 |


Copyright © 1997 Sega Enterprises, LTD. /
Bandai Visual / Animate Film
Copyright © RED 1990, 1997
|
 |


by Darold Higa
Combine steam technology, mecha, cool character designs, weave them
into a plot line revolving around demons overrunning Tokyo, and you
have the makings of a terrific story. Set in Taisho Japan, SAKURA WARS reinvents the mecha genre by giving it
a distinctly "steam technology" look and feel. Based on the Sega
Saturn game, SAKURA WARS is a pretty cool OVA for those who are seeking a familiar story line
with a twist.
The honest truth is that I fell in love with Shinguchi Sakura,
the main character, the first time I saw her. My first
exposure to SAKURA WARS was in the form of
a Japanese TV ad for the Sega game. It looked
so cool I almost ran out and bought a Sega system just to play it.
Cooler heads and an empty wallet prevailed, and I refrained from the
purchase. I was absolutely delighted when the news came that SAKURA
TAISEN would be made into an OVA.
Finally I could watch SAKURA TAISEN, and I
didn't need a Saturn!
The Taisho era, which lasted from 1912 to 1926 is often
considered the time when Japan emerged from the transitional period
of the Meiji era into an internationally recognized world power.
The anime is set in the 1920s as Tokyo slowly rebuilds in the
aftermath of the Demon Wars. Working from the conclusions of the
Zero Report, many nations have bound together to support the Capital
Defense Program to build a high-technology defense force to protect
Tokyo from the return of the Demons. At the heart of this defense
are the six girls who make up the Imperial Flower Attack Team. The
Flower Team consists of Shinguchi Sakura, Kanzaki Sumire, Tachibana
Maria, Chateaubriand Iris, Kouran Ri and Kirishima Kanna. They all
posses tremendous spiritual energy, which allows them to power the
Oobu mechanical armor to fight the coming darkness.
The first volume of SAKURA WARS
contains the first two episodes of the OVA.
Like a lot of anime based on games, there is considerable screen time
spent on building up the history of the characters and story. In
fact, the first two episodes of the show cover a period of 4 years.
For people who have played the game, this disjointed storytelling is
probably OK. For those of us who haven't
(myself included), it has the annoying side effect of watering down
our interest. A skilled director (like Anno, for instance) can craft
a story with a very broken chronology. In this case it simply acts
as a distraction. In a way there is almost too much story to be
told in two short episodes. Once you get past the choppy beginning,
however, the show settles down into a very watchable pace.
This title combines the talents of many names familiar to
American fandom. The original character designs for the game were
done by Fujishima Kosuke of AH! MEGAMI-SAMA [OH MY
GODDESS!] and TAIHO SHICHAUZO [YOU'RE UNDER
ARREST] fame, and their adaptation to anime is done flawlessly
(which is all too often not the case). The Japanese voice talent
includes the likes of Yokoyama Chisa, Tomizawa Michie and Orikasa Ai.
The music, composed by Tanaka Kouhei, includes a snappy 70s live
action style tune for the OP entitled "Go!
Imperial Flower Attack Team" (sung by Chisa Yokoyama) and a very
swing "My Blue Sky" ED sung by Orikasa Ai.
In conclusion, despite the choppy beginning, this series
holds a lot of promise. The fundamentals of a great show are all
here, and the production staff all have a great track record. All
in all you should not be disappointed. SAKURA
WARS definitely deserves a look. 
Released in North America by A.D.V. Films
VHS, 60 minutes
English Dubbed: VHSSW/001D $19.98
Subtitled: VHSSW/001S $29.95
Available 4/27/99 in the USA
Where to buy |
 |