Sakura Taisen GB: Geki Hanagumi Nyuutai!

Sakura Taisen GB: Geki Hanagumi Nyuutai!
Also known as: Sakura Wars GB Developers: Jupiter, Red Company Publisher: Media Factory Platforms: Game Boy Color Released in JP: July 28, 2000 This game has unused code. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused sounds. This game has unused text. This game has debugging material. This game has a hidden sound test. This game has a notes page

As the title suggests, Sakura Taisen GB is a spin-off game of Sega's popular Sakura Wars series... on a Nintendo system. Rather than play as the captain of a troupe of actresses/mech pilots, the player controls a self-insert character as they undergo a trial enlistment with the Flower Division.

Sub-Page

Notes

Unused Title Screen

An alternate title screen showing a different animation of Sakura and the "PRESS START" text in the graphic rather than underneath it can be found in the ROM. When the Start button is pressed, Sakura opens her eyes. To boot to this screen, edit the ROM offset at 0x0015D4 to 35 or enable Game Genie code 355-D4E-E62.

(Source: Dan Jia)

Unused Planner Screen

The player normally undergoes two training sessions per day, one in the morning of a predetermined type, and another in the afternoon of their choice. In the final game, the player can choose their afternoon training each day, and these training types are represented with animations of the player's avatar doing the training, but code and graphics exist for a weekly planner screen, game state 0x3E, that allows the player to plan their afternoon training for the whole week.

The top row, 朝, is for morning training with icons for each member of the Flower Division under their respective training days. The bottom row, 昼, is the afternoon training where the player can set their own training type. Each type of training can be chosen up to three times per week, a limit that was removed in the final game. (Saturday afternoon is reserved for weekly combat exams.)

An unused "Schedule" menu button in the player's room reveals a copy of this page, though the palettes on the Flower Division character icons are incorrect. The button has a different color from the others when unselected.

Some lines of dialogue from the player character related to this screen can also be found in the ROM:

Japanese	Translation
じゃぁ、スケジュールを きめよう。	Okay then, let's set my schedule.
じゃぁ、らいしゅうの スケジュールをたてよう。	Okay, let's set my schedule for the next week.
これでよし..、と。	Aaand... Done.

(Source: Dan Jia (Discovery), MattoBii (Translation))

TV Adapter

...But what does it mean? This game has text or audio that needs to be translated. If you are fluent with this language, please read our translation guidelines and then submit a translation!

In the communications menu, there is a normally-inaccessible option to connect to a TV Adapter peripheral. This option appears sporadically on real hardware and either always or never on certain emulators, depending on how they implement IR functionality. This adapter was never advertised, and no units are known to exist. The diagrams in the screenshots above are the only known images of this adapter. Despite this, the functionality for receiving data from this adapter is complete.

The adapter would have read barcodes from a TV screen and convert it to data to be read from the Game Boy Color's IR port. Although the diagram shows it connected to the Link Cable port, there are no functions in this game that use that port. The patent for the adapter, filed jointly by Media Factory and Jupiter, shows that it would have communicated with the Game Boy Color's Link Cable port directly and not the IR port, meaning that that the functionality as implemented may have been a placeholder or an oversight before development of the adapter was cancelled. The patent also shows further applications for this technology, including receiving "complex game data" such as new game content and version updates, which could have been received from sources such as arcade monitors and TV broadcasts.

The only known source of these barcodes is the Dreamcast port of the original Sakura Taisen (released May 25, 2000, several months before this game). In that game, the One Long Day mode will show a brown TV icon showing a flashing barcode in the rooms of Flower Division members whose endings the player has attained, as well as a blue TV icon in the conversation after playing their minigame and saving scores. The Dreamcast version's manual states that "In One Long Day mode, you'll occasionally find a 'TV mark' displayed on the screen. Remember where these marks appear, something good might happen with them later." According to interviews in the fan book Sakura Wars Serenade (2021), M2, who oversaw development of that port, were unaware of what the barcodes were planned for and assumed they were for a yet-unannounced camera peripheral. Sakura Taisen series producer and Chief Producer on the Dreamcast port of the first game, Noriyoshi Oba, speculates that Nintendo halted development of the adapter, but no firsthand sources have come forward with an explanation.

