The Great War of Cherry Blossoms: The "Sakura Wars" English Playthrough Thread

[Kori-Maru]

Current status: Editing Episode 6 next weekend and translating the remaining 4 episodes. Almost to Disc #2

Special Thanks to Greenhowse from the NeoGaf and GameFaqs forums for the picture/
[video=youtube;WHVCmJHE8Tk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHVCmJHE8Tk[/video]
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Hello SEGA forumers! Where do I start off? Ah yes, I am doing a "English" Long Playthrough of SEGA/RED's Sakura Wars for a friend of mine to support a localization of the other first four game as the fifth game "Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love" was publish by NIS America. I will be posting each chapter/episode on Saturday in the afternoon, giving that Toonami feel.

The idea of the playthrough was inspired by a forumer named "SpiritArmor" from SomethingAwful.com who is currently playing through the remake of the first game "In Hot Blood" which was released for the PS2 and the series of campaign from the awesome NiGHTS fanbase. I've edited the videos with English subtitles.

What is Sakura Wars?
Sakura Wars is a dramatic adventure game created by Ouji Hiroi along with Kosuke Fujishima (character designer), and Satoru Akahori (character background). The games were also produced and directed by former SEGA employee, Noriyoshi Ohba, who was known for producing our favorite SEGA classic franchises such as Shinobi, Streets of Rage, Clockwork Knight, Skies of Arcadia, and Blood Will Tell within SEGA AM7/Overworks. The game was released for the Sega Saturn on September 27, 1996 and sold out on the first day becoming very successful in Japan later spawning several sequels, stage plays, animes, merchandise, and a freakin cafe (which closed in 2008 unfortunately)

What type of game is it and how does it play?
Sakura Wars is a mixture of a simulated dating sim and strategy. The series actually has good storytelling (2 & 3 are my favs). The dating sim portion (LIPS ~ Live Interaction Picture System) is where you talk to the members of your team in order to gain (or lose) trust points from them. Think of it as a static version of Binary Domain. Depending on how your team member trusts you will reflect during battle mode. Battle mode is the strategy part of the game. The first two games focus on a grid system turn based gameplay similar to Shining Force while later games focus in a free movement with a limited bar gauge called ARMS (Active and Real-time Machine System)

What's the plot of the series?
In a nutshell, you'll be playing as the main character who is captain of a kagekidan (Assault Force) who leads a group of female fighters who have strong spritual powers and pilot steam powered robots called "Koubu" to defend your city against demons. Also, it's an alternate timeline where technology is powered by steam.

Why hasn't this game been released in the West?
Bernie Stolar (ST 1 & 2 for Sega Saturn)
Marketing team in the DC years ~ Thanks to Superrayman3 http://diehardgamefan.com/2008/09/19/dreamcast-segas-last-scream/

Why are you playing through the game?
To introduce people who are new to the series, the fans, and a friend who's goal is to get the first four games localized in the West to PC (Heck, I wouldn't mind for it to be ported to mobile) If you don't know what Sakura Wars is, be sure to check this thread.

How popular is it then and now?
It's pretty super popular!....... in Japan. I would say it's as much popular as Sonic the Hedgehog. However, it does have a cult following in the West. I remember back in the 90's when the Dreamcast was launched, there we're tons of fansites out there.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to reply on this topic. Oh don't forget to like the page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe!

Special Thanks
Elias Blondeau ~ The awesome guy who started the campaign!
A.J. Rosa ~ The creator of My Life with Sega which you can watch on SegaBits.com and Youtube
Nikolai Andrésen ~ For uploading the anime cutscenes in full screen
Nicholas Plante ~ Co-translator of the playthrough
Kayama ~ GameFaqs contributor from the day translated the first four episodes
Lando ~ Same as Kayama but translated all the episodes

Sakura Wars: The Great War of Cherry Blossoms
Opening Disc #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqosB58oBUM
Chapter 1 ~ Teito - The Flowery Assault Group
Part 1: http://youtu.be/xEhMx5cvzx0 ~ Enter Ohgami Ichiro
Part 2: http://youtu.be/WGUhPsghFE8 ~ Ohgami's Conflict
Part 3: http://youtu.be/SrwCzfjd0d8 ~ Battle:Tutorial, Satan and the Kuronosukai
Part 4: http://youtu.be/ivDPQUJFbsY ~ It's okay, Iris doesn't drink
Chapter 2 ~ The Enemy's Name is Kuronosukai (Kohran episode)
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJHzIdSblGk
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjFGnca7wuI
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1AXI0yCVfg
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS-ILkCEHV8
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfJtxdVMww0
Chapter 3 ~ I am not Fit to be Captain!? (Maria episode)
Part 1:http://youtu.be/x0fX9JbGIBk
Part 2:http://youtu.be/3cOjbTSwACY
Part 3 Battle:http://youtu.be/IGrFFMMqwuc
Part 4:http://youtu.be/JRKsOiTa8HA
Part 5:http://youtu.be/JWYaQ37xCfg
Part 6 Battle:http://youtu.be/Vxnhn0KFc-4
Part 7:http://youtu.be/C0vZBLXySHU
Part 8 Boss:http://youtu.be/Zoq6MFKVVXA
Part 9 End:http://youtu.be/-KFIiMJurYg
Chapter 4 ~ Rampage! Rampage! Great Big Rampage! (Iris episode)
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQKsI4dUFK0
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khuI9jj6BQU
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG6mZtfH7m0
Part 4 Boss: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dibx_wZcXtQ
Part 5 End: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSmBuHpAcuU
Chapter 5 ~ Bloom into Flowers! By the Maidens' Obstinacy! (Sumire & Kanna episode)
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7KMFZJw8Aw
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJSLP2xOYzU
Part 3 Battle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zd_6ZpB_RY
Part 4 End: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQbSDvVvlIo
Chapter 6 ~ Teito's Great Collapse!? (Sakura episode)
Part 1 ~ http://youtu.be/VacW0I42WEs
Part 2 ~ http://youtu.be/C3iMW8vqqDA
Part 3 Boss Battle ~ http://youtu.be/vSbnI0UAgIE
Part 4 End ~ http://youtu.be/xCgovX4HYM0
Chapter 7 ~ Decisive Battle - The Limit of Life!
Opening Disc #2: *coming soon*
Chapter 8 ~ A Date in Days of Peace
Chapter 9 ~ The Final Weapon Revealed
Chapter 10 ~ The Final Judgement
Sakura's Ending:
Sumire's Ending:
Iris's Ending:
Maria's Ending:
Kohran's Ending:
Kanna's Ending:

[inthesky]

"Why hasn't this game been released in the West?
Bernie Stolar"

Hahaha. Really? I didn't know that; I'm not up on the franchise history and how it's been treated by SegaWEST. Unfortunately the quoting function is messed up for me right now.

In any case, I'll be sure to check this out regularly - I do support a proper reintroduction of the Sakura Wars franchise outside of Japan! I appreciate you taking your time to do this Kori-Maru. Good luck.

[Kori-Maru]

Thank you. Yeah, I wish the games had a proper release in the US and I kinda wanted to do this thing after visiting the Sega Forums a couple of times. There are a lot of new SEGA fans who are not aware of Sega of Japan titles from the classic days.

I also picked Saturday to release the videos to give the audience that "Toonami" feel if you catch my drift lol. I would like to thank mylifewithsega for the video tips. It helped me very successfully.

[Trippled]

Sega should release these on Steam, seeing how there were on PC in Japan. Also, Xseeds put the Ys games on Steam as well. I also remember the remake of the first game being appearently localized, none of that happened. Around the PS2 Era it would have been a good time, to introduce this series-

While not completly similar, I think this is definitly also the franchise to see where Valkyria Chronicles actually came from.

[Kori-Maru]

While not completly similar, I think this is definitly also the franchise to see where Valkyria Chronicles actually came from.

True, the guys who worked on the Sakura Wars series worked on the Valkyria Chronicles series. The strategy and movement parts we're borrowed from Sakura Wars 3.

[mylifewithsega]

No sweat, brother. The video looks fantastic thus far. I can't wait to see 'em in their entirety.

Yeah, Bernie Stolar didn't think there was much of a market for role-playing-games and 2D games in the US, so they were denied release. Meanwhile, they were kicking ass in Japan. Bernie supposedly did the same thing over at Sony before he moved to SEGA.

[Kori-Maru]

Ladies and Gentleman, we've just hit NeoGaf!
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=540369

[Barry the Nomad]

I like how the name of our site was typed SegaBITS. Haven't seen that style yet. Congrats!

[Nameless 24]

No sweat, brother. The video looks fantastic thus far. I can't wait to see 'em in their entirety.

Yeah, Bernie Stolar didn't think there was much of a market for role-playing-games and 2D games in the US, so they were denied release. Meanwhile, they were kicking ass in Japan. Bernie supposedly did the same thing over at Sony before he moved to SEGA.

That was why Sony won the generation when Square went to Sony with Final Fantasy VII...imagine if Stolar stayed at Sony and were denied FFVII?

[TJKitsune]

I'm actually excited about this.  Pre-ordered So Long My Love as soon as it was announced and got the PS2 version.  I avoided getting the Dreamcast and Saturn versions because...I'm lazy and don't like to go thru the work of printing off translations and working through it...and I can't read a lick of Japanese.  The Anime series was a fun watch, and the art style is wonderful. 

[Kori-Maru]

One of our members Superrayman3 posted this interesting article from awhile back. It's now included in the front page.
http://diehardgamefan.com/2008/09/19...s-last-scream/

[Kori-Maru]

First part of chapter one is now uploaded. Ohgami Ichiro has arrived in the Imperial Captial! The other 3 will be uploaded later today. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEhMx5cvzx0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Part 2 is uploaded https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGUhPsghFE8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Glad I kept the PC on while I was away.

[Kori-Maru]

One of our faithful fellow fans on the Kiss Me Sweet Facebook page translated this for us which pretty much sums up the first Chapter of Sakura Wars lol (except Orihime and Reni).

[Kori-Maru]

In this week playthrough of Sakura Wars, we are introduced to the four Devas of the Den Black (Crimson Miroku, Setsuna, Rasetsu, Aoi Satan)

Suddenly, a Chinese girl crashes through the Imperial Theater.... Is she one of the members of Imperial Floral Assault Group?

Also, who is this mysterious woman?

AND IS SAKURA JEALOUS?!

Tomorrow on Sakura Wars, "The Enemy's Name is Kuronosukai"

Taisho cherry blossoms amidst a fanciful storm!
"What are you gonna do? Ohgami-san?" ~ Sakura Shinguji

UPDATE: Chapter 2 has been uploaded into 5 parts
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJHzIdSblGk
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjFGnca7wuI
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1AXI0yCVfg
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS-ILkCEHV8
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfJtxdVMww0

[Kori-Maru]

Thread don't die just yet.... this is only the beginning!

Farewell, my youth. Farewell, my love. Time stopped for me during that war. Next time, on Sakura Wars... "I am not Fit to be Captain!?" A storm of romance in Taisho cherry blossoms!! Only this locket...... ......knows the pain within my heart.

Looks like Maria is going through somethings from her past and we're going to have another Flower Division member joining the team for battle and has her own style of karate. Her voice actress also voices Luffy from One Piece in Japan. Tune in tommorow!