Remembering Segata Sanshiro, Sega Saturn's dutiful mascot
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Feb 13th 2007 at 2:25AM }
SEGAForce.net remembers Segata Sanshiro, the outspoken hermit who trained with a giant Sega Saturn on his back. "Sega Saturn shiro!" he would shout, exploding grown men with a single toss; mercilessly beating club goers; and strangling little leaguers. But Sanshiro's violence was bound to honor (see the video of his death below) -- and for that he was praised.Sanshiro's character is significant because it did not evolve from (or into) an actual game franchise. Developed solely for a span of roughly twenty commercials aired in Japan from 1997 through 1998 for Sega Saturn, Sanshiro would never truly transcend his TV roots; and would be limited to a few game cameos and a popular theme song turned music video. Nevertheless, this parody of legendary judo master Sanshiro Sugata continues to live on through YouTube and the like; a marketing device begging to be recycled.
R.I.P. (More here)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mike4454 @ Feb 13th 2007 2:42AM
Segata Sanshiro killed my father.
Spider-Prime @ Feb 13th 2007 2:50AM
Hurray for Kamen Rider Number 1! w0000
Strike Man @ Feb 13th 2007 2:49AM
This series of commercials have been among my favorites since I first stumbled across them on the internet many years ago.
I'm not one who is normally on the "zomg the japanese commercials are sooooooooo much cooler" bandwagon, but when you compare these to most of the US Sega Saturn ads, it's really hard to resist.
agogo @ Feb 13th 2007 3:48AM
but there WAS a game based on him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segata_Sanshirou_Shinken_Yuugi
it was just a collection of mini games but still.
god i love these ads.
Markusdragon @ Feb 13th 2007 4:42AM
He was later the voice of Ryo's father in the Japanese version of Shenmmue.
Good times.
Azerael @ Feb 13th 2007 4:46AM
Segata Sanshiro! Segata Sanshiro! Segata... Sanshiro!
ttr @ Feb 13th 2007 4:55AM
Segata Sanshiro will live on in our hearts.
kevinski @ Feb 13th 2007 5:10AM
One thing that I never really understood about Segata was that he'd be helping people in one commercial, then beating up some kid in the next. Still, they're all great commercials.
obo @ Feb 13th 2007 7:32AM
"it was just a collection of mini games but still. "
Well, so long as that's all that's coming out for the Wii now ... don't see why we can't get a remake.
Slaziman @ Feb 13th 2007 7:54AM
He throws a guy and he explodes, not even Chuck Norris manages that
Kazi @ Feb 13th 2007 8:38AM
Sagata was a pimp, he did it all. Beat up random kids, molested unconscience women in a burning building, trained with a huge Saturn on his back, led an army of his own clones, posed as santa, saved the world, and broke bricks with his head. Chuck Norris has nothing on him.
GUS @ Feb 13th 2007 10:30AM
There is a documentary about Segata Sanshiro on Youtube.
This is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3lCF8O2N50
GUS
GUS @ Feb 13th 2007 10:31AM
a
comtar @ Feb 14th 2007 10:57AM
He's supposedly unlockable in the Japanesse version of Virtual Fighter 3, I'd love to play him in Virtual Fighter 5... but I can't cause he died of a nuclear explosion. *tear*
Hellsing @ Feb 13th 2007 11:23AM
Good night sweet prince, and a flight of angles sing thee to thy rest.
Hellsing @ Feb 13th 2007 11:55AM
@#1
Your father obviously wasn't playing his Sega Saturn like he was supposed to.
miles foreman @ Feb 13th 2007 2:23PM
Shining Force III! Man, I lurved my Saturn. :(
monkey @ Feb 13th 2007 5:59PM
Had this been shown in the us I would have bought 20 saturns
muppetmeth @ Feb 14th 2007 8:41PM
Obviously a missle from Sony.
Megadeus @ Feb 13th 2007 10:19PM
"One thing that I never really understood about Segata was that he'd be helping people in one commercial, then beating up some kid in the next."
Notice he explodes villains but only beats up kids who aren't playing enough Sega Saturn. He's not a bully, he's merely beating some sense into the little delinquents for not playing games seriously enough.