama ), born August 16, 1961) is a seiyÅ« who was born in Chiba, Japan. ... Soundtrack refers to the recorded sound accompanying a visual medium such as a motion picture, television show, or video game. ... Radio drama, which had its greatest popularity in the U. S. and in most other countries before the widespread access to television programming, depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the story in her or his minds eye--in this sense, it resembles reading... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theater combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ...

The Front of the Sega "GIGA" Amusement Center in Ikebukuro

There is also an official Sakura Taisen shop on the top floor of the Sega "GIGA" Amusement Center, located in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district. Called "Taisho Romando", the store sells only Sakura Taisen-related merchandise, such as costumes, toy models, art books, copies of the games and videos, posters, wall scrolls, and even snack foods. The store was recently upgraded to include the Sakura Cafe, which serves dishes featured and inspired by the setting and characters of Sakura Taisen, such as "Coquelicot Coffee", which is served in Vietnamese style that is popular in France. Image File history File linksMetadata Sega-Giga. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Sega-Giga. ... Tokyo ) , literally eastern capital, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and includes the highly urbanized central area formerly known as the city of Tokyo which is the heart of the Greater Tokyo Area. ... Ikebukuro Ikebukuro at night Ikebukuro at night Ikebukuro (池袋), a part of Toshima ward, is a large commercial and entertainment district of Tokyo, Japan. ... Yarkand ladies summer fashions. ... A physical model is used in various contexts to mean a physical representation of some thing. ... An artbook is a collection of leaves of paper, parchment or other material, bound together along one edge within covers. ... 1942 US government war poster. ... A hanging scroll, wall hanging, or wall scroll, is a type of traditional scroll, with rods on the top and bottom, usually hung on walls. ... Assorted snacks, including many varieties of candy. ...

Featuring original character designs by Kosuke Fujishima, the games and anime are set in a fictional alternate Taisho Era Tokyo (also Paris and New York) where all modern technology is powered by steam, giving the series a steampunk feel. Steam-powered automobiles, ships and even steam-powered construction robots and computers are common devices. This futuristic past is not so safe however, and monsters and other forces of darkness constantly menace and seek to bring down these legendary metropolises. In their way stands a secret strike force of psychically-empowered women who drive steam-powered suits of power armor known as 光武 Koubu. Kosuke Fujishima (藤島 康介 Fujishima Kōsuke) (born July 7, 1964) is a Japanese manga artist. ... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Taisho period (大正 Taishō, lit. ... Tokyo ) , literally eastern capital, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and includes the highly urbanized central area formerly known as the city of Tokyo which is the heart of the Greater Tokyo Area. ... The Eiffel Tower, the international symbol of the city For other uses, see Paris (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq. ... By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a level of technological mastery sufficient to leave the surface of the planet for the first time and explore space. ... In physical chemistry, and in engineering, steam refers to vaporized water. ... A rocket lands on the moon in Le Voyage dans la Lune, the film adaptation of Jules Vernes From the Earth to the Moon. ... A psychic is a person who claims or who is believed to possess extra-sensory abilities, including: Clairvoyance, Psychometry and Precognition. ... Powered armor (also mechanized, battle, personal armor and suits) is a science fiction concept referring to a type of armored self-powered exoskeleton that is typically intended for use in battle, construction and survival in dangerous enviroments. ...

However, despite the license's tremendous popularity in Japan and East Asia, and growing fanbase in North America and Europe, Sega has not yet chosen to localize any of games themselves for release in English (though the various anime series are available in the U.S. and Europe through third-party distributors). Perhaps this can be attributed to uncertainty over American gamers' receptiveness to the series' unusual gameplay. Chinese language versions of the first three games are (as of 2004) currently available for the PC platform, and Sakura Taisen 5 Episode 0 ~Kouya no Samurai Musume~ is to be released in both Chinese- and Korean-language versions. Geographic scope of East Asia East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. ... Fans of Janet Jackson, at Much Music in Toronto The word fan refers to someone who has an intense, occasionally overwhelming liking of a person, group of persons, work of art, idea, or trend. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This page is about the country United States of America. ... Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... The Korean language (, see below) is the official language of both North and South Korea. ...

The Sakura Taisen manga was released in North America in English by TOKYOPOP. For the music movie, see Tokyo Pop. ...

