Sakura Wars Mechatalk: Sakura Taisen 2 - Soletta Orihime

 5th Heroine Sakura Taisen 2 Mechatalk is here and we are finally getting to the New Heroines starting with Half Italian-Japanese Ojou-sama, Soletta Orihime. Given her new heroine status in ST2, Orihime is given quite a preferential treatment in the game to elevate her already Top tier character design. On top of that I have to say Orihime Character theme is easily the best in Sakura Taisen 2 as well as in whole Sakura Wars series. Overall Orihime's route can be prickly like a Rose at first but the payoff for the player's patience with this particular tsundere heroine will be just as good, as Sakura Taisen prepares a fairy-tale like experience for Orihime route which this article going to try to provide a glimpse.

 In Sakura Taisen 2, Soletta Orihime is one of the two new members joining Teikoku Kagekidan representing Italy. Born as Half Italian Japanese, Orihime behaves rather hostile toward Ogami for unknown reason which baffles the Teikoku Kagekidan captain, thou Ogami do feel that his new member do try seek something in her visit to Japan. Regardless of her snobbish behavior, Orihime proves her value in battlefield piloting Magenta colored Eisenkrad armed with Drone weapons that capable of attacking multiple enemies at adjacent area. On top of that, Orihime is still also a proper lady from nobility upbringing, getting education befitting of her station and particularly skilled in Piano herself.

 As Orihime gradually accustomed with her life in Teikoku and begin to trust Ogami, things went down south during a particular encounter where Teikoku Kagekidan visit a street market due to some Tip-Up on Black Demon Society lieutenants making a movement. Ogami and Orihime then came across a Middle-aged street painter with surprising quality piece of work who claim his works are based on his skill learned from his travel in Europe. In a surprising turn of event, This middle aged painter named Seiya Ogata turns out to be Orihime's long lost father whom Orihime thinks to be the cause of her mother's misery. With Orihime's pent-up anger which is the root cause of her hatred toward Japanese men rose again and Orihime threw a particular nasty fit upon his father and left which Ogami had to catch up with her.

Soon later, Orihime's father pay a visit to Ogami in Teigeki telling his part story of how when he was still young fell in love with Orihime's mother during his travel as aspiring painter in Europe. However Orihime's mother turns out to be part of nobility and given the gap of the social status, this relationship was doomed to break apart but not before Orihime was born. Given the threat by Orihime's mother Family, Orihime's Father has no choice but to leave her wife and return to Japan on the condition that her wife and daughter would be taken care of. Still lashing out on anger however, Orihime calls her father a liar claiming that her father just conveniently use her mother and angrily chases him out of Teigeki.

 Upon learning the truth, Ogami than drags Orihime back to the street market so that both Father and Daughter could make amend and mend their relationship once again despite the latter's resistance. However upon the moment the father and daughter met once again, The Black Demon society Lieutenant, Kasha which turns out to be pyromaniac making his move and blowing up the surrounding injuring Orihime's father in the process as he try to shield her daughter from incoming blast. Then somehow both Orihime and her Father got kidnapped and tied in a remote factory left for death as the vicinity are burning. During this moment after heart to hear conversation Orihime do open up toward her father and apologize for her rash behavior thinking that they might not make it. 

 However like a Knight in shining armor, Ogami and Teikoku Kagekidan saves the day as Ogami even personally rescue Orihime and her Father. Being the cool ikemen as usual, Ogami says to Orihime that he will never abandon any of his team including Orihime despite the latter is quite aware that she acted rather badly toward her captain. Long story short all turns out well and Orihime able to make amend with her father with Ogami's help.

 Having her main burden held for long resolved, In Orihime's route Ogami do get to see Orihime's gentle and cheerful side as deep down she is still a girl who desires to see her parents reunite after all. By this time, Orihime had fully trusted Ogami as the latter shown his worth as the team leader and as a man even leaning on his shoulder to reach out the christmas tree Decoration outside a church during a date after the Miracle Bell performance.

 Should player choose Orihime as the main heroine, you will get to see the proper conclusion of her storyline which definitely ending in Satisfying note. In Orihime route, during the Teikoku Kagekidan long period of leave, Ogami accompany Orihime to visit her Mother who come to Japan. In this opportunity Orihime get so see her parents finally reunite after 17 years of separation, showing that the affection of each other are still going strong. I think in this joyful reunion, Orihime's father tells the origin of Orihime's name which is pretty much from the Japanese tale of Orihime & Hikkouboshi as part of the wish for the Star-crossed lover reunite once again.

During this event, Orihime's mother, Soletta Carlino mentions to Ogami that her daughter do mention him on very positive note on the letter sent to her, believing that her daughter is taken care by a reliable man. Both Orihime's parents also ensuring that Orihime are being cherished by them and her birth happens out of love giving the latter a significant motivation. Believing they find a reliable person to entrust their daughter, Both Orihime's parents leaves Orihime under the care of Ogami with Orihime's father jestingly remark to be careful with her Daughter's fiery temper from her Italian blood.

 Among Ogami Kagekidan's heroines, Orihime is easily one that had the most rocky start as the latter going full Tsun-tsun on Ogami. Regardless, Orihime's story concluded in quite satisfying note even though Orihime character change rather drastically becoming somewhat a weaboo herself. While Orihime is not particularly my personal favorite, Her Sakura Taisen 2 Ending and Theme song is definitely one of the best, being made in fairy tale fashion where a Princess met her Prince. With Orihime being the 5th Sakura Taisen 2 Heroine done, Only 3 more heroines left to go and the time has come even closer for me to be able to move on to Sakura Taisen 4.