Segata Sanshiro (せがた三四郎 Segata Sanshirō) is the mascot of the Sega Saturn console, having first appeared on the Sega Saturn commercials starting on 1997, forcing people to play SEGA Saturn in the worst ways possible. He would later sacrifice himself for SEGA and the entire world to avoid an attack from a missile that has been launched from the headquarters of possibly either Sony or Nintendo. In the subsequent years that follow and Project X Zone 2, it is revealed that Segata survived those events.
His advertising campaign contributed to the Saturn's success in Japan and the character became a widely popular icon with a following fanbase. He also starred in his own video game named Segata Sanshiro: Shinken Yugi, which was the last game ever released for the Sega Saturn consoles.
Profile[]
A powerful man who has mastered the way of play.
To the feckless youth of today, bored by their ephemeral existence, he strives to communicate the value of devoting oneself tirelessly to a task, using himself as the ultimate example. "Segata" is his surname, but everyone always says it first.
Blessed with superhuman reflexes, he is an expert in many martial arts, his many honors including a 1st degree black belt in karate, a 3rd degree black belt in judo, and a 4th degree black belt in battoudo.
He can also break ten tiles with his head, return a baseball from a pitching machine with a kick, and fillet a fish like an expert.
The quintessential man among men, he has a supernatural power called "Dragon Force" that allows him to make identical copies of himself.
YOU MUST PLAY THE SEGA SATURN!
Story[]
Sanshiro is a Judo master that tracks down and punishes those who do not play the Sega Saturn. His name sounds similar to the phrase “You must play the Sega Saturn!” (セガサターン、シロ! Sega Satān, shiro!) as well as “Sega Saturn, White” (セガサターン、白 Sega Satān, Shiro), a reference to the new white color version of the Japanese Sega Saturn which followed the original gray version.
Sanshiro lives as a hermit high on a mountain, devoting his life to intensive Sega Saturn training. He trains physically every day by carrying around a giant Sega Saturn on his back and punching buttons on its giant controller, as well as mentally by breaking stacks of blocks with his head. His intense training has resulted in his ability to make people explode twice by throwing them, which he does with ease. He also frequently visits the city to seek out people who are not playing the Sega Saturn, and harshly teaches them a lesson. Sanshiro is a serious man with a firm sense of duty, who believes that playing video games is one of the most treasured activities in life.
The character became very well known in Japan, and helped make the Saturn successful in that country. When the CD music single was released, it sold more than 100,000 copies.
When the Saturn was phased out and the Sega Dreamcast released, Sanshiro's end came in the form of a commercial involving a missile directed at the Tokyo headquarters of SEGA, implied to be launched by Sony and/or Nintendo. Sanshiro heroically jumps off the roof of the building, onto the missile, deflecting it into the atmosphere while riding it, in which he lives his last few moments chanting out "Sega Saturn Shiro!!" for one last time, and is killed in the subsequent explosion. Shinji Nakae narrates that "Segata Sanshiro will live on in your hearts," followed by a display of the game Segata Sanshirō Shinken Yūgi, a Sega Saturn game in which Sanshiro plays a major role.
Crossover Appearances[]
Project X Zone 3: War of Infinite Worlds
Segata is a Solo Unit, though in this game's Ultimate Edition, he would team up with his new student, the anthropomorphized Sega Saturn from Sega Hard Girls.
Project X Zone 3: The New Legend
Segata is a Pair Unit teaming up with Captain Commando.
Project X Zone 3: Sacred Destinies
Segata is a Solo Unit once more.
Project X Zone 3 (TenchiMuyoFan97)
Segata is a Solo Unit in the game.
Project X Zone: Fight For The Future 20XX
He is one of the playable characters of the game.
Project X Zone III (RedTheHedgehog140)
Segata is a Solo Unit in the game.
He is a Boss and a Solo Unit in this game.
He is part of the SEGA's playable characters cast.
Segata appears as an unlockable character.
Sega vs. Capcom: Next Generation of Heroes
Segata is part of the SEGA cast.
He is an unlockable character.
Sega vs. Capcom: All-Star Battle
He is part of the SEGA Roster.
Sega vs. Multisoft: Phantom-Flash Requiem
He is one of the DLC characters in the season 2 update, Saturn Legends.
Gallery[]
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Trivia[]
- His name and likeliness is a parody of the legendary judo fighter Sugata Sanshir from Akira Kurosawa's film Sanshiro Sugata.