The Games

Over the years there have been more than ten separate game releases bearing the Sakura Taisen title, among them five core titles, some of which have been ported and rereleased on Sega Dreamcast, Sony PlayStation 2, and/or Microsoft Windows, as well as two games for the Nintendo Game Boy Color. In addition, a Sony Playstation Portable version has been announced for the Spring of 2006. Each of the main games are titled as follows: In computer science, porting is the adaptation of a piece of software so that it will function in a different computing environment to that for which it was originally written. ... Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is an international computer technology corporation with 2005 global annual sales of US$42. ... As of 2006, Microsoft Windows is the worlds most common operating system for use on personal computers. ... Nintendo (Japanese: 任天堂, ニンテンドー Nintendō; NASDAQ: NTDOY, TYO: 7974 ) is a multinational corporation founded on November 6,[citation needed] 1889 in Japan by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards, for use in a Japanese playing card game of the same name. ... The Game Boy Color came in a myriad of different colors, as did earlier incarnations of the Game Boy. ... The PlayStation Portable (officially PSP) is a handheld game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment. ...

1. Sakura Taisen (1996)
2. Sakura Taisen 2~Kimi, Shinitamō koto Nakare~ (1998)
3. Sakura Taisen 3~Pari wa Moeteiru ka?~ (2001)
4. Sakura Taisen 4~Koi Seyo, Otome~ (2002)
5. Sakura Taisen~Atsuki Chishio Ni~ (2003) (a remake of the original Sakura Taisen)
6. Sakura Taisen 5 Episode 0 ~Kōya no Samurai Musume~ (2004)
7. Sakura Taisen 5~Saraba, Itoshiki Hito yo~ (2005)

1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Sakura Wars, also known as Sakura Taisen (サクラ大戦), is a popular series of video games, manga, and anime created by Sega. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Sakura Wars, also known as Sakura Taisen (サクラ大戦), is a popular series of video games, manga, and anime created by Sega. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Sakura Wars, also known as Sakura Taisen (サクラ大戦), is a popular series of video games, manga, and anime created by Sega. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Sakura Wars, also known as Sakura Taisen (サクラ大戦), is a popular series of video games, manga, and anime created by Sega. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sakura Wars, also known as Sakura Taisen (サクラ大戦), is a popular series of video games, manga, and anime created by Sega. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sakura Wars, also known as Sakura Taisen (サクラ大戦), is a popular series of video games, manga, and anime created by Sega. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sakura Taisen

• Sakura Taisen^[1]
• Platform(s): Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, Play Station Portable
• Release date: Saturn: September 27, 1996; Dreamcast: May 25, 2000; Windows: ?; Play Station Portable: Spring 2006

The game that started it all, this Sega Saturn game was released in 1996, and established the now-famous Live Interactive Picture System (LIPS) dialog game system, wherein the player is presented with dialog options to choose from during conversations with other characters. Each choice made (or not making one at all) adds or deducts "trust points" from various characters' totals, eventually shaping the player's relationship with the rest of the cast, and ultimately, the ending of the game. September 27 is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 95 days remaining. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

The second portion of gameplay featured turn-based battling between the characters' Koubu and their enemies. Units moved about on a grid-based map of the battlefield performing attacks and spectacular special moves to destroy the villains. Battlefield can mean: A place where a battle occurs. ...

Set in 1923, the twelfth year of the Taisho Emperor's reign, the story details the adventures of the Teikoku Kagekidan—Hanagumi (lit. "Imperial Floral Assault Force—Flower Division") and its leader Ensign Ohgami Ichiro as they defend Teito (lit. "Imperial Capital" a.k.a. Tokyo) against evil creatures of the Kurono Sukai (lit. "Hive of Blackness") led by the vile Tenkai. All the while the Hanagumi continues to perform onstage undercover, as the Imperial Opera Troupe^[2], featuring the plucky Shinguuji Sakura, the "top star" Kanzaki Sumire, the cool and icy Maria Tachibana, the fiery Kirishima Kanna, the playful Iris Chateaubriand, and engineering genius Ri Kohran. 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Yoshihito (嘉仁), the Taishō Emperor (大正天皇), (August 31, 1879–December 25, 1926, r. ... Insignia of a United States Navy Ensign In the military of various countries, ensign is a junior rank of commissioned officer. ... Tokyo ) , literally eastern capital, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and includes the highly urbanized central area formerly known as the city of Tokyo which is the heart of the Greater Tokyo Area. ... Look up engineer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

One notable feature of the game is that the FMV sequences have fully orchestral music accompanying them; this was very likely the first video game released to include this. Orchestra at City Hall (Edmonton). ...

