Sakura Taisen/Characters
This page encompasses the characters appearing in the Sakura Taisen video game series, as well as those in spinoff media.
Sakura Taisen I Characters
Sakura Shinguuji
Teenaged Country Mouse Samurai.
- Adult Child
- Badass Adorable: Don't let her cute and clumsy exterior fool you: she is a very capable swordswoman.
- Cherry Blossom Girl: A samurai girl named "Sakura" who wears pink, is continually associated with the actual flower, and is a main Love Interest? Yup.
- Chisa Yokoyama
- Country Mouse: Sumire, most of the time, mocks her country roots for being the source of the division's problem in both the theater and in the field.
- Floral Theme Naming: "Sakura" — cherry blossoms.
- Honor Before Reason: Has a very strong sense of justice.
- Katanas Are Just Better: Her Weapon of Choice.
- Lady of War: When it counts, she is the most serious warrior of the Flower Brigade.
- The Messiah
- Nice Girl: Clingy Jealous Girl tendencies aside.
- Pink Means Feminine: Again, her outfit.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: Very much a warrior of justice.
Sumire Kanzaki
Rich Bitch and Lonely Rich Kid, naginata expert and heiress of the family which developed the kohbu armor.
- Blade on a Stick: Uses a naginata as her main weapon when in foot and in a Kohbu.
- Floral Theme Naming: "Sumire" — Manchurian violets.
- Graceful Ladies Like Purple: Favors a purple kimono.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: Arrogant and conceited, but she does genuinely care about the rest of the team.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold
- Lady of War: Graceful and very capable with her naginata.
- Michie Tomizawa
- Noblewoman's Laugh
- Team Prima Donna: Self-professed star of the Flower Division, both on stage and on the battlefield.
- Tsundere: Type A.
- You Are a Tree Charlie Brown: Sumire drew the short straw during casting on Shonen Red (Red Lad); she gets to play one of the Faceless Goons, who only says "Kiii!". Bitter? Oh, a tad...
Maria Tachibana
Ice-cold Russian gun expert. The Lancer, and former commander of the Hanagumi.
- Broken Bird: Due to her experience in the civil war in Imperial Russia.
- Cold Sniper: Was an infamous sniper in the Russian Civil War.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Begins to warm up to the rest of the team after the events of her chapter.
- Floral Theme Naming: "Tachibana" — oranges.
- Good Is Not Nice: Due to her being traumatized from her experiences during the Russian Revolution and following Civil War in 1917.
- Improbable Aiming Skills: A crack shot with her revolver.
- Kuudere: Presents a cold and distant front, but has a kind heart.
- Lady of War: One who has fought in an actual war, at that.
- The Obi Wrong/Quickly-Demoted Woman: Could be one or both. She starts the series as the team captain in both the OVA and the TV series, but is quickly replaced by Ohgami. In the OVA, she stepped down voluntarily, even citing her gender as a reason. In the TV series, she is much more resentful of Ohgami's promotion, but the reason for her demotion seems to be her lack of empathy and inability to pull the team together, not possession of a second X chromosome.
- Shoot the Bullet: Maria tries this as a party trick in the OVA series: she calls it "Kampai (Cheers)".
- Tomboy: The suit alone should tell you that she's not a Girly Girl by any means.
- Tsundere
- Urara Takano
Vicomtesse Iris de Chateaubriand
Nine years old, French, and the most powerful telekinetic/telepath/teleporter on Earth. Even more of a Lonely Rich Kid than Sumire.
- Creepy Child: In the TV series. She cheers up later.
- Cute Mute: In the TV series, Iris is usually silent, except when talking to her teddy bear, Jean-Paul.
- Floral Theme Naming: Iris.
- Healing Hands: Part of her psychic abilities, and she serves as the team's main battlefield medic.
- Kumiko Nishihara
- Oracular Urchin
- Precocious Crush: Wants to marry Ohgami when she grows up.
- Romantic Two-Girl Friendship: Arguably, with Leni Milchtrasse.
- Teleporters and Transporters: Iris teleports her Kohbu around the battlefield.
- Token Mini-Moe: Of the Flower Division.
Li Kohran
Chinese Gadgeteer Genius Meganekko with a Kansai accent.
- Adult Child
- Badass Adorable: A cute girl who pilots a kohbu bristling with rockets.
- Chinese Girl: Born and initially raised in Beijing, China before Ayame made arrangements for her to move to Japan as part of plan to be recruited into the Imperial Assault Force.
