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Freedom251 › Blog › Act 1 Kokura

Stranger Than Heaven ‘Act 1: Kokura’ Story Trailer Explained: Setting, Makoto Daito and Release Details

By Freedom251 Team · · 4 min read

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Stranger Than Heaven’s “Act 1: Kokura” story trailer introduces the game’s opening chapter in 1915 Kokura, Fukuoka, and establishes Makoto Daito as its central character. The chapter begins after Makoto leaves the United States for his Japanese mother’s homeland. SEGA describes the wider adventure as a 50-year story told across five eras and cities, combining close-quarters combat with music-making and character-driven drama.

What is the Act 1: Kokura trailer about?

The trailer title refers to the first chapter of Stranger Than Heaven, set in Kokura in 1915. At the time, Kokura was home to one of the world’s largest steelworks and was filled with laborers. That industrial setting gives the opening a clear identity: this is a working city shaped by heavy industry, crowded streets and rapid change.

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SEGA’s official story description begins shortly beforehand in San Francisco. A young man slips aboard a suspicious ship under cover of night, setting in motion a journey to Japan. The available official material describes the chapter’s premise and characters, but does not provide a published, shot-by-shot transcript of this specific trailer. Scene-level interpretations should therefore be treated as observations from the video rather than confirmed plot points.

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Who is Makoto Daito?

Makoto Daito is a teenager born to an American father and a Japanese mother. After both parents die, he travels to Japan, his mother’s homeland. A fateful encounter aboard a ship changes the direction of his life and begins the long journey that the game follows through multiple decades.

#1 Best Overall
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

Makoto is not presented only as a fighter. The game also makes him a performer and collector of sounds. He searches for singers and musicians, then builds songs from noises found in the world around him, including brooms, trains, snoring, animals and street fights. That creative system places everyday city life alongside the more dangerous parts of his story.

Where is Kokura in Stranger Than Heaven?

Kokura is the Act 1 location in Fukuoka, on Japan’s northern Kyushu island. In the game’s 1915 setting, its steelworks and laboring population form the backdrop for Makoto’s arrival and early experiences in Japan. The chapter is one stop in a much larger historical journey rather than the game’s only setting.

Rank #2
Stranger Than Heaven: Amazon Edition - Xbox Series X
  • 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.

The announced sequence of locations is:

Act setting Year Role in the story
Kokura, Fukuoka 1915 Opening chapter; an industrial city dominated by steel production
Kure 1929 Later era and city
Minami, Osaka 1943 Wartime-era chapter
Atami 1951 Postwar chapter
Shinjuku 1965 Final announced era and city

Together, these chapters span 50 years. Moving from 1915 to 1965 lets the game show changing places, technologies and social conditions while keeping Makoto’s personal story at the center.

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How does combat work?

SEGA describes the combat as visceral street fighting adapted to several turbulent eras. Makoto controls his right and left arms independently, allowing attacks to be chained in a more deliberate way than a single-button light-attack system.

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  • Quick jabs: Fast punches can be chained into attacks.
  • Charged strikes: Holding attacks creates heavier blows.
  • Tackles: Vulnerable enemies can be rushed and knocked off balance.
  • Catches and counters: Makoto can catch incoming attacks and answer immediately.
  • Weapons: Knives, hammers and swords expand the available attack options.

The result is a system built around timing, positioning and switching between quick pressure and stronger committed attacks, rather than relying only on weapon upgrades.

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. Xbox Game Pass access is also announced. The platform list covers both console ecosystems and PC storefronts, while the cloud option is specifically listed through Xbox Cloud Gaming.

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Which editions are announced?

SEGA has announced Standard and Deluxe digital editions, plus a physical Collector’s Edition for PS5.

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Edition Format Included content
Standard Digital Base game
Deluxe Digital 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

The Collector’s Edition is distinct from the Deluxe digital edition because it combines the physical PS5 release with a vinyl record, packaging and vouchers. No price or broad international stock claim should be assumed from the edition announcement alone. SEGA’s Japanese announcement names Amazon.co.jp as a retailer with an early-purchase bonus, but that does not establish current inventory, pricing or availability in other regions.

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What the trailer establishes—and what it does not

The supported baseline is the opening location, Makoto’s background, the game’s multi-era structure, its combat ideas and its music-focused activities. The official overview does not publish a complete transcript for the “Act 1: Kokura” video, so individual shots should not be treated as confirmed dialogue, chronology or character introductions unless the trailer itself clearly shows them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Stranger Than Heaven coming to PS5 and Xbox?

Yes. It is announced for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming, as well as Steam. Xbox Game Pass access is also announced.

What comes in the Collector’s Edition?

The physical PS5 package includes the game, collector’s box, SteelBook, a Stranger Than Heaven vinyl record, Deluxe Upgrade DLC voucher and preorder weapon voucher.

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The Bottom Line

“Act 1: Kokura” is the starting point for Makoto Daito’s 50-year journey: a 1915 industrial-city chapter that introduces the game’s historical scope, independent-arm combat and unusual sound-based music system. The game is scheduled for January 15, 2027, on PS5, Xbox platforms, PC and cloud gaming.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Act 1 KokuraMakoto DaitoPS5RGG StudioSEGASteamSTRANGER THAN HEAVENXbox

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