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[[quoteright:264:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lt/sakurataisen.jpg "Maidens who pledged their lives to steel, [[TheyFightCrime cut through evil]] and [[ForGreatJustice show the way to justice]]!"]]

->''"Hashire kousouku no Teikokukagekidan!''
->''Unare shougeki no Teikokukagekidan!"''
->(Run, lightning-fast Imperial Flower Combat Troupe,
->Roar, glorious Imperial Flower Combat Troupe!)
-->-- from ''Geki! Teikokukagekidan'', the [[AnimeThemeSong original theme song]]

Known as ''Sakura Wars'' in North America, this is a franchise starting with video games by {{Sega}} (starting on the SegaSaturn) and RED Company (now Red Entertainment), branching out into {{OVA}}s, several TV series and a movie. The games, now at their sixth release in the series, are a combination of DatingSim and [[TurnBasedStrategy tactical combat]], and have a near-fanatical following. Though [[NoExportForYou most have seen no release outside Japan]], the first two games were officially released in Russia in 2006 and 2008 respectively, and the fifth game was released in North America on March 30, 2010. A hilariously fun play-through of the first ''Sakura Taisen'' game can be found at the [[http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2564759&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1 SomethingAwful.com forums]][[hottip:*: which is free to view again but sadly many of the images for the puns have broken links]], for those curious about just ''how'' this blend works. (Warning: May not be suitable for [[CreepyChild Iris]] and [[StalkerWithACrush Sakura]] fans.)

Set in an alternate world, it is the 1920s. Instead of World War I, in 1918 an occult conflict called the Demon Wars pitted [[TheLegionsOfHell hellish creatures from another plane of existence]] against a plucky [[FiveManBand Four Man Band]]. Although the humans [[SealedEvilInACan won]], half the Band was lost. With [[TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness international approval]], [[TokyoIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse Japan]] continues advancing its groundbreaking steam-powered technology, preparing for the demons' [[AsLongAsThereIsEvil inevitable return]].

In Japan, these preparations take the form of the Teikokukagekidan, the Imperial Floral Defense Force. The Hanagumi ([[ThemeNaming "Flower Division"]]) is their elite squad of warriors, equipped with the steam-powered battle armor called ''kohbu'', and the weapons and skills needed to fight the demons when they return. Because of a quirk in the part-magical technology of the ''kohbu'', all the members of the Hanagumi (save for their commanding officer) are women.

Taking advantage of a pun in Japanese ("Teikokukagekidan" can mean "Imperial Floral Defense '''Troop'''" or "Imperial Theatrical '''Troupe'''", depending on the kanji used), the Hanagumi make their headquarters underneath the Imperial Theater in Tokyo. When they are not fighting the forces of Hell, they maintain their cover identities as the cast and crew of the theater, allowing for a lot of music in between the battle scenes, and no small amount of incidental comedy.

Despite the Hanagumi's purpose as as combat unit, ''Sakura Taisen'' spends surprisingly little time in battle. Instead it focuses on first the background and establishment of the Imperial Defense Forces, the recruitment of its members, and follows that with close studies of the various characters. The [=OVAs'=] weak point is that they are intended to supplement the video games on which they are based, rather than expand on them for the non-gamer. As a result, entire plotlines are left hanging because they are resolved in the games. This can make the first six-episode series ''very'' unfulfilling unless the viewer is more concerned about the characters than about their situation.

The second series barely even mentions the demon conflict, instead focusing ''entirely'' on specific incidents within the lives of the Hanagumi and jumping among the time periods covered in the various video games. These stories are more self-contained and satisfying, and showcase the sense of "family" among the Hanagumi. In both series the animation is outstanding, and the English dubs (produced by Creator/ADVFilms) are quite good, featuring a cast that manages to deliver the multinational/multicultural feel of the team quite well.

As of early 2005, there are also a third and fourth set of [=OVAs=], focusing on the new Hanagumi team established in Paris, France. The third series has been [[http://www.sakurataisen.tv/ licensed]] by {{Funimation}}, and was released under the name ''Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris'' in North America in late 2005. The fourth series is named ''Sakura Taisen: Le Nouveau Paris'', and continues following the Paris Hanagumi. The fifth series of [=OVAs=] (based appropriately enough on the fifth game) is titled ''New York, New York'', with a new adventure for the New York-based Hoshigumi.

