History Main / CherryBlossoms

* In the 2006 ''SonicTheHedgehog'' game, this is shown during a relatively early {{cutscene}} between Sonic and Elise, foreshadowing the much-debated [[spoiler:death and resurrection of Sonic at the end of the game.]] With the ShipTease and SceneryPorn, one could view it as [[spoiler: the frailty of Sonic and Elise's relationship.]]
* In ''KingdomHearts'', Organization XIII member Marluxia has an affinity with 'flowers'. In addition, he is perpetually surrounded with an aura of petals (not to mention that his hair is brown-pink and that he wields a [[SinisterScythe huge scythe]] with a pink blade). In ''RE: Chain of Memories'', however, the petals appear to be rose petals rather than sakura.

* Setsuka's stage in ''SoulCalibur III'' made heavy use of the cherry blossom theme.

* Baiken from ''GuiltyGear'' generates spontaneous cherry blossom petal showers with almost every move she does.
* In the gym teacher scenario in the first ''[[OsuTatakaeOuendan Ouendan]]'' game, cherry blossom petals are falling at the end when his students graduate. A cherry blossom also appears behind the chart at the end of the level if you get the normal ending or higher in any level.

* ''[[GaiaOnline zOMG]]'' features Sakura trees heavily in the [[{{Wutai}} Zen Gardens]] area. The intro shows the area's {{NPC}} surrounded by falling petals. The area is filled with Sakura trees, and there are even Cherry Fluffs made from the petals. Keeping in theme with the Sakura Tree's connection with death, it is highly advised that lower leveled players avoid attacking them... The after effect is devastating. Gaia also features a cherry blossom-themed monthly collectible, complete with a shower of blossoms.

* In ''AceCombat5'', there is an ace named Zipang early in the game. Shooting him down gets you an unlockable paint scheme for the F-14D Super Tomcat, which is primarily purple with cherry blossoms all over. The paint scheme returned in later games as an unlockable bonus or DLC.

* Even ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert'' includes this trope. Of course, it's way backwards. It's the final Soviet mission against the Japanese Empire. The Cherry blossoms are blooming, love is in the air, and the [[DirtyCommunists Red Army]] is on the march.

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Metroid}} Super Metroid]]'': take a close look at the background in the green areas of Brinstar -- you'll notice it's raining ''sakura'' petals. This fits with green Brinstar's role as the only more-or-less friendly part of the planet. (Among other things, it's home to the only two native creatures that don't try to kill you.) Don't get your hopes up for natural beauty elsewhere on Zebes... unless you really like lava and acid.

* The Ayame-only level "Cherry Tree Hill" in {{Tenchu}} 2.

* Both the orginal ''VideoGame/{{Persona}}'' and ''{{Persona 3}}'' have this in spades. The empathsis seems to be on change, as the orginal game [[spoiler: has it at the main characters graduation from high school.]] Persona 3 also uses it for the NewTransferStudent, the main protagonist, and appears again at the end of the game, [[spoiler:in which, s/he dies on graduation day.]]
** Konohana Sakuya, Yukiko's initial persona in ''{{Persona4}}'', also has this theme. Especially visible in her finishing move from Persona4Arena. Justified: it's named after Konohanasakuyahime, the goddess of flowers and Mount Fuji.

* Cherry blossoms are part of Kasumi's motif in ''DeadOrAlive''. Her Vs. win icon is that of a cherry blossom head, and she uses the petals as a [[SmokeOut smokescreen]] when she teleports in or out of a stage.

* In ''[[VideoGame/{{Something}} Something Else]]'', [[spoiler:Else Castle in the void-like special world. It is Ballser's new base after Mario beat him in Something.]]
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* In ''VideoGame/LightningLegendDaigoNoDaibouken'', cherry blossoms are Mayu Uzaka's FlowerMotif. They appear during her InTheNameOfTheMoon speech, her VictoryPose and her LimitBreak; her stage is a park filled with blossoming cherry trees; and she's a RoseHairedGirl.

