Zoid Empire Home Links Zoids? Character Bios Toy reviews Zoids: Legacy About this site RPG Archives Which Zoids Character are you? Which Organoid are you? Amusing pictures Fan art Avatars	Zoids were originally a toyline of models released in 1983 by Tomy, with varying popularity and multiple toylines of mixed success, and it's only original backstory taking the form of the battle story printed on the back of Zoids boxes. Zoids has gone on to become five anime series with several small manga series based on these, multiple video games across a wide range of consoles, merchandise, apparel, and other toys, and has recently celebrated its 25th anniversary along with the 10th anniversary of the first Zoids anime. Even before the renewed popularity coinciding directly with the 2001 translation of the Zoids: New Century cartoon series (or anime) from Japanese into English and the reissue of many older zoids with the creation of all new models, Zoids enjoyed limited popularity in the 1980's in many countries, with their own largely unique comic in the UK (unrelated to battle story or the anime that followed) and a video game for the Commodore 64. Many fans from the 80's still hold fond memories for childhood zoid toys or remember the comic. Zoids, the series, is a Japanese anime cartoon featuring large robots known as Zoids. There have been five series of Zoids to date, which can be placed into four categories: Zoids Chaotic Century (the first Zoids anime) and its sequel Zoids Guardian Force, Zoids: New Century, Zoids: Fuzors, and the newest instalment in the Zoids saga, Zoids: Genesis. Zoids Chaotic Century (1999. Released shortly after Zoids New Century in English in 2001-2002) is set during a war between the Guylos Empire and the Helic Republic - the factions found in the original Zoids battle story that was once printed on the back of zoids boxes. It contains many elements from the original battle story, although merged and altered in many cases with new elements and characters added, and focuses on Van, his organoid Zeke, and the mysterious Fiona as they journey through a war-torn landscape in the search of Zoid eve and Fiona's past. ZCC along with its sequel are the most serious Zoids series so far, dealing with issues like war, and unusually showing character development and a more balanced and realistic view not found in the other series. The good side is not all good, the bad side not all evil, innocents are caught in the crossfire between the warring factions and there are those that would use almost any situation to further their own goals or make easy money. Beneath it all an ancient threat pulls strings to direct the conflict towards its own goal: the destruction of republic and empire alike, and the birth of a new era through the death of everything else. Zoids Guardian Force is set a few years after ZCC (varies from two to four officially, depending on the western or Japanese release), after the war of ZCC has been resolved and was aired in english speaking countries as, and running directly on from, Zoids Chaotic Century. The series takes its name from a special task force composed largely of zoid pilots from the empire and republic of the previous series as an aspect of both factions joint agreement to keep the new-found peace and control or destroy rogue threats to either group or the state of peace as a whole. Character development is not as across the board as in ZCC but some of the older characters are revisited with further information about their past revealed, new characters introduced, and the occasional spotlight on the aftermath of war and how some soldiers and factions can react under a peace treaty they don't agree with. The planet Zi, its history, the Zoidian race, and organoids are all further elaborated on which makes up for the general lack of depth and development shown in the main villains of the series. Zoids: New Century (aka Zoids New Century Zero, made in 2001) forms the second category and third Zoids series and has caused confusion among fans by being released before the original series (Zoids:Chaotic Century and Zoids: Guardian Force) aired in English speaking countries, even though it's set a long after in the Zoids timeline and made afterwards as well. Set in the far future of ZCC and ZGF it's not a direct sequel due to the time lapse, but is a reasonable extrapolation based on past events and characters. Zoids have been reduced from war machines to participants in sport-like fighting competitions of a peaceable world. Battles are moderated and run under strict rules and regulations by the Zoid Battle Commission with much of the potential danger removed, and prize money and team rankings, wins and losses, can make or break a zoid team and heavily influence the popularity, wealth, and success of individuals, teams, organizations and through the business and excitement generated; the general populace as well. A group of shadowy dissidents, the Backdraft group, illegally interrupts and voids sanctioned battles and following their own agenda (which depending on the individual Backdraft member, ranges from power and wealth to greater freedom in zoid battles) fights, destroys, and