Setting
See also: List of Sakura Wars titlesSakura Wars is set in a fictional Taishō period. Although the alternate timeline's history is similar to that of the real world, a crucial difference lies in technology, where most of the benefits of today's modern era are made possible in the early 1900s with the effective utilization of steam. In particular, the Imperial Capital Tokyo, also known as the Teito (the capital), stood at the forefront of that period's technological revolution. This was thanks in part to the company called Kanzaki Heavy Industries, who were considered world-leaders in steam-powered machinery.
On Taishō 7 (1918), an event known as "The Kouma War" took place, where a huge demon appeared at Nihonbashi in Tokyo. It was eventually sealed away by the Imperial Army's Counter-Demon Team, but their success came at a huge cost. Due to this incident, an internationally approved effort was made to secure Tokyo from future spiritual threats, thus the formation of the Imperial Capital Defense Program and the Imperial Assault Force.
To increase the defenses of those who would be enlisted by the new organization to fight against demons, part of the preparations involved the development of a dual-powered steam/spirit armor by Kanzaki Heavy Industries. While experiments were being made on a prototype called "Oobu", only a young girl bearing high levels of spiritual power was shown to have been capable of moving it, giving birth to the misconception that only women could operate the armor.
The center of the top secret corps was hidden underneath a theater in the heart of Ginza called the Grand Imperial Theater (大帝国劇場, Dai Teikoku Gekijō?). Here, the women of the Imperial Assault Force — Flower Division lived and worked undercover as actors performing theatrical plays under the alias "Imperial Opera Troupe," or "Imperial Revue". The reasoning behind this was both spiritual and mental: song and dance were considered to be traditional methods that could suppress evil, and the stage was likened to a battlefield where self-confidence is built.
When the Imperial Assault Force went into service and had proven to be an effective means of defending Tokyo, other countries soon followed. It began with the creation of the Paris Assault Force, with its base of operations located at a famous Parisian night club known as the Theatre Chattes Noires (テアトル・シャノワール, Teatoru Shanowā?). The New York Fighting Troupe was established at the Little Lip Theater (リトルリップ・シアター, Ritorurippu Shiatā?) on Broadway shortly afterwards.
The series depicts the trials and tribulations of these different attack squads as the members grow into their roles and strive to protect their respective cities, while dealing with personal issues at the same time.
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