Sakura Character Spotlight

     We always want that really strong or beautiful looking girl or maybe that new one coming out the next event but would those be the only reasons to add tem in our harem? With a campaign now that gives a bonus to the girls in the same region, we can tell that theres more to a flower knight than just her stats and pretty face. That has compelled me into making a character spotlight so we can learn more about our precious girls than just what we see at face value. Today I'll be introducing the first character for spotlight which is the first rainbow I have ever gotten and my long time trusty right-hand knight, Sakura!


     Sakura(サクラ) in english is 'Cherry Blossom' and her flower meaning in the game is "Sugureta Bijin" or Exceptional Beauty. While she says that is definitely her meaning and is called that, she thinks otherwise on why she would be the one named after that. She hails from Blossom Hill and her classification is rosaceae(バラ科). She is of Magic attribute and her favorite present is cakes. Her Hp begins at 1600 and ends with 10200 fully leveled up. With 100% affection, it is 13080(2880). Her attack power starts at 810 with the ending result of 4920. Full♥ at 6648(1728). Defense introduced at 460 reaching a max of 1840 or 2560(720). Her moveability is at a slow 335 which makes her the slowest 6 star girl ever. She has the, Majuuhou • Sakura Fubuki, skill that does a devastating shot which blasts through a single enemy doing 3x the damage she normally deals. Witnessing that skill definitely made me want her and easily brings fear into the pest's eyes. Her first ability raises all party members atk by 15%. Her after evolution ability is almost the same thing in which it rises the atk power of all the members by 20% but only in RaidBoss warfare. Sakura is an attack powerhouse and influences the rest of her team to do stronger attacks as well, especially against Raid Bosses.
     Her illustration is drawn by TAKTO who has also done other high rarity girls. Her hair is the color of her flower, cherry blossoms, and she has a single braid which reaches quite a distance behind her head. She wears a lightly armored pirate coat with military-like cap/beret and duel wields two pirate looking long pistols. Underneath her coat, she seems to be wearing a yukata of some kind and that is confirmed when you see her evolved state. Her two color eyes, peach on her right and olive on her left, undeniably make her really unique as it clearly stands out on her normal and sprite design. Her evolved form sheds her pirate coat and hat to unveil a pieced out yukata, symbolizing the peak of her bloom, and is ready to be trigger happy. Her yukata design is a mix of purple to pink and covered with cherry blossom flowers on all of her peices. They cloth the front of her top torso, leaving her abdomen uncovered while sporting a sort of half skirt and a stylish belt. Her arm sleeves allow her to dance beautifully like an angel in battle(thus her hana kotoba, sugureta bijin) along with her pistols already firing off an explosion, just about leaving those 12" barrels(maybe) to strike the raid boss down. She now equips a pair of metallic greaves compared to the leather boots and her stockings nicely end with her own petals at the top. I love the design but I gotta say the first look does not beat the second one. Good thing they allowed us to view both sides when they are our secretary.
     She was the first main strongest Witch/Majin/Demon(purple) type knight before any new ones were introduced. Her best friend and fellow 6★ is Ume-chan or "Plum". They both have almost exactly the same stats except for movement and evolution ability. The Hp, strength, defense, even added bonus from affection and skill is exactly the same. They come from the same region and have been best buds for the longest time according to game lore. In reality, their species are closely related so this friendship didn't just come out of nowhere! I don't have her but I wish I could let my Sakura reunite with her Ume as I do need a piercing type, plus the more rainbows, the merrier!

Ume-chan

Sakura in kanji

    Now outside of the game, her flower meaning is nice/gentle. Sakura is one of the national flowers of Japan and is deeply tied into Japanese tradition and culture. The life of a cherry blossom is very fleeting but meaningful. After they bloom in the spring, once they hit their peak at about 2 weeks, the petals start to fall till there is nothing left. During this time, people like to take picnics, drink, be merry, and have fun under the blossoming trees which is called Hanami or flower watching. Since they are really pretty but their life is so short, people symbolize them to human life in ways that we should make the most out of our life and make it beautiful since it is very short. In old times of the samurai, the government would use cherry blossoms to rally the troops and encourage them to live/fight their life to the fullest. Even in WW2, one of the kamikaze units were named yamazakura , after wild cherry blossoms to wreck as much havoc as they can with their life as their weapon. After the thousands of petals/pilots die, they then become reincarnated as a cherry blossom. Sakura can also mean a new beginning as Japanese schools start in april, the height of spring, around the time the cherry blossoms bloom. When watching the flowers at night, it is called Yozakura, and the illumination of the flowers really make them beautiful. I haven't had the chance to see them as I've only been to Japan in the summer really but I'd like to get a chance someday.

 Ridiculously beautiful aren't they?
 
 I hope you learned a little more about Sakura as I did, and keep your bonds with your knights strong!