There are two sets of dialogue for each character that correspond to places these icons appear: one thanking the player for completing Sakura Taisen, with some suggesting they play Sakura Taisen 2 next, and one pertaining to minigame data. The former has Sakura and Iris reference a feature called ユメのきょうえん (Dream Collaboration), but no such feature exists in the Dreamcast port of Sakura Taisen, nor is one mentioned in the manual.

Sakura

Japanese	Translation
あら、こんにちは。 サクラ大戦1のクリア、 ありがとうございます。	"Oh, hello there. Thank you for clearing Sakura Taisen 1. Thank you so much."
このきのうは、なんでも ユメのきょうえんっていう らしいですね。	"I believe this function is called the 'Dream Collaboration.'"
何が起こるかはかんせいしての お楽しみらしいですけどね。 では。	"You'll have to wait until it's complete to see what it does, though. See you later."

Japanese	Translation
あら、こんにちは。	"Oh, hello there."
たんとうの人がつかれたから 手をぬくって言ってます..。	"The person usually in charge of this said they're taking a break."
とりあえず、サクラ大戦1の ミニゲームデータをじゅしん しました。	"Anyways, we've received your Sakura Taisen 1 minigame data."

Sumire

Japanese	Translation
お〜ほっほっほ。 サクラ大戦1を私でクリア されたようですわね。	"Ohohoho. I see you've cleared Sakura Taisen 1 with me."
まぁ、当然の事ですわね。	"Well, it's only natural."

Japanese	Translation
まったく、たんとうしゃの こんきのなさにもあきれた もんですわね。	"Honestly, I'm appalled at how lazy the man in charge around here is."
まぁ、サクラ大戦1の ミニゲームデータをじゅしん したからいいですけど。	"Well, your Sakura Taisen 1 minigame data has been received, so I suppose it's alright."

Maria

Japanese	Translation
あら、ごくろうさま。 サクラ大戦1は楽しかった？	"Nice work, cadet. Did you have fun with Sakura Taisen 1?"
次はぜひとも2にちょうせん して欲しいわね。 じゃぁ。	"I hope you try playing Sakura Taisen 2 next. See you later."

Japanese	Translation
たんとうしゃにはあとで 言っておくわ。	"I'll tell the person usually in charge about this later."
サクラ大戦1のミニゲーム データを確かにじゅしん したわ。	"We received your minigame data from Sakura Taisen 1."

Iris

Japanese	Translation
ジャジャ〜ン、アイリスだよ。 サクラたいせん1のクリア おめでと〜！	"Ta-dah! It's Iris! Congrats on finishing Sakura Taisen 1!"
ねぇねぇ、ゆめのきょうえん ってな〜に？	"Hey, what's this 'Dream Collaboration' thing?"

Japanese	Translation
ぶ〜！ てぬきはいけないんだよ〜！	"Heyyy! Don't slack off on the job!"
サクラたいせん1の ミニゲームデータはもらった からゆるしてね。	"Sorry, here's your Sakura Taisen 1 minigame data."

Kohran

Japanese	Translation
あちゃ〜、またやってもうた。	"Aw man, not again."
おっと、なんやサクラ大戦1を クリアしたみたいやな〜。 とりあえずおめでとさん。	"Oh, looks like ya finished Sakura Taisen 1. Congrats!"
次は2をやるんやで〜。 ほな！	"Play Sakura Taisen 2 after this, okay? See ya!"

Japanese	Translation
あちゃ〜、またやってもうた。	"Aw man, not again."
ってカットアンドペーストは やめいっちゅに！	"Hey, quit cuttin' and pastin'!"
おっと、なんやサクラ大戦1の ミニゲームデータがきた ようやな。	"Oh, looks like your minigame data from Sakura Taisen 1 is here."
やっぱ科学はいだいやなぁ。 ほな！	"That's the power of science! See ya!"

