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Zoids General Topic


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I just posted a status today asking about what everyone thought about this Anime/Toyline franchise, and I was immensely surprised that so few people even knew about it (or they just didn't respond, but whatever). So I figured that for my 777th post, I would start this topic, hopefully getting a little bit of attention for this strangely forgotten franchise.

Now I actually don't know all that much about this franchise beyond one Anime to be honest, so I will be talking primarily about that anime:

Zoids New Century is different from the ones that preceded it, following the actions of the Blitz Team, and their newest member, Bit Cloud, as they slowly climb through the rankings in a competitive tournament style setting, all the while dealing with the machinations of the Backdraft Group and their objective of finding the rare Ultimate X Zoids.

The Blitz Team

Bit Cloud: Voiced by Richard Cox

Bit was a former junk dealer, whose dream was to build a Zoid partner from the various parts he salvaged; this changed when he met the Blitz Team, and Liger Zero. He is a bit of a hothead, but is mostly happy go lucky. He pilots the Liger Zero.

Liger Zero

Liger Zero is one of two known "Ultimate X" Zoids (at least from what I remember), meaning that he possesses greater agility and intelligence than the average zoid. Liger is fairly stubborn and temperamental, only allowing Bit to pilot him, and even then has shown to be occasionally disobedient if he doesn't agree with something. It's signature move is the Strike Laser Claw. He is also the only Zoid to have access to the CAS (Conversion/Changing Armor System, allowing him to change his armor to become one of three zoids:

  • Liger Zero Jager: Blue, is designed for speed, best used in high speed battles and wide areas.
  • Liger Zero Schneider: Orange, uses 7 sword blades, cannot use Strike Laser Claw.
  • Liger Zero Panzer: Green, is a tank, but cannot move at all, and weapons system, while powerful, can overheat.

Leena Toros: voiced by Kelly Sheridan

She's incredibly trigger happy, is very vain about herself, and she tends to be aggressive towards others, particularly Bit when he does something she doesn't like. She originally pilots a DiBison, but eventually changes to a heavily modded Gun Sniper.

Leon Toros: voiced by Ted Cole

He's one of Bit's rivals and Leena