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)

Tags: Sanshiro, Saturn, Sega, Sega Saturn, SegaSaturn, Segata Sanshiro, SegataSanshiro

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

mike4454 @ Feb 13th 2007 2:42AM

Segata Sanshiro killed my father.

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.

Spider-Prime @ Feb 13th 2007 2:50AM

Hurray for Kamen Rider Number 1! w0000

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

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

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.