- Floral Theme Naming: "Li" uses the same character as the Japanese plum; "Kohran" — crimson orchid.
- Genki Girl: A lighthearted girl who loves a good prank.
- Kawaiiko
- Mad Bomber: To a certain extent.
- Mad Scientist: Complete with her inventions having a tendency to explode.
- Meganekko: Never seen without her glasses.
- The Messiah: Kind and loving to man and machine alike.
- Nice Girl: Don't assume that her obsession with machines makes her not care about other people.
- She's Got Legs: As shown nicely by her qipao.
- Weak but Skilled: Her empathy with her Kohbu compensates for her relatively low power level.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: Believes in a world where man and machine may march forwards to a future of friendship and prosperity.
- Yuriko Fuchizaki
Kanna Kirishima
Okinawan karate champion. A Boisterous Bruiser and a Gentle Giant.
- Bokukko: In the original Japanese. She's given a heavy masculine-sounding Brooklyn accent in the TV series to help translate this trope into English.
- Cool Big Sis: To the rest of the Flower Division (except Sumire).
- Dark-Skinned Redhead
- Floral Theme Naming: Canna lilies; paulownia trees — "Kiri" in Japanese, and/or the "Kirishima" azalea.
- Good Old Fisticuffs: Her Kohbu fights using its bare robot hands.
- Innocent Fanservice Girl: Totally didn't seem to mind Ohgami walking into the showers when she's in it.
- Mayumi Tanaka
Ichiro Ohgami
The young, recently-commissioned naval officer who finds himself in charge of this motley band.
- Accidental Pervert: He has an (un)fortunate knack for running into some of his female comrades in varying states of undress. The "accidental" part can be rather... questionable.
- Dual-Wielding: His signature weapons are a pair of razor-sharp katanas.
- Honor Before Reason: It's part of what makes him a hero, but he can sometimes take it so far that Maria even calls him out on it at one point.
- Hot-Blooded: One of the types of responses the player can make as Ohgami.
- Katanas Are Just Better
- Indoor Bath Peeping: More like "Indoor Bath Peeping" in this case, but the same principle applies. Should the player choose, he can spy on any of the girls when the opportunity presents itself, on the excuse that "my body is moving on its own toward the baths..." (it rarely ends well).
Ikki Yoneda
A retired General who work as both commander-in-chief for the Hanagumi and manager of the theater.
- The Alcoholic: He seems to never appear anywhere without sake bottle.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Try in TV series and the fourth game. It didn't work.
- Knight in Sour Armor: He's not The Hero, but it's not hard to see him at this
Fujieda Ayame
Yoneda's second in command. She fought alongside Yoneda, Shinguji Kazama and Yamazaki Shinnoshike in the demon war 10 years before the event of first game.
- Cool Big Sis: To the Teikoku Kagekidan, especially Ogami.
- Face Heel Turn: In the first the video game.
- Killed Off for Real: In the first video game.
- Yamato Nadeshiko: Play straight before entirely averted after her Face Heel Turn.
Tenkai
The leader of the Hive of Darkness and a demon general.
- Big Bad
- Historical Villain Upgrade: Based on a historical Buddhist high priest.
Aoi Satan
Tenkai's lieutenant and one of the four Lords of Death.
- Back for the Dead: He was killed in the first game and reappears at the first boss in the second game to be killed by second game Big Bad.
- Broken Pedestal: For Kouran.
- Dragon with an Agenda
- Fallen Hero: Was once war hero and engineering genius Shinnosuke Yamazaki.
- Names to Run Away From Really Fast: With a name like Aoi Satan...
- The Starscream
- True Final Boss: For the first game.
Crimson Miroku
One of the four Lords of Death and the only female among them.
- Lady of War: Her elegent appearance believes her power.
- Madness Mantra: In the second half of the series: "Sumire... You life... I want your life...!"
- Noblewoman's Laugh
- The Ophelia: After being brought Back From the Dead.
Jade Setsuna
One of the four Lords of Death. Setsuna appears as a male human 10-year old child. Cunning and manipulative, Setsuna targets his victims' weaknesses before he strikes.
- Akira Ishida: His seiyuu.
- Creepy Child
- Kid with the Leash: As the older brother of Rasetsu.
- Older Than They Look: He is the older brother of the hulking Rasetsu.
- Psychic Powers
- You Gotta Have Blue Hair
Silver Rasetsu
One of the four Lords of Death. A tall, muscular brute with chalk-white skin and an orange mohawk, Rasetsu prefers to cause outright destruction and mayhem. He is the younger brother of Setsuna.
