| Sakura Kasugano | |
|---|---|
| Street Fighter character | |
 Sakura fromStreet Fighter Alpha Anthology | |
| First game | Street Fighter Alpha 2 (1996) |
| Created by | Akira 'Akiman' Yasuda |
| Voiced by |
|
| In-universe information | |
| Fighting style | Shotokan |
| Origin | Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Sakura Kasugano (春日野 さくら,Kasugano Sakura) is a character inCapcom'sStreet Fighter series. She made her first appearance inStreet Fighter Alpha 2 in 1996 and is a young Japanese fighter who idolizes the series' protagonistRyu, by whom she wants to be trained. She has often appeared in other games, including many crossover titles. Sakura quickly became a firm fan favorite in both Japan and the West, having ranked at or near the top of numerous official popularity polls run by Capcom.
Sakura was created byAkira "Akiman" Yasuda as a departure from traditional martial artists by giving her a youthful look with a school uniform which was revised following games from the series untilStreet Fighter V where she was given an alternate skin. Critical response to the character was generally positive due to her contrast with Ryu as well as the more mature female characterChun-Li, which makes her characterization stand out ever since her introduction to her more adult take inStreet Fighter V.
During the development of theStreet Fighter Alpha series, character designerAkira "Akiman" Yasuda expressed his disdain for how he felt the series was proceeding, recycling too many elements from preceding games while also appearing to be more influenced by the works of other companies. With the second game in the series,Street Fighter Alpha 2, he decided to take a more involved approach.[1] Not wanting to do so half-heartedly, he wanted to include a design he felt could differentiate it from theStreet Fighter series by including a more distinct "high school girl" type of character.[2] However, after he handed the design over to the development team the character was cut from the final game shortly thereafter. Disappointed he returned to his desk, but one of his superiors passing by noticed the design and praised it, insisting that it be put back into the game.[1]
Sakura stands 157 cm (5 ft 2 in) tall, and hasmeasurements of 80-60-84 cm (32-24-33 in).[3] Her outfit consists of aJapanese school uniform known as a sailorfuku, consisting of a white and blue loos shirt that exposes her lower midriff, a yellow scarf around the neck, a red undershirt, and a blue skirt with redbloomers underneath. Her hands are covered with red fighting gloves, while she has red sneakers on her feet. Meanwhile a long white headband covers her brow visible through her short haircut. Yasuda chose the outfit due to its association with Japanese high school girls, but also due to its presence as a trope in various Japanese media creating instant recognizability with audiences. Yasuda stated regarding the choice "As characters, female high school students are all-powerful in Japan [...] They're pretty much at the top of hierarchy".[4]
Yasuda stated regarding the design that he was annoyed at the attitudes of the development team at the time who were younger and more focused on current style trends. Additionally he felt they wanted to focus solely on "cool" characters and exclude more "weird" designs seen in the preceding games, such asE. Honda, and over-emphasizing an anime aesthetic in his view. He submitted Sakura knowing they expected a character more in line with designs seen in media such asThe Matrix, expecting the project leaders would dislike the submission. He additionally wanted her to be "something different" in the roster that fit outside the game's "narrow world view". Additional artwork for Sakura was provided by artist Naoto "Bengus" Kuroshima, who considers her a character he could express himself more easily with in contrast to others in the series and one he could draw naturally.[5] Yasuda in turn appreciated his additions, feeling they helped her become a great character.[2] The outfit remained standard look in titles up toStreet Fighter IV, as the producers felt it was an appearance for her players expected, even though by that point in the series' timeline she was no longer a high school student.[3]
With her appearance inIV she was given several alternative outfits such as gym clothes and a facsimile of fellow characterRyu's attire. Designed by Daigo Ikeno, he found himself drawing a large number of sketches of her due to her cute design, while maintaining what he called her "peek-a-boo" aspect.[3]
