Sakura Wars Vol. 6: Curtain Call 2000 ADV Films Official US Website Buy It Now Official Japanese Website

The final battle has finally come to the members of the Imperial Flower Combat Troop, and it's not going to be easy. Everything in Sakura Wars has been bulling up to these final episodes. Sakura Wars may have started out as being fairly light hearted, and their trails at times have been almost insurmountable, but now that the real enemy has surfaced and made his true intentions known, now more than ever, the girls are going to need to overcome their differences and work as a fully functioning unit if they hope to protect the Imperial Capital from the forces of evil.

These last four episodes may very well be the most action packed from the entire series. The action isn't simply relegated to the Koubu though, and the fighting will take place on foot, and even in the air. From the onset of the volume, Aoi Satan and his minions are dead set on achieving their goal, and their efforts result in the Imperial Theater being burned to the ground. The girls luckily have s secondary base of operations at the Hanayashiki branch, but even that isn't safe.

Outside of the action, and again, there is more than plenty of it, there are a few things that finally get introduced, and there's nothing like waiting until the last minute. The Goraigo, the infamous train that has shown up in the games and even in the feature film, finally makes an appearance here as well as the Shoegei-Maru, the Imperial Flower Combat Troops method of air defense which is expertly piloted by the Wind Division. This brings everything to a head in the final episode, and that includes a very Final Fantasy inspired airship entrance, and the final battle. There's even a brief appearance of a prototype version of the Eisen Kruz, a more advanced version of the Koubu that will appear later in the series.

There are a few things with some of the characters that are briefly touched on however, so it's more than just fighting here. Kohran begins having doubts about her working with the Koubu, especially after learning that the man that she had admired and strived to be like, Shinnosuke Yamazaki is really Aoi Satan. Iris on the other hand proves that may very well be the most psychically powerful out of the group, and even takes on a Wakiji without the benefit of using the Koubu. That's fairly impressive for someone that's so young. Even Sumire and Kanna get along, at least for a while at least.

The only extra of real note here isn't on the disc itself, but it's the enclosed production art booklet. It's been a great joy to have these included in each of the volumes, and ADV has been using these more and more with other releases. All of these books have been fantastic as there is so much more than can be added in note wise than there can be with simply maneuvering through video menus. The disc itself merely has clean versions of the opening and closing, something that most of us have seen too many times in the past with this series.

Sakura Wars ends fairly well. It's not heavily emotional, but it also isn't the sort of ending that leaves you in a state of depression because it was done so poorly. Since the series still enjoys a great deal of popularity in Japan, I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed for a follow up series at some point in the next few years. I also would really like to see Sage of America, or any other company for that matter, finally make the decision to release the role-playing game in the United States. Last year, the original versions were re-issued for the PlayStation 2, and although there have been long standing rumors that in fact they were getting released here, there has been nothing concert said either way. Even without the game though, that doesn't keep Sakura Wars from being a fantastic series, and one that is worthy of being watched repeatedly from start to finish.

Episode 22 - The Imperial Theatre Goes Up in Flames

Aoi Satan and the other members of the Black Sanctum Council continue their search for the Tenpu Stones, and the one thing standing in their way is the Imperial Flower Combat Troop. They decide to solve the problem once and for all by waging a full frontal assault on the Imperial Theater itself while the Wakiji run loose in the streets, destroying everything in their path.

Episode 23 - Machine of Dreams

The team has taken refuge at the Hanayashiki Branch and prepares for a full-scale war. Kohran on the other hand is having doubts about her abilities, and while her friends fight with all their hearts, Kohran herself must do some soul searching and decide just what it is that she needs to do in order to rise above her feelings of failure.

Episode 24 - Ties

The team has successfully defended that Hanayashiki Branch, though it wasn't without its casualties. Normal Koubu aren't going to cut it though if the Troop wants to win, and Kanasaki Heavy Industries has the solution that Kohran needs to turn the tide in their favor. There is yet another weapon though, the Shoegei-Maru, that is going to be yet another point in their favor.

Episode 25 - Continuation of the Dream

With his minions fallen and many of the Wakiji defeated, the girls prepare for their final confrontation with Aoi Satan. Will the Formation to Defeat Evil prove to be successful, or will Aoi lay waste to the Imperial Capital that already stands in near ruins?

-mike-