- The Brute: Is this for the Lords of Death.
- Hisao Egawa
Sakura Taisen II Characters
Note that, in addition to the below characters, the protagonists of the original game make return appearances.
Orihime Soletta
Volatile half-Italian/half-Japanese spitfire with an intense dislike of Japanese men.
- Broken Bird: In the movie.
- But Not Too Foreign: Half Italian.
- Does Not Like Men: Orihime hates Japanese men, due to her issues with her Disappeared Dad.
- Maya Okamoto
- Meaningful Name: "Soletta" means lonely or miserable.
- Stellar Name: "Orihime", the Japanese name of the star Vega. Orihime used to be part of the Star Division.
- Tsundere: Has a very sharp temper, with Ogami initially bearing the brunt of most of it.
Leni Milchstrasse
Quiet and introspective German girl who seems to be hiding an old but powerful trauma.
- Bifauxnen: To the point where the game itself doesn't reveal her true gender until the second disk.
- Broken Bird: Due to being a Tyke-Bomb.
- Kazue Ikura
- Shy White Haired Girl
- The Spock: Starts off solely focused on how to bring about an efficient victory, and is willing to risk the lives of others to do so.
- Stellar Name: "Milchstrasse" — the Milky Way.
- The Stoic/Emotionless Girl: Starts off very cold and distant.
- Tyke Bomb: Was part of a German program to create children with high spirit power.
Oni-ou
The supposed leader of the Black Demon Society.
Kongou
A high-level member of the Black Demon Society. His element is metal.
Mokujiki
A high-level member of the Black Demon Society. His element is wood.
Tsuchigumo
A high-level member of the Black Demon Society. Her element is earth.
Kasha
A high-level member of the Black Demon Society. His element is fire.
Suiko
A high-level member of the Black Demon Society. Her element is water.
Keigo Kyogoku
A powerful general in the Imperial Army and the true leader of the Black Demon Society.
Sakura Taisen III Characters
Erica Fontaine
Novitiate nun by day; cabaret dancer by night; power-armored soldier in secret; cute, clumsy, and friendly 24/7.
- Badass Adorable: Cute and surpisingly handy with her submachine gun despite her clumsiness.
- Dojikko
- Floral Theme Naming: The "Erica" genus of heathers.
- Genki Girl: Erica's Good Morning Dance. Seriously, try to keep it out of your head after hearing it.
- Kawaiiko: The most "cutesy" of the franchise's "main" girls.
- Noriko Hidaka: It's not the first time she plays an optimistic French.
- Nuns Are Mikos: She's a nun who has spiritual powers and fights demons.
- Small Girl, Big Gun: Her weapons of choice are machine guns. Double-barreled machine guns.
Lobelia Carlini
A thief who became known as the "greatest villain of Paris", earning a thousand-year sentence for her crimes (said to constitute 80% of the criminal activity in the city). Recruited by the Paris Flower Division as a Boxed Crook.
- Anti-Hero: A first in the franchise.
- Floral Theme Naming: The "Lobelia" and "Carlina" genuses.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: When the team is searching for Erica in episode 8, Lobelia brushes them off and goes to the bar. When Ogami runs into her there, it turns out she actually went there to see if anyone had seen Erica. It eventually becomes clear that her professed dislike for the rest of the team is just a facade to hide that she does actually care about them.
- Kikuko Inoue
- Moe Couplet: With Erica.
- Playing with Fire: She specializes in pyrokinesis.
- Tsundere: Presents an unpleasant facade to keep people from getting too close to her, but her soft side still pops up from time to time.
- Variable-Length Chain: Has one attached to her right arm.
- Wolverine Claws: On her Koubu.
Glycine Bleumer
The only heir of the Bleumer family in Paris, she was the second member to be recruited into the Paris Assault Force after she met Erica in the city streets. She is proud of her heritage and wishes to do her part to contribute to French society to make it a better and prosperous country for everyone.
- An Axe to Grind
- Best Her to Bed Her: The "Bleumer Bridegroom Test".
- Floral Theme Naming: The "Glycine" genus (formerly Wisteria; now, soybeans).
- The Girly Girl To Maria.
- Lady of War: The most elegant of heavy hitters.
- Morality Pet: Hanabi.
- Noblewoman's Laugh
- The Ojou: Respected as the Bleumer heir.
- Pretty in Mink: When she's dressed up.
- Rich Bitch: A French counterpart of Sumire, right down to the Hidden Heart of Gold.
