Sakura Spirit

Rising Judo Star Gushiken Takahiro was two weeks away from the match that would make or break his career — a championship match where the winner is then signed up to be a young national athlete for Japan. He was very determined to win, in order to fulfill his dreams of finally representing his country for a sport he loves so much. He’s prepared and ready, but that doesn’t stop him from being nervous about his upcoming battle. At the suggestion of his friends and classmates, he goes to a shrine that is rumoured to grant any wish or prayer. He pours all the coins from his already full coin bank into the offering box and says his prayer. After praying, he becomes dizzy and nauseous and eventually faints. When he wakes up, he finds himself in an ancient, unfamiliar place. While searching for a way back to his village, he stumbles upon two girl wielding swords chasing after two… foxgirls? He questions his brain at first, but then follows them, only to be caught up in their shenanigans as well. Who are these girls, and are they involved in Takahiro’s arrival to this new world? Will he get back to his own world and timeline in time for his match? Or will he be stuck there forever?

Gameplay:

Sakura Spirit is primarily a visual novel, meaning the gameplay revolves around reading the story and making decisions at key points, which influence the direction of the narrative. Players engage with the story by progressing through text dialogues, accompanied by static 2D images and background music. The choices made by the player affect the relationships with various characters and can lead to different endings, enhancing the game's replayability.

Features:

Championship match: The app features an intense championship match where players can experience the thrill of competing at a high level in the sport of Judo.

Career-defining opportunity: The match in the app is a make-or-break moment for the protagonist's career, adding a sense of urgency and excitement to the gameplay.

National athlete: Winning the championship match in the app allows players to become a young national athlete for Japan, providing a unique and prestigious achievement.

Determination and passion: The protagonist's strong determination to win and fulfill his dreams of representing his country adds a compelling narrative to the game.

Representation of Japan: The app allows players to represent Japan, providing a sense of national pride and patriotism.

Love for the sport: The protagonist's deep love for Judo is evident in the app, making it appealing to players who have a passion for martial arts and sports in general.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

Captivating Story: The plot is engaging, with plenty of twists and emotional moments.

Beautiful Artwork: High-quality visuals enhance the storytelling experience.

Multiple Endings: Adds significant replay value as players can explore different narrative paths.

Cons:

Limited Interactivity: As a visual novel, the gameplay is primarily reading with occasional decision-making, which might not appeal to those seeking more interactive experiences.

Short Length: Some players may find the game relatively short compared to other visual novels.

Reviews:

Foxy Lady, I'm Coming To Get Ya!

The artwork on offer in Sakura Spirit is something I do like. The different girls you come across look fantastic. I especially like the sexy fox girls that this game has. These girls look like a million bucks, wear very little clothing, and as you would expect they have giant boobs that defy gravity pretty much through the whole story. The thing is, this is a game that if you ask me is just crying out for some XXX action, but there is none of that at all in the game. Most of the sex stuff is more suggestive and done via innuendo which can be fun if it is done in a clever way, but it is not. Also, there is no voice acting in the game at all and this can make the whole thing feel kind of flat in places.

Will I Ever Get Home?

This is a very passive visual novel game. Sakura Spirit is not the kind of game that you want to play if you are looking for a narrative that you can change. The game does give you a choice right at the end, but in all honesty, I have to say that I am not 100 percent certain that many people will stick it all out until the end to make it.The game is full of spelling and punctuation errors too which can take you out of it. Especially as most of these tend to happen at the start of the game.

Final Thoughts:

Rising Judo Star, Gushiken Takahiro, was about to have the match that would make or break his career in two weeks. A championship match where the winner is then signed up to be a young national athlete for Japan. He was very determined to win, in order to fulfill his dreams of finally representing his country for a sport he loves so much.He was prepared and ready, but that doesn’t stop him from being nervous for his upcoming battle. With the suggestion of his friends and classmates, he goes to a shrine that was rumoured to grant any wish or prayer. He poured all the coins from his already full coin bank into the offering box and made his prayer. After praying, he becomes dizzy and nauseous and eventually faints. When he woke up, he was already in an ancient place he didn’t recognize.While searching for a way back to his village, he stumbles upon two girl wielding swords chasing after two… foxgirls? He questions his brain at first, but then follows them, only to be caught in on their shenanigans as well.Who are these girls and are they involved on Takahiro’s arrival to this new world? Will he ever get back to his home place and timeline just in time for his match? Or will he be stuck there forever?