Kanna

Japanese	Translation
おっす！ サクラ大戦1をクリアしたん だってな。	"Oh hey, I hear you beat Sakura Taisen 1."
あたしゃぁ、あのせんとうが にがてでさぁ、もっとガンガン ぶちこわせねぇもんかね？	"I'm not so good with tactics. I just want to bash their heads in."
まぁ、そんなこたぁどうでも いいや。 とりあえずおめでとさん。	"Well, it doesn't matter. Anyways, congrats."

Japanese	Translation
おっす！ 気合がたりないやつには、 あとでカツをいれといてやる。	"Hey! I'll give that slacker a good talking to after this."
あたしにゃぁ、よくわからない けど、ミニゲームデータって のはきてるようだぜ。	"I don't really know what it means, but looks like we got your minigame data from Sakura Taisen 1."

The adapter would have been capable of unlocking the following, which are normally purchasable in the shop after fulfilling conditions in the game or by connecting with the Pocket Sakura or another copy of the game:

• Minigame hard modes
• Sakura petal map cursor
• Item index
• ひらめきの指輪 (Ring of Revelation), which increases the amount of Intellect gained in training but uses more stamina
• 不思議なお守り (Mysterious Charm), which increases the amount of Spirit gained in training but uses more stamina
• 根性ハチマキ (Guts Headband), which increases the amount of Guts gained in training but uses more stamina
• 軽やかなクツ (Light Shoes), which increases the amount of Agility gained in training but uses more stamina
• クッキリレンズ (Clear Lens), which increases the amount of Accuracy gained in training but uses more stamina

These items can only be obtained with the TV Adapter and are therefore impossible to get without hacking:

• Price reductions for shop items: Flower Division photos, event gallery, portrait gallery, voice collections, schedule/face map icons, and minigame hard modes
• A large sum of bonus points for the shop, more than can be gained through connecting with another copy of the game or the Pocket Sakura. The amounts of 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 7,500, 10,000, 25,000, 50,000, and 65,535 can be given to the player four times apiece.
• Photos of Orihime and Reni, who otherwise make only very brief cameos in this game
• Portrait galleries for each Flower Division member
• Candy map cursor (unlocked after getting one portrait gallery, price reduction, minigame hard mode, or Orihime or Reni's photo). Unlike the other cursors, it has no animation.

• 

  Orihime's photo

• 

  Reni's photo

• 

  Candy cursor (center)

Orihime and Reni appear in Sakura Taisen GB2, and their photos above can be obtained normally there.

(Source: Dan Jia (discovery), MattoBii (translation))

Unused Voices

Nearly one-third of the ROM space is used for digitized speech samples. Despite this, many of them remain unused and inaccessible in the unlockable voice test menu. However, the debug sound test detailed below can play these voices.

Endings

These (mostly) match text from endings focused on each member of the Flower Division, but as playback of these samples requires full control of the CPU (as well as interrupting all other sound), they were likely unused as playing them back would have significantly slowed the pacing of these endings. In-game, only the last line of each ending is voiced.

Sakura

Sound	Japanese	Translation
	よかった.... 間に合わないかと思って ました。	"Thank goodness! I thought wasn't going to make it!"
	大神さんから聞いたんです。 この汽車にのるんだって....	"Captain Ogami told me you were boarding this train."
	あの.... 渡しそびれちゃったものが あるんです。	"Um, there's something I never got the chance to give you..."
	ハイ、これ....	"Here you go."
	こんどの公演のチケットです。 ぜひ見に来てくださいね！	"It's a ticket for our next production. Please come and see it!"

Sumire

Sound	Japanese	Translation
	よかったですわ、 間に合って....	"Thank goodness I made it!"
	少尉から聞いたんですの。 この汽車にのるのだと....	"The ensign told me you were boarding this train."
	実は.... 渡しそびれたものが ありまして。	"You see, there's something I didn't have the chance to give you."
	これですわ....	"Here it is!"
	次回の公演のチケットですわ。 わたくしの素晴らしい演技を 見に来てくださいね。	"It's a ticket for our next production. Please come see my wonderful performance!"