- Despite this, she's a slightly downplayed trope: while she might come off as quite haughty and prideful due her status, she's very serious about it, and doesn't use it as an excuse to be malicious or demeaning to others.
- Tsundere: Due to her pride.
Hanabi Kitaouji
The only daughter of Masamichi Kitaoji, a Japanese baron with ties to France, and a French mother. Hanabi was friends with Glycine when they started to attend boarding school together prior to her father's journey back to Japan. She's always seen in public wearing a black dress while visiting a public cemetary. Hanabi was the last girl to be recruited by Ogami into the Paris Assault Force.
- Automatic Crossbows: Her Kohbu-F is equipped with this as her main weapon.
- Floral Theme Naming: "Hanabi" is both a type of hydrangea and a homophone for the Japanese word for fireworks — "fire flowers".
- Lady of War: The most traditionally feminine member of the team, but no less badass for it.
- Shrinking Violet: Is incredibly shy.
- Yamato Nadeshiko: She's arguably more of one than any of the girls in the original, possibly because she spent most of her life in France, learning the way a Japanese woman is supposed to act largely from books.
Coquelicot
A young girl with origins from French-administered Annam in Southeast Asia, which is modern-day Vietnam, she was adopted and raised in a French circus. Coquelicot is known to the public as a magician in a circus group called "Circus De Europe". She routinely travels to downtown Paris to take food leftovers in order to feed them to the animals. She was the next girl to be recruited by Ogami into the ranks of the Paris Assault Force. After the death of the original "Circus De Europe" ringmaster, Coquelicot took over as the next ringmaster and performs there and at the Les Chattes Noires whenever they needed a magician to perform as her "official" cover.
- Floral Theme Naming: "Coquelicot" is the French word for corn poppies.
- Friend to All Living Things: The reason why she travels to Paris is to get scraps of food for the animals in "Circle De Europe".
- Stepford Smiler: Would rather smile than share any sad feelings she has.
- Token Mini-Moe: For the Paris Flower Division.
Grand Mere (Isabel Lilac)
The owner of Chattes Noires and head of the Paris Assault Force. She is generally calm, but possesses a sharp tongue. Also, she has a pet cat named Napoleon.
- The Captain
- Floral Theme Naming: Lilacs, obviously.
- Harem Nanny: Being the one commanding the almost all-female Paris Assault Force.
Mell Raison
A secretary of Grand-Mère who provides logistical support during battles. Mell is timid, yet serious and punctual.
- Bridge Bunnies: Along with Ci.
Ci Caprice
A secretary of Grand-Mère who provides logistical support during battles, Ci is easygoing and sociable.
- Bridge Bunnies: Along with Mell.
Ciseaux
A short, rabbit-like humanoid who prefers to attack with a giant pair of scissors. He dislikes seeing people happy and being called "Rabbit". Ciseaux appears to have control over rabbits of all sorts, though he appears satisfied with causing small-scale damage.
Python
A deceptively beautiful woman from the Middle East whose face turns snake-like when angry or excited.
Leon
An eye-patch wearing, lion-like humanoid who is obsessed with nobility to the point of believing that he himself was the only one worthy being called a noble. Arrogant and condescending, Leon gives little thought to the lives of "common people".
Nadel
A scorpion-themed thief obsessed with works of art, Nadel enjoys "improving" priceless paintings by slashing them to ribbons.
Masque de Corbeau
A mysteriously dramatic and overly dramatic man dressed in elegant black clothing a crow-like helmet.
Calmar
A fat, blue-skinned, squid-like humanoid.
Salut
The spirit of the city of Paris who serves as the main antagonist, Salut wishes to bring France back to its days before the Roman Empire conquered the country, in order to recreate Gaul (ancient France). Salut appears as a young girl with blonde hair dressed in a colorful jester's costume, with the left side of her face painted white.
Sakura Taisen IV Characters
Okubo Nagayashu
The main antagonist.
Sakura Taisen V Characters
Shinjiro Taiga
A young Navy Lt. from Japan who's to become the new captain of the New York Combat Revue, Star Division.
- Attractive Bent Gender: Peppermint. 'Nuff said. His disguise was so effective that it even threw the Big Bad of the Sakura Taisen V anime off track for a bit.
- Continuity Nod\Running Gag: See the bath peeping under Ichiro's entry? Shin can do the exact thing word for word after you beat the final boss. It doesn't end how you would expect though.
Shin: "My body is moving on its own toward the baths..."
Shin: Kayama!?
