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I’m going to have to admit right up front that I absolutely love the way that the series is progressing. The overall story may seem like it’s been slow going for some, but if you have any familiarity with the previous OVA’s, then you already know that mecha combat isn’t necessarily the prime focus of the series. Instead, it’s the characterizations of each and every character, and even the slightest incident gives us quite a better understanding of the individual. That’s not to say that there aren’t episodes contained on this disc that either shift gears towards combat or don’t focus primarily on a single character, because in fact, there are. Out of all the girls, Iris has always been one of my least favorite characters, aside from Sumire that is, and that’s just all because of her attitude. Iris though has always seemed a little bit lacking in just about every area, and personally, I’ve often felt that she was more or less the anime equivalent of cousin Oliver being added into The Brady Bunch in order to score ratings. However, there is one episode that does place Iris more in the forefront of things, not necessarily in the action, but enough to give us some background information. Iris, as we all know, hails from France, but due to her extraordinary psychic ability, it seems that she spent much of her time locked away in her room, as people feared her power. The whole thing is show in a few scenes that are very similar to some of the Akira hospital scenes. While I can’t say she’s yet one of my favorites, getting some slight information gives me a little better understanding and appreciation of the character. She’s not the only one though, Kohran is explored a little bit, not in great detail, but enough for us to understand exactly why it is that she’s a part of the Floral Brigade. Kanna on the other hand, well, she’s just Kanna, and of course we get interesting background pieces of information here and there. Never enough to full evolve her character, but more than enough to continue to make her a little more than interesting. I also would like to comment on some of the vocal effects used in the series. I can’t be positive exactly what sort of electronic trickery was used, but if I were to place a bet, I’d definitely vote for the expensive, but so handy, Ultra Harmonizer. No matter what was used though, there are plenty of vocal effects used to give some extra realism to not only intercom mecha communications, but also one of Kohran’s interesting inventions. It’s just one of those subtle touches that helps add more magic into what’s already a fantastic show. Once again, the highlight of the extras isn’t necessarily on the disc, but in the packaging itself. I really do appreciate having the enclosed booklet with conceptual art, complete with liner notes on characters and items. It makes things quite handy, and even help if you want to grab it and look at something you may have spotted in its pages earlier and get a better reference on it. I’m not certain if this is planned with any future titles aside from Sakura Wars, but it’s definitely a very innovative addition. Sakura Wars still manages, very well in fact, to keep my attention, and probably will throughout the course of its run. Often times, a series, no matter how great it is, tends to bog down in places and run a little thin other times, but this really doesn’t feel like it’s going to be the case here. Some may think that the build up is a little slow, and the writers are taking far too much time focusing on situations outside of the normal scope of the series, but if you really sit down and think about it, it work very well, and helps keep the show with a fresh pace. If you’re not too picky about your mechas being pastel or driven by steam, then it’s a fairly easy decision on purchasing it. Episode 10 – The Kanna that Summons a Storm Kanna feels it in the air. A typhoon is coming, and it looks like a big one. The problem is that Sumire doesn’t believe her, and the two make a little wager. But, even the new weather monitoring installation is picking up the activity, and an immediate warning is issued. Kanna’s sense however are better than any piece of technology, and while she feels that the typhoon will pass, Sumire still isn’t convinced, demanding that the wager is changed. Episode 11 – The Flower Division Training Camp The girls are sent out on a training exercise in order to brush up on their piloting skills and get better prepared for almost any combat situation. However, just like in real battle, the unexpected happens, and Sakura and Kohran get separated from the others. With their Koubu damaged, communications impossible, and Kohran injured, it looks like it may be up to Sakura to save the day. Episode 12 – Lonely Birthday It’s Iris’ birthday, but it seems that no one but her parents knew about it. Determined to make her special day even better, Sakura convinces the others that they should throw a party, but since none of them have ever had a Western birthday, they aren’t sure of what to do, and so they throw it the only way that they know how, upsetting Iris as she had her own special vision of how it should have been. Episode 13 – Bloom Like a Flower! On a Maiden's Pride! A mysterious building pops up n the middle of the capitol, complete with odd energy. Getting inside however is the easy part, it’s fighting face to face with their enemy that might be the real problem, and may even outright kill some of them. It’s a battle that will test their courage and skills, and maybe even teach them a valuable thing or two about one another. - mike -
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