Monday 24 August 2015

News roundup: The latest stage play updates and plenty of difficult-to-obtain merchandise

The Sengoku Basara vs Devil May Cry stage play has started its run

Promotion for the Butai Sengoku Basara vs Devil May Cry stage play is in full swing now that it has begun its short run and the gaming press websites have obligingly posted details for attendees.

Fifteen luck fans who see the play between the 24th and 28th August 2015 will be given commemorative tote bags. Each bag will have the date of the performance and the picture printed on it will vary depending on the day, making it a truly rare collectible for hardcore fans.


There will be special themed food and drink at the theatre's adjoining cafe like 'half-human, half-demon pizza' and various cocktails, and attendees can preorder the DVD version of the play. The DVD will go on sale in the autumn; thank goodness they're planning one this time!

The stage play will also feature the debut of a 10th anniversary theme song for the Sengoku Basara series. Titled Toki Wo Koete ('Beyond Time'), the song is performed by SOLIDEMO with lyrics and music by Miyakoda Kazushi. KobaP is credited with co-writing the lyrics.

The dress rehearsal for the play took place this week and this has led to a flurry of official reports. You can see the pictures at 4Gamer, Anime Anime, Dengeki, Famitsu and Gamer and a short video at Theaterclip. There are also the usual goofy pictures on Twitter for those following any of the actors.

Limited time offer: The Devil May Cry costume DLC is currently discounted on PSN

To tie in with the launch of the stage play, the two Devil May Cry DLC costumes from Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi will be available at a special discount. The Date Masamune/Ishida Mitsunari Special Costume Set (DMC Dante & Virgil) is a bundle which includes both outfits for just ¥300. It will be available until 31st August 2015. This offer is exclusive to users with the PS3 version of the game.

Attention Spanish speakers: A localised Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi guide is now available

Lacters has been working hard on a Spanish translation guide for Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi and the first parts are now ready for viewing! You can view the guide here; further updates will be added over time.

They're also running a special giveaway for Spanish speaking fans which you can check out at this link.

Further details about the Sengoku Basara x Taka No Tsume Collaboration Exhibition

This was originally announced during the tenth anniversary live stream but now we have more details of the Taka No Tsumedan No SHIROZEME ('Eagle Talon Squad's Castle Invasion') event planned for 14th November 2015. This event simulates an attack on Shimane Prefecture's Matsue Castle and sounds like a brilliant way to increase interest in historical warfare strategies.

It's also the inspiration behind a collaboration between Frogman's Himitsu Kessha Taka No Tsume (Secret Society Eagle Talon) series and Sengoku Basara. This will take the form of a free exhibition in the Shibuya Parco Part 1 basement between 3rd September and 28th September 2015. The official name is Sengoku Basara x Himitsu Kessha Taka No Tsume: ~Sengoku Heroes And Castle Invasion~ and it will involve displays featuring crossover artwork, photo spots for visitors to take pictures with their favourite characters, displays showing the plans for the main Castle Invasion later in the year, displays of armour, weapons and a diorama of Matsue Castle, and an opportunity to dress up in traditional armour and have your picture taken for a fee.

Special crossover merchandise will be available including seven different hand towels (¥734 each), two types of acrylic mobile phone stands (¥1,620 each), seven different rubber straps (¥734 each) and sheets of senjafuda stickers (¥734).


Visitors who spend more than ¥2,000 on merchandise in a single transaction will be given one of ten randomly-packed commemorative coasters as a gift.


Exclusive merchandise is announced for the temporary Minoo Onsen Capcom Shop

A summary of the attractions at the Capcom Shop in Oedo Onsen Monogatari: Minoo Onsen Spa Garden event is showing off the event-exclusive goods which can be purchased.

Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi notelets for ¥750:


And a Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi tenugui towel for ¥400:


Fans, which are obtained through a roulette game which costs ¥500 to enter:


And tote bags, which come from a stamp rally game at the venue:


The official fan club announces more event-exclusive goodies

Different (yet equally exclusive) new merchandise will be available for fan club members who attend the Fan Meeting events this September. Nine new 'favourite warrior' badges will be released to help fill in some of the gaps for people whose favourite character wasn't represented before - Yoshihiro gets to appear on some merchandise for once!


It's the first time that uchiwa fans have been available for the fan club, even though they're popular merchandise items at most gatherings. Eight designs will debut at the events.