In addition to the [=OVAs=], there is a movie, released in 2004. Like the episodes of the second series, the film is also a self-contained story in the same continuity (no AlternateContinuity here, thankfully) and leaves no hanging plot threads behind; the new character introduced here even goes on to appear in the later ''Sakura Taisen V'' game. The movie does assume you have familiarity with the characters and game timeline (providing no explanation as to why Ohgami isn't even present for almost the entire movie). The movie also substantially expands the world of ''Sakura Taisen'' beyond Japan, exploring in greater depth the dynamics of the prototype team fielded in wartime Europe. The movie takes place just after the end of the third game (Paris) and before the beginning of the fourth (which ended the "Tokyo arc"). A recent production, it makes extensive use of CGI effects, particularly for the ''kohbu''.

Note, however, that Creator/{{Geneon}} (then known as Pioneer) licensed and dubbed the movie instead of Creator/ADVFilms, and the voice actors they cast are (with a few exceptions) markedly inferior to their predecessors. This is a surprising failure on the part of Pioneer, which has made its reputation with outstanding casts. In particular, there are none of the wide variety of accents and dialects heard in the Creator/ADVFilms version. This can be quite jarring to a viewer used to the multinational sound of the [=OVAs=].

There is also a TV series version which is an AlternateContinuity from the [=OVAs=]. Aired in Japan in 2000, it follows the plotline of the first game but with multiple (and ''major'') alterations, particularly in the personalities of the villains and some of the principals themselves. The TV series bears an [[DarkerAndEdgier overall darker tone than even the original games]]. Despite being self-contained and largely separate from the [=OVAs=] and even somewhat from the franchise's personality, the TV series fails to solidly establish the Hanagumi's characters, almost unconsciously expecting the viewer to already know (to an extent) who's who. In the end it largely ends up an exercise in angering fans, but is a fair introduction for series neophytes. The animation betrays the lower quality typical of OVA-to-TV transitions but introduces a consistent, slightly altered, character design style and maintains the franchise's reputation for stellar voice acting and original music (in Japanese).

Most recently is the manga, which was released in Japan from 2003 to 2008 and adapts the first game again, without the drastic alterations of the TV series. Most of it has been released in English by TokyoPop.

An enjoyable, fun, and well-heeled franchise, ''Sakura Taisen'' is a legendary license and is one of the few franchises to make a truly successful expansion into nearly every form of media. The series' voice actors regularly performed (up to 2008) in sold-out Broadway-style "live shows" and radio dramas (all set in the ''Sakura Taisen'' universe), and a ''Sakura Taisen'' cafe/store stood in the SEGA amusement center in Tokyo until its closing in March 2008.

''Sakura Taisen'' remains a hallmark of anime culture, something of a paragon of what "old-school" shows were like, with upbeat, almost sickeningly positive characters and plots, ridiculous amounts of merchandise, and very little irony.

Today the series appears to be in an indefinite hiatus as a result of weak sales of the fifth title and its tie-in merchandise and anime, but every now and then rumors will come out of Sega of a sixth entry in the series or a revival.

Recently, an attempt to localize the series for digital distribution has [[http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kiss-Me-Sweet-The-Sakura-Wars-Localization-Project/382878205094476 sprung up]].

A [[Characters/SakuraTaisen character page]] has been started.

Ichiro Ohgami, Sakura Shinguuji, Erica Fontaine, and Gemini Surprise will also make an appearance in ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'', a cross over game between Namco, Sega, and Capcom.