often confiscates the zoids of their vanquished opponents as well as sponsoring and participating in other illegial activities. Bit Cloud befriends the zoid, Liger Zero, and is drawn into the world of zoid battles as part of the Blitz team. When their winning streak catches the eye of the Backdraft group they're caught in a conflict between the Zoid Battle Commission and the Backdraft organization that threatens to destroy the ZBC and sanctioned battle system forever and throw the entire world into chaos. Zoids: Fuzors (2003) has a battle/contest based theme similar to Zoids: New Century, with the main character also piloting a Liger Zero, but seems to have no clear historical link to the three previous series. It is still set on planet Zi, though likely in a different continuity, and as the name suggests it features an upgrade gimmick in the form of two Zoids fusing to form a more powerful and improved version (eg. Liger Zero Phoenix). Zoids: Genesis (2006, 2005 in Japan) is less competition based than New Century or Fuzors and closer to Chaotic Century in that aspect alone but seems to have no concrete link with the other series other than containing zoids, some of which seem modified or descended from the fuzors and new century series. Although set in a post apocalyptic era when Zoids are relatively rare and technology is relatively primitive, Zoids: Genesis has several technological devices not seen in the other series and features large blade and lance weapons mounted on Zoids like swingable swords, as well as skeletal bio zoids. What is a Zoid? A Zoid is a mechanical combat unit, a large animal shaped robot, friend, transport, or a really cool toy you usually buy as a model kit. It depends on who you ask and in what context. :) In almost all the series Zoids are a large robotic life form piloted by humans, many of which are unaware the zoids they pilot are anything but simple machines. Zoids are alive! Despite being robots they live, though not quite in the sense that most humans would understand (they do not eat, breathe etc like animals or humans would, and they can't normally move unless a human is piloting them). They do have a Zoid core, which is like a soul, and if it is destroyed or severely damaged then they die, and some of them have feelings and develop attachments, friendships, etc. Most Zoids these days have been domesticated, or built/modified deliberately to be of low sentience for easy control, and are not intelligent or self aware enough for most people to think of them as anything but lifeless machines there to do as they command, yet, some Zoids are so self aware that most people will realise they're alive. However, a lot of people would still refuse to believe this even if confronted with a Zoid who walked right past them unpiloted, in many cases because it doesn't suit the humans to think of Zoids as living beings, or anything other than tools and weapons. These special and comparatively super intelligent and mobile Zoids are often referred to as Ultimate X's which are very rare (Liger Zero is one of these) and their own intelligence can make them hard to control (they normally need to like their pilot before they agree to do anything) but in the end, their intellect (their ability to think and act and often move under their own power) coupled with the bond they form with their pilot tends to make them more powerful than your average Zoid. Even the most lifeless seeming Zoid will pick up on its owners feelings while they pilot it, and roar when they're angry, hiss when they feel threatened, and Zoids will also scream when in severe pain. Zoids vary in size, the average is about 20 meters or so (maybe a bit below that, but Zoids get a lot bigger and smaller as well) and different types of Zoids are different sizes. All Zoids (except organoids, which are very rare, and small) are larger than a car or 4WD, and in most cases, the pilot sits in the Zoid's head in a cockpit with all the controls necessary to pilot the zoid (plus an audio and often visual communication system to be able to talk with other Zoid pilots), encased in a normally orange or green view screen (which normally forms the Zoids eyes). Are Zoids only for battle? No, despite the fact that Zoids: New Century mainly shows Zoids as fighting machines, Zoids are also used for pulling large heavy objects, racing, or transport (sometimes exclusively, Gustavs are a type of Zoid heavily shielded but slow and used for transporting cargo or about two other Zoids, Whalekings are massive transporter Zoids capable of carrying hundreds of combat Zoids) and in some cases as portable command centers (Ultrasaurus is so big that it forms the Zoid Battle Commissions HQ). They also make great friends. :) What does this site have to do with Zoids? This site focuses mainly upon the first three TV series of Zoids (Chaotic Century, Guardian Force, and New Century), but also has information on the models and toys, tests and quizzes so that you can discover a bit about yourself and how you fit in with Zoids, as well as a lot of other Zoid related things such as pictures of Zoids and Zoid characters by fans (Fan Art). :)