Sakura Natsume

Sakura Natsume
Age	22 (The Silver Case) 28 (The 25th Ward)
Nationality	Japanese
Family	Daigo Natsume (father)
Occupation	Detective
Affiliation	Heinous Crimes Unit
Status	Alive
Weapon	Handgun
First appearance	case#5:lifecut

Sakura Natsume is a character in The Silver Case and The 25th Ward: The Silver Case, and the protagonist of the novel The Silver Case: Case #4.5 FACE. Following in the footsteps of her father, she joins the Heinous Crimes Unit as a new recruit in 1999. An honest and diligent investigator, Sakura is nonetheless unafraid of feeling, accepting the darkness she soon discovers within her own past.

Appearance and Personality

Sakura is a woman of average height and build with black, chin-length hair. By The 25th Ward, her hair has grown to shoulder length.

Sakura has a rather level-headed and no-nonsense personality. She is meticulous about the work that she does for the HCU and takes even the most unexpected situations in stride, thinking through and planning her actions logically as opposed to acting out of impulse or emotion. This does not, however, make her a detached person. Sakura is empathetic and kind, from her interactions with Sumio Kodai both during and after his incarceration, to the close bond that she shares with Akira, who had also worked with her father Daigo Natsume.

In The 25th Ward, Sakura puts up a slightly cooler front, possibly due to increased responsibilities with the HCU.

History

Sakura was born to Daigo Natsume and his wife. Her mother died while Sakura was very young, so she was raised solely by her father. The two were very close, and Daigo kept several photo albums of Sakura as she grew. When Sakura was about 2 years old, she was kidnapped as a part of the Shelter Kids Program, along with nearly a thousand other 2-year-olds meant for a new cohort of Ayame-type Shelter Children. She remained within the program until she was 4, when she was simply returned to her father. Fearing for his daughter's safety, Daigo Natsume concealed the results of the independent investigation into the Shelter Kids Program he had undertaken during that time. Sakura's life seemingly returns to normal, and she spends the remainder of her childhood in her family home.

Case #4.5: FACE

Following Daigo Natsume's supposed death in Decoyman, Sakura packs up or disposes of all her father's belongings and moves out of their home. Her new apartment is located in in Area C, within walking distance of a diner owned by her neighbor Chinami Ohtomo. Sakura is nearing the end of an intensive program for investigators when she is given an assignment involving the cataloging of serious criminals. As a part of this assignment, she is permitted to interview Sumio Kodai, incarcerated following the events of case#3:parade.

The Silver Case

Sakura first appears in case#5:lifecut as a new recruit to the Heinous Crimes Unit. On November 30th, she and Kenta Mikoshiba are introduced to the rest of the precinct. She is paired up with Akira for the operation to corner Kamui on the roof of the IEDU Building. The two were directed by Nakategawa to different floors, where they met the other members of the unit. They finally forced Kamui to the roof, where he was executed by sniper fire. On December 24th, Nakategawa briefed Sakura and Mikoshiba on the disappearance of Kusabi and Morikawa. He ordered them to eliminate them for abandoning the mission. Sakura was ordered to keep her eyes on Akira, in case he made contact with the newly-emerged crime ring TRUMP. Sakura told Mikoshiba that she believed Naka was upset about having to take out his friends. Sakura tailed Akira through the underground tunnels that lead to the Shelter Plaza. She caught up to him once he encountered Chizuru Hachisuka, who had fully become the next Ayame. Sakura shot and killed her. She accompanied Akira through the tunnels and told him the details of the Shelter Kids Policy, and that they were both products of it. Upon reaching the Shelter Plaza, Sakura told Akira to head to the TV Tower to learn the truth. As she left she addressed him as "Kamui".

Early in 2000, Sakura and Michiru Kosaka spoke to Kusabi at Lounge Tamura to tell him about the death of Uminosuke Hachisuka and the return of Kamui. They left to the scene shortly after.

~2000

Sakura remained with the Heinous Crimes Unit and took on a series of cases with them. She also began a romantic relationship with Kosaka. She participated in the "Lovers", "Animal Hunting", "Door Lock", "Triple Kids", and "Cut Doctor" cases. By 2003, her relationship with Kosaka had ended.

whiteout

During #06 white out, in 2003, Sakura is contacted by Kosaka to tell her about an additional member of TRUMP emerging, the Joker. Kosaka advised her not to move on her own, which he ignored. Sakura then gave Akira the mission of securing or processing the Joker before Kosaka. Sakura provided radio support to Akira during the mission, reassuring him due to his past connection to the Shelters. She lost contact with Akira once he encountered Mokutaro Shiroyabu. She is next seen speaking over the radio to Akira after the Joker was cornered at the Hachisuka Dome, telling him to do anything it takes to come home.

Official profiles

The protagonist of this story. Daughter of Public Safety Special Forces' Daigo Natsume. Inspired by her father, she is on the way to becoming an investigator. (The Silver Case: Case #4.5 FACE profile)

Trivia

• Unlike most of the characters in the game, Sakura's portrait in the 2016 remake of The Silver Case does not use its original art, but rather an upscaled PlayStation sprite. The only other character for whom this is the case is Yuu.

Gallery

The Silver Case

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  Portrait
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  Joining the HCU
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  Shooting Chizuru
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  Back cover illustration

Case #4.5 Face

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  Cover
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  Meeting Minato
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  Meeting Tokio
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  At Chinami's diner
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  Speaking with Sumio
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The 25th Ward

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