An early design forStreet Fighter Alpha 2 featured her in akimono shirt andhakama pants,[6] but was later abandoned in favor ofsailor fuku with redunderwear, oftenseen during her kicks. One pose used by Sakura after winning a battle is tomoonwalk. In the ending ofStreet Fighter IV, her hair is longer and she now sports a tracksuit top and a pair of athletic shorts. For her appearance inStreet Fighter V, Sakura's development ideas resembling her previous games, however in the end she was given a complete redesign to signify her no longer being a high school student despite how "schoolgirl outfit may be the strongest image associated with Sakura" (it is still available as an alternate costume). Other ideas included Sakura working a part-time job at a Japanesebento shop or as an assistant and actor for amotion capture studio.[7] Her new default outfit is based on those worn byJapanese idols[8] and she is wearing a red headband out of respect for Ryu.[7]
Sakura first appears inStreet Fighter Alpha 2, where she participates in street fighting after watchingRyu win thefirst World Warrior tournament. She searches for him and wishes for him to train her to be a better fighter. She eventually comes across Ryu, who tells her he cannot train her as he still has much to learn himself shortly after a sparring match.[9] InStreet Fighter Alpha 3, Sakura decides to travel the world to find Ryu. After Ryu saves her fromM. Bison, he promises Sakura a rematch at around the same time, she met and formed a rivalry withKarin Kanzuki.[10] InStreet Fighter IV, years have passed since Sakura last saw Ryu, so she decides to find Ryu again for a match in the new worldwide tournament. In the introduction sequences ofSuper Street Fighter IV, she is often seen in a group of three withDan Hibiki andBlanka.[11] She eventually finds Ryu. After the tournament, they exchange goodbyes.[12] In her ending, a slightly older-looking Sakura sees Ryu approaching. InStreet Fighter V, she is done with school and now works part-time at anarcade, but wonders what decisions she needs to make in order to be satisfied with her future.[13] Her rivalry with Karin continues and when Karin notices Sakura's problem, she sends Ryu over to Sakura's house to spar with her friend.[14]
Sakura is playable in theStreet Fighter EX series' fighting gamesStreet Fighter EX Plus α andStreet Fighter EX3.[15][16] She would also appear as the only non-Street Fighter II character in the proposed but never realized gameStreet Fighter IV: Flashback.[17] She is featured in the spin-off gamesStreet Fighter: Puzzle Spirits[18] andStreet Fighter Battle Combination.[19] Sakura makes a guest appearance in the fighting gameRival Schools: United by Fate, where she is involved in the adventure between her Tamagawa Minami High School and various other schools in Aoharu City. After helping her childhood friend Hinata and the others out from within the ordeal, she realizes how much it means to her to protect something she cares about. Sakura was included as "insurance" due to worries of bad sales.[20]
Sakura has appeared in various crossover fighting games, including theMarvel vs. Capcom andCapcom vs. SNK series, as well as inSuper Gem Fighter Mini Mix andCapcom Fighting Evolution.[21][22] She has an alter-ego called "Dark Sakura" (日焼けしたさくら,Hiyakeshita Sakura; lit. "Sunburned Sakura") as a secret character inMarvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter.[23] She also appears asDLC inStreet Fighter X Tekken with Blanka as her official tag team partner.[24] Sakura is a playable unit in the tactical role-playing gameNamco × Capcom. She is featured in the social gameOnimusha Soul,[25] where she appears in three different forms redesigned to fit itsfeudal Japan theme.[26] In the mobile puzzle gameStreet Fighter: Puzzle Spirits, she appears as asuper-deformed character.[18] Her likeness appears inWe Love Golf! as an unlockablecosplay outfit for the character Meg[27] and her character costume can be unlocked inCrimson Tears.[28]
Sakura is the titular character of the manga seriesStreet Fighter: Sakura Ganbaru! by Masahiko Nakahira, where she becomes a fighter in order to fight Ryu.[29] She starred in the comic book miniseriesStreet Fighter Legends: Sakura (and the one-shotStreet Fighter: Sakura vs. Karin) byUDON, and appeared in UDON's otherStreet Fighter comic books and theRival Schools comic. She also appears in theSuper Street Fighter graphic novels, in which she becomes Ryu's full-time apprentice and succumbed the power of the Dark Hadou before Ryu absorbed it out of her.[30]
Sakura is a character in the anime filmsStreet Fighter Alpha: The Animation andStreet Fighter Alpha: Generations, and appears in the episode "Second to None" of the American cartoon seriesStreet Fighter. She is a supporting character inStreet Fighter IV: The Ties That Bind, assisting Ken in his efforts to locate Ryu.[31][32][33]
Victor Entertainment released adrama CDStreet Fighter Zero 2 Another Story in 1996, which had Sakura as the lead character. A sequel followed later that same year. Sakura's theme song, "Kono Omoi o Tsutaetai" sung byYuko Sasamoto, her voice actress inStreet Fighter Alpha 2 and other games following, was released commercially.[34]