Maria

Sound	Japanese	Translation
	よかったわ、 間に合って....	"Thank goodness I made it."
	隊長から聞いたのよ。 この汽車にのるって....	"The captain told me you were boarding this train."
	実は.... 渡しそびれたものが あったの。	"Actually, there's something I never got the chance to give you."
	これよ....	"Here."
	こんどの公演のチケットよ。 あなたにぜひ見に来て もらいたいの....	"It's a ticket for our next production. I'd like you to come see it."

Iris

Sound	Japanese	Translation
	よかった〜。 まにあって....	"Thank goodness I made it!"
	お兄ちゃんがおしえて くれたの。ちい兄ちゃんは きしゃでかえるんだって....	"Mon autre frère told me you were going home on this train!"
	あのね。 ちい兄ちゃんに あげたいものがあるの....	"There's something I wanted to give you, mon frère."
	ハイ、これ....	"Here you go!"
	うん、 こんどのこうえんのだよ。 アイリス、がんばるから ぜったいみにきてね。	"Uh-huh! It's for our next production! I'm gonna work really hard on it, so come see it, okay?"

• In the original Sakura Taisen, Iris uses お兄ちゃん onii-chan to refer to Ogami. In this game, she uses ちい兄ちゃん chii-nii-chan for the player character. In the fan translation of Sakura Taisen, onii-chan is translated to "mon frère." In the translations above, "mon frère" refers to the player character, and "mon autre frère" refers to Ogami.

Kohran

Sound	Japanese	Translation
	よかった.... 間におうたわ。	"Thank goodness! I made it!"
	大神はんが教えてくれたんや。 この汽車にのるってな....	"Captain Ogami told me you were boardin' this train."
	実は、(Player) はんに 渡しそびれたもんが あってな....	"Actually, there's somethin' I didn't get the chance to give ya."
	ほい、これ....	"Here ya go."
	そや、次回公演のチケットや。 せっかくやから見に来てや。 そしたら、また会えるしな....	"Yep, it's a ticket for our next production! Make sure ya come watch it, that way we can see each other again!"

Kanna

Sound	Japanese	Translation
	よかったぜ、 間に合って....	"I made it! Thank goodness."
	隊長から聞いたんだよ。 お前がこの汽車にのるって....	"The boss told me you were boarding this train."
	実は.... 渡したいモノがあったんだよ。	"Actually, there's something I wanted to give you."
	ほら、受けとれよ....	"Here, take it."
	こんどの公演のチケットさ。 見に来れば、またみんなとも 会えるだろ？	"It's a ticket for our next production. If you come watch us, we'll be able to see each other again, right?"

Minigames

These voices appear to be associated with the minigames, two for each character/minigame. A voice plays after the player performs well in each minigame, but the unused samples appear to be intended to play after average or poor results.

Sakura

Sound	Translation
	"Good luck next time!"
	"You were so close, too!"

Sumire

Sound	Translation
	"Perhaps you should try again sometime."
	"Oh, you were so close, too."

Maria

Sound	Translation
	"I'm looking forward to next time."
	"Too bad. You were so close."

Iris

Sound	Translation
	"Come and play again sometime!"
	"Aw, don't give up, mon frère!"

Kohran

Sound	Translation
	"Good luck next time!"
	"So close!"

Kanna

Sound	Translation
	"What, finished already?"
	"Come try again sometime!"

(Source: Dan Jia (Discovery), MattoBii (Translation))

Debug Menus

A set of test screens allows immediate access to various features of the game.

