Segata Sanshiro (Japanese: せがた三四郎, Hepburn: Segata Sanshirō) is a character created by Sega to advertise the Sega Saturn in Japan between 1997 and 1998. He is a parody of Sugata Sanshirō, a legendary judo fighter from Akira Kurosawa's 1943 film Sanshiro Sugata. In television and radio advertisements, Segata Sanshiro is portrayed by actor Hiroshi Fujioka. He was positioned as a martial artist who commanded people to play Sega Saturn games.
The advertising campaign began in 1997, with the Saturn having a modest level of success in Japan at that point. Fujioka was impressed by Sega's ideas for the character and felt that Segata Sanshiro would send a strong message to children. Advertisements continued both on television and on radio until 1999. As a result of the advertisements, Segata Sanshiro's theme song became a CD single and he was made the main character of his own video game, Segata Sanshirō Shinken Yūgi.
Segata Sanshiro has also had cameo appearances in video games, a comic book and a live concert. He has retained a cult following in Japan and has been credited with helping improve Saturn sales there. Western journalists have praised the appeal and advertising prowess of the character.
SegataSanshiro (Japanese: せがた三四郎, Hepburn: SegataSanshirō) is a character created by Sega to advertise the Sega Saturn in Japan between 1997 and 1998...
film director Akira Kurosawa Sanshiro Sugata Part II, a 1945 film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. SegataSanshiro, a fictional character created...
Sanshiro Sugata (Japanese: 姿三四郎, Hepburn: Sugata Sanshirō, a.k.a. Judo Saga) is a 1943 Japanese martial arts drama film and the directorial debut of the...
tokusatsu superhero series Kamen Rider, and later the Sega Saturn mascot SegataSanshiro (jokingly revealed to be Takeshi Hongo himself). Fujioka is a cultural...
Marketing for the Saturn in Japan also changed with the introduction of SegataSanshiro (played by Hiroshi Fujioka), a character in a series of TV advertisements...
various series. He also sang the theme song of the fictional character SegataSanshiro (played by Hiroshi Fujioka) who appeared in Sega's commercials between...
Fighting Evolution Axel Stone from Streets of Rage Hibana from Nightshade SegataSanshiro Ulala from Space Channel 5 Pai Chan from Virtua Fighter Leanne from...
the Air Max Nomo, produced by Nike in 1996. Also, he appeared on a SegataSanshiro commercial for the Sega Saturn in 1997. A song about Nomo, "There's...
December 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2017. "Project X Zone 2 will have SegataSanshiro". Destructoid. 9 September 2015. Archived from the original on 7 April...
the majority vote ranking 1st, while Hatsune Miku ranked 2nd, and SegataSanshiro ranked 3rd. On January 1, 2014, SEGA announced that Ryo will appear...
wind that reluctantly underwent "because there is no story". It is 'SegataSanshiro' to have become a tailwind. Hiroshi Fujioka, who played Takeshi Hongo...
Pants Sega – Opa-Opa (former), Alex Kidd (former), Sonic the Hedgehog, SegataSanshiro Sonic Team – Sonic the Hedgehog Rovio Entertainment – Red Spike Chunsoft...
a wrestling mask to promote the game. Several characters, such as SegataSanshiro and a Ferrari from Out Run, had to be cut for licensing issues. Toei...
stadium-packed showings, a demonstration of the game and more ... Afterward, SegataSanshiro led the crowd in a Sonic chant, which will be used in the game. "News:...
(2015-09-11). "Project X Zone 2 cast joined by 'Resonance of Fate' trio, SegataSanshiro, and Rival Characters". RPG Site. Retrieved 2016-04-18. Romano, Sal...
Soccer '98JP Sega Sega November 18, 1997 October 16, 1997 March 5, 1998 SegataSanshirō Shinken Yūgi Ecole Software Sega Unreleased Unreleased October 29,...
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