Segata Sanshiro
From Sega Retro
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| Segata Sanshiro (Hiroshi Fujioka) |
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| Place of birth: Japan |
| Company(ies): Sega of Japan |
| Role(s): Spokesperson, Endorser |
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Segata Sanshirō (せがた三四郎) was a fictional character and Japanese Sega Saturn spokesperson known for his tough demeanor and insistence that gamers play Sega's 32-bit system. Portrayed by Japanese actor Hiroshi Fujioka, his name and appearance is a parody of Sugata Sanshirō, a character from Akira Kurosawa's popular 1943 debut film Sanshirō Sugata, and both a pun on the color of the domestic Saturn (shiro is the Japanese word for white) and the phrase "Sega Saturn shiro!" (meaning "You must play Sega Saturn!"). Sanshiro appeared in over two dozen tongue-in-cheek Sega commercials from November 1997 to November 1998, and is one of Sega's most well-remembered advertising campaigns, even gaining popularity outside of Japan.
In October 1998, Segata Sanshiro starred in his own Sega Saturn game courtesy of Ecole Software, Segata Sanshirou Shinken Yuugi. Later, his role as a company spokesperson was inherited by his son Maito Fujioka.
Contents
History
Segata Sanshiro is portrayed as a judo master who regularly tracked down and harshly disciplined those who were not playing the Sega Saturn. Living as a hermit high on a secluded mountaintop, Sanshiro devoted his life to intensive training, and was usually seen carrying a massive Sega Saturn abroad his back; often, he would appear with an enormous Control Pad, strongly punching its various buttons to strengthen his mind and body.
The majority of Segata Sanshiro's commercials depict him as finding a group of Japanese people (often youths), and upon seeing that they are not playing the Sega Saturn, disciplining them by swiftly beating them to the ground. Finally, he reminds them that they must play Sega Saturn if they want their lives to be meaningful and fulfilled.
Death
With the winding down of the Sega Saturn, and the release of the Sega Dreamcast, Sega of Japan sent the character off with an explosive finale. In his last commercial, a giant missile is launched directly at Sega's Tokyo, Japan headquarters, with Sanshiro heroically jumping onto the missile itself, pulling it out of its trajectory with all his might, and redirecting it into the atmosphere. It safely explodes away from the general populace, and the commercial ends with a voiceover stating "Segata Sanshiro will live on in your hearts."
SegaSaturn Shiro!
Sanshiro's was so popular in Japan than various merchandise related to the character were released, including a 199X image song (equivalent to a theme song in the West.)
Lyrics
The solitary man who devoted his soul to the way of games
Today, he comes again
He will punish those who do not play seriously
Their battered bodies will never forget!
[chorus] Segata Sanshiro, Segata Sanshiro! Sega Saturn... shiro!
They play tennis, sing karaoke, flirt around in clubs...
Are there not more serious tasks to be done?
Those who do not play maturely
He questions them deep inside their hearts
Segata Sanshiro, Segata Sanshiro! Sega Saturn... shiro!
(voice of Segata) Youngsters... is there something in your life you are completely devoted to? Something you sink into so deep you put your life on the line? You must play Sega Saturn! Play... until your fingers break! Until your fingers break!
Even if they chase after sex, that petty pleasure
Their soul will remain hollow
Those who do not immerse themselves to the extreme in gaming
Will find their bodies beaten harshly!
Segata Sanshiro, Segata Sanshiro! Sega Saturn... shiro!
The white clouds floating on the great blue sky
And the boiling red blood shed in fierce gaming
Those who give up halfway through
Their battered bodies will never forget!
Segata Sanshiro, Segata Sanshiro! Sega Saturn... shiro!
Segata Sanshiro, Segata Sanshiro! Sega Saturn... shiro!
Promotional material
External links
- Segata Sanshiro commercial archive website
- Segata Sanshiro fansite website