* Cherry blossoms not only are mentioned in the title of ''SakuraGari'', but are a constant presence in the plot. I.e., [[spoiler: [[CherryBlossomGirl Sakurako]] was locked away because of her CreepyChild behavior in a cherry blossom watching party among other things]], Masataka's younger brother Mitsugu makes many paper cherry blossoms as charms to wish Masataka good luck in his studies, and later [[spoiler: Katou snaps over Sakurako's suicide and stabs Souma, who then collapses under the blossoming cherries.]]

* Spotted in ''GraveOfTheFireflies''.
* An important element in the climactic scene of ''TheLastSamurai''. Katsumoto has had trouble coming up with a final line to his death poem. When he sees them on his deathbed, it finally comes to him, and he knows his actions have not been in vain.

* Used for foreshadowing effect in ''TheForbiddenKingdom''. There's a big fight scene that has a literal storm of them, and its a scene [[spoiler: where a character ends up dying.]]

* In ''MemoirsOfAGeisha'' Sayuri attends a gathering in the Baron's garden which is covered in flowering cherry blossom trees. The Chairman comments that even the cherry blossoms are envious of her beauty.

* Hakuouki has Hijikata Toshizo introduced admist fluttering snowflakes, and the main protagonist comments how it resembled cherry blossoms flowing out of season. The climax and last scene of the anime is also set admist fluttering cherry blossoms underneath a large sakura tree.
** In the ending scene, [[spoiler: the cherry blossoms add emotional impact when Chizuru looks up into the sky and we see the Shinsengumi banner and the backs of the Shinsengumi members.]]
** The English translation of "Hakuouki" is Demon of the Fluttering Blossom", [[spoiler: which is also the demon title Kazama gives to Hijikata]]

* Cherry blossom symbolism appears at a few points in ''VideoGame/{{Hakuouki}}'', most significantly at the end of Hijikata's route. "Hakuouki" is actually written with characters meaning "pale/fleeting cherry-blossom demon" - it's a name [[spoiler:given to Hijikata by Kazama, recognizing Hijikata as a true demon after his defeat of Kazama in the middle of a grove of flowering cherry trees]].

* In possibly the [[strike:weirdest]] coolest damn use of blossoms ever, seen in the Japanese garden in ''IronMan 2'' when [[spoiler: Rhodey and Tony battle the Hammer Drones.]]

* ''[[DotHack .hack//Legend of the Twilight]]'': an early episode sees the characters trying to clear an event by making a (virtual) sakura tree bloom. The trick to it is to figure out that an undead monster ("body") is buried underneath it and defeat it. Of course, things don't go as planned by the event organizers...

* In ''TheZombieSurvivalGuide'', ImperialJapan's attempt to weaponize zombies was codenamed "Operation Cherry Blossom."

* During the SecondSinoJapaneseWar, the Imperial Japanese Army planted ''sakura'' trees on conquered territory, because the cherry blossoms would mark it as Japanese space.

* In {{Smallville}}, Clark uses this to set the mood when he's finally ready to [[spoiler: propose to LoisLane]].

* In ''SuperRobotWars Original Generations'', Dygenguar[[SpellMyNameWithAnS (d)'s]] final attack begins with a [[SuperMovePortraitAttack cut-in]] of [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb1sIbmjI5s&feature=related Sanger drawing his sword while cherry blossoms float by]]. They come again as Dygenguard poses at the end of the attack, [[RuleOfCool despite the fact that they should be too small to be clearly visible compared to the]] HumongousMecha.

* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' has an annual cherry blossom festival.

* The MuShiShi has to deal with a ''mushi''-infested cherry tree [[spoiler: that's connected to a girl whose beauty inspired ''several generations'' of men to keep her alive by grafting her head to other women's bodies]]. It blooms magnificently just once [[spoiler: when they both finally die]].

** Konohana Sakuya, Yukiko's initial persona in ''{{Persona4}}'', also has this theme. Especially visible in her finishing move from Persona4Arena.

-->-- '''Michael Garcia''', ''TheImpossibleMan''

* In ''[[{{Saiyuki}} SaiyukiGaiden]]'' the cherry trees in heaven bloom all the time and as a result nobody pays them much attention. The symbolism of this and the value of mortal lives vs. eternal ones is played up throughout the manga.