To access these screens, edit the ROM offset at 0x0015D4 to one of the following values, or enable Game Genie code xx5-D4E-E62, where xx is one of the below values, to boot to these screens instead of the main game:

• 24: Minigame test
• 2E: Training test
• 31: Animation test
• 32: Battle test

Alternatively, apply this IPS patch to boot to the minigame test screen:

Download Sakura Taisen GB - Geki Hanagumi Nyuutai! (Japan) - Debug patch File: SakuraTaisenGB-Debug.zip (198 bytes) (info)

In all menus, press Select to cycle through screens.

Minigame Test

This screen launches minigames. If the hard difficulty for these minigames are unlocked in the main game, they will be available here.

• Left: Sakura minigame.
• Up: Sumire minigame.
• Right: Kohran minigame.
• Down: Kanna minigame.
• A: Iris minigame.
• B: Maria minigame.
• Start: Boot game normally. (Incorrectly labeled as "SoundTest.")

Training Test

This screen performs daily training. If save data exists, the stats and training results are based on the most recently loaded save file. If not, all stats are maximized. All changes made here are lost when a save file is loaded.

• Left: Sakura training.
• Up: Iris training.
• Right: Sumire training.
• Down: Maria training.
• A: Kanna training.
• B: Kohran training.
• Start: Rest.

Unused Graphics

The characters' names rendered in English are loaded in memory on this screen and the Animation Test screen.

Animation Test

When this screen is loaded, some text on this screen will appear glitched, but this can be corrected by playing an animation after pressing Start (see below). Several options are mislabeled. Pressing buttons will play an animation in the blank space in the top-right.

• Left: Watering Sakura's cactus.
• Up: Working on Kohran's puzzle. (Incorrectly labeled as Iris.)
• Right: Sumire's special attack.
• Down: Caring for Iris' stuffed animal. (Incorrectly labeled as Maria.)
• A: Kanna's special attack.
• B: Kohran's special attack.
• Start: Pressing Start once, twice, or three times, then pressing Left, Up, or Down will play a different animation in the same category. Pressing Right, A, or B will play the same animation, but with graphical glitches. Pressing Start four or more times and then any of the above buttons will result in the animation playing with graphical glitches. The glitches increase in severity with each press of the Start button, to the point where the animation may not be visible at all. (Incorrectly labeled as "SoundTest.")

Battle Test

This screen starts a battle sequence. Any Koubu (first option) and enemy (second option) can be chosen. After the battle concludes, it returns to this screen.

Pressing Start on this screen causes a duplicate of the first tile of this screen's title to appear on the top-left of the screen. Pressing Start again removes it. The purpose of this is unknown.

Flag Editor

Pressing B in the battle test screen will open a menu revealing many flags and other data for the most recently loaded save file, with descriptive labels. Unlabeled flags are shown in blue. If there is no save data, all values are initialized to FF or ON. All changes made here are lost when a save file is loaded. Maria's theme plays on this screen.

• A: Increase value by 1 or toggle On/Off flag.
• B: Exit to battle test screen.
• Start and Select: Cycle through pages.

See the notes page for information on these flags.

(Source: Dan Jia)

Sound Test

This is a different sound test from the main game that can access all sounds, including the unused voices above. The voice test has 108 samples, but the third digit isn't shown.

Edit the ROM offset at 0x0015D4 to 30 (or enable Game Genie code 305-D4E-E62) to boot to this sound test instead of the main game, or apply this patch:

Download Sakura Taisen GB - Geki Hanagumi Nyuutai! (Japan) - Debug Sound Test patch File: SakuraTaisenGB-SoundTest.zip (206 bytes) (info)

(Source: Dan Jia)

Hidden SRAM Text

The strings KurumiLoveMamiya and SakuraLoveTange! are written multiple times throughout SRAM. Kurumi Mamiya and Sakura Tange are voice actresses, but neither have ever had any involvement with Sakura Taisen.

Fallback Player Name

At the start of the game, the player is required to enter their name, and no default name is provided. However, if cheats or hacks are used to jump to later dialogue events before a player name is set, the name is replaced with ひろい (Hiroi). This is named after Sakura Taisen series creator Oji Hiroi.