Sakura Taisen 2 ~Kimi, Shinitamou koto Nakare~

• Sakura Taisen 2 ~Kimi, Shinitamou koto Nakare~^[3]
• Platform(s): Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, Sony Playstation Portable.
• Release date: Saturn: April 4, 1998; Dreamcast: September 21, 2000; Windows: ?; Sony Playstation Portable: Spring 2006.

The second game in the series was released in 1998 and sported not only a subtitle but minor changes to the battle system, adding the ability to choose a "battle plan" that increased the team's effectiveness in using certain tactics. Many variations on the Adventure Mode's LIPS system were also added. April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

The story this time takes place in the fourteenth year of Taisho (1925), roughly a year after the cataclysmic conclusion of the original in 1924. Ensign Ohgami has returned from a tour of duty in the Imperial Navy and has been permanently assigned as squad leader of the Imperial Floral Assault Force—Flower Division (and errand boy for the Great Imperial Theater). Two new members, the quiet Reni Milchstrasse and outspoken Orihime Soletta, have joined the squad from the now-disbanded Hoshigumi (lit. "Star Division"), and many new enemies are arising to threaten Teito, both from without and within. How will the newly expanded Hanagumi deal with the approaching darkness? History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei The Taisho period (大正 Taishō, lit. ... The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) (大日本帝國海軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun or 日本海軍 Nippon Kaigun) was the navy of Japan before 1945. ...

Sakura Taisen 3 ~Pari wa Moeteiru ka?~

• Sakura Taisen 3 ~Pari wa Moeteiru ka?~^[4]
• Platform(s): Sega Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, Sony PlayStation 2
• Release date: Dreamcast: March 22, 2001; Microsoft Windows: ?; PS2: February 24, 2005

Released in 2001, Sakura Taisen 3 represented the most dramatic change in the series to date. It was the first major Sakura Taisen title to be released on the next-generation Dreamcast console (a puzzle-based spinoff game had been released earlier), and featured all-new 3D graphics and a totally new battle system known as the Active and Real-time Machine System (ARMS), which used a gridless action-point-based combat scheme. Furthermore, the game featured an all-new cast of girls in an all-new setting. 22 March is the 81st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (82nd in Leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

It is the middle of 1926, barely weeks after the Capital was saved a second time, and Ohgami has been promoted to lieutenant and reassigned to "study" in the French capital of Paris, the City of Lights. Just as he arrives, however, Oogami is informed that he is there to train a new "Paris Assault Squad" (Japanese: "Pari Kagekidan"), and battle marauding Beast-Men (Japanese: "Kaijin") with the "Groupe Fleur de Paris" (Japanese: "Pari Hanagumi"), a team of young women working undercover as performers in Les Chattes Noires, a famous Parisian nightclub. Can Oogami help Erica Fontaine, Glycine Bleumer, Lobelia Carlini, Hanabi Kitaoji, and Coquelicot stem the tide and ensure that the Eternal City stays that way? Can he even get them to work together?! 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ... Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen, Tournée du Chat Noir, 1896, 135. ... It has been suggested that Disco Bar be merged into this article or section. ...

Sakura Taisen 4 ~Koi Seyo, Otome~

• Sakura Taisen 4 ~Koi Seyo, Otome~^[5]
• Platform(s): Sega Dreamcast
• Release date: March 21, 2002

2002 saw the end of the Sakura Taisen series in its current story form. Revealing a newly restructured story format, concentrating on "wide, rather than long" gameplay (2 large multipathed 'Acts' versus many short 'Episodes'), the last of the Tokyo and Paris storylines featured the entire combined casts of Sakura Taisens 1 through 3, a total of fourteen girls with who to curry favor, as well as the ability to create an "Oogami Kagekidan" (lit. "Oogami's Assault Force") to use in the fight against evil. March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (81st in leap years). ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

Spring, 1927. Oogami has returned to Tokyo from Paris in triumph, and finds the Teikoku Kagekidan in battle with a new foe, this time one that looks impossible to defeat with the resources at hand. To where can the beleaguered Hanagumi turn for assistance? Perhaps to across the sea, to the City of Lights?

