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New Sakura Wars Anime's 2nd Promo Video Previews Opening, Ending Themes

The official website for Shin Sakura Taisen the Animation, the television anime of the Shin Sakura Taisen (Sakura Wars in English) game, began streaming the show's second promotional video on Thursday. The video previews the show's opening and ending theme songs.

Cast members Ayane Sakura (Sakura), Maaya Uchida (Hatsuho), Hibiku Yamamura (Azami), Ayaka Fukuhara (Anastasia), and Saori Hayami (ClariS) are performing the opening theme song "Geki! Teikoku Kagekidan - Shinshо̄" and the ending theme song "Sakura Yumemishi." Nana Mizuki (Elise), Manami Numakura (Lancelot), and Sumire Uesaka (Huang Yui) are also performing the ending theme song.

The anime will premiere on Tokyo MX on April 3 at 10:00 p.m. The anime will also air later that night on BS11.

Manabu Ono (Sword Art Online: Alicization, The irregular at magic high school, The Asterisk War) is directing the anime at SANZIGEN. Tatsuhiko Urahata, who collaborated with Ono on the Saki and Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere anime, is in charge of series scripts alongside Ono. Kōhei Tanaka, the composer for much of the music of the game franchise (including the new game), is composing the anime's music.

The anime's character designers include Masashi Kudo (Bleach, Hayate the Combat Butler! Cuties), Takuya Chanohara (sub-character design for BanG Dream!), and Tatsuya Fukushima (animation director for Citrus). Fumihiro Katagai (Show By Rock!! Short!!, Princess Principal), Kanta Suzuki (Regalia: The Three Sacred Stars, Buddy Complex), and Mika Akitaka (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, City Hunter) are providing the mechanical designs. Mika Pikazo is designing the Moscow Assault Force characters. Katsunori Shimizu (Magical Girl Ore, Ikki Tousen: Extravaganza Epoch) is the sound director.

The main cast of the game — including Ayane Sakura, Yōhei Azakami, Maaya Uchida, Hibiku Yamamura, Ayaka Fukuhara, Saori Hayami, and Michie Tomizawa — are returning for the anime.

The game launched for the PlayStation 4 in Japan on December 12, and it will debut in the West on April 28. The game takes place in the 29th year of the fictionalized "Taisho" period of the franchise in the capital of Tokyo, 12 years after Sakura Wars V. Japan's actual Taisho period only lasted for 15 years, and the kanji used to write "Taisho" in Sakura Wars is different from the kanji used for the real Taisho period.

The game's protagonist is Seijuro Kamiyama, and the story follows him as he leads the New Imperial Assault Force. Kouma once again appear in the capital, and Assault Forces are created in towns all over the world.

Sources: Shin Sakura Taisen anime's website and Twitter account, Pony Canyon's YouTube channel