Sakura Wars TV

Sakura Shinguji is the newest member of the Flower Division, a group of females with spiritual energy. Their duty is to protect the Imperial Capital from evil with their robots, called Koubu.

The story isn't too special, but the way it played out kept me interested. Basically, Aoi Satan is trying to destroy the Imperial Capital. He is searching for and destroying the five Tenpu stones which would release Tenkai's spirit and give him incredible power. When the higher-ups learn about Aoi Satan's plan, they have the Flower Division protect these stones. What makes things more interesting is Aoi Satan's relationship with General Yoneda, commander of the Flower Division. These two also play a big role with Sakura's deceased father, Kazuma. I really like the fact that it avoids being a repetitive monster-of-the-week show.

The show's greatest strength lies in it's characters. They have strong personalities and really work great together. I enjoyed watching their relationships develop and grow. The characters occasionally practice for and perform plays in the Imperial Theater. They are also constantly training in their Koubu to improve their teamwork.

The animation is above average - it actually looks pretty good and stays consistent. The mecha fighting is satisfactory, but there aren't any standout scenes. There are also some decent swordplay fights. The background music, including several vocal songs, is excellent.

Sakura Taisen TV is an enjoyable series from start to finish. If you're new to Sakura Wars, then Sakura Wars TV is probably the best place to start. However, if you are like me and watched the OVA's first, I'd still pick this up because it fills in the gaps in the story (even though the TV series might be intended as an alternate universe). Recommended.

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Written by Marc Frost on Mar 29, 2014