Events
Sakura Wars: Exhibition Celebrates 30 Years of the Series
Rare production materials and memorabilia from the multimedia franchise are on display in Tokyo and Kyoto.
The exhibition "Sakura Wars 30th Anniversary Exhibition – Yume wa Yomigaeru" marks the 30th anniversary of the series in 2026 with stops in Tokyo and Kyoto. On display are rare production materials and other exhibits from the history of the multimedia franchise.
The first venue is SPACE1 on the eighth floor of Yurakucho Marui in Tokyo. The exhibition runs there from October 31 to November 15, 2026. It then moves on to Kyoto: at Space Galleria KYOTO on the sixth floor of Kyoto Avanti, it can be seen from December 4, 2026 to January 4, 2027.
As KAI-YOU reports, special anniversary items are to be sold alongside the exhibits. More detailed information about the materials on display, admission tickets and merchandise is to follow gradually via the exhibition's official website and official X account.
From Sega Saturn Game to Multimedia Franchise
The first part of Sakura Wars was released on September 27, 1996 for the Sega Saturn. The game combines a fictional, steam-powered Taisho era with the story of the Imperial Combat Revue. Its members perform as a theater ensemble in everyday life while also fighting threats to the capital.
The series was later expanded beyond games into TV anime, feature films, manga, music events and stage productions. The Kayou Shows in particular connected the characters, their voice actors and the theatrical world of the story with real stage performances. According to KAI-YOU, the series and its spin-offs have shipped more than four million units in Japan combined.
The anniversary exhibition thus recalls not only the start of a long-running Sega franchise, but also its early link between games, anime, music and theater. Further current reports on Japanese game franchises can be found, for example, in the article on the Duel Masters app and its security vulnerability.