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| Reviewer: Sam Brown |
Certificate: 12 |
Format: Dubbed |
Distributor: ADV |
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S A K U R A W A R S |
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"Imperial Floral Assault Unit"? Musicals as team building exercises? Based on the computer game, this tape contains two episodes of the OAV spin-off, set in an alternative 1920s where demons are returning to destroy the Earth. The team of the only six girls in the world who can pilot the steampunk mecha known as Spirit Armour have their first taste of combat after a year of waiting. After this they... go straight back to the sedate pacing of the first tape. Yes, that's right, NOTHING is resolved. We get a shot of Kanna going off on her mission of revenge, and that's all that's made of that particular sub-plot, as she returns without mentioning the result. Sakura herself undergoes a Noriko-from-Gunbuster skill gain and fails to pursue a possible love interest in Ichiro, the unit's new commander. Lord Tenkai and the three Lords of Death make an appearance and then disappear, never to be seen again. Er, hello? Ishiyama's Unfinished Symphony... In fact, with the exception of another battle, the rest of the two episodes are almost wholly taken up with, admittedly admirable, character development and the musicals the girls put on. It's such a shame, because everything else about Sakura Wars is fabulous. 
The characterisation, art and animation are lovely, although the accents
of the dub can be annoying (some voices from Airbats in there? ;)The story may well work in an RPG that takes thirty or so hours to play, but the sheer lack of closure badly hurts Sakura Wars. Despite that, there is much to recommend this anime. 6/10 - Utena + Macross - plot. AND they got the Shakespeare quote mixed up! Back to Menu |
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For a more serious ninja style action series check out Ninja Scroll.
It'd kick Sakura's ass given the opportunity and a big enough boot ^_^Read the review |
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