Many figures of Sakura were released by various manufacturers,[35] such as one in two versions by Kotobukiya in 2015.[36][37] "Sakura's bowl of stamina" meals were included in a restaurant menu during one promotional event.[38] Sakura's card is included in the card gamesStreet Fighter Deck-Building Game andUniversal Fighting System. A Sakura cosmetic outfit has also been added toFortnite.[39]
Sakura has been well received since her introduction. The staff ofGamesRadar+ described her as one of Capcom's best characters, stating while the word "fanboy/fangirl" was often a negative, her idol worship of Ryu allowed her to develop into one of the best fighters in theStreet Fighter setting. Noting Sakura's role as one of the few female characters introduced in the franchise at the point, of her introduction they felt her "spunky, can-do attitude" made her one of the most popular characters in theStreet Fighter Alpha series.[40] The staff ofNew Zealand Station magazine on the other hand were critical of her character, feeling she represented "dangerous new territory" for the depiction of women in gaming as they felt Capcom had shifted away from the "wholesome and strong-willedChun Li into the cute but undeniably underaged Sakura".[41] TheArcadia magazine had a commentary about the parallels Sakura shares withThe King of Fighters participantAthena Asamiya due to their similarities.Aoi Nishimata's work on Sakura made both characters stand out also in themoe factor which led to the developers for these characters interact again. In retrospect, both Athena and Sakura were found similar due to their designs and age mismatched for the fighting genre, made a striking debut in the mid-1990s. There was a slight anxiety as to whether these frail and weak girls would be able to fight against strong fighters, perhaps due to the influence ofSailor Moon which was creating a boom at the time. A decade after their debut, Athena's bold image change with her costumes and hairstyles has given her amusement, while Sakura's sense of security as an eternal high school girl has built up a history of their own "good points. Both heroines are supported by many fans, and even in modern times continue to shine as active poster girls, appearing in simulation games and puzzle games.[42] According toVG247, early promotion of Capcom and SNK crossover games involving Sakura andKyo Kusanagi fromThe King of Fighters playing the video games was a major surprise to the audience back in the early 2000s.[43]
IGN's D. F. Smith described Sakura as being at the start ofStreet Fighter becoming a multimedia phenomon through various media and merchandise, stating that she was "never just a video game character" due to her presence in theSakura Ganbaru! comic strip. In terms of design, he argued that many depending on how one looked at her the emphasis onsex appeal may be too obvious and described her as a "teenage girl in a sailor uniform with a skirt that's a whole lot shorter than normal" and added "No prizes for guessing who that's meant to appeal to." Regardless, he felt this contrasted well with her demeanor, and that while she was often the subject ofcomic relief and her appearance might be "a little silly [...] her attitude is all business".[44] Michael Colwander ofComic Book Resources stated that "Few characters have made as much of an impact on the SF series as Sakura when she debuted" due to how well her energetic personality resonated with the fan community. He further noted that while her schoolgirl uniform had defined her character for some time he appreciated how well herStreet Fighter V attire represented a progression in time for the character, and served as a good start to illustrate the franchise moving forward narratively.[45]
In terms of her character, Suriel Vazquez and Eric Van Allen ofPaste stated they felt Sakura was sometimes "the only character who’s actually having fun with this whole street-fighting thing" in the franchise, praising her infectious "relentless optimism" and her relationships with the other characters in the franchise. They added while she wasn't the strongest character in the series, they still appreciated that she was self-taught and eager, and saw her as a reflection of how players should approach fighting games: "acknowledging weaknesses while taking them in stride".[46] Gavin Jasper ofDen of Geek meanwhile called her "one of the best characters in the series", stating that in many ways she added meaning to Ryu's life as a character and acted as the "angel" on his shoulder in contrast to his rivalry withAkuma and constantly believing him. He further called her a "plucky go-getter", appreciating how she managed to carve her own niche in theStreet Fighter universe and illustrated visible growth as a character through her relationships with Dan, Karin and theRival Schools cast.[47]
Media related toSakura Kasugano at Wikimedia Commons
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