- Ensign Newbie: Much to the initial chagrin of the rest of the Star Division. He quickly proves his worth to them though.
- Heroic Mime: In dating simulation sections only.
- Hot-Blooded: Well, he is a samurai...
- Informed Attractiveness: His Peppermint persona. It's really not that bad, but his 'beauty' was exaggerated into Legendary level in the OVA. YMMV whether he's more attractive than Gemini and co.
- Johnny Yong Bosch: English voice actor.
- The One Guy: Of the Star Division.
- Weapon of Choice: Swords Akimbo.
Gemini Sunrise
A very cheerful cowgirl who tends to be a bit clumsy. Her master's last words brings her from Texas to New York with her fellow horse Larry.
- Country Mouse: From the Texas countryside.
- Crash Into Hello: Her first meeting with Shinjiro begins this way.
- Cute Clumsy Girl: Keeps up the tradition established by Sakura and Erica.
- It Is Pronounced "Tro-PAY": Unlike the astrological sign, the "I"s in her first name are pronounced like "E"s. Yet it's pronounced the traditional way occasionally in the English dub.
- Laura Bailey: English voice actress.
- Meaningful Name: Born on June 21, making her a Gemini. And she has a split personality, her Super-Powered Evil Side Geminine.
- Official Couple: She's the most obvious candidate for Shin's affections. This is reflected in-game: given a choice of girls to date, she is the only one with an inescapable event (she appears in a section that you must visit) in which you have to either accept her request for a date or turn her down. The other girls have to be hunted down in order to ask them out.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: It should be rather obvious who the "masked woman" is (even in New York you don't meet many teenage girls who have red hair, thick Texas accents, katana training under a Samurai master, and a freaking horse), yet somehow nobody in the STAR division except Sunnyside even wonders if there might be a connection between them until Chapter 6. Partially subverted though in that the truth turns out to be more complicated than a case of Gemini simply putting on a mask... see below.
- Plucky Girl: She has the odd moment of disillusionment, but she bounces back.
- Redheaded Hero
- Samurai Cowboy: Especially in Episode Zero, where she's fighting evil on horseback across the American landscape.
- Sanae Kobayashi: Her Japanese VA. Who is not a Gemini.
- Stellar Name: Gemini.
- Super-Powered Evil Side: She was supposed to be born a twin, but instead was born as a single person with a vestigial heart. Attached to it is Geminine, best described as a Blood Knight out for revenge. Because of this, hers is a Meaningful Name in another way.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Both at once... kind of. Her "twin" Geminine is more masculine and aspires to samurai ideals, while Gemini herself aspires to girliness. Actually, that can be a bit confusing: at one point, she's decided that she can be both classy lady and Texas cowgirl, but later declares her intent to be a "real lady".
- Weapon of Choice: Her Katana. She is seen with a revolver, but it is never used.
Sagitta Weinberg/Cheiron Archer
A strong-willed lawyer who practices out of Harlem. She's very intelligent and is recognized for her exceptional perseverance, toughness, independence and confidence.
- Afraid of Needles: No issue with killer robots, major issues with the smallest of dogs.
- Amoral Attorney: Of sorts, at the start. A classic example of "following the letter of the law, rather than the spirit", and damaging herself as well as the people of her hometown, until Shinjiro snaps her out of it.
- Badass Biker: She was one of these before she became a lawyer.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Pretty aloof and horrible to Shinjiro at the start, generally warms up to him fairly quickly (provided the player isn't picking the dialogue options that tick her off). Manages to combine this with being Hot-Blooded.
- Double Entendre: If she's the character Shin pairs off with at the end, she cheerfully announces that it's a "private party" tonight, with just her and Shin. To a crowd of reporters. The final dialogue with Shinjiro is also littered with these, which go soaring merrily over his head.
- Dub Name Change: She was named "Sagitta Weinberg" in the original Japanese version of Sakura Taisen V; she was renamed in the English dub for unknown reasons, though this may have been because her Japanese name is extremely Jewish (Weinberg is a common Jewish surname), and Sagitta is supposed to be a black Harlemite.
- Hot-Blooded: If she's annoyed, you'll know about it.
- It Is Pronounced "Tro-PAY": Despite the interesting spelling, "Cheiron" is pronounced just like the name "Karen".
- Which is actually accurate (at least, relative to the expected alternative).
- Knight Templar: She is truly, honestly committed to the law throughout, but until the end of her chapter, she is so obsessed with legalities that she does more harm than good, having forgotten why she wanted to become a lawyer in the first place.
