Sakura Wars Mechatalk: Sakura Taisen 2 - Shinguji Sakura

 At long last we are finally at the last destination of Sakura Taisen 2 Mechatalk! This side project which started from early June last month now concluded at the Final stop with the titular main heroine of Sakura Taisen series, Shinguji Sakura! While Sakura has always been the titular main Heroine since the first game, Sakura Taisen 2 decide to step up the game and really puts her in the spotlight! Throughout ST2 main story, you will get to see why this Yamato Nadeshiko is the main star of this classic series of the Sega's Crown jewels.

 Shinguji Sakura was one of the newer member of Teikoku Kagekidan who joined the Elite combat squad just around the time Ogami recruited into the squad as well. She is the first Teikoku Kagekidan member who met Ogami as she was the one tasked to escort him. That particular encounter of theirs in Ueno Park will always be a classic boy meet girl moment as Sakura soon develop a heavy crush on Ogami with his dashing look of the promising young Officer of prestigious Japan Imperial Navy. Among the Teikoku Kagekidan member, Sakura easily the most skilled in swordmanship, inheriting her unique family fencing style. Combined with her latent spiritual power, Sakura is easily one of the best combat asset of Teikoku Kagekidan capable of cutting swathes of enemies in her path with the technique of Ouka Houshin.

In ST2, Sakura have become more confident and get along well with her fellow teammates despite Sumire making fun of her from time to time. But just like any of her Teikoku Kagekidan teammates, Sakura is very earnest and dedicated in fighting alongside her beloved Captain.

 In Sakura Taisen 2, Sakura will face a rather particular challenging situation as the main antagonist faction at some point will go on their way to go after Sakura due to something related to her bloodline. This turn of event begin after Sakura clash with the mysterious Ringleader of the Black Demon Society, Oni Ou who Sakura finds rather odd sense of familiarity with him due to the latter's fighting style. As this enigmatic man donning the Demon Mask is a skilled fencer who seems to be using the similar technique with Sakura's family sword style. 

 The Black Demon Society attempt on going after Sakura will culminate at the Japanese Imperial Force storming in to Teikoku Kagekidan HQ after some manipulation by Kyogoku. However the sabotage attempt finally failed as Teikoku Kagekidan are more resourceful and one step ahead at preemptively evacuating before things turn for the worse and taking along the 3 Imperial Regalia which are also targeted by Kyogoku.

 Around this point of story due to the serious Kouma threat combined with the sabotage attempt by Black Demon Society at hand, Sakura is highly considering to use the Imperial Regalia power which is thwarted by Ogami assuring that Teikoku Kagekidan will find another way to face these threat without Sakura having to sacrifice her life.

 Among the Sakura Taisen main heroines, Sakura is one of the easiest heroines to get jealous with Ogami flirting with other women due to the immense crush on her captain. It is even said that her expression can be as scary as Hannya Demon as Sakura had that streak of Yandere with her. Fortunately Sakura Taisen 2 didn't have much serious competition for Sakura but she will definitely have some very difficult rivals when Ogami went to Paris in Sakura Taisen 3.

Unfortunately I didn't have the assets for Sakura's Miracle Bell anymore but should Ogami picked Sakura as his main heroine during the short holiday break, Ogami will travel with Sakura back to her hometown in Sendai. In this opportunity, Ogami get to meet Sakura's mother who develop a strong positive opinion on Ogami having so much good quality just like her departed Husband being the bonafide Gigachad after all.

Sakura got the main role in ST2 main storyline as she got some major character development as she gets heavily intertwined with the main Antagonist himself, Oni Ou. Turns out Oni Ou is Kazuma Shinguji, The War Hero of the first Kouma Wars who sacrificed his own life to use the power of Imperial Regalia to stop the threats of Koumas at the time. At the start of Sakura Taisen 2, Kazuma got somehow resurrected by Kyogoku and brainwashed to serve his own sinister plan taking the new Identity as Oni Ou. It was not until the Final confrontation that Sakura and Teikoku Kagekidan able to defeat Sakura's Father and break him free out of the mind control to enable Sakura have some reunion moment with her father.

However the reunion moment soon came to a crash as Kyogoku fired some deadly sorcery on Sakura as his plan got ruined whom Kazuma shielded her daughter at the cost of his second life. Before getting disintegrated from the deadly attack, satisfied with his child grew up into a splendid adult, Kazuma assures Sakura to stay strong and never hesitate to do what is right, passing on at peace knowing that Sakura had reliable man like Ogami to depend on.

 Overall Sakura Taisen 2 served as the main stage for Sakura as Sakura Taisen 1 didn't particularly focus on any heroine in the main story considering the the priority was given to overall setting. Sakura's route in ST2 is not exactly better compared to the first game especially for the ending moment, but her special treatment throughout the game really cements her status as the main heroine.

 To conclude this ST2 Article series, while my Sakura Taisen 2 main article series are not particularly the most eloquent to narrate ST2 storyline, I do hope these article series will serve some use for those who are interested with Sakura Taisen 2 in the future and motivate to try to delve into this series despite facing the language barrier series. With Sakura Taisen 2 Mechatalk have wrapped up, I will definitely make the preparation to move on to my last destination for Sakura Tasien with Sakura Taisen IV: Fall in Love, Maidens in near future.