Sakura Taisen ~Atsuki Chishio Ni~

• Sakura Taisen ~Atsuki Chishio Ni~ ^[6]
• Platform(s): Sony PlayStation 2
• Release date: February 27, 2003

In a return to the roots for the new generation, Sega almost completely remade the original Sakura Taisen game, releasing it on 2003 on Sony's PlayStation 2 game console. February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The PlayStation 2 (PS2) (Japanese: プレイステーション2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ...

Adding new content and remade artwork by series art director Matsubara Hidenori, the game featured remastered full motion video sequences, as well as converting the battle system to ARMS, the 3D graphics and tactical combat engine used in Sakura Taisens 3 and 4. LIPS interaction sequences were also updated to include the LIPS types introduced in previous releases, and adding Action LIPS, where the player enters a series of commands on the controller, in a fashion similar to "Simon Says".

Reprising the original story of the first Sakura Taisen game, there are no changes to the plot other than re-recorded speech dialogue by the original voice actors, and several new scenes and "extra content".

Sakura Taisen 5 Episode 0 ~Kouya no Samurai Musume~

• Sakura Taisen 5 Episode 0 ~Kouya no Samurai Musume~^[7]About the title: The subtitle "Kouya no Samurai Musume" can be interpreted to mean *"The Samurai Girl from the Wild West", though the literal Japanese translation is actually *"The Samurai Girl from the Wild/Wilderness".

Platform(s): Sony PlayStation 2
Release date: September 22, 2004 September 22 is the 265th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (266th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In a radical departure from traditional Sakura Taisen gameplay yet, Sega released a new completely action-based game which acts as a prequel to the Sakura Taisen 5 main game. This new game features "Action Rodeo Combat", with the protagonist fighting off her foes while on horseback, and interacting with characters via the revised LIPS system used in Sakura Taisen ~Atsuki Chishio Ni~.

The story is now set in the United States, and focuses on one of the new cast members of Sakura Taisen 5, a young American girl named Gemini Sunrise. Gemini has lived all her life out in the Wild West of Texas. At the request of her late master, Mifune, she has a new assignment waiting for her in New York City. The young samurai cowgirl boards her best pal Rally the Horse, and rides off, away from the sunset (Unfortunately, no one said she knew how to get to New York and instead she ended up in San Francisco). But something is stirring afoot, and it involves a young girl named Fuanita Cushing, a cavalryman from Kansas named Bread Basileus, and a magician named Patrick Hamilton. The ride ahead looks long, indeed. Great Basin region, typical American West The Western United States has played a significant role in history and fiction. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 1,214. ... Official language(s) English Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area  Ranked 15th  - Total 82,277 sq. ... The term magician can refer to a practitioner of either paranormal magic or illusionism. ...

Sakura Taisen 5 ~Saraba, Itoshiki Hito yo~

• Sakura Taisen 5 ~Saraba, Itoshiki Hito yo~^[8]
• Platform(s): Sony PlayStation 2
• Release date: July 7, 2005

The fifth major release in the seminal Sakura Taisen series of games, Sakura Taisen 5 adds a new set of features, including new LIPS interactions that use some of the unique characteristics of the PlayStation 2 platform, like the Dual Shock 2 Controller's Analog Joysticks, and a three-dimensional navigation system that opens up the streets of New York for the player to explore, including areas of Queens, and Manhattan Island. July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The PlayStation 2 (PS2) (Japanese: プレイステーション2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq. ... Queens Borough in New York City, in yellow Queens is the largest in area and second most populous of the five boroughs of New York City. ... For other uses, see Manhattan (disambiguation). ...

Set in New York City, Sakura Taisen V feature an all-new cast of characters^[9], working in Broadway's famous "Little Lip Theater". Joined by a new protagonist and player character, Taiga Shinjiro, the "New York Fighting Troupe" (Lit. "New York Kagekidan") will ride to battle in their "STAR" combat armors, which can transform into flying aircraft, able to engage evil on the ground and in the clouds. What does the future hold for Shinjiro and his teammates -- Harlem Attorney Sagiitta Weinberg, Samurai Cowgirl Gemini Sunrise, Boston Nurse Diana Caprice, Mexican livewire Rikaritta Aries, and Japanese enigma Subaru Kujou -- and what evils must they face to protect the Big Apple? Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area    - City 1,214. ... Broadway theatre is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ...

