Sega held the secondProject Sakura Warsstage event at Tokyo Game Show 2019. The event featured Producer Tetsu Katano and Series Producer Takaharu Terada. While he was present in an interview we coveredhereandhere, this was the first time Takaharu Terada appeared at aProject Sakura Warsrelated event. They announced multiple goods related to the game and a TV anime adaptation.

First off, they announced Bandai Spirit will release HG plastic models for Seijuro and Sakura Amamiya’s Mugen Spirit Particle Fighters. They’ll release in 2020.

Next, they announced new HG plastic models for the Koubu Kai fromSakura Taisen 2. Ogami and Sakura’s will release on January 2020, and Sumire’s will launch in March 2020. Their cockpits can open too. Takaharu Terada mentioned how you’d only see the cockpit’s interior from a certain angle in the game and they had no designs or materials for the whole cockpit. So they specifically created them for these plamodels. They asked Mika Akitaka, who also handledProject Sakura Wars’mecha designs, to design them.

Terada also shared a fun anecdote. The first types of Koubu inSakura Taisen 1have two pipes on their back on each side. Back when they were working onSakura Taisen 2, when imagining the Koubu Kai, Terada decided to change it to three pipes. Terada funnily said the “designer” back then, which should point to Futoshi Nagata, was upset about it, since it meant more work.

All the Mugen Spirit Particle Fighters used by the new Imperial Assault Squad inProject Sakura Warswill also mini plastic models by Kaiyodo. Another fun exchange happened there as Terada blurted out “When they’re so small like that, they look likeMashinden, right?” with Katano approving. These plastic models will release in summer 2020.

Next, they announced Sakura Amamiya will get a 1/7 scaled figure by Hobby Japan and Amakuni.

Project Sakura Warscards for Weiss Schwarz will also be produced starting 2020. Interestingly, Katano mentioned that when proposing these various figures, goods and cards projects to companies, the talks always went extremely great. He explained that sinceSakura Taisenis such an iconic franchise, all of these companies have fans of the series in their ranks, so they were always very thrilled to be working with them.

Next up, and the biggest announcement: aShin Sakura Taisenanime was announced, titledShin Sakura Taisen the Animation. Terada mentioned on stream the start airing date isn’t decided yet, but the trailer’s narration mentions it’ll air in “Reiwa Year 2”, meaning it’ll be at earliest in May 2020.Shin Sakura Taisen the Animationis a 3D anime, but with the beautiful 2D-looking 3D of Studio Sanzigen, who also handles the 3D anime part in the game.

Here’s the main staff of the anime, listed on theofficial site.

Terada mentioned Ono Manabu is currently the director of theSAO Alicizationanime. He mentioned he chatted a lot with him on various aspects of theShin Sakura Taisenanime and to look forward to it.

Terada also stressed out this isn’t a spinoff or a side-story anime, and it covers the game’s main story. The anime’s story had all the important people working on it, the game’s story original writer Jiro Ishii, Katano and Terada.

Terada also revealed Ono Manabu handled the storyboard for the game’s opening animation. He teased they’ll reveal it soon.

That’s not all, Terada also teased that a brand new Assault Force, not in the game, will appear as well. And the characters will be designed by yet another famous character designer they’ll reveal later. Katano funnily mentioned Terada said way too much there and how that wasn’t in the script. Terada also said the snow crystals on the key visual, which seem out of place since Sakura Amamiya doesn’t use ice-based attacks, are a hint as to which city’s Assault Force it will be.Sakura Taisenis a purposefully heavily stereotyped series, so in my opinion, snoflawkes means it should be the Moscow Assault Force.

Masashi Kudo, who works on the game to adapt Kubo’s designs in 3D, mentioned onTwitterhe’s the one who drew the key visual.

Ending the stream, Katano said he’s happy to have announced this much as now he won’t have to worry about accidentally saying the game has an anime. Terada said they’re pretty much doing aSakura Taisen"big wave", with the game, manga, anime, and all the merch, and hopes we’ll all enjoy it.

Not only Sega is doubling down with the merchandise, they even planned an anime forShin Sakura Taisen. Coupled with the game’s all-star cast, its intricate 3D model animations (which change with dialogues choices) and the huge promotion around the game, it proves just how much money they’re putting on the table to reviveSakura Taisen. If you add up everything, while the budget definitely isn’t nearly close, I’m honestly wondering if this might not be the first time Sega poured that much money in a single game sinceShenmue. And while they didn’t announce musicals with the new characters yet,  they already hinted it might happen if the game is a huge success.

Here’s a summary of the TGS day 1 stream, with new gameplay and trailers. you may also read our summaries of the previousShin Sakura Taisenstreams:first stream, thesecond stream(part 2) and thethird stream. You can also check the info from thegame’s demo event.

OtherSakura Taisenrelated stream will be happening on September 14 and 15. you can check our fullTGS 2019 schedule here.

Project Sakura Wars(temporary title) launches exclusively on PS4 on December 12 in Japan and in Spring 2020 in the west.