That said, *if* there were relatively recent versions of Sakura Wars 1-4 for currently viable consoles, I might prefer them. But it looks like the last console ports of Sakura Wars 1-2 were on PSP in 2006. That's a two-part problem. Unfortunately, the staff of RPGamer have said that a few years ago, an undisclosed company tried to get Sony to approve a localization of Sakura Wars 1-2 for PSP, but the request was denied. And even more unfortunately, PSP software is no longer considered commercially viable outside of Japan.

So yeah, I would be willing to support localizations of the early Sakura Wars games for PC. I think the ideal version might be the "Sakura Taisen Premium Edition" which SEGA published in 2006. It contained the first four games on separate discs.

Possible problems:
* Will more than a few people buy the games?
* Can they make a profit through digital distribution services?
* Would the expenses of licensing and translation be too much?

Edit: Oh and I think Hell yeah wrath of the dead rabbit,Yakuza 5,Phantasy Star online 2(granted its free to play but some things will cost money and if it gets localised well...) project X-zone will be keeping Sega sufficiantly afloat,well when the games release and all oh and Nights in to dreams is coming out to...I state this only because its probably not to wise to tell a company "Heres easy money you know you need it and all because your doing so poorly" even if the phrasing is different....Yes I know that was aimed towards Sega you state as much but getting a company on your side you may want to not make them feel as if this is one last ditch effort to get some money befor they drown. Simply saying " this is cost effective because it gest the game easilly accesible to the masses without a huge production budget" ect ect

- There are pre-existing PC ports of the first four games in the series.

- Digital Distribution via Steam, GOG, or GamersGate is low-cost and low-risk.

- Niche games thrive on networks like Steam, as proven by the success of titles by indie
developers, as well as the modest sales of JRPGs like the "Ys" series. This is because
PC gaming is a niche in and of itself.

- Sega has proven that they turn a series steeped in Japanese lore and lingo, such as
the "Yakuza" series, into a decent seller.

The "Sakura Wars" franchise is arguably the most important in contemporary "otaku" gaming, due to the fact that it was the first RPG to blend dating sim elements into its narrative. This is a practice that would later be used in countless JRPGs, such as the recent "Record of Agarest War" series. Furthermore, it sports art by Keisuke Fujishima, who is responsible for creating the acclaimed "Oh, My Goddess!" series, and music by Kohei Tanaka, who you may recognize as the composer for a little hit called "One Piece." Culturally important and filled with top-notch talent, this is one series any anime fan or RPG gamer can pick up and fall in love with.

The reason I am posting this in the forums of Aksys, Atlus, NIS and Sega is because I truly believe that with the right marketing and utilization of digital distribution, the "Sakura Wars" series could help reign in extra income for the companies. This could prove vital to Sega, who have been financially suffering; therefore, a low-risk product with decent income that is more than guaranteed could help them stay afloat.

Furthermore, the SW series has had almost every aspect of its franchise brought to America, minus the first four games, a spin-off, and one anime OVA. It has a deep rooting in the hardcore anime fan crowd, and with no boxed retail release to worry about, any of these companies would not stand to lose much, and would be delivering something fans have been clamoring for since the PSone days of gaming.

Operation Rainfall has set a rule in stone: at 500 Facebook "Likes", they would *consider* granting an interview to break our cause through to the mainstream. So please, take a moment of your time to visit the FB page below, "Like", then spread the word to friends, and show these companies that you want "Sakura Wars", and you want it now!

FB PAGE:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kiss-Me-Sweet-The-Sakura-Wars-Localization-Project/382878205094476