Zoids: Chaotic Century

Series background

Zoids: Chaotic Century is set in the far reaches of the Milky Way, on the planet Zi. On Zi, there are metallic life-forms known as Zoids, which possess powerful fighting capabilities. Throughout the recent history of the series, Zoids have been used as weapons in an ongoing war between the Helic Republic and Guylos Empire.

The setting of Chaotic Century is a few years after the most recent war between the Helic Republic and the Guylos Empire. The two nations are currently observing a ceasefire, although ambushes and minor assaults are initiated by both sides, and tensions are high after it is revealed that one or both sides may have access to the ancient technology of the Ancient Zoidians.

The series follows the story of Van Flyheight, a teenage boy who discovers a mysterious girl named Fiona (Fine in the Japanese version), and an Organoid named Zeke (Sieg). Van discovers that Zeke has the ability to merge with a Zoid, increasing its fighting power, and with that skill, Van and Fiona set off to discover the secrets of Fiona's past. During their travel, they meet up with a transporter named Moonbay, and a mercenary named Irvine, who initially thwarts their progress, but eventually begins traveling with them. As they travel across the Helic Republic, a new war breaks out, with the group of travelers being caught in the middle of it.

Plot

Prior to the series there was war between the Guylos Empire and the Helic Republic which ended in a ceasefire. The series starts with Van being chased by a group of bandit Zoid pilots and discovering the organoid Zeke in ruins near his village. Zeke revives an abandoned Shield Liger, which Van uses to fight off the bandits. Returning to the same ruins, he discovers Fiona, a mysterious girl with no memories. When Van returns to his village, the gang of bandits return and try to take Zeke from Van. To keep his village safe, he leaves with Fiona. Van hears Fiona speak of something called Zoid Eve and decides to help her find it in hopes that it will help her memories return. Shortly afterwards, they meet Irvine. Initially, Van and Irvine are enemies because of Irvine's attempts to steal Zeke, but they end up traveling together when they meet Moonbay. Van has to travel with Moonbay because she blew up her cargo to help him.

Later, the four arrive at one of the Republic's army bases and help to stop an invasion by the Empire orchestrated by Prozen. Afterward, Van, Fiona, Irvine, and Moonbay try to stay out of the war. However, Van is drawn back in when he meets the Guylos ace pilot Raven, quickly developing a grudge after witnessing Raven's brutal nature. They fight, but Van proves to be no match for Raven. Van later challenges Raven again, losing a second time, and Zeke suffers near-fatal damage, but Van manages to save him. During this time the Imperial army is marching farther and farther into Republican territory but are eventually stopped by the Republic's new weapon, the Gojulas. Van and the others eventually reach the Republic's capital in hopes of finding information about Zoid Eve, but are caught up in the Empire's surprise assault on the city. During the battle Van is finally able to defeat Raven, the latter destroying his own Zoid as he attempts to pierce the Liger's energy shield.

The war is stopped when the Empire's crown prince Rudolph orders a ceasefire, but Prozen refuses to give up on conquering the Republic and attempts to assassinate the prince. His attempt is foiled by the bandits Rosso and Viola, who kidnap the prince for ransom. However, Prozen announces that the prince is dead, seizing control of the Empire for himself. Prozen finds the remnants of legends about an apocalyptically powerful Zoid, the Death Saurer, and attempts to clone it. As a byproduct of the cloning research, the Geno Saurer is created and given to Raven. Raven uses the Geno Saurer to destroy Van's Shield Liger, but Zeke and Fiona later revive the Shield Liger as the Blade Liger.

Guardian Force

Two years after the Death Saurer's defeat, Van is shown to have joined the Helic army. On a trip home he meets up with Fiona, now a researcher for the military, and the two decide to try to find the Zoid Eve again. Van and Fiona are assigned to a joint task force, the Guardian Force, formed by the Empire and Republic. They work with Thomas Schubaltz of the Empire to fight against those who threaten the peace between the nations. The Guardian Force faces a number of antagonists. Most notably, they have multiple encounters with two mysterious individuals who have organoids, Reese and Hiltz. Raven also resurfaces, piloting various Zoids until he obtains a new Geno Saurer that later evolves into the Geno Breaker. The Guardian Force's members clash with Reese, Raven, Hiltz, and other criminals a number of times.

Eventually it is revealed that Reese and Hiltz are working to awaken a mysterious Zoid known as the Death Stinger, a very large and extremely powerful Zoid capable of destroying cities with its charged particle beam. Hiltz uses the Death Stinger to destroy the Republic's capital, despite a massive mobilization of Imperial and Republican military forces. The remaining forces gather and awaken the Ultrasaurus, a giant mobile fortress Zoid meant to be used as a last resort. The Ultrasaurus is fitted with the gravity cannon, an immense weapon nearly as large as the Ultrasaurus itself.

Hiltz continues his campaign of destruction across the continent. The Ultrasaurus pursues, and Van, Irvine, and Thomas close in to pin down the Death Stinger for the gravity cannon. They successfully hit the Death Stinger with the gravity cannon's third and final shot, crushing it. Its Zoid core shuts down and the Zoid begins to turn into stone. However, Hiltz's organoid Ambient appears and fuses with the Death Stinger, resurrecting it. Van and friends make headway against the still-weakened Death Stinger, but Hiltz, the Death Stinger, and Fiona all suddenly dissolve into light.

