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Shin Sakura Taisen the Novel: Hizakura no Koronote is a 2019 Sakura Wars novel by Ayumu Mugi. It serves as a prequel to Sakura Wars (2019).
In 1938, the world is at peace following the Great Demon War eight years earlier and the Shanghai Combat Revue now protects Tokyo. However, Sumire Kanzaki, a retired actress and original member of the Imperial Combat Revue's Flower Division, senses that the demons are about to threaten Tokyo once again. So, she decides to establish a new Imperial Combat Revue and personally recruit some potential members.
It was released on December 19, 2019 by Shueisha, a week after the game's release in Japan.
Hizakura no Koro provides examples of:
- Angst Nuke: After Édouard gets fatally wounded in his battle with the demon onboard the train in Luxembourg, Claris's powers build up as despair sets in, until she sorrowfully screams into the sky at which her energy unleashes in the form of libromancy magic, big enough to destroy the tunnel she's in.
- Big Damn Heroes: Sakura stops the ruffians from hitting Momiji and the boy during their Curb-Stomp Battle at the festival.
- Call-Back: Sakura Amamiya's Secret Test of Character via sword training is a direct reference to Sakura Shinguji's own training in The Gorgeous Blooming Cherry Blossoms.
- Call-Forward:
- The second Combat Revue World Games are mentioned at the beginning of the game. The third one takes place during the 2019 Sakura Wars.
- Those who know about the 2019 game's story will know that the Shanghai Combat Revue now defends Tokyo against demonic threats.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: The ruffians beat the crap out of Momiji and the boy during the festival. Sakura, in turn, uses her sword techniques to thwart them.
- Doomed by Canon: While Édouard Snowflake has a prominent role in Claris's chapter, those who have played the game will know that he'll be fatally wounded in the aftermath of the demon incident in Luxembourg.
- Easily Condemned: The Snowflake family condemns Claris for her involvement in the tunnel collapse, which led to Édouard getting seriously wounded. By the end of her chapter, this suits Claris just fine as she is free to join the Imperial Combat Revue.
- End of an Age: The light novel takes place when the peace and prosperity of the past eight years since the Great Demon War is coming to an end and the Happy Ending the original Combat Revues have achieved is about to be undone.
- Extremely Short Timespan: The novel takes place over the course of one year, with the last few chapters taking place shortly after the new Flower Division is formed.
- Flashback: Quite a few of them occur during the story to show what happened after the Great Demon War in 1930 and give context to the state of the world by the time of Sakura Wars (2019).
- Foregone Conclusion: Those who are familiar with and/or have played Sakura Wars (2019) will know that the new Flower Division will be formed, Édouard Snowflake will die protecting his sister Claris from the demon, and the demons will launch a full scale invasion of Tokyo.
- Heroic BSoD: Claris is overcome with despair after she witnesses Édouard's Heroic Sacrifice.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Édouard uses his libromacy to stop the demon and buy Claris some time, but at the cost of his own life.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Claris becomes guilt-ridden when her magic inadvertently destroys the tunnel she, Sumire and Édouard were going through after their battle with the demons.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Claris's involvement in the tunnel incident indirectly leads to Édouard getting fatally wounded and her powers going out of control, causing her family to react with disappointment.
- Origins Episode: The light novel explains how the new Flower Division was formed.
- Prequel: Hizakura no Koro begins in 1938, two years before the events of the 2019 game.
- Saved by Canon: President G cannot be killed here, since he dies at the end of the 2019 game.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Claris decides to leave her family life behind after the tunnel collapse at Luxembourg.
- Sequel Hook: The light novel ends with Sakura leaving her family home to join the Imperial Combat Revue.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Claris's family notes that her actions in the tunnel collapse in Luxembourg have caused quite a few problems for them and Édouard.
- Written-In Absence: Since the Imperial Combat Revue no longer exists and the World Luxuriant Opera Federation has been formed by the time the novel begins, the Shanghai Combat Revue takes advantage of their absence by protecting Tokyo in their place.
