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REVIEW: Sakura Wars the Animation




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Covnam



Joined: 31 May 2005
Posts: 3850
PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 3:00 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Sakura Wars the Animation, which began airing on April 3, 2020, is a direct sequel to this reboot, taking place mere months after the events of the game.


Thank you for mentioning this as the game is currently in my backlog and wasn't sure if this was a retelling of the game or something else.

Glad to see it getting a generally positive review though. When I finally get to play it I'll be sure to check this out =)
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pachy_boy



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1341
PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 3:58 pm Reply with quote
I had no problem with the animation, but the story itself was so old-school/fashioned that not much stayed with me afterwards, this coming from someone who liked the original TV anime and movie. Really the most interesting thing that stood out to me was seeing Sumire taking over leadership of the new troupe--it left me genuinely curious what helped lead her to this role and where the rest of the original troupe had gone (I have not played the game, if it was explained there). All in all, it was still fun for what it was, and the new characters were charming in their own right.
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Seagloom



Joined: 04 Nov 2017
Posts: 298
PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:19 pm Reply with quote
pachy_boy wrote:
it left me genuinely curious what helped lead her to this role and where the rest of the original troupe had gone (I have not played the game, if it was explained there).


It's only touched upon rather than explained in great detail. Chances are the original troupes' fates will be revealed in a sequel. The anime finale's post credit stinger certainly supports it.

---

I really enjoyed this series. Not to the same degree as the reviewer but certainly a fair bit. Totally agree with most of her points, though. This is a show only fans of the game are likely to treasure, and playing through the most recent game prior is mandatory to get the most out of it. As someone that has been into this series from the start, it was an extended nostalgia trip. Being so retro was an advantage from my perspective as Sakura Wars has always been lighthearted and optimistic at its core despite occasional forays into darker territory.

If I had one criticism it's that the cast's characterization falls short of the game. While they may have greater agency, I would argue some of them regress slightly from their development in Shin rather than grow. And then there is Anastasia who is practically a nonentity throughout the season. Sakura was the sole exception with this show being an extension of Shin; which was basically her story.
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Stampeed Valkyrie



Joined: 10 Aug 2014
Posts: 861
Location: PA
PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:12 pm Reply with quote
Not even close to an B rated anything in this series. I'd be hard pressed to move this in a C rating either.

It felt to me like the entire animation budget was blown on the launch sequence in the first episode. And to be totally fair I haven't got the gumption to go past episode 5. The CGI character look is love/hate and honestly it makes the characters look like robots.. and with little warmth.

I'm not quite sure I would call myself a fan of the previous games, but I did play them and I did enjoy them 20 years ago or so.

I was excited to hear something new was coming.. then they changed the character designer and the new look just doesn't sit well with me. Maybe I need to play the "New" game in order to really enjoy this anime.. but that is highly unlikely to happen.

Looking back.. ANN rated the Nekopara anime really poorly, and it had its flaws.. but at least I finished that. I can't say the same for this franchise reboot.
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kpossibles
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 01 Dec 2018
Posts: 151
Location: USA
PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:25 pm Reply with quote
Minor correction: whoever pasted the Synopsis at the beginning missed the "I" in "In"
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