Sakura Taisen Steam Radio Show is the latest Sakura Taisen fan disk for the Saturn. It's a 2-CD set, disk 1 being the "Game Disk", containing mini-games (inspired by but not the same as the original mini-games in Sakura Taisen) with each of the Sakura Taisen characters. There's also a game in this disk where a player has to complete poems which Sakura recites. Needless to say, this requires rather extensive knowledge of Japanese ^_^ Disk 2 is the "Concert Disk", which contains MPEG movie excerpts from the live Sakura Taisen concert in Japan last summer. There are also video messages from each major cast member. Overall, this is a fun addition to the collection of any Sakura fan. [The Sakura Taisen Live Concert "ai yueni" is also available on LD from UCI, and in book form as part of Dengeki Bunko, ISBN 4-07-307595-0, 640 yen) List Price: 5800 yen, US$49 Available from: NCS [Check out Red's Sakura Taisen Steam Radio Show page for more info and screenshots!]

Mini-game with Sakura

Live version of ai yueni resembles the animated version very well

Sega Sakura Taisen Real Models, newly available from NCS! These are completely assembled and painted models with beautiful details. Stands about 8" tall. Includes a character CD, a trading card and a stand. Great Value! Product ID: Sega Real Model Series 14, 15 and 16. List Price: $25 each Available From: NCS, UCI Bookstore and HobbyLink Japan.
Teigeki Petit Hanagumi: Set of 6 Kawaii SD Hanagumi members in great colorful details. About 2" tall. Another great value! Product ID: Sega Teigeki Petit Hanagumi List Price: $15 Available From: NCS
	Check out the new Sakura Taisen dolls and figures and jigsaw puzzles, some of which are available now from NCS! Product ID: ? List Price: varies Available From: NCS

The limited edition box set contains, in addition to the regular edition Sakura Taisen 2-CD set, a white Saturn mouse, a Sakura Taisen mouse pad (one of two designs, see below) and a laminated character sheet. Only 100,000 of these were made originally, and all were sold out almost instantly. It was re-released 6/20/97 to celebrate Sakura Taisen winning the CESA Awards, says Red. List Price: US$115 Available From: NCS (sold out it seems)

Mouse Pad 1	Mouse Pad 2	Sega Mouse

Contains the uncompressed video segments in the game, plus seiyuu interviews. Volume 1 features Sakura, Maria and Kohran, volume 2 features Sumire, Iris and Kanna. Each volume is about 40 minutes long, and both volumes are contained in the LD (CLV). VHS version released 6/25, LD version released 7/25.

2-CD set titled "Sakura Taisen SOUNDTRACK: Jouki Chikuonkan" (Sakura Wars Soundtrack: Steam Gramophone). Disc 1 contains orchestral BGM's, plus Sakura Taisen CDROM (CD-Extra format, for Windows95 and Mac). Disc 2 contains all of the game's original BGM's. Released May 2, 1997. Product ID: BMG Japan, BVCH 2601/2 List Price: 4486 yen, ~US$45 Available From: UCI Bookstore, Sasuga or other Japanese bookstores.

[Sega re-released Sakura Taisen at a much reduced price (2800 yen) as part of the Saturn Collection series. ] For the rest of us unlucky mortals who weren't able to get the limited edition of Sakura Taisen, this is what we have to settle for ^_^ For a 2-CD set game as good as Sakura Taisen, it's a real bargain! (even if you have to buy a Saturn to play it, it's still a bargain! ^_^). So GET IT NOW!! List Price: 6800 yen, ~ US$60 Available From: Natonal Console Support or other dealers of import Saturn games.

This is the second Sakura Taisen "game" for the Saturn. The title means "Sakura Wars: Flower Branch Communicate". It's mostly a data disc which contains a lot of background info about the game, with live interviews of the staff members and the seiyuu's, and you can see Yokoyama Chisa (Sakura) sing the title song live in concert! List Price: 4800 yen, ~ US$40 Available From: Natonal Console Support or other dealers of import Saturn games. [Check out this review by Richard E. Rae or the brief review in NCS.]