Pricing and availability details - as well as a few more items - will be posted at a later date.

The elusive Sengoku Basara Seishi book is really being released - probably

The ongoing saga continues as the preorder listing for Takarajimasha's upcoming book Sengoku Basara Seishi ("The Official History of Sengoku Basara") has returned to some online stores such as Manga Oh. Strangely, in between me drafting this post and finishing it off the title changed once again, so it's now being listed as Sengoku Basara: Shijitsu De Wakaru Sengoku Basara No Sekai ('Discovering The World Of Sengoku Basara Through Actual History'). The release date is listed as 18th September 2015 so perhaps it's actually coming out this time - it's been a long wait since the first solicitations back in January!

A look back at the Sengoku Basara design process with the Capcom Legends blog

The MyCapcom website runs a Capcom Legends blog series and the most recent entry is all about how they created Keiji and some of the series' classic antagonists. The early design pictures have featured in art books before but for some fans this might be the first chance to see them.

The last of the (Approximately) 10-second Theatre video updates

The final video in the scheduled series of Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi promotional clips was posted on Wednesday as promised. (Approximately) 10-second Theatre: The Quickest was one we had glimpsed in photographs from a live event early on in the game's advertising campaigns.


With all of the Sengoku Basara 4 Sumeragi campaigning gradually coming to an end, I guess that it won't be long now before we start hearing information of the next Sengoku Basara projects on the horizon. I doubt they'll have anything about a new game for a while since most fans are still getting to grips with the current one (the series isn't mentioned on their Tokyo Game Show schedule at all aside from in a note about the merchandise stand). Perhaps there are some other treats planned?

6 comments:

  1. Those weird backstage photos are a nice byproduct of those stage plays. A v. small SB crew this time. I’m actually interested in this one now, as an old DMC fan. Isn’t it interesting that they actually added live english subs to it?

    You seem eager to move on to the next big SB annoucement. Tired of Sumeragi already? If you want something SB related to do, please consider replying with your interpretation of Sen no Rikyuu's wtfbbq ending ;) (What happened?)

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    1. I'm anxious about whether or not I'll be able to follow the stage play properly given that I know so little about DMC since I haven't played most of the games (I did watch the anime... that didn't help) and knowing that most of the behind-the-scenes staff have changed since Butai Sengoku Basara is worrying. I suppose it's not likely that the plot will be very complicated, though, and we already know the actors are great at what they do.

      The 'live' subs are a fantastic addition and I'd love to see how they work; I've seen a few events that had limited translations available but this seems way more ambitious. Wouldn't it be great if the subs are on the DVD version too? Would hoping for that be crazy? It would be so nice to be able to watch a full stage play with my friends without them getting lost during the talky bits.

      I'm still enjoying Sumeragi as my go-to non-online player game, but I guess I got so used to following the weekly hype that it feels a little empty now that it's died down (lol). I should really get started on some kind of rambling review of the game soon - once I recover emotionally from a few of those story endings T_T

      (It doesn't help that I've been playing FFXIV as well and that managed to have some things in the new expansion which were hard to watch. My favourite characters are having a hard time at the moment everywhere I go.)

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    2. It looks surprisingly possible that we'll get a DVD with english subs this time. And don't worry...when it comes to DMC, there isn't much to understand. It's an understatement to say that plot is a pretty weak aspect of that series. Basically: Dante is a half demon who protects humans from demons. He is all about LET
      S ROCK BABY, pizza, and fighting demons stylishly. (or immaturely) Trish is a similar demon hunting ally. Has a bit more complicated background but you don't need to know it. Lady is a human demon hunter who is also Dante's ally in DMC4 - they're competitive though. Vergil is Dante's long lost twin brother who is more into his demon side and thus probably an antagonist. And then, there is well, demons and stuff. Who dies cuz Dante shoots em. It is way more silly than SB and I wonder how the SB characters will interact with them!

      I feel your pain about liking characters who get tragic stories. Although I like Maria and the Maedas the best in Sumeragi so all is well :)

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    3. Haha, thanks for the summary :D

      I hope they get the DVD out quickly this time, I've actually still been afraid to watch the last stage play disc I have because I couldn't deal with it being the very last one I'd see. Now I have no excuse!

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    4. Is it the one with the heroic Kingo? Watch iiiit!

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