A [[Recap/SakuraWarsTV recap for the TV series]] has been started
----
!!Provides Examples Of:
* AMechByAnyOtherName: The Kohbu
* AmericansAreCowboys: The primary love interest (and thus the most promoted character) in ''So Long, My Love'' is Gemini Sunrise - Texan samurai cowgirl. Though she is far from the only American character in the game as it is based on the New York branch. 
* AlternateContinuity (TV series is in a different continuity than the games and {{OVA}}s)
* AlternateHistory 
** It's uncertain exactly when the world of ''Sakura Taisen'' diverged from ours, though it may have been several centuries ago; at one point in the manga, Yoneda finds references in an old history text to a war fought between Japan's samurai and supernatural enemies resembling the demonic entities. Possibly a case of ParallelHistory, as many nations and events seem to be identical or similar to our world; for example, Yoneda is cited as being a great hero of the Russo-Japanese War, and Maria comes to the team as a veteran of the Russian Civil War.
*** There was also a mention that the British Empire (aka the British Colonial Empire) exists in the [=ST=] world. 
* AncestralWeapon (Sakura's sword, Ayame/Kaede's sword, Yoneda's sword, Yamazaki's sword)
* AnimeAccentAbsence (Averted in the dubs of the various [=OVAs=] and TV series, but strikingly obvious by comparison in the [[Creator/{{Geneon}} Pioneer/Geneon]] dub of the movie.)
* AnAxeToGrind: Glycine's weapon, a poleaxe to be precise.
* TheAnimeOfTheGame
* AnimeThemeSong (One of the catchiest anime songs of the nineties -- a bizarre but effective mix of rock, pre-war J-pop, and idol charm, with an oddly compelling martial aspect)
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: There was no World War I, yet Russian revolution of 1917 still somehow happened, despite the fact, that Russia's constant failures in WWI were the chief reasons, that the revolution happened in the first place. If not for the war, Russia would probably turn into a constituional monarchy, since that was where it headed after the revolution of 1905.
** There's also alcohol being served openly during Prohibition, although it could be argued that in this timeline Prohibition never happened.
** In the fifth game, it's stated that Jazz originated in Harlem. While it's true that Jazz was especially ''popular'' in Harlem, it was really invented in New Orleans.
* BadassCreed: From the theme song.
-->[Sakura] "We will fight for justice!"
-->[Maria] "Even if we have to risk our lives for the sake of this war!"
-->[Kanna] "We will stand our ground!"
-->[Iris] "Someday, this imperial capital ..."
-->[Kouran] "Till the day the evil disappears ..."
-->[Sumire] "We will continue to fight in this war!"
-->[All] "We are the Imperial Flower Attack Group!"
* BattleAura
* BicepPolishingGesture (Kanna does this frequently)
* BigDamnHeroes: Things are looking bleak for the [=PariGumi=] in Chapter 7, when out of nowhere comes [[spoiler: Sakura, Sumire and Iris in their kohbus]], and starts to wipe the floor with the baddies, despite being underpowered (compared to the Kohbu F models)! Also doubles as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome.
** The [=PariGumi=] gets to pull this one off after [[spoiler: Soletta and Leni]] are captured by the enemy; only, [[spoiler: Kayama]] ends up being the one to actually save the both of them. 
** Again with the [=PariGumi=], only this time they come to the Hanagumi's rescue, in 4. Of course, this was only after Ohgami's Paris heroine convinced him to order the [=PariGumi=] to launch and come to their aid.
* BladeOnAStick
* BlingBlingBang: Rikkarita\Rosita's pistols in ''Sakura Taisen 5''.
* {{Bokukko}} (Kanna)
* BoobsOfSteel: Even at 198 cm tall and very muscular, Kanna still easily qualifies, as is made apparent any time she wears a tank top.
* BridgeBunny: The Wind Division.
* TheBrigadier (Although he's been fighting monsters for years)
* BrokenPedestal (Kohran undergoes a crisis of faith when she discovers that the inventor of the kohbu armor, whom she has revered for years, has become the BigBad.)
* BrownNote ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F5ImyUMbLQ The trailer]] for the English release of ''Sakura Taisen V'' has many viewers claiming that "that voice is going to kill them". Thankfully for them, it's downplayed in the final product.)
* ButNotTooForeign (In ''Sakura Taisen 5'', which is set in New York, not only is the main character Japanese, but so are Subaru and the merchant you can get special bromides from. MissionControl member Anri is also half-Japanese, and Sunnyside and Gemini are Americans who are fans of Japanese culture.)
* CallingYourAttacks 
* TheCaptain (He's talented, but just fresh out of OCS and has no practical experience yet)
* CherryBlossoms (of course)
