Rating: 
Summary: Kind of a drag
Review: "Sakura Wars" had potential, but ended up being kind of a drag. The idea behind it is quite cool (steam powered mecha fighting demons in 1920s Tokyo) and I like most of the mecha designs and the character designs, though the demons were embarassingly derivative (Geiger could sue). The first episode, in which the intriguing background is laid out and we are introduced to some of the characters, is good, but its all downhill from there. The pacing of the show is glacial; very little seems to happen for long stretches of time while the viewer is subjected to general chatter which does little to illuminate the characters or make them interesting, plus some tedious training scenes. (When the characters from Evangelion or Tenchi speak to each other it is funny or insightful, but these people mostly yammer tiresomely.) Another problem is that there seem to be too many characters, and each one has his or her own seperate story which is not integrated with the stories of the other characters or the main demon-fighting story. While training scenes and chatty scenes are interminable, the fight scenes are brief, and the first big battle (which is in episode 3) between the mecha and the enemy (some boring knight costumes; the girls fight the Geiger demons in episodes 1 & 2 without the mecha) doesn't even make any sense, as far as I could tell-- the viewer has no idea where the mecha are in relation to each other, each girl is surrounded by lots of enemies who just stand there and get killed. Despite the "wars" moniker this is not an action-oriented anime; I think more time is spent on traditional Japanese dance and theater than on warfare.Some people seem to really like "Sakura Wars", so I guess it is probably worth a rent on the chance that you might be one of those people, but I wouldn't recommend anyone buy it unless they have rented it first.
Rating:
Summary: Kind of a drag
Review: "Sakura Wars" had potential, but ended up being kind of a drag. The idea behind it is quite cool (steam powered mecha fighting demons in 1920s Tokyo) and I like most of the mecha designs and the character designs, though the demons were embarassingly derivative (Geiger could sue). The first episode, in which the intriguing background is laid out and we are introduced to some of the characters, is good, but its all downhill from there. The pacing of the show is glacial; very little seems to happen for long stretches of time while the viewer is subjected to general chatter which does little to illuminate the characters or make them interesting, plus some tedious training scenes. (When the characters from Evangelion or Tenchi speak to each other it is funny or insightful, but these people mostly yammer tiresomely.) Another problem is that there seem to be too many characters, and each one has his or her own seperate story which is not integrated with the stories of the other characters or the main demon-fighting story. While training scenes and chatty scenes are interminable, the fight scenes are brief, and the first big battle (which is in episode 3) between the mecha and the enemy (some boring knight costumes; the girls fight the Geiger demons in episodes 1 & 2 without the mecha) doesn't even make any sense, as far as I could tell-- the viewer has no idea where the mecha are in relation to each other, each girl is surrounded by lots of enemies who just stand there and get killed. Despite the "wars" moniker this is not an action-oriented anime; I think more time is spent on traditional Japanese dance and theater than on warfare. Some people seem to really like "Sakura Wars", so I guess it is probably worth a rent on the chance that you might be one of those people, but I wouldn't recommend anyone buy it unless they have rented it first.
Rating: 
Summary: Wasn't that bad
Review: A lot of people who reviewed Sakura Wars said it was pretty bad - mostly because it was impossible to follow and the fight scenes were too short. Well, the OAV's still have a lot to offer; some pretty good steampunk visuals, attractive character design, and (with 2 notable exceptions) fairly attractive character personalities, too. I'd say it would be better if it were LONGER, mostly because there's a lot of good material left untapped here. Definitely worth the price if you're into shoujo anime.
Rating: 
Summary: Superb soundtrack adds great value to this wonderful video.
Review: I have heard the negatives of Sakura Wars and I have heard the positives. I for one think it is a wonderful video. The soundtrack by Kouhei Tanaka is one of the best I have ever had the pleasure of hearing and I have a most extensive collection of over 150. After ordering the soundtrack CD from Japan and listening to it at length I find I enjoy this DVD more than ever. Without a doubt it sports one of the best opening songs ever (at least as far as the get you up and going factor) and the track used for the big ending battle in the 4th chapter is truly a work of art. It is a great piece that is woven expertly into the fight. An excellent arrangement which brings home the strength and power of the series. I recommend the soundtrack most highly as well as the DVD. That battle in the 4th chapter would make an excellent demo of an audio video system as well. The story is also great. Granted it is not always the smoothest thing going and yes it does have its silly moments as well, but it is a compelling story which is presented well. One caution though-do NOT listen to the English dub! It is horrific and changes what are decent lines and sometimes really good lines into fodder for toddlers. Here is an example from the 4th chapter, "Let's get those evil nasty Demons. They are bad." Ugh! Bear with the subtitles and you will be much happier for it. It is sad that companies feel they have to dumb things down for American audiences. I love Anime and it physically hurts me to see such great movies like Mononoke and Windaria as well as this one ripped from the guts by English lines that are infantile or delivered with the enthusiasm of a rock. Passion is an ingredient in many Anime movies and it is one often removed in the English edit-not always (Grave of the Fireflies) but often. As long as you don't listen to the sometimes insultingly bad English dialog this will pan out to be a wonderful movie to watch. Get it! I love it!