This is the third and newest Sakura Taisen game for the Saturn. The title means "Sakura Wars: Flower Branch Competition: Columns". It's basically a combination of the classic columns (tetrix-like) game with Sakura Taisen characters and story (story in the form of LIPS-based interactions, just like an extra episode of Sakura Taisen). It's selling very well in Japan (it's the next best thing to Sakura 2 I guess ^_^) and I had a lot of fun playing it. I especially enjoy Sakura's happy humming when she's doing well in the game ^_^ List Price: 5800 yen, ~ US$50 Available From: Natonal Console Support or other dealers of import Saturn games. [There's a Sakura Columns Official Guide available (ISBN 4-7973-0259-3, Softbank, 933 yen). Also check out this review by Richard E. Rae, the review by Nikki W.Pat, the brief review in saturnfan.com, and another review by Barberman (he didn't try the story mode though) And check here for cheat codes!]

Some background images from Sakura Columns

Title is "Imperial Assault Group Complete Song Collection". This is the Sakura Taisen audio CD one should get (in addition to the soundtrack CD of course ^_^). Has long version of the title song, plus ending song, plus lots of great insert songs sung by the seiyuu's. This is definitely not your typical game music CD, it's better ^_^ Product ID: Lipop Record, BMG Japan, BVCH-735 (74321-43501-2) List Price: 3000 yen, ~ US$30-40 Available From: UCI Bookstore, Yaohan supermarkets, and some Japanese bookstore like Sasuga (may need to special-order). [Check out the excellent review in EX]

The Sakura Taisen artbook. Title is "Sakura Wars Official Arts and Information Collection". Lots of original drawings of the characters, plus some great CG artwork for the mecha's. Also has an official info section containing info about the characters and events. Oh and there's a poster of Sakura too! (same pose as on book cover) A great bargain and a must-have for fans. Product ID: Softbank, ISBN 4-7973-0128-7 List Price: 2000 yen, ~ US$30 Available From: Nikaku may still have it in stock, otherwise try special-ordering from Sasuga or other Japanese bookstores.

Illustration by Yasushi Yamaguchi

This CDROM for PC's running Win95 (and Mac) is a must-have for fans! This is a 2-CD set. On the first CD is a full implementation of what I planned to do in the Sakura Javascript Fun page ^_^ i.e. you can manually alter Sakura's (and other characters') facial expressions, and you can alter the background image, change Sakura's pose and clothing etc. To sum up, everything I would have done if I had the time to do it ^_^; On the second CD there are MPEG movie files for most of the cut-scenes in Sakura Taisen, excluding the ending scenes. If you're running the Japanese version of Win95 (or Mac), you can also install the Sakura Taisen screen savers from the second CD. Visit Sega's official page or Red's page to learn more. Released 10/10/97 (Mac version released 4/2/98) [The special limited edition features some very nice-looking photo-like cards of the characters, plus an even nicer-looking and functional Teigeki pocket watch!] Product ID: Sega PC Division, HCJ-0125 (Win95 version), HCJ-0140 (Mac version) List Price: 6800 yen Available From: UCI Bookstore.

	New kit from Kaiyodo, this time featuring Sakura in her wafuku! Lovely isn't it? ^_^ Rather expensive though (14800 yen).

	Released recently by Kaiyodo. Features Sakura, Kohran, Sumire, Iris and Tsubaki! Iris-chan to Tsubaki-chan wa honto ni kawaii ne! ^_^ (There's also a 1/6 Sakura kit for 12000 yen, and a 1/6 Iris kit for 9800 yen) Product ID: by Kaiyodo List Price: 5800 yen each (1/8 models) Available From: HobbyLink Japan carries a lot of Sakura Taisen kits.

	These new Bandai kits have just been released. Approximate scale is 1/8 for the Kohran and Sakura kits and 1/6 for the Iris kit (why is the Iris kit always bigger?? ^_^) Product ID: by Bandai List Price: ? Available From: HobbyLink Japan will carry the Sakura, Kohran and Iris kits.

	Two new mini figure sets featuring Sakura, Iris, Sumire, Kohran, Maria, Kanna, Ayame and a koubu in SD (super-deformed) style. One set features them in everyday clothing, the other in combat uniform (except the koubu of course ^_^) Product ID: by Tsukuda Hobby List Price: 2400 yen, US$39 Available From: HobbyLink Japan.