* ChillyReception (Ogami in the games. Sakura in the TV series/OVA. Shinjiro in ''So Long, My Love.'' Ogami is belittled and used as errand boy as part of a SecretTestOfCharacter, Sakura is mocked and looked down upon as a newbie CountryMouse, and Shinjiro isn't who the Star Division wanted - perhaps ironically, he's put through much the same as his uncle endured (except with more hostility, given that HotBlooded Cheiron and EmotionlessGirl(?) Subaru are the ones putting him through his paces) because they expected to be see Ogami himself.)
* CirclingBirdies (Erica in ''Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris'')
* CityOfCanals
* ClimacticBattleResurrection: [[spoiler: In the first game, each member of your crew (except your LoveInterest) [[HeroicSacrifice dies while killing a member of the Knights of the twilight]]. The traitor, Ayame severely wounds your LI (she gets better), then [[TheStarscream Aoi]] [[TrueFinalBoss Satan]] came and either tempts you to kill Ayame or kills her himself. Yonada rams the ship towards the weapon and after defeating Satan the first time, Ayame comes in her true form and resurrect all your friends for one final battle against Satan.]]
* ColourCodedCharacters: Very much so. Not only their uniforms, but also their outfits, and sometimes even their special attacks, to an extent.
* CombinationAttack
* ConspicuousCG ({{OVA}} 3 and later, using the same style as the game ''Sakura Taisen 3'', dubbed Neo-CG)
* ContinuityNod (The manga has many of these, sometimes bordering on DisContinuityNods -- like a lighthearted TakeThat at the redesigned kohbu from the [=PS2=] version of the first game)
** In ''Sakura Taisen V'', Gemini mentions that she once saved America with the help of some friends back home some time before that game started. Assuming she's referring to the events of ''Episode V-0'', Western players are unlikely to get the reference.
** Sumire's first scene in 1 has her asking Ohgami to get a replacement fork for the one she dropped. [[spoiler: Guess what Sumire's first event with Ohgami involves, in 3.]]
** The angel who shows up during Erica's special skill in 3 looks rather familiar. [[spoiler: That's because it happens to be Ayame.]]
** Ohgami asks why the Baragumi are still staying with the Hanagumi, and their response to his question is pretty much familiar if you've ever heard [=Geki!Tei=] in full.
* CoolShip (Syougeimaru and Mikasa)
* CoolTrain (Apparently mandatory for the series.)
* CrossPoppingVeins
* DarkerAndEdgier (TV series, especially in the first few episodes.)
* DatingSim
* DemonicInvaders
* {{Determinator}}: Everyone to an extent, but mostly Ohgami. In 4, there is a part where the boss disables everyone's kohbu, so everyone else is down except for him, and he has a few seconds left before he himself gets taken out of the fight. So what does he do? Fly right into the enemy's face, stab at it with his kohbu's swords, then get out of the pilot's seat moments after his kohbu has been totally wrecked, only to stab his sword at the monster's face. Followed by an UnflinchingWalk out of the explosion that occurs.
* DialogueTree (complete with timer to complicate the system; sometimes letting the timer run out [saying nothing] is the right thing to do!)
* {{Dual Wielding}} (Ohgami and Taiga) 
* DubNameChange (Some names were changed in the English translation for ''V'', but in the English dub only. The original names are preserved in the script of the Japanese dub edition, though a typo still lists Sagiita's English name on some of her bromides, as do Plum's and Rikaritta's. Her original name is also on her office door in the English disc. While the name changes were never explained, in at least the case of Sagitta and Rikaritta, it may have had to do with both characters having names wildly inaccurate for their cultural backgrounds.)
* DuelingDubs: Considering that [=ADV=], Funimation and Geneon had a hand in dubs for North America with different people playing different characters (except in recent years, this is being cut down in the wake of So Long, My Love with the Bang Zoom dub being used to voice a few characters like Sakura and Ogami). 
* {{Eagleland}}: The fifth game; type-1 to a ludicrous degree
* EvilIsHammy: ''Every single villain'' in the fifth game.
* ExplosiveOverclocking (almost everything made by Kohran)
* ExtraordinarilyEmpoweredGirl
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: Ayame]]
* FestivalEpisode
* FighterLaunchingSequence
* {{Filler}}: The PS2 Version of the first game has an exclusive chapter that was added on for the sole purpose of 1) providing a Kohran-centered chapter which the original version of the game lacked and 2) to provide [[spoiler:the Three Star Division pilots who appear in later sequels]] with an early cameo to keep their fans happy.
* FiveTokenBand: The five ladies in your squadron in the fifth game consist of a white CountryMouse, a SassyBlackWoman, a young Hispanic [[TheGunslinger bounty hunter]], an Asian [[InsufferableGenius super-genius]], and an IllGirl in a wheelchair. 