- Meaningful Name: As pointed out during Chapter 2, "Cheiron" is a mythological Greek figure who carried dead souls to their rightful place, and an "Archer" fires arrows with great accuracy. As a lawyer, she must both be accurate in her arguments and want to send criminals to their rightful place.
- Sadly Mythtaken. Charon was the guy who ferries souls to the underworld, Cheiron or Chiron was a centaur who taught several heroes, including Heracles and Achilles.
- Maybe not. Cheiron did help form the Centaur Crew, and she started teaching them about law and order after defeating Kokuryu.
- "Sagitta" alludes to both the constellation Sagitta (the arrow), and the constellation and zodiac sign of Sagittarius (the archer). Sagittarius is depicted as a centaur, and the gang she formed to protect Harlem was called the Centaurs. The constellation is also occasionally conflated with Cheiron's mythology (who is more properly represented by Centaurus).
- Sadly Mythtaken. Charon was the guy who ferries souls to the underworld, Cheiron or Chiron was a centaur who taught several heroes, including Heracles and Achilles.
- My Greatest Failure: Her backstory: one of her friends was wrongfully arrested, due in part to Cheiron's own clashes with authority figures. She became a lawyer to rescue him, and lost the case, leading to disillusionment and "selling out" to the same authorities who'd arrested him.
- Peek-a-Bangs: When she lets her hair down.
- Sassy Black Woman: Subverted. Despite having a strong personality, Sagitta doesn't litter her dialog with "jive talk" and her severe attitude in the initial chapters of the game is revealed to be the result of suffering serious loss in her past. Once she gets past it, her character tones down significantly. In other words, she's not a walking stereotype as the trope would suggest.
- Stellar Name: "Sagitta"rius the "Archer".
- Tsundere: Funnily enough, Rosita is the one most likely to bring out her tsun side.
- Whip It Good: Her STAR's weapon.
Subaru Kujou
Her (?) true identity is completely unknown. However, Subaru is definitely from a noble Japanese family and excels at Noh and other traditional Japanese dances.
- Asexuality: Possibly. Subaru doesn't reveal his/her gender to Shinjiro even if they end up as a couple, which might suggest that she doesn't think it's going to be an issue (or she might just be holding off telling Shin until it's relevant, which is also pretty in-character for Subaru).
- Bifauxnen: Lampshaded by Subaru herself.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Gradually warms up to the rest of the Star Division.
- Flower Motifs: Her attack animations have flowers and petals everywhere. Her super attack on the ground is "Lunatic Bloom".
- Gay Option: ...Maybe. Lampshaded in her Coupling Attack, which is set up like a typical boys' love manga.
- Informed Attribute: She's the official loner of the team, but in most cases, she'll be the first girl(?) who has any real time for Shinjiro (particularly in Cheiron's chapter).
- Insufferable Genius: Tends to be very blunt with his/her assessments of people.
- Kate Higgins: English voice actress.
- Kuudere: They do have a heart beneath the stoicism.
- Meaningful Name: "Subaru" is the Japanese name for the Pleiades, a star cluster that's part of the constellation Taurus. Guess what her zodiac sign is?
- Paper Fan of Doom: Her weapon of choice. Subaru uses it in the OVA, and it cuts through metal.
- The Power of Trust: In her(?) chapter, states that she gives Shinjiro "[her] ultimate trust".
- Stellar Name: See Meaningful Name.
- Technician Versus Performer: Very much a technician, which sees her hit a brick wall with jazz and other music that needs to be "felt".
- Third Person Person: It's the way (s)he gets around having to state his/her gender, without all the slashes and brackets included in this sentence.
- That said, (s)he does sometimes use gender-specific pronouns, and when (s)he does, they're female ones. (S)he does this while also using her own name ("Subaru will sleep by herself") which seems to undermine that reason. Maybe (s)he's just doing it for the traditional egotistical reason.
- It is important to note that Subaru always uses gender-neutral speech in Japanese. Unfortunately, in English, it is difficult to keep her lines completely ambiguous with the way sentence structures work and lack of gender-neutral words that refer to other people...
- Unperson: Seems to be intent on making herself this, given Subaru's preoccupation for not leaving evidence of her existence behind. Which might suggest that a high-profile performer was perhaps a bad career move.
- Vague Age: Doesn't appear to have aged much in at least a decade...
- Wholesome Crossdresser: Whichever gender Subaru is, (s)he's worn both male and female outfits, so by default...
- Yamato Nadeshiko: In the English version, the term is "Yamato Maiden", but still counts.