Fiona materializes before the Dark Kaiser, revealed to be Prozen merged with the Death Saurer's Zoid core. He manipulates Fiona to open the doors to the Ancient Zoidian city of Evopolis, where the Zoid Eve is located. Fiona regains her memories and explains that the Zoid Eve is the source of life for all Zoids. Zoids initially brought great prosperity, but some turned them into tools for war. The Death Saurer was created to end all wars, but instead began to destroy everything. The Zoidians could not bring themselves to destroy the Zoid Eve, which would end the life of all Zoids, so they sealed it away along with the Death Saurer's body.

Characters

(All characters are referred to by their names in the English dub)

Van Flyheight - Van is a fourteen year old (at the beginning of the show) orphan of the previous war between the Republic and Empire. His home is the Wind Colony, a village just within the borders of the Helic Republic. Van has an older sister, Maria Flyheight, who is in her late teens. Their father, Major Daniel "Dan" Flyheight, was a pilot with the Republican Army, using a Command Wolf called Zeke. He was killed defending the Wind Colony from an Imperial attack when Van was nine. At the start of the series, Van is chased into some ruins by a bandit named Bol. He then finds two capsules in the ruin. Van opens one to find an Organoid, whom he names Zeke after his father's zoid. He then fights off the bandits in a Shield Liger, which was brought back to life by Zeke. Van then opens up the second capsule, and finds a girl, who he names Fiona. Van then starts a journey to find Fiona's memories, and becomes caught up in a new war, and a plot to take over Zi. Van is a bit dense to start with, but is loyal to his companions and has a good heart. His open nature means that many people are attracted to him, and he enjoys a good challenge. He pilots a Shield Liger, a lion type Zoid that can deploy a shield in front of itself. It later evolves into a Blade Liger, which gives it a pair of laser-edged blades capable of cutting through all but the densest of enemy armor. His favorite food is mentioned as papaya. Throughout the course of the series, Van and Fiona fall in love. Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (Japanese); Matthew Erickson (English)

Fiona Elisi Linette - Fiona is young girl awakened from stasis by Van. She suffers from severe amnesia, and is unable to remember anything but the name "Fiona". Van gives her this as her new name, and the two set off to discover who she is. As her memories return, it is learned that her full name is Elisi Linette, and that she is one of the last members of the Ancient Zoidian race. Her driving goal is to discover something known as the 'Zoid Eve', supposedly the source of all Zoids' power. Although a bit naive at first (walking past bandits to untie her friends), she matures over time and eventually serves as Doctor D.'s brilliant assistant. While she and Van had somewhat of a rocky start, the two would grow close, and form a bond. It is shown that Fiona and Van develop romantic feelings for one another. Later in the series, Irvine points out Fiona's love for Van. Voiced by: Makiko Ohmoto (Japanese); Carol-Anne Day (English)

Zeke - Zeke is an organoid dragon, a small Zoid imbued with many powers. Awakened by Van, Zeke is named after the Command Wolf piloted by Van's father. Zeke's primary ability is to fuse himself with another Zoid, increasing its combat potential dramatically. Zeke is able to use this ability to resurrect destroyed Zoids, and to evolve Zoids into more powerful forms. Voiced by: Takuma Suzuki (Japanese); Dave Pettitt (English)

Zoids

Main Zoids

The central Zoids are those of the main characters. They are as follows:

Van's Shield Liger and Blade Liger

Moonbay's Gustav

Irvine's Command Wolf and Lightning Saix

Thomas's Dibison

Raven's Zaber Fang, Geno Saurer, and Geno Breaker

Helic Zoids

The Helic Republic uses a wide selection of Zoids for combat use. Most of the time, the Helic Zoids are normally underpowered, but are either faster than Guylos Zoids or used by the masses. The most commonly seen Helic Zoids are the Godos, Gordos, Gojulas, Command Wolf, Storm Sworder, Shield Liger, Pteras, Gustav, Gun Sniper, and Guysack. A few Guysacks and Godos are seen using mining equipment and used for civilian purposes. Although never shown in use by the Republic, the Dibison is also a Helic Republic zoid stated when Lieutenant Thomas Schubaltz explained to Van that he got his Dibison through the Arms Exchange between the Helic Republic and the Guylos Empire.

Guylos Zoids

The Guylos Empire uses a smaller selection of Zoids for combat. Whereas the Helic Zoids are faster, the Guylos Zoids are stronger and heavier-armored. The most commonly seen Zoids of the Guylos forces are the Red Horn, Dark Horn, Zaber Fang (Sabre Tiger), Molga, Redler, Black Redler, Whale King, Rev Raptor, Gustav, and Iron Kong.

Organoids

Organoids are a special type of Zoid left over from the time of the Ancient Zoidians. They commonly resemble Japanese dragons (i.e. three claws on each "hand" and "foot"), and are around the size of a small horse. Organoids are unique to Chaotic Century and Guardian Force, and do not appear in any other series (though they appear in some games). Organoids have the ability to fuse with other Zoids, either healing them, making them more powerful, evolving them, etc. They also have the memories of their Zoidian partners stored inside of them. In ancient times, all Zoidians were paired with an organoid.

Only four organoids appear in the series: Zeke, Shadow, Ambient, and Specula.

Theme songs

Opening

Wild Flowers by Ramar (Mean Records)

Ending

Song for... by Dear (Myriad Records)

Chase by Develop=Frame

Into Yourself by Transtic Nerve (Massive Recording)

Your Song by Earth