Sakura Taisen World Project announced

Sega has announced its future plans for the Sakura Taisen series. Within the next four years, the company plans to release six Japanese titles for the PlayStation 2, as well as other projects such as animated features and theatricals. The game titles and genre info are as follows:

Sakura Taisen: Atsuki Chishio Ni (dramatic adventure)
Sakura Taisen 5: Saraba Itoshiki Hito Yo (dramatic adventure)
Sakura Taisen 5 Action (working title, action)
Sakura Himenishiki Emaki (working title, psycho-trip action)
Kouma (working title, action adventure)
Sakura Taisen Monogatari (adventure)

Sakura Taisen: Atsuki Chishio Ni is essentially a remake of the first Sakura Taisen released on the Sega Saturn, with upgraded systems and graphics that are on par with those of Sakura Taisen 3. The title is scheduled for a spring 2003 release in Japan. The fifth installment in the series, Sakura Taisen 5: Saraba Itoshiki Hito Yo, will focus on a different theatrical group with new characters, and it takes place in New York during the 1920s. The title is tentatively scheduled for release sometime in 2004. The other three action titles--Sakura Taisen 5 Action, Sakura Himenishiki Emaki, and Kouma--are being developed with a worldwide release in mind. The company stated that Sakura Taisen 5 Action will be released first, followed by Sakura Taisen 5: Saraba Itoshiki Hito Yo for the North American territory.

The Sakura Taisen series has been extremely popular in its home country, though none of the series' Saturn or PlayStation titles were released outside of Japan. Expect announcements in the future regarding the upcoming North American releases in the Sakura Taisen series.

Screenshots courtesy of Impress GAME Watch.