Diana Caprice
A young doctor who's as compassionate as a goddess.
- Combat Medic: In battle, she has the best healing ability by far as well as wide splash damage in her normal attack. Her super attack in aerial combat targets allies and restores them to full health.
- Covert Pervert: See that adorable sickly girl in the wheelchair who still believes in Santa Claus? Behind those glasses lies a Yaoi Fangirl.
- She also hits on Subaru by accident in one of the post final boss events!
- Keep in mind no one knows what gender Subaru is, if she's a girl, it counts as Bi the Way.
- She also hits on Subaru by accident in one of the post final boss events!
- Friend to All Living Things: Birds especially, so much so that her arc revolves in large part around it.
- Ill Girl: Given a year to live. You are charged with restoring her will to live.
- Incorruptible Pure Pureness: She still believes in Santa Claus, for crying out loud!
- She sometimes shows less innocent sides of her personality, her Covert Pervert sometimes becomes not so covert. It's especially noticeable during the times Shin is crossdressing.
- Karen Strassman: English voice actress.
- Love Freak: She believes love is the most important thing in life, NO MATTER WHAT. Gender is not an issue.
- Well it wasn't... until she HERSELF gets a love letter from a female fan, for which the correct dialog option is to pretty much throw back the same thing she told Shin earlier to convince him that his nonexistant closet is okay. Subaru and Shin then convince her to accept the love.
- Meaningful Name: Caprice is short for Capricorn. Diana is born January 12, making her sign...
- Meganekko: Rarely seen without her glasses.
- Stellar Name: Capricorn.
- Yaoi Fangirl: She encourages Shin towards Ho Yay during the times he's dressed as Peppermint.
- You Can't Fight Fate: Her mentality at the beginning of her chapter. Seeing her shed it results in a Crowning Moment of Awesome.
Rikaritta Aries/Rosarita Aries
An energetic and merry little girl from Mexico. She loves to sing and dance.
- Badass Adorable: Those pistols of hers aren't just for show.
- Big Eater: She even shouts the names of food during her Super Move!
- Bling Bling Bang: Her pistols.
- Disappeared Dad: Her father drowned during a flood.
- Dub Name Change: Possibly because "Rikaritta" is not even close to a realistic name for a Mexican girl.
- Eat the Dog: Her weasel partner, Niccolo, doubles as emergency rations.
- Freudian Excuse: Where her fear of failure comes from.
- Genki Girl: Cheerful, energetic and incredibly rambunctious.
- Guns Akimbo: Always carries two pistols.
- The Gunslinger: Gemini might be the cowgirl, but Rosita's the one who embodies most of the classic Western gun tropes.
- Honest Axe: "Gold gun, or silver gun. Which do you want to be shot with?"
- Meaningful Name: Her official profile lists her birthday as April 2, which would make her an Aries.
- Melissa Fahn: English voice actress.
- Stellar Name: See Meaningful Name above.
- Token Mini-Moe: For the Star Division, being the only child of the group.
Ratchet Altair
Captain of the Star Division, and Broadway's number one star.
- Adorkable: When the city isn't under attack or the mood isn't serious, Rachet can be very clumsy and shy. It's played amazingly well, you might not even notice it too much if you're not paying attention to her.
- Big Damn Heroes: She manages to pilot her STAR one last time near the end to help Shin when all the rest of the team are fighting their evil doubles.
- Hair of Gold
- Harem Nanny: Subverted in that she IS a love interest.
- Hot Chick in a Badass Suit: AND HOW!
- Instant Illness: Shin gets this for getting nervous and going out in the cold to wait for her on the date, so Ratchet spends the day trying to figure out how to make him feel better. On the other hand, she's not very good at it.
- Julie Ann Taylor
- Knife Nut: Of the throwing variety.
- Meaningful Name: Altair is the brightest star in the Aquila constellation: the Eagle. Even more meaningful in the movie that is the chronological prequel to Sakura Wars V.
- Mentor Ship: If you take her route.
- New Game+: Beating the game once is required to get her ending.
- The Obi Wrong: Ratchet loses her spiritual power early in the game, needing to be rescued by Shin. This forces her into stepping down from her position, though it ducks Quickly-Demoted Woman in that she actually remains his commanding officer for much of the game, the game acknowledges his lack of experience, and Shin has to actually work to get her position instead of getting it by virtue of being a dude.
- Shin doesn't even take the captain's position until the very end. Ratchet, for the most part, is still in charge.
- Rescue Romance: Shin risks his life to save her from the villain in the first battle.
