On August 28, Sega pulled the curtain slightly back on a mysterious project known only as Project B.L.A.C.K. The publisher opened a website and Twitter account for the project, which includes a trailer, several character visuals, and the first details on the title as a whole.

What Is B.L.A.C.K.?

The code name B.L.A.C.K. translates to “Brilliant Legislative Artistic Celebrity Knights. According to the official Project B.L.A.C.K. website and social media, the troupe is a “group of artists who sing, and fight for the future of Japan.” The group’s arsenal of routines includes an array of “songs and dance routines by twelve aces, known as ‘Noble 12’.”

The group is united under the emblem below, which features a black triangular emblem, emblazoned with the characters “大帝国” (“Great Empire”).

Emblem for Sakura Wars B.L.A.C.K.'s core group.

The Members of the Group

To date, three members of B.L.A.C.K. have been revealed:

  • Kurumi Saimei
  • Prana Tosei
  • Meisa Akashi

As of press time, the actors behind these characters have yet to be revealed. Key visuals were shown off, though, which you can check out below.

Prana Tosei
Meisa Akashi
Kurumi Saimei

The Music Video

In addition to the website and Twitter account, Sega uploaded the first Project B.L.A.C.K. teaser video to their website. The 83-second teaser is a music video for B.L.A.C.K.’s debut single, Wonderful Future. Famitsu confirmed that the song was composed by Sakura Wars composer Kohei Tanaka

OK, So How Does This Tie Into Sakura Wars?

As of today, Sega hasn’t confirmed a concrete link between the world of the Imperial Combat Revue and Project B.L.A.C.K. The project remains a standalone project until further notice.

That said, the name B.L.A.C.K. ties in to a quartet of trademark filings that were revealed on May 11. On April 16, Sega filed for four marks:

  • Sakura Wars B.L.A.C.K. (Sakura Taisen B.L.A.C.K.)
  • B.L.A.C.K.
  • Sakura Restoration (Sakura Isshin)
  • Sakura Revolution (Sakura Kakumei)

According to Anime Herald, the filings for Sakura Wars B.L.A.C.K., Sakura Restoration, and Sakura Revolution include video games, optical discs, ROM Cartridges, and other recording media as intended usages.

So What Comes Next?

For now, we watch and wait. Sega is planning a live streaming event for Project B.L.A.C.K. on September 2, at 20:00 JST (7:00AM EDT, 4:00AM PDT), which will reveal the major details for the title. We’ll have updates from the event that evening, so stay tuned!

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