* FluffyFashionFeathers: Some of the stage outfits.
* FramedForHeroism
* GatlingGood: Erica's upgraded Kohbu F2 sports a Gatling gun. Still comes with a cross.
* GayParee: The third game.
* GenderFlip: From 2010 to 2011, Red Entertainment created a two-game series called ''Scared Rider Xechs'' for the Playstation 2 (later ported to PSP). The series is a reverse harem equivalent of the Sakura Wars franchise. The game includes similar graphics, and mechs are involved in the storyline.
* GirlsLoveStuffedAnimals (Iris and her bear)
* GoodLookingPrivates (The Kagekidan girls look pretty damn good in their uniforms. So do Ayame and Kaede, for that matter.)
** And for the ladies Ohgami looks pretty damn good in his uniforms.
* GratuitousEnglish: Constantly. Particularly annoying in the English release of ''Sakura Wars V'' because if you're playing the Japanese disc, you can actually tell when the characters are using English but the translation doesn't match.
** Also in the movie. It's averted in the English dub, but it's played for fun in one scene.
* GrowingUpSucks
* HardWorkMontage (several)
* HaremHero This series probably originated this trope with Ichiro Ohgami.
* HermeticMagic
* HeroicBSOD: Happens to Ohgami and his nephew Shinjiro after being recruited to join with the Tokyo/New York Fighting Troupes. They had a hard time at first since they were suppose to officers in the [=IJN=] before they were relegated to employee duties, but they eventually got over it. 
* HeyItsThatVoice ([[SailorMoon Sailor Mars]] singing "Beni Tokage" [[MichieTomizawa whenever Sumire opens her mouth]].)
** [[MayumiTanaka Kanna]] is [[DragonballZ Kuririn]], [[YuYuHakusho Koenma]], and [[OnePiece Monkey D. Luffy]].
** [[AiOrikasa Ayame and Kaede]] are [[TenchiMuyo Ryoko]], as well as [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Genis Sage]].
** In the dub for both ''Sakura Wars: the Movie'' and ''Sakura Taisen 5'', JulieAnnTaylor is Ratchet Altair (Lachette in the movie).
** In the dub of ''Sakura Wars: the Movie", [[MichelleRuff Sumire Kanzaki]] is [[HaruhiSuzumiya Yuki Nagato]], [[TalesOfVesparia Rita Mordio]], [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Yoko Littner]] and [[SonicTheHedgehog Cream the Rabbit]]
**  In the dub of ''Sakura Taisen V'', [[VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}} Allen Ridgely]] is Sunnyside...
*** Also in the dub: Shinjiro is [[Anime/CodeGeass Lelouche]], [[TriGun Vash]], and [[{{Persona4}} Adachi]].
*** [[LauraBailey Gemini]] is [[FullmetalAlchemist Lust]], [[DragonBallZ Kid Trunks]], and {{Catherine}}. And [[Anime/ShinChan Shin.]]
*** Subaru is Sakura Haruno, [[Anime/CodeGeass C.C]], and [[Characters/FateStayNight Saber]]
*** [[WendeeLee Sakura Shinguji]] is HaruhiSuzumiya, [[SoulCalibur Xianghua]], and [[CowboyBebop Faye Valentine]].
* HonestAxe: Rikkarita in ''Sakura Taisen 5'' is fond of asking criminals, "[[BlingBlingBang The gold gun or the silver gun...]] which do you want to get shot with?"
* HotBlooded: Ohgami, Sakura, Glycine. Ohgami even gets this as a rank 3.
* HumansAreBastards ([[spoiler: OdaNobunaga]] certainly thinks so in ''Sakura Taisen V''.
* HumongousMecha 
* ImpossiblyCoolClothes
* ImpossiblyLowNeckline (The way Sumire usually wears her kimono)
* ItsRainingMen: Prevalent in 4. This is also how [[spoiler: the [=PariGumi=] arrive in Tokyo in their kohbu.]]
* KatanasAreJustBetter: Quite a few characters
* KiAttacks
* LateArrivalSpoiler (Players of the English release of the fifth game may feel like this is in effect as staple concepts are barely explained in the beginning. Being the fifth in a popular series, it assumes familiarity with them and the other divisions. Even some of the promotional material assured those who have somehow played earlier games that all of the systems they're familiar with and more are in this game but gave no such assurance for those new to the series.)
* LeftHanging
* {{Leitmotif}} (Inverted as whilst the characters each have themes they usually change for each game -- that is if the characters appear in more than one game)
* LetsPlay (Spirit Armor's LP of ''Sakura Wars I'' has been ongoing for ''four years'' and is nearing completion. The man has pledged to do ''I-V'', so at this rate he very well might have a ''Sakura Wars VI'' or even ''VII'' to deal with by the time he finishes ''V'' ([[MarthDebutedInSmashBros Although that last one might be unnecessary]]). The LP can be found [[http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2564759 here]]. He literally went through and ''translated'' the ''entire game'' for your enjoyment, so you'd better be appreciative.)
** TheAbridgedSeries (''Inverted'' -- in addition to the literal translation of actual game dialogue, Spirit Armor includes additional dialogue in most scenes that [[AbridgedSeriesTropes carries on in the finest traditions of Abridged Series]].)
* MagicalGirl
* MagicFromTechnology
* MarthDebutedInSmashBros (Oogami and Sakura make a bit appearance in the start of ''So Long, My Love''.)
