Sakura Wars creator Oji Hiroi hosted a special talk show at the Sega Universe Tokyo event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Sakura Wars series. Much to the delight of fans, he’s very optimistic about the chance of heading up work on the sequel himself.
When asked if he had any ideas for a sequel, Hiroi said he had a story for Sakura Wars 6 and he kept the story exactly as it was written at the time.
I don’t know if it’s applicable in today’s world or if I can implement it, but if a time like this comes, I’ll do everything right.
Of course, this isn’t an official statement, just Hiroya’s personal feelings on the matter, and it remains to be seen whether his vision for Sakura Wars 6 can be realized.
What was notable about the rest of his speech, however, was how engrossed Hiroi was in the world he created in Sakura Wars. He recalled that the characters were constantly in his mind while making the game, even while having dinner with his wife. He said the characters were “like lovers to him” and explained that he felt he had to live with them constantly.
Although this made him very lonely and sometimes caused trouble for those around him, Hiroi expressed great gratitude for the support of the other members of the Sakura Wars development team, as they were basically the only people who truly understood him.
This is where I live. To create space for myself, I had no choice but to come up with ideas. I am constantly creating images and characters in my mind, which when I bring them to life creates a space for me and gathers a team around me. That’s why I have absolutely no friends.