This is the newly released "Sakura Wars Strategy Guide Video". It's 45 minutes in length and is narrated by Yokoyama Chisa (Sakura). It contains some uncompressed animation segments from the game and more, including the following: Opening: High-quality movies of the opening and prolog segments, plus profiles of Hanagumi members. Game System: Explanation of the features of the Sakura Taisen game system. Complete listing of the sure-kill and combine attack patterns of Koubu and Jinbu. Story Outlines: Outline of each episode plus strategy for the simulation part, as told by Sakura. Also has a guide to "A Long Day in the Imperial Theater". Movie Collection: High-quality anime movie segments from the game. Ending: Interview of general producer Hiroi Ohji by Yokoyama Chisa. Product ID: Columbia (Japan), COVC-4917 List Price: 3800 yen (VHS) Available From: try special-ordering from import anime stores or import video game dealers. [info from Sega]

Two volumes: Sakura Taisen Koushiki GUIDE: Sentouhen - Teikoku Kagekidan Senshi (Sakura Wars Official Guide: Book of Battle - War History of the Imperial Floral Attack Group) Sakura Taisen Koushiki GUIDE: Ren aihen - Teikoku Kagekidan Hanagumi Nisshi (Sakura Wars Official Guide: Book of Love - Imperial Theater Company Hanagumi Diary) Product ID: ISBN 4-89366-606-1 (for battle guide) List Price: 1200 yen each Available From: try special-ordering from Sasuga or other Japanese bookstores.

Title is "Sakura Taisen Taisho Memoir of the Imperial Capital". Contains LIPS listings with their effects, plus a rather difficult Sakura Taisen quiz, plus a products section, plus more. Just released 8/1/97.

	"Sakura Wars Electric Screen Club" PC accesories CD-ROM, released 4/4/97. Contains Sakura Taisen screensavers, wallpapers, voice files (e.g. answering machine messages), and more! Product ID: Sega PC Games... List Price: 4800 yen Available From: try special-ordering from import video game dealers. [info from Sega] [info from Joyport]

Includes opening song and karaoke version

A total of 108 cards, with 90 regular cards, 9 rainbow cards and 9 crystal cards: 1-9: graffiti cards featuring the cast of Sakura Taisen 10-27: character cards 28-45: story cards 46-54: puzzle cards (9 pieces) 55-88: Sakura a.ra.card (a la card?) 89-90: checklists 1 and 2 C1-C9: crystal cards (similar to the EVA PP cards), from the opening song? H1-H9: rainbow cards (featuring the mecha's) [check here for more images of the cards or check here for more info (in Japanese)] Product ID: List Price: regular cards: 30 yen each; insert cards: 750 yen each Available From: Imagi-Mation!; Luthien Enterprises (in Canada)

Includes ending song Hanasaku Otome (Blooming Maidens) and insert song Sakura, plus karaoke versions.

	Title translates as "The Night Before Sakura Wars", and presumably is about the events leading up to the story of Sakura Wars. It may also be the story of the upcoming Sakura Taisen anime OAV series. Product ID: Media Works, ISBN 4-07-306199-2 List Price: 510 yen Available From: try special-ordering from Sasuga or other Japanese bookstores. [info from Media Works]

	UCI Bookstore carries a Sakura Taisen school calendar and a CD-size version of the same (shown left). Product ID: Sega United... List Price: $14.95, $9.95 Available From: UCI Bookstore, Sasuga or other Japanese bookstores (may need to special order).

Has several designs, up to 1000 pieces

Titled "Sakura Taisen: Teigeki SECRET FILE" (Sakura Wars: Imperial Attack Secret File), CD-ROM

	These are laminated plastic phone cards with 50 call units each (can be used in Japan only of course ^_^). Kind of collector's items I guess... Product ID: ? List Price: 1000 yen each Available From: Nichibei Anime and UCI. [Thanks to Chris Susatia for the info!]

There are also various Sakura Taisen stationery and other products, such as notebook (500 yen), postcard set (800 yen), pencil board (250 yen), organ (?) (2300 yen), laminated card (100 yen), etc. But I donno where one can find those outside Japan.