- In an event that's only available next time through, Shin carries her back to her apartment and tends her injured leg after she hurts herself outside the library.
- Sexy Mentor: For Shinjiro.
- Stellar Name: See Meaningful Name above.
- Tall, Dark and Bishoujo: She manages to fit this DESPITE having Hair of Gold AND being completely Adorkable.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: The tomboy to Glycine, but girly to Maria.
Michael Sunnyside
The commander of the New York Combat Revue and the owner of the Littlelip Theater.
- Bunny Ears Lawyer: Rich Idiot With No Day Job aside, he knows what he's doing.
- Gratuitous Japanese: He's not shy to using Japanese phrases to help Shinjiro feel at home.
- Or just as likely because he's more than a little obsessed with Japanese culture himself.
- Large Ham: AND FUCKING HOW!
- Manipulative Bastard
- Occidental Otaku: Takes a rather keen interest in all things Japanese.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money: Uses this for a good purpose once.
Plum Spaniel/Cherry Cocker
She rollerskates all around the Littlelip Theater, delivering drinks as a waitress.
- Cool Big Sis: Acts like towards Gemini when she first arrived in New York before and after she was recruited to join the Star Division.
- Dub Name Change: Possibly to make a very strange name sound sensible in English... and to add a naughty pun.
- Gag Boobs: In fact, taking a picture focusing on them earns some affection from her!
- Mission Control: Works alongside Anri in the Rainbow Division.
Anri Yoshino
The vendor at the shop inside Littlelip Theater. She also creates all of the stage costumes for the Star Division.
- But Not Too Foreign: She's half-Japanese.
- Mission Control: Works alongside Plum/Cherry in the Rainbow Division.
- Tsundere: Very, very tsundere.
- Notable as the first tsundere in the series who's not actually a pairing option.
Xingshi Wong
An old Chinese man who's employed as Sunnyside's personal assistant. He's also the New York Combat Revue's head mechanic.
- Stealth Hi Bye: Always comes in from nowhere with a polite greeting on his face.
Yuichi Kayama
A friend of Shinjiro's uncle that helps Shinjiro adjust to life in New York. Also runs a shop called Romando, where special photographs can be obtained if a player puts in the right codes during the "A Free & Easy Day In NY" mode. As compensation though, it's implied that Kayama is paired with Kaede.
- Dropped a Bridget On Him: He hits on Peppermint at one point. Little does he realize that Peppermint is actually Shinjiro.
Carlos
One of the residents of Harlem. Is a part of the "Cerberus/Centaurs" gang, which Cherion was once a part of.
Bill
One of the executives of Steam Frontier, a development company. Plots to demolish Harlem and establish a higher-class district in its place.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Much of Cherion's arc is about stopping him from demolishing Harlem.
Mori Ranmaru
One of the main antagonists, whom assumes the form of a green-haired bunny boy with a scythe. Is first fought in Chapter 1, trying to blow up Liberty Island.
- Historical Villain Upgrade: The real Mori Ranmaru was Oda Nobunaga's most trusted servant (and a bit more than that). The same is true of this version.
Kokuryu
One of the villains trying to conquer New York, whom assumes the form of a red-haired woman with a Russian accent dressed in black armor. Calls herself the founder of order, and thinks that all who go against her should burn in hellfire.
- Knight Templar: Has a twisted sense of justice, but is nicknamed "The Selfish Queen". That fits the bill.
- Romi Park: Japanese voice actress.
Dokurobo
Another major antagonist trying to take over New York.
- Dumb Muscle: So dumb in fact, he thought that Nobunaga's calling him a thick head means he is smart.
Tsugarubi
Yet another villain that the New York Combat Revue must eliminate.
- He-Man Woman Hater: Mixed in with Monster Misogyny, at that.
- Liam O'Brien: English voice actor.
- Taken for Granite: What he does to his victims.
- Villainous Breakdown: And HOW!
Oda Nobunaga
The mastermind behind the recent attacks on New York City.
- Big Bad
- Historical Villain Upgrade: About the standard for Nobunaga, really.
- Humans Are the Real Monsters: His general motivation.
Tutankhamen
The Big Bad of the New York OVA.
- Dropped a Bridget On Him: Inverted. He have some attraction toward Pepper Mint (Shinjiro in disguise) from his similarity to his late wife. However, he doesn't angry or shock when he know the truth. His response is completely calm.
- Hiroshi Kamiya
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Definitely comes across as a bit more sympathetic than the typical Sakura Taisen antagonist.