The Animated Works

One of the consistent draws to the Sakura Taisen license has always been its strong presentation, most publicly shown in the lavishly produced animated FMV ("Full Motion Video") sequences sprinkled throughout the games. In 1997, it was decided that the rich fiction and characterization of the world of Sakura Taisen should be also brought to those without access to a game console, in the form of an animated OAV (Original Animated Video, a.k.a. OVA) series, which proved to be a resounding success. Since then there have been multiple releases of Sakura Taisen animated works, currently totalling about seven major releases, including a full-season TV series and a theatrical motion picture feature. Geneon Entertainment (formerly Pioneer Entertainment) has released the Sakura Taisen Motion Picture on video in the United States, with ADV Films and FUNimation releasing the various OVAs and the TV series under the name Sakura Wars. Each major releases to date is listed as follows:* A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... For other usages see Theatre (disambiguation) Theater (American English) or Theatre (British English and widespread usage among theatre professionals in the US) is that branch of the performing arts concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using combinations of speech, gesture, music, dance, sound and spectacle — indeed... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of... Geneon, formerly known as Pioneer Entertainment (or Pioneer LDC) and also a former subsidiary of Pioneer Corporation, is a home entertainment production and distribution company. ... Pioneer Corporation (TYO: 6773), NYSE: PIO is a Japanese world leader in digital entertainment products, based in Tokyo, Japan. ... ADV Films logo ADV Films is the home video publication arm of A.D. Vision based in Houston, Texas. ... FUNimation Entertainment (previously known as FUNimation Productions) is a company formed by Gen Fukunaga in the early 1990s to produce, merchandise and distribute anime and other entertainment properties in the United States and international markets. ...

1. Sakura Taisen: Ouka Kenran (1997—1998) (OAV; four episodes)
2. Sakura Taisen: Gouka Kenran (1999—2000) (OAV; six epsiodes)
3. Sakura Taisen (April to September 2000) (TV series (direct-to-video outside Japan); 25 episodes)
4. Sakura Taisen: Katsudou Shashin (Premiered December 22, 2001) (Movie (direct-to-video outside Japan))
5. Sakura Taisen: "Su~Mi~Re": Kanzaki Sumire Intai Kinen (2002) (OAV; one episode)
6. Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris (2003) (OAV; three episodes)
7. Sakura Taisen: Le Nouveau Paris (2004—2005) (OAV; three episodes)

• (The dates, names, and release figures given in the above list are for Japanese releases. Information on names and release dates for outside Japan, if available, are included in the individual releases' sections.)

1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Sakura Wars Gōka-Kenran is the second anime OVA series based on the game, Sakura Wars. Plot The setting is in the first of 1900, in Japan. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sakura Taisen: Ouka Kenran

Ouka Kenran^[10] was released in Japan in 1997, following the original game's skyrocketing popularity, the Sakura Taisen: Ouka Kenran OVAs came out to sate the Japanese public's thirst for more of the game's setting, characters, and art.

Appealing primarily to fans rather than the inexperienced, Ouka Kenran served to expand the story of the Flower Division, with two of the four released episodes focusing on the beginnings of the Flower Divisions parent organization, the Imperial Floral Assault Troop*, and how the various members of the Flower Division were scouted out and recruited. The episodes focus on Flower Division member Sakura Shinguuji, and her own trials leading up to her joining the Flower Division. The later episodes jump far forward, placing themselves within the actual timeline of the original game, and switch perspectives to that of the game's protagonist and player character, Squad Captain Ichirou Oogami. A player character or playable character (PC for short) is a fictional character in a game, that is controlled by the player. ...

This perspective switch is jarring to newcomers and does little to introduce them to the world of Sakura Taisen, thus cementing the purpose of the Ouka Kenran OVA as a for-fans-by-fans product.

Despite this, Ouka Kenran was released on VHS Video by ADV Films in English as Sakura Wars, and met with surprising success among Americans, eventually meriting further releases of Sakura Taisen animation material regardless of the presence of the license's core products (the games) in that country. ADV Films logo ADV Films is the home video publication arm of A.D. Vision based in Houston, Texas. ...