* MaskPower
* {{Mentors}}
* MultinationalTeam
* TheMovie: There was an anime movie released 2001
* TheMusical (This starts to get confusing as it becomes a case of "A Show Within A Show Within A Show" at times. Aside from the in-game musicals performed by the various teams there have actually been several musicals performed in {{Takarazuka}} style (although it should be noted that these musicals do feature the majority of the male seiyuu playing their respective characters too). What makes it even more special is that, unlike a lot of musicals based on anime/games, all the seiyuu respectively play their characters leading to some very funny scenes such as the seiyuu who plays Ohgami being extremely short and Iris' seiyuu makes a joke on it since she is taller than him. Usually a musical takes the form of two parts. The first part is a story that focuses on the characters themselves and the second part actually has the characters perform a play/musical such as Blue Bird. The latter got significantly longer as the musicals progressed. The Hanagumi team naturally had the most musicals. The Paris and New York troupes did not get that many. In fact the Paris troupe only had one mini-musical made.)
** Also noteworthy is the special stage show (and {{OVA}}) to say good bye to Sumire and her voice actress MichieTomizawa, when Tomizawa decided to leave the franchise.
*** Technically speaking though that didn't happen so much musical wise as she continued (and still does) to make guest appearances and even attends the live events. Seiyuu wise it's actually Orihime's seiyuu Maya Okamoto who now doesn't attend them since she now lives in the USA when she moved there after 1999 to study theater [[hottip:*:Although she did move between America and Japan before moving back to the latter (at least temporary)]].
* MyKungFuIsStrongerThanYours
* MythologyGag: Maria's White Russian commanding officer Yuri having a physical resemblance to Ken Nakajima. Considering that Kosuke Fujishima did have a hand in character designs, this is not a surprise.
* {{Ninja}}
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: [[TheMusical Musical theatre]] + HumongousMecha + TurnBasedStrategy + DatingSim.
* NoblewomansLaugh (Sumire, Glycine from ''Sakura Taisen 3'')
* NoExportForYou (The fifth game was released in North America in March 2010, so far the only game in the franchise to get released outside Japan. Outside of offical Russian releases of the first two games, anyway. Most fans are cynical that the release of ''Sakura Wars V'' is anything more than a lucky fluke, and NISA's open admission that the game vastly undersold its localization costs as well as the revelation that Sony already prevented another company from translating the PSP ports of the first two games seems to suggest this will remain true.)
* OldSaveBonus (Use the Same Memory Card on your PS2 that you saved Sakura Wars 1 with to play Sakura Wars 3 and Episode 5-0, and oh boy you'd be in for a world of fun!!)
* OutOfTheInferno (Ohgami did this once after his kohbu was totaled in ST4. An awesome moment but not a CrowningMomentOfAwesome.)
* {{OVA}}
* PeacockGirl (At least one set of the stage outfits.)
* PillarOfLight
* PimpedOutDress (Many of the stage outfits, and some of the girls' evening dresses.)
* PluckyGirl
* PowerWalk: After the [=PariGumi=]'s last mission.
* PoweredArmor (Ohbu, Kohbu, Eisenkleid, Jinbu, STAR, etc.)
* ThePowerOfActing (Sumire)
* PreExplosionGlow
* PrettyInMink (Soletta, Lachette, Glycine)
* PsychicPowers (Most everyone, with Iris and Erica being the most overt. Diana also is supposed to have such strong powers that they're physically harmful to her, but she rarely has overt displays of them.)
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: The reason why the Sumire [=OVA=] was developed, given that her seiyu Michie Tomizawa was going to get married and retire.
* RedheadedHero: A numbers of the girls are readheads. And depending on the endings, this turns into HeroesWantRedheads.
* RelationshipValues
* RefugeInAudacity (Yes, there is a half-mile-long airship hangar underneath the centre of Tokyo, and all the houses are built on top of the hangar doors. Also, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris is [[spoiler:a giant revolver cannon that launches Kohbu]]. Then there's the New York branch, whose flagship is launched via a giant ''crossbow'' hidden underneath Times Square. And the Statue of Liberty is a missile launcher.)
* RollerbladeGood: Strangely enough, while kohbu have wheels built in their feet, only Glycine is shown using this feature in both combat and cutscenes.
* RousseauWasRight (The games fairly unambiguously take the position that humans are innately good and just need proper guidance and support to avoid going astray. Genuine evil comes from external forces like demons or TheUndead.)
