Sakura Wars creator Hiroi Oji delves further on how a concept plot for Sakura Wars 6 exists

The recent issue of Weekly Famitsu magazine has special coverage of the Sakura Wars series to mark its 30th anniversary. The coverage includes interviews with multiple Japanese creators who have been involved with the series.

While most of the interviews covered how each creator worked on the Sakura Wars franchise, there are a couple of interesting topics raised about the series' future. The closing part of the interview with the original creator Hiroi Oji delved further into how an early plot existed for a Sakura Wars 6 as a direct sequel to Sakura Wars V: So Long, My Love. Likewise, the other interview with Sega's Akira Nishino and Takaharu Terada would conclude with a push to make the early series games available on current platforms.

The important excerpts from the interview have been translated by us, and you can find them right below.

Excerpts from Famitsu's Sakura Wars interview with Hiroi Oji

Famitsu: Previously at the Sega Universe Playground talkshow, there were talks about the plot for Sakura Wars 6 did exist. Could we ask you on how 6 would look like if it were to take shape?

Hiroi: There is... nothing I can talk about. When I talk about what kind of game 6 would look like, that would already be part of a job. If I don't get money stacked here, there is no idea. Only amateurs would put up ideas (without having any money). The plot for 6 was only mentioned because there were talks about creating the next title. That's why I'll think about it when I get told "We've decided to create a prototype (for a game) so let's do it together." When that time comes, I'll also need information on what kind of team is working on the development. But even if it's not about Sakura Wars, I do want to do it as a game nonchalantly.

Famitsu: What kind of content would that be?

Hiroi: If we're now making a more advanced game, I want to do one where we can also become an NPC. For example if we're putting it in Sakura Wars' world, you can become one of the shop promotion girls. You're going to live inside that world. You are not involved in battles at all, and just watch someone else fighting. I think that kind of thing may also have been possible. Any kind of character is fine; that's how role-playing ought to be.

Famitsu: RPG are after all games that you enjoy by filling in the shoes of the character(s) appearing there, indeed.

Hiroi: Despite so, due to the programming restrictions and the optimization rules, many of them ended up becoming errand games. But now we should have more freedom, shouldn't we? The capacity has also increased, and if we were also able to use AI, we could generate infinite responses of voiceless lines. If we could include those, I think it will turn out to be a different game.

But that's not related to the Sakura Wars 6 topic. When there's a proper request and reward for that, I'll start thinking about it properly. But the plot is already there indeed. There's a character called Black Swan, who is being put into a cold sleep. That is a good character.

Famitsu: When you talk about it like that, that would make us want to hear more details about 6 though...!

Hiroi: Actually, the plot may have no longer existed in my PC. The only person who holds that is... No, I won't say that (laughs). But there are not many people who have read my plots. My works in Sakura Wars are just project documents, but only a few staff members have really read those, and they would then turn those into a specification document. That would be like having (my own idea) translated, so half of those are no longer mine. The representative of the staff team may say "It's my title," but it's because Sakura Wars and other titles are also being made by staff teams after all.

Famitsu: By the way, if you were to create it based on the plot, would the number be displayed as "6" instead of "VI"?

Hiroi: That would be "6". For "V", I wonder why they used Roman numeral for that... what a mystery (laughs)

Excerpts from Famitsu's Sakura Wars interview with Sega's Akira Nishino and Takaharu Terada

Famitsu: The two of you have been keeping hold of Sakura Wars through these 30 years, but have you also been raising the next generation staff that will be in charge of this series?

Nishino: Rather than raising, I personally think we have no other way but to create it together. I feel like it can't be understood no matter how much I say orally. There were quite a lot of young staff members in the New Sakura Wars team, so there is a significance in being able to develop the game together with them. I want to add opportunities to develop things with young people as much as possible so that they can inherit the core ideas of Sakura Wars.

Terada: For me, the things I want to say are already intended to be crammed inside the games. That's why I also think I should create what I felt from playing the games. Back then there were specific methods to [create], and I also understand that Sakura Wars has an emphasis on such traditional elements, but there are also trends and themes of the times. I think you should be able to create based on your own free choices there. You play the game, and you put in the things you think are important. If you have respect, you can also create with that person's senses.

Famitsu: We really hope you can make a new Sakura Wars with the young generation once again.

Nishino: I am already always thinking about that. In New Sakura Wars, the concept inside my head remained there until the end. However, concepts would end up becoming delusions if they don't get published to the world. I have a strong desire to not make mine end up as delusions.

Terada: The stage theater play also has a connection to the New Sakura Wars main game. I hope those who haven't known about it yet can watch it via Blu-ray or somewhere else.

Famitsu: Also, while a new game is an obvious thing, we would also be glad if the games from the first to V could become playable on current platforms...

Nishino: Of course, we also have the desire to do those. However, there are really various kinds of circumstances happening, so they cannot progress smoothly. But I do think we want to do something about it, so we're doing our best everyday. It's really not like we're not releasing those just because we are mean.

Terada: Right now if you want to play the older titles, you'd end up being told "Please buy the consoles of that time." We really feel bad about that.

Famitsu: Please tell us about the projects for the series' 30th anniversary. Things like pop-up shops have been announced, but do you have anything else?

Nishino: Of course there are. New Sakura Wars the Stage: Seiden Tsurugi would have had gone past its final day by the time this interview is published, but we will hold a live concert in the future. And while we still can't divulge details yet, we are also preparing other big things.

Terada: It feels lonely though when we cannot talk about a game here...

Famitsu: The fans are getting hyped through the anniversary, so perhaps it could also connect to a new expansion.

Nishino: Please kindly do so. Thanks to the 30th anniversary projects, we've been seeing discussions about Sakura Wars being raised again, and we feel very grateful for the hype. This is actually very important. It's also the case with fan votes in the Sega Festival, but being conveyed the message that "All the users desire Sakura Wars" gives us strength in various meanings. We really look forward to your support.

In the coverage, Famitsu was able to get the reason of Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love's original Japanese title using the Roman numeral V instead of the number 5 from Nishino and Terada. They noted that it was due to the change of the protagonist and the location setting, with the team also noticing that Western titles use Roman numerals more often than numbers.

In addition, Nishino and Terada also reminisced about how they have been presenting proposals for new Sakura Wars projects every year around the summer season. Although they were told to postpone the presentations most of the time, when the proposals really went through, those resulted in New Sakura Wars the Stage: Seiden Tsurugi and the now-defunct mobile game Sakura Revolution getting greenlit.