Hiroshi Fujioka

Hiroshi Fujioka

Segata Sanshiro (Japanese: せがた三四郎, Hepburn: Segata Sanshirō) is a fictional 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 film Sanshiro Sugata. In television and radio advertisements, he is portrayed by actor Hiroshi Fujioka. The character 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 would continue 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. Since the end of the advertising campaign, 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 to give the Saturn improved sales in the Japanese region. Western journalists have praised the appeal and advertising prowess of the character.

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