* RuleOfCool: Everything from punching acid out of the way from launching robots and airships from underneath city streets.
* RunningGag: Erica is repeatedly arrested by the police for running around in town with her machinegun. Also Erica's tendency to smash her head against poles, doors, or whatever nearby.
* TheOneGuy (Ohgami for Sakura Taisens 1-4 and Taiga for Sakura Taisen 5)
* TheRoaringTwenties
* {{Samurai}} (Ohgami, Sakura, Taiga; in a looser sense, Sumire and Gemini as well)
* SamuraiCowboy (Gemini))
* SchizoTech (1920s psychotronic steam-tech battlesuits)
** At one point in the manga, an announcement is made at the beginning of a play: "Also, please turn off your steam mobile phones..."
* SecretTestOfCharacter (When Ohgami is first transferred to Tokyo, he's only told about the theatrical side of the Hanagumi, as a test to see whether he's compatible with the group outside of battle, and the kind of person they'd be willing to follow in battle.)
** Also, near the end of Sakura Taisen V, Mr. Sunnyside [[spoiler:informs Taiga that he will have to sacrifice one of the members of the Hoshigumi (Star Division) if he is to defeat Nobunaga. In the end, it turns out that the correct choice (and the one Taiga makes) is to ignore Sunnyside and vow to keep everyone alive.]]
* SequelFirst (Against all odds, ''V'' was released in English in March 2010 courtesy [[NipponIchi NIS America]].)
* ShowWithinAShow (As part of their cover, the Hanagumi put on plays in the Theatre, e.g. "Crimson Lizard" or "Les Miserables"; Sumire's family owns a movie studio which occasionally employs the troupe in films; they also take part in radio dramas ''and'' model for characters in manga.)
* ShoutOut: The Kohbu-launching Revolver Cannon built into the Arc de Triomphe is suspiciously similar to [[SamuraiPizzaCats a certain giant hero-launching revolver built into a pizzeria.]] Considering that Satoru Akahori was a writer for both works, it's likely an intentional reference.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism (You'd be hard pressed to find '''any''' work produced from the 90's onwards that is ''this'' far up the scale of Idealism.)
** That said, ''Sakura Taisen 3'' shifts matters a bit further towards cynicism in the introduction of previously mentioned BoxedCrook Lobelia, brought onto the team in exchange for a reduction of her ''thousand year'' prison sentence and explicitly threatened with death if she messes up. To quote a line from her first episode.
--->'''Coquelicot:''' ''Lobelia... You're making us look like the bad guys...''
* SplitPersonality (Let's just say that [[spoiler:Gemini]]'s [[MeaningfulName name]] does more than just fit the ThemeNaming. Her "sister" [[spoiler:Geminine]] would be of the SuperpoweredAlterEgo variety.)
* SteamPunk
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute (Kaede Fujieda from ''Sakura Taisen 2'', for her sister Ayame)
* SymbolicBlood (Steam seems to be the Kohbu equivalent for blood. In the TV series, the Kohbu are often seen blowing off steam right after being knocked out or immobilized, regardless of whether there is any visible damage or not.)
* {{Takarazuka}} (The Hanagumi perform as an all-female troupe; the "Teikoku Kagekidan" and its subdivisions are a ShoutOut to the famous [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takarazuka_Revue Takarazuka Revue]], or "Takarazuka Kagekidan".)
** They are also partly based on the Schochiku Kagekidan wich was one of Takarazuka's first competors, the TKD's theatre is on the same spot and has the same design of the (now demolished) Shochiku Theatre, Ouji Hiroi's aunt was a founding member of Shochiku and while the flower for Takarazuka is the Sumire (the established Top Star in the games), the Shochiku theatre's flower was the Sakura, so their rivalray is representitive of the rivalry of the two theatres. 
* TeamShot
* ThemeNaming (flowers for the Hanagumi; stars, constellations and the like for the Hoshigumi)
* TheOtherDarrin: Prevalent in the North American English dubs.
* TheThingThatGoesDoink
* TimeCompressionMontage
* TitleDrop: Yoneda's soliloquy at the end of 4. Also doubles as a TearJerker.
* TurnBasedStrategy
* TheUnwantedHarem (Ohgami's relationship with the girls -- a leftover from the "dating sim" part of the original games)
* VirginPower (''Hinted'' at, though never explicitly stated. The main theme ''does'' state that the girls are maidens, and even a member of the [=PariGumi=] who gives off an "experienced" vibe -- Lobelia -- is, in her OAV focus story, explicitly stated to have not done the sorts of things that men and women normally do together when she took men up to her room, and is compared to the Virgin Mary.)
* VitriolicBestBuds: Sumire and Kanna could be the poster children for this trope.
* WeaponOfChoice (most everyone)
* WeddingsInJapan (Sakura's participation in a traditional ceremony at the end of [=OVA=] 2)
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2nd Jan '13 6:33:28 PM TropeLicious