The original OVA is no longer available singularly, though it is packaged with the second OVA, Sakura Taisen: Gouka Kenran in the Sakura Wars OVA Collection on DVD Video, released in 2003 by ADV Films.

Sakura Taisen: Gouka Kenran

Following the success of the Ouka Kenran series, Sakura Taisen: Gouka Kenran ^[11]continued the trend of showing side stories happening alongside and between the events of the original video games. Each episode of the six-episode series shows a separate adventure from somewhere in the timelines of Sakura Taisen and Sakura Taisen 2. The episodes were written to concentrate on different members of the eight-member Flower Division (the original six plus two from Sakura Taisen 2): Maria and Sakura in the first, Iris and Reni in the second, Kanna and Sumire in the third, Orihime and Kohran in the fourth, and all of them together in a two-part episode.

Again, little was done to aid newcomers to Sakura Taisen in finding out the basics of the background and story provided in the original games. Gouka Kenran remained a fan-concentrated work.

Released in the US on DVD Video by ADV Films as a two-volume release called Sakura Wars: Return of the Spirit Warriors and Sakura Wars: Wedding Bells.

Sakura Taisen: The Television Series

First aired in Japan in April of 2000, the first TV incarnation of the Sakura Taisen franchise was essentially a retelling of the plot of the first Sakura Taisen, with a slightly different art style, and various major details altered to provide a decidedly different experience for veteran fans. As with previously released animations the TV series focused more on the Hanagumi than on the player character of Ohgami. The plot was also darker, and avoided some of the almost camp sensibilities of the games.

The series was later licensed by ADV films as "Sakura Wars TV", and was first released on DVD Video in 2003. The DVD releases covered six volumes.

Sakura Taisen: Katsudou Shashin (Sakura Taisen: The Movie)

The first full-length feature release in the franchise, Sakura Taisen: Katsudou Shashin (lit. "Moving Picture") takes place just after the conclusion of the third game, Sakura Taisen 3: Pari wa Moeteiru ka?" (as Flower Division Captain Ohgami Ichirou sails back to Tokyo to resume his position in the Imperial Floral Assault Force), and slightly before the beginning of the fourth game, Sakura Taisen 4: Koise yo, Otome.

The year's end is at hand, and a new beginning is near. The Flower Division continues its double duty of putting smiles on the faces of Tokyo's people, as well as defending the capital against the forces of darkness, anticipating the return of their beloved captain.

New experiences and old memories bubble up as Ratchet Altair, former Captain of the experimental Star Division, the one Flower Division members Orihime and Reni were once part of, joins the troupe, ostensibly to gather data for a proposed plan to defend New York City in America. But not all that comes from America is benign, for the monolithic Douglas Stuart company, under the leadership of Brent Furlong and his enigmatic minion Patrick Hamilton, are parading before Tokyo the Japhkiel, a revolutionary, unmanned fighting machine, as the future of the Imperial Capital's defense. Will the Flower Division be overshadowed and declared obsolete?

Released in Japanese theaters in December of 2001, the film saw a limited North American theater debut in July of 2003, and a DVD Video Release by Pioneer Animation/Geneon Animation as Sakura Wars: The Movie.

Sakura Taisen: "Su~Mi~Re": Kanzaki Sumire Intai Kinen

For almost a decade, Sumire Kanzaki, young scion of the Kanzaki industrial conglomerate, has fought and sacrificed to defend the Imperial Capital and its people. She's been the Imperial Opera Troupe's Top Star, perennial flame of the theater scene. She's been in movies, radio, concerts, and the battlefield. She's learned much, loved much, and seen much, and it seems it's time to settle down and take the reins of her birthright-the corporate monolith that leads Japanese industry. But no true star goes out with a whimper, and she is the Top Star!

Translated as Sakura Taisen: Sumire Kanzaki Retirement Special "~Su~Mi~Re~", this 2002 Japanese release was a thirty-minute OVA commemorating the retirement of one of the franchise's key voice actresses, Michie Tomizawa, who played the popular character of Sumire Kanzaki. Following Tomizawa's announcement of her leaving the Sakura Taisen series, the decision was made to also announce the retirement of Sumire, the character. A much loved character and voice actress, both Sumire and Tomizawa left the stage to a sold-out live concert. Michie Tomizawa (富沢 美智恵 Tomizawa Michie, previously 富澤 ç¾Žæ™ºæ±Ÿ Tomizawa Michie, born October 20, 1961) is a veteran seiyÅ« who was born in Nagano. ...

