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Sakura Wars: The Radiant Gorgeous Blooming Cherry Blossoms is a six-episode OVA series set in the Sakura Wars franchise. It is produced by Radix, directed by Susumu Kudo and written by Hiroyuki Kawasaki. It was released from December 18, 1999 to December 21, 2000.
Primarily set during the events of Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die, this OVA focuses on Ichiro Ogami as he reminiscences about on the everyday lives of the Imperial Combat Revue's Flower Division.
The series was released from December 18, 1999 to December 21, 2000. It was later licensed for an international release by ADV Films.
The OVA is chronologically followed by Thou Shalt Not Die and Sakura Wars 3: Is Paris Burning?.
The Radiant Gorgeous Blooming Cherry Blossoms provides examples of:
- 13 Is Unlucky: Tsuwako committed suicide at Makaijima Studio 13, which is where the battle sequence between Crimson Lizard and Kogoro Akechi is being filmed at. Sure enough, Ogami becomes possessed by Tsuwako's spirit so she can wreak havoc in the studio and kill Sumire.
- All Part of the Show: While the Imperial Revue is filming the Crimson Lizard at Makaijima Studio 13, Sumire plays off Tsuwako's Falling Chandelier of Doom attempt as part of her performance.
- Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario: In the second episode, Iris screws up rehearsals for The Blue Bird to the point where she runs off to go to the Dragon Festival alone. Later, Leni rescues her shortly before she crashes the Dandy boat into a water control gate and they eventually reconcile.
- Canon Immigrant: The Dandy Gang, which made their first appearance in the stage plays, have prominent appearances in the first two episodes.
- Celebrity Paradox: The second episode is centered around the Imperial Revue rehearsing for The Blue Bird. In Maeterlinck's Blue Bird: Tyltyl and Mytyl's Adventurous Journey, Chikao Ohtsuka (Tadayoshi Kanzaki) played a cypress spirit in episode 3 and Joji Yanami (Mokujiki in Thou Shalt Not Die) voiced the cold virus spirit boss in episode 7.
- Continuity Nod: Maria's backstory as a soldier in the Russian Revolution is briefly mentioned by Valentinov in the first episode.
- Death Equals Redemption: At the end of the third episode, Tsuwako's spirit finally redeems herself thanks to Sumire's efforts.
- Doomed by Canon:
- Valentinov's plan to kill Maria will be thwarted at the end of the first episode.
- Tsuwako Tamazusa's plans to derail production of the Crimson Lizard was also doomed to fail.
- Driven to Suicide: After Tsuwako Tamazusa's silent movie career was cut short by the rise of talkies, she hung herself.
- Foregone Conclusion: Because of its nature as an interquel, any characters appearing in Thou Shalt Not Die will survive the series, Leni and Iris's friendship will be patched up to the point where they perform The Blue Bird together, Tsuwako’s spirit will peacefully pass on and Ichiro Ogami will leave for Paris at the end of this OVA.
- Foreshadowing: Kohran modifies the Dandy Mark II's engine so it can accelerate even further. Unfortunately, it overloads and Kohran tells her friends that if she does anymore tweaking, it will probably explode. Guess what happens to the boat shortly after the Dandy Gang board it?
- Framing Device: The OVA is framed by segments of Ichiro Ogami remembering his time with the Flower Division shortly before his departure for Paris.
- Four Is Death: In the second half of the fourth episode, Leni, Kanna, Iris and Sumire respectively pose as Skull X's henchmen Scion Duke, Bear-Killer Gouriki, the Thousand Year Cedar Hag and Evil Underling Number One.
- The Glomp: At the beginning of the fourth episode, Orihime interrupts the last portion of Seiya Ogata's photograph session by glomping him.
- Hijacked by Ganon: Ogami gets hijacked by Tsuwako's spirit so that she can try and kill Sumire while the Flower Division films Crimson Lizard.
- I See Them, Too: At the end of the third episode, Sumire has Tsuwako's spirit come out of Ogami. Everyone else is stunned by Tsuwako's appearance.
- Lighter and Softer: Unlike previous entries in the Sakura Wars series, this OVA does not have any demon battles.
- Meaningful Echo: Early on in the third episode, Shigeki Kanzaki says that studios can make anything imaginable, regardless of how it's magical or unscientific. Shortly after finishing Crimson Lizard at the end of the episode, Ogami repeats that same phrase.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Iris gets one, followed by Maria and Leni, shortly after the Dandy speeds out of control.
- Iris again, when she realizes that the Dandy is about to collide into a closing water control gate. Seconds after entering the Sumida River, she has another one when the boat is making a direct collision course with a much larger ocean liner.
- Iris, Leni and Orihime have a collective one when they realize that Tsuwako's spirit swapped the fake bullet in Kanna's gun with the real one so that she can kill Sumire.
- Our Ghosts Are Different: Tsuwako Tamazusa's ghost appears within Makaijima Studio 13 ever since she committed suicide there. After Sumire exorcises Tsuwako's spirit end of the third episode, she restores the ghost to her former glory.
- Parrying Bullets: Sakura manages to deflect a full barrage from Valentinov's machine gun with her sword.
- Saved by Canon: Ayame will survive the events of the first episode since she dies at the end of Sakura Wars (1996).
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: A thwarted example occurs in the second episode. Frustrated at rehearsing The Blue Bird with her fellow revue members, Iris decides to leave the Imperial Theater so that she can participate in the Dragon Festival. Fortunately for Iris, she is found by the Flower Division.
- Shameful Strip: While battling with two of the bandits in the fourth episode, Leni uses her sword mastery to strip them of their clothes.
- Tragic Keepsake: At the end of the third episode, Tsuwako Tamazusa's spirit leaves behind her hairclip shortly after she disappears. Sumire gives it to Ogami since he knows the heart of an actress.
- Wiper Start: Iris ends up stealing Kosuke Dan's boat after leaving rehearsals of The Blue Bird in frustration. Unfortunately for her, she doesn't know how to operate it and almost causes it to crash into a water control gate. Leni, who has been searching for Iris, commandeers the boat to rescue Iris and makes it across the gate to the Sumida River.
