Sega collaborating with Kenshin creator on new action title

The creator of the immensely popular Rurouni Kenshin manga and anime series, Nobuhiro Watsuki, is set to work with Red Entertainment on a new historical action title for Sega, according to reports in a Japanese magazine.

Weekly manga magazine Shounen Jump reports that Watsuki will provide character designs for Shisengumi Gunrou-den, a new game based on the exploits of the near-legendary Shinsengumi samurai military group.

This covers broadly the same ground that Rurouni Kenshin - sometimes called Samurai X in the USA and Europe - did, so the significant international fan base of Watsuki's previous work are likely to provide a receptive audience for the new title.

Players in Shinsengumi Gunrou-den will take on the role of the real-life commander of the group, Okita Soushi, and fight against its enemies using a variety of sword combat moves and special attacks.

Developers Red Entertainment are best-known as the creators of the Sakura Taisen (Sakura Wars) series of RPGs; the first title in the series to be launched overseas, action RPG side-story Sakura Taisen V Chapter Zero, is due to hit retail in the USA shortly.