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The Stranger Than Heaven “Act 1: Kokura” story trailer introduces the opening chapter of RGG Studio and SEGA’s action-adventure, set in Kokura, Fukuoka, in 1915. It establishes the starting point for Makoto Daito, a teenager of mixed American and Japanese heritage whose journey will continue across five cities and 50 years of turbulent history.

What is the Act 1: Kokura trailer about?

The trailer’s title refers to the game’s first story act rather than a separate spin-off. SEGA places this opening chapter in 1915 Kokura, a city described as home to one of the world’s largest steelworks and filled with hardworking laborers. That industrial setting provides the backdrop for Makoto’s arrival in Japan and the beginning of the central mystery surrounding his future.

SEGA’s official story setup says the narrative opens in San Francisco, where a young man slips aboard a suspicious ship at night. Makoto was born to an American father and a Japanese mother. After both parents die, he travels to his mother’s homeland, and a fateful encounter on the voyage changes the direction of his life. The Kokura chapter is therefore the first Japanese stage of a much longer personal and historical journey.

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No official transcript or shot-by-shot breakdown has been published for this exact trailer. The reliable interpretation is consequently its story function: it introduces Act 1’s location, protagonist and period, rather than confirming details about individual trailer shots.

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Stranger Than Heaven: Collector's Edition - PlayStation 5
  • Face Down Fate: San Francisco, 1915. Orphaned and persecuted for his mixed American and Japanese heritage, young Makoto Daito sneaks aboard a mysterious ship. Rejected by the United States, he risks everything to seek belonging in his mother’s homeland: Japan.
  • 5 Eras, 5 Cities: The story unfolds across a version of Japan that may have existed in another life, immersing you in 5 sprawling cities: 1915, Kokura, Fukuoka; 1929, Kure, Hiroshima; 1943, Minami, Osaka; 1951, Atami, Shizuoka; and 1965, Shinjuku, Tokyo.
  • Extreme Violence: Experience this struggle through the raw brutality of an evolving combat system that feels alive. You won't just control Makoto Daito, you'll become him—moving his left and right sides independently to attack, defend, and force your way to victory.
  • Life of a Showman: Early on, Makoto's guide and mentor discovers his hidden talent for music, and before long, Makoto finds himself not only singing a tune or two but stepping into the role of a showman, producing a variety of incredible acts throughout all of Japan.
  • Collector's Edition includes: STRANGER THAN HEAVEN Base Game (Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5), Deluxe Upgrade & Pre-Order Bonus DLC Codes, Exclusive SteelBook Case, Exclusive 12-Inch Vinyl Record, and Exclusive Collector’s Edition Box

Who is Makoto Daito?

Makoto is a teenager caught between two cultures. His American father and Japanese mother give him a personal connection to both sides of the Pacific, while the loss of his parents forces him to travel alone toward Japan. The shipboard encounter described by SEGA becomes the turning point that brings him into the events of Stranger Than Heaven.

Makoto is also the game’s playable fighter and performer. His combat design treats his arms independently: players can chain fast jabs, charge heavier blows, tackle vulnerable opponents, catch incoming attacks for instant counters and switch to weapons including knives, hammers and swords.

Rank #2
Stranger Than Heaven: Amazon Edition - PlayStation 5
  • Face Down Fate: San Francisco, 1915. Orphaned and persecuted for his mixed American and Japanese heritage, young Makoto Daito sneaks aboard a mysterious ship. Rejected by the United States, he risks everything to seek belonging in his mother’s homeland: Japan.
  • 5 Eras, 5 Cities: The story unfolds across a version of Japan that may have existed in another life, immersing you in 5 sprawling cities: 1915, Kokura, Fukuoka; 1929, Kure, Hiroshima; 1943, Minami, Osaka; 1951, Atami, Shizuoka; and 1965, Shinjuku, Tokyo.
  • Extreme Violence: Experience this struggle through the raw brutality of an evolving combat system that feels alive. You won't just control Makoto Daito, you'll become him—moving his left and right sides independently to attack, defend, and force your way to victory.
  • Life of a Showman: Early on, Makoto's guide and mentor discovers his hidden talent for music, and before long, Makoto finds himself not only singing a tune or two but stepping into the role of a showman, producing a variety of incredible acts throughout all of Japan.

A fighter who is also a showman

The broader game systems give Makoto a creative role beyond street combat. He searches for singers and musicians, then builds songs from sounds recorded around each city. Potential sound sources include brooms, trains, snoring, animals and street brawls, making the soundtrack part of the world-building rather than a fixed background layer.

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Where is Kokura in Stranger Than Heaven?

Kokura is in Fukuoka Prefecture on Japan’s Kyushu island. In the game’s chronology, it is the 1915 setting for Act 1. SEGA’s description emphasizes the city’s steel industry and laboring population, pointing to an urban environment shaped by heavy industry and rapid social change.

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Kokura is only the first stop. The announced timeline and locations are:

Story period Location Role in the announced structure
1915 Kokura, Fukuoka Act 1 and the opening chapter
1929 Kure Later historical era
1943 Minami, Osaka Later historical era
1951 Atami Later historical era
1965 Shinjuku Later historical era

Together, these settings cover 50 years and five eras and cities. The changing dates allow the story to follow Makoto and the people around him through markedly different periods of Japanese history.

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How the combat and city systems work

SEGA describes the combat as visceral street fighting across those shifting eras. The independent-arm system is intended to make ordinary punches, charged attacks and defensive catches feel more deliberate than a single-button combo chain. Weapons add another layer, but the official overview does not specify whether every weapon is available in every chapter.

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Exploration feeds directly into Makoto’s musical activities. By finding performers and collecting environmental sounds, players can create songs tied to the places they visit. The examples publicly identified so far—trains, brooms, animals, snoring and fights—suggest that routine city noise can become a creative resource.

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When does Stranger Than Heaven release?

Stranger Than Heaven is scheduled to release on January 15, 2027. The announced platforms are PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming and Steam. The release date and platform list come from SEGA’s 2026 announcements; regional storefront timing and local pricing can vary.

Which editions are announced?

SEGA has announced Standard and Deluxe digital editions, plus a physical Collector’s Edition for PS5. Prices were not stated in the supplied announcement details, so they should be checked against a current regional retailer or storefront listing.

Edition Format and platform Announced contents
Standard Digital; announced platforms Base game
Deluxe Digital; announced platforms Base game, Makoto outfit, four performers, four weapons, three stage-production items, promotional poster, in-game record player and electronic camera
Collector’s Edition Physical PS5 PS5 game, collector’s box, SteelBook, Stranger Than Heaven vinyl record, Deluxe Upgrade DLC voucher and preorder weapon voucher

SEGA’s Japanese announcement names Amazon.co.jp among retailers associated with an early-purchase bonus. That notice does not establish current stock, price or international availability, and the bonus should not be assumed to apply outside the listed market.

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What the trailer confirms—and what it does not

  • Confirmed: Act 1 is set in 1915 Kokura, Makoto Daito is the protagonist, and the game’s story spans five locations and 50 years.
  • Confirmed: The game combines close-quarters combat, weapons, performer recruitment and sound-based song creation.
  • Not established by the published material: a complete scene list, the identities of every character shown, detailed mission objectives or the exact sequence of events in the trailer.
  • Not established: regional prices, final retailer stock and whether every edition or bonus will be offered in every country.

The Bottom Line

“Act 1: Kokura” is the opening chapter of a five-era, 50-year adventure: Makoto Daito reaches 1915 Japan, and the industrial city of Kokura becomes the starting point for his combat, music-making and long historical journey.

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