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added to hey it's that voice

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31st Dec '12 9:20:47 AM TropeLicious

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let people know that the recap for Sakura Wars TV has started

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19th Dec '12 8:02:08 AM shadowblack

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Shiny Midnight Black is to be cut as per this thread

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2nd Dec '12 12:40:45 PM nombretomado

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21st Nov '12 8:36:29 PM GrantMK2

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Editing about new changes

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Known as ''Sakura Wars'' in North America, this is a franchise starting with video games by {{Sega}} (starting on the SegaSaturn) and RED Company (now Red Entertainment), branching out into {{OVA}}s, several TV series and a movie. The games, now at their sixth release in the series, are a combination of DatingSim and [[TurnBasedStrategy tactical combat]], and have a near-fanatical following. Though [[NoExportForYou most have seen no release outside Japan]], the first two games were officially released in Russia in 2006 and 2008 respectively, and the fifth game was released in North America on March 30, 2010. A hilariously fun play-through of the first ''Sakura Taisen'' game can be found at the [[http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2564759&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1 SomethingAwful.com forums]][[hottip:*: unfortunately now requires you to do the $10 register to see it]], for those curious about just ''how'' this blend works. (Warning: May not be suitable for [[CreepyChild Iris]] and [[StalkerWithACrush Sakura]] fans.)

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9th Nov '12 11:03:02 AM willthiswork

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change to more specific subtrope

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5th Nov '12 9:02:29 PM Ominae

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Known as ''Sakura Wars'' in the United States, this is a franchise starting with video games by {{Sega}} (starting on the SegaSaturn) and RED Company (now Red Entertainment), branching out into {{OVA}}s, several TV series and a movie. The games, now at their sixth release in the series, are a combination of DatingSim and [[TurnBasedStrategy tactical combat]], and have a near-fanatical following. Though [[NoExportForYou most have seen no release outside Japan]], the first two games were officially released in Russia in 2006 and 2008 respectively, and the fifth game was released in North America on March 30, 2010. A hilariously fun play-through of the first ''Sakura Taisen'' game can be found at the [[http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2564759&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1 SomethingAwful.com forums]][[hottip:*: unfortunately now requires you to do the $10 register to see it]], for those curious about just ''how'' this blend works. (Warning: May not be suitable for [[CreepyChild Iris]] and [[StalkerWithACrush Sakura]] fans.)

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Known as ''Sakura Wars'' in North America, this is a franchise starting with video games by {{Sega}} (starting on the SegaSaturn) and RED Company (now Red Entertainment), branching out into {{OVA}}s, several TV series and a movie. The games, now at their sixth release in the series, are a combination of DatingSim and [[TurnBasedStrategy tactical combat]], and have a near-fanatical following. Though [[NoExportForYou most have seen no release outside Japan]], the first two games were officially released in Russia in 2006 and 2008 respectively, and the fifth game was released in North America on March 30, 2010. A hilariously fun play-through of the first ''Sakura Taisen'' game can be found at the [[http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2564759&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1 SomethingAwful.com forums]][[hottip:*: unfortunately now requires you to do the $10 register to see it]], for those curious about just ''how'' this blend works. (Warning: May not be suitable for [[CreepyChild Iris]] and [[StalkerWithACrush Sakura]] fans.)

12th Oct '12 2:28:44 PM GrantMK2

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5th Oct '12 11:08:49 PM Ominae

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This list shows the last 10 events of 49. Show all.

new edits

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