FUNimation productions later released the OVA in the US as Sakura Taisen: ~Su~Mi~Re~ in 2004.

Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris

Released in the US by Funimation on 28th August 2005, this three part OVA acts as a prequel to the third game. The OVA tells the story of the Paris Kagekidan's formation, along with the arrival of Captain Ohgami Ichiro. FUNimation Entertainment (previously known as FUNimation Productions) is a company formed by Gen Fukunaga in the early 1990s to produce, merchandise and distribute anime and other entertainment properties in the United States and international markets. ... (Redirected from 28th August) August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sakura Taisen: Le Nouveau Paris

A sequel to Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris. As yet this three part OVA has not been licensed for release in the US. This tells the story of the Paris Kagekidan's members after Captain Ogami Ichiro was sent back to Japan a few weeks ago.

Characters

See: Sakura Wars characters The names of the various troupes/divisions of the Teikoku Kagekidan (e. ...

See also

• Sakura Wars Gouka-Kenran

Sakura Wars Gōka-Kenran is the second anime OVA series based on the game, Sakura Wars. Plot The setting is in the first of 1900, in Japan. ...

Notes and References

Spring is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ... A hanami party Hanami lit. ... It has been suggested that dajare be merged into this article or section. ... Yosano Akiko (与謝野 晶子 Yosano Akiko, December 7, 1878 - May 29, 1942) was a Japanese author and poet. ... Insert non-formatted text here Combatants Imperial Russia Empire of Japan Strength 500,000 Soldiers 400,000 Soldiers Casualties 25,331 Killed 146,032 Wounded 47,387 Killed 173,425 Wounded Greater Manchuria, Russian (outer) Manchuria is region to upper right in lighter Red; Liaodong Peninsula is the wedge extending... (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 and Führer (Leader) of Germany from 1934 until his death. ... General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz (November 9, 1894, Schloss Wiese, Silesia - November 4, 1966, Baden-Baden) was the German military governor of Paris during the closing days of the German occupation of that city during World War II. In World War I, von Choltitz served at the Western frontier... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Shimpei Nakayama aka Shinpei Nakayama March 22, 1887 ~ December 30, 1952) was a Japanese song writer. ... Akira Kurosawa (黒澤 明 Kurosawa Akira, also é»’æ²¢ 明 in Shinjitai, 23 March 1910 – 6 September 1998) was a prominent Japanese film director, film producer, and screenwriter. ... Ikiru (生きる) is a 1952 black and white movie written and directed by the acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and inspired by Leo Tolstoys The Death of Ivan Ilyich. ... Yosano Akiko (与謝野 晶子 Yosano Akiko, December 7, 1878 - May 29, 1942) was a Japanese author and poet. ... Nintendo (Japanese: 任天堂, ニンテンドー Nintendō; NASDAQ: NTDOY, TYO: 7974 ) is a multinational corporation founded on November 6,[citation needed] 1889 in Japan by Fusajiro Yamauchi to produce handmade hanafuda cards, for use in a Japanese playing card game of the same name. ... Resident Evil, known as Biohazard (バイオハザード) in Japan, is a successful franchise of survival-horror video games developed by Capcom and created by Shinji Mikami. ... Robert Mitchum and Charlotte Rampling on the cover of the 1975 Penguin film tie-in edition Farewell, My Lovely is a 1940 novel by Raymond Chandler, the second novel he wrote featuring Los Angeles private eye Philip Marlowe. ... Raymond Chandler Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was an Anglo-American author of crime stories and novels. ... // A scene from Cowboy Bebop (1998) Anime ) is a medium of animation originating in Japan, with distinctive character and background aesthetics that visually set it apart from other forms of animation. ...

External links

• Sega's official Sakura Taisen Web site (in Japanese)
• ADV's Sakura Wars - The Website (in English)
• FUNimation's Sakura Taisen: Sumire Web site (in English)
• Pioneer's (Geneon's) Sakura Wars: The Movie Web site (in English)
• The Sakura Taisen Archives - SakuraArchives.com
• Sega's official Sakura Taisen Cafe website (in Japanese)
• MobyGames' entry for the Sakura Taisen Series