Sakura Wars Takes the Stage This April in the West

Sega has announced that the newest Sakura Wars title (known as Shin Sakura Taisen in Japan) will be getting a Western release for PlayStation 4 on April 28th. Simply titled “Sakura Wars,” this game is a reboot of the long-running steampunk/mecha/opera JRPG series, and will hopefully bring the franchise to a new audience! Check out the announcement trailer and a synopsis from Sega down below.

One of SEGA’s greatest IPs in Japan, Sakura Wars debuted on the SEGA Saturn in 1996 and grew into a successful franchise encompassing sequels, spin-offs, anime, manga, and even stage shows. Some of the best creative minds in the anime and JRPG industries have now joined their talents with SEGA to bring Sakura Wars to a new generation, and a new audience in the west.

For this reboot, SEGA brought back many of the original creators and received major contributions in character design from such luminaries as Tite Kubo, Yukiko Horiguchi, BUNBUN, Fumikane Shimada, Ken Sugimori, Noizi Ito, Shigenori Soejima, and more for a truly spectacular production.

The Imperial Combat Revue takes the stage as Tokyo’s defense force against a demon threat in this extravagant adventure. Soldiers in wartime, but theater performers in peacetime, the Revue’s Flower Division is not living up to their legacy and is at risk of being shut down. As newly appointed captain Seijuro Kamiyama, it’s up to you to turn the team around.

During your adventure, you’ll interact with a colorful cast of characters via the dynamic LIPS dialogue system (a trademark of the series), where what you say and how you say it makes an impact both on and off the battlefield. This flows into the high-energy combat system, featuring giant steam-powered mechs called the “Spiricle striker” that can only be piloted by those with strong spiritual power.

All of this is presented in the style of an exciting anime production, complete with gorgeous animated sequences and dramatic character arcs that will leave you eager for what happens next!

Stay tuned to RPGFan for more information on Sakura Wars!