Sakura Taisen The Movie

Japanese Release: December 22, 2001
Animation Studio: Production I.G
American Distributor: Pioneer/Geneon Animation (Direct to video/Limited theatrical screening)
Official English Website
Running time: 80 Minutes
Buy the R2 DVD at Play Asia

Sakura Taisen movie trailer uploaded by ccyman

Overview

Sakura Taisen Katsudo Shashin or Sakura Wars the Movie serves a few very important purposes in the Sakura Taisen storyline. Firstly it explains what happaned to the Hana-gumi in-between Sakura Taisen 2 and 4 while Oogami was in Paris for Sakura Taisen 3. Secondly it creates a bridge between the Teito/Paris arc and the New York story arc found in Sakura Taisen V Episode Zero and Sakura Taisen V by introducing us to Ratchet Altair, Patrick Hamilton and the Douglas Stewart company. The movie explored some themes that were new or underused in the franchise such as a higher and more positive spin on Japanese nationalism, and also the positive and negative side of Japan's relationship with America and the west as embodied by Ratchet and Brent Furlong and company respectively

Plot Summary (Contains Spoilers)

It's Christmas Eve and the Hana-gumi is just wrapping up their Christmas Revue performing to a packed house, however, unbeknownst to them they are being watched by someone other then their usual patrons. A mysterious figure in a white mask watches the theatre from a rooftop across the street. There is another new arrival as well a young American lady who pauses to reflect on the falling snow on the street.

After the play is over the Hana-gumi go back stage to change into their normal clothes. Kayama arrives on the scene to wish Reni a happy birthday, the fact that Oogami is away in Paris is established for any who are not aware of the films setting.

The next day Maria is out on the town when she bumps into Sumire who is about to take in a movie, Sumire invites Maria along the two enter the theatre as the news reel is starting up. The News story is about an American corporation Douglas Stewart that is taking an active interest in Tokyo; Maria recognizes the company's CEO a man by the name of Brent Furlong, possibly, from her days in the New York Mafia. Maria is shocked and immediately suspicious but is not willing to share her fears with Sumire; when questioned she shrugs it off as nothing, and the two watch the movie. 

Sometime between Christmas and New Years Sakura is helping Tsubaki clean up when the American girl from the beginning of the movie enters. She is looking for Manager Yoneda but at first asks in English as a joke, Sakura tries to mumble her way through some English when the girl switches to Japanese. The American, Ratchet Altair, meets with Yoneda and Kaede and explains she is going to be working with the Hana-gumi in order to do research to establish a New York Kagekidan defense program. This scene also establishes that Ratchet was the leader of the Hoshi-gumi and was adamantly against their break up. According to Yoneda and Kaede she didn't understand why the Hoshi-gumi failed, and he wonders if she's figured it out. It also establishes that Ratchet has her Eisenkleid already in the capitol .    

Later that evening we see Brent and the mysterious figure from before Patrick looking over a model of Tokyo. Brent comments that Japan is not a very attractive country and that it lacks a true leader, Patrick replies by snapping his fingures which causes a fire in the distance. The alarms go off and the Hana-gumi prepare for battle; kouma demons have once again attacked the city, the Hana-gumi quickly load into the the Goraigou and take off for Asakusa Station to combat the threat. In the heat of battle the Hana-gumi have two surprises the first is Ratchet arriving in her Eisenkleid the second is an unknown flying mecha who quickly and silently dispatches the Kouma this is much more disturbing then Ratchet's appearance because the other newcomer moves in a completely inhuman way and does not identify itself.

Left: Ratchet's Eisenkleid enters the battle Right: So to does the the Japhkiel

After the battle the remainder of the Hana-gumi members meet Ratchet, and we learn that she and Reni are not on good terms. Maria discusses the situation with Yoneda, and he explains that in a free capitalistic nation there is freedom to compete. We then see the Hana-gumi enjoying themselves on New Years day, this scene establishes that Ratchet is preforming the lead role in the Hana-gumi's latest production, and in her new years fortune Sakura is told that the one she awaits will soon return; Kouran hints that this might refer to Oogam but is cut off before she can finnish that thought. in. 