Rating: 
Summary: Very nice animation, but not enough development
Review: I orginally brought this DVD because I had heard about it, and was curious about the show. When I watched it, the animation looked great. The colors are very vivid, the characters and settings are beautifully drawn. I mean, the backgrounds were one of the best parts of the show! I enjoyed a lot of the show except for one MAJOR thing: The plot was too weak. Every act left a gaping hole in what had happened. It left me wondering what happened between the eposides. I felt that the plot needed to be developed more, and they needed to be more through with the eposides. If you enjoy beautiful animation, and awesome settings, then this would be great for you, but if you crave a more through story development, then this wouldn't be right for you. Hope this helps!
Rating:
Summary: Plus for all ages
Review: It love this movie. I enjoyed how they kept the songs in Japenese with subtitles. The fighting moves were spectacular.There is a character for all personalities. Great for kids, I think. A Plus for All ages
Rating:
Summary: At least as interesting as an hour in an iron lung
Review: Ok, was I the only one who noticed the terrible job that ADV did of mixing the dub in with the music and sfx?(perhaps only on the DVD version) At times, just to hear what was being said, I had to turn this one up so loud that the music damn near deafened me when it kicked on. Other than that, not bad, but a little too cutesy for me. Somewhat interesting twist on the mecha type anime, but if it's mecha you're after, get Evangelion or Gundam way, way, way before you pick this little stinker up.
Rating:
Summary: At least as interesting as an hour in an iron lung
Review: Ok, was I the only one who noticed the terrible job that ADV did of mixing the dub in with the music and sfx?(perhaps only on the DVD version) At times, just to hear what was being said, I had to turn this one up so loud that the music damn near deafened me when it kicked on. Other than that, not bad, but a little too cutesy for me. Somewhat interesting twist on the mecha type anime, but if it's mecha you're after, get Evangelion or Gundam way, way, way before you pick this little stinker up.
Rating:
Summary: A Barely Mediocre OVA series
Review: Ok..I know that I'm not exactly a fan of the Sega game, but I need to warn others who are not fans of it. I don't want to be REALLY mean to the existing fans of Sakura Wars, but this OVA is extremely unfulfilling. The characters have no true development, the story goes nowhere, and the animation is ok. There aren't even any good fight scenes in it! I watched the first tape of the OVA and thought to myself, "Wow, this is going to be good!" Then I saw the second tape and could only feel disappointment. (Sigh) There was so much potential in the OVA, but it never came out. I don't think it's worth your money to actually pay for this OVA unless you're already a fan of the game. If you're still interested, I suggest that you rent it first!
Rating:
Summary: True sleeper hit(and my personal favorite series)
Review: One year has passed since when I bought the volume of this series. And you want to know what? I still watch on a near constant basis^_^! But with a crack team of production members, what is there not to like about this series? From my standpoint, nothing(if you are watching the sub version, dub is just makes it slightly worse). The character's are beautiful both from a artistry standpoint and the personallities of the characters themselves(what do you expect when they come from the capable pen of Kosuke Fujishima, my personal favorite manga author. Never are they dull, boring, annoying(well, Iris dubbed can get kinda grating...) or my personal favorite lecherous. They dont try to go to the "next step" with the male lead because in no way would it further the plot line or character development. As the series contiues, you begin to notice one of the strongest points of the series, the music! Never have heard such beautifuly composed music in an anime(well, execpt for maybe Escaflowne). The music is just so amazing to me, its just so friggin' hard for me to put it into words! EXTREMELY WELL COMPOSSED seems like an understatement. The Direction of the series is also one of its major strong points. The action is always clear and there is never a question on what is going on. During the scene's where Sakura is in her homeland, you can see the passing seasons as time goes by. What else can I put here? Oh, the backrounds are extremely well crafted. The mecha battle scenes are short, but well done. But the one thing that truly makes me love this series is the intercast conflicts. With a series thats based around fighting demons, its kinda of hard to accpoplish this when everybodie's at eachothers throat. This in and of its self makes the series very enjoyable from my standpoint. But it if there is one flaw to the series that if you walk into it blindly(I had some backround info on the series before hand), is that the plot line WILL no doubt be confusing(knowing of the game, character releationship's helps. Well, that and as usual the dubbing is just sub-par, but still tolerable. So in the end, what are you left with? A true sleeper hit! Sure, it wont reach Escaflowne or Evangelian(EW! NASTY) hit status, but you will(or should) walk away pretty statisfied. Plus, if we are lucky, maybe we will see the second ova series in the near future(or the movie, or the TV series).
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