The scene shifts to a meeting of the Elder's Council where we learn that a government agent Tanuma is sponsoring the new unmanned mecha Japhkiel. Tanuma states his goal of replacing the Hana-gumi with the unmanned mecha so there will be no need to send them into danger. Later Tanuma is accompanying Brent and Patrick through the warehouse storing the mass produced Japhkiel, one of the mecha activates itself and tried to attack Tanuma. Patrick pulls Tanuma out of the way and writes a rune across the head plate of the mecha which causes it to fall apart. We can't see the content of the Mecha but Tanuma comments that they would be in trouble if anyone ever found out what was in it, Brent makes a thinly-veiled threat on Tanuma's life, should he ever divulge that information. 

In the subsequent next few battles Orihime and Reni's Koubu are damaged and they have to switch to Eisenkleid; back at the Elder's Council we learn that the Japkeil have a significantly higher kill ratio then the Hana-gumi. Tanuma makes a request of Count Hanakoji; Yoneda relays the order to the Hana-gumi members one of them must take command of a Japhkiel squadron. Ratchet at first insists that she would be the logical choice, but Orihime demands to go. When the order comes for her to depart, Ratchet says to make her proud as a former Hoshi-gumi member, Orihime replies, that it has nothing to do with the Hoshi-gumi since she's a Hana-gumi member. When the alert comes that kouma have been sited Orhime departs to meet up with her squad. But instead of kouma she finds Patrick and a trap.

Soon after Orihime departs Yoneda and Count Hanakoji go missing, the koubu, shougei maru and goraigou are impounded and the Hana-gumi are forced to leave the theatre to go on standby at the Hana-yashiki branch. Maria and Sakura discuss tht even if the Hana-gumi break apart as long as Teito-Tokyo remains safe it dosn't matter. But Maria has her own reservations about Furlong and the Douglas Stewart company and goes to investigate.

At the Douglas Stewart Factory Maria discovers that the Japhkeil actually have trapped kouma inside them. As soon as she discovers this she is attacked by Patrick. Finding her bullets useless Maria leaps through a window and into the river.

Cut off from all of their leaders the Hana-gumi is left directionless. They decide they must do something to take control of the situation, when Yahiko from the Bara-gumi shows up and explains how Brent plans to usurp control of the government. The Hana-gumi race back to the theatre to take control of it. Once inside the theatre they launch their Koubu ready to do battle with Patrick's Japhkeil.

At Penthouse Brent is using as his personal base, he reveals to Yoneda and Count Hanakoji that he has power over both the Japhkeil and kouma. He asks them if they will willingly give up power to them. When he learns that the Hana-gumi is trying to resist he dispatches the Japhkiel to the theatre to deal with them. The Hana-gumi fairly quickly dispatch most of the Japhkiel and follow one of the survivors to an open square where they find a brainwashed Orihime. In the battle with Orihime Reni uses her Eisenkleid to shield her friend from Ratchet's lethally intended attack. Orihime then turns her lazers on her own mech to break the spell.

Kayama arrives to free the prisoners and take Brent into custody, he reveals that the Imperial Navy has already destroyed the kouma incubation facility. Brent refuses to surrender and fuses with the remaining Japhkeil to become a huge monster. He enages the Hana-gumi and is winning handily; Ratchet's Eisenkleid is disabled and the remainder of the Hana-gumi's spirit levels are falling fast.

Brent in his moment of triumph, declares that next to him Tokyo is an pathetic mote. Sakura defiantly replies that she will not let him call this place where people suffer and come through adversity to fulfill their dreams pathetic. Just then Brent his hit by a projectile and forced back. Oogami has returned from Paris, having just got off his boat he flies into battle. The Hana-gumi rally around him and manage to defeat Brent. 

Later the injured Maria confronts Patrick again, this time armed with a special bullet filled with spirit power. The bullet seems to be enough to kill him and she leaves him for dead.

Back at the Imperial Theatre their production of Kajin Bessou is in full swing. Ratchet is playing the lead male role and Sakura the lead female. As they sing "Subete wa Umi E" a song debating the merits of raw strength as opposed to following a kind heart. A stark contrast between the characters is created. After the song concludes Ratchet goes off script, asking why she should not kill Sakura, when she has the power to do so. Ratchet states that no one understood her, having been a king and having that taken away. Ratchet says she made a deal with the devil so that she could prove her worth. Sakura understanding that she is talking about the disbanding of the Hoshi-gumi, and allying herself with Brent forgives her, as all the Hana-gumi members do. Ratchet brings her sword down on Sakura cutting her. Sakura gets up and said the blood she just shed was Ratchet's and now she can let go of her hate and begin again. The curtain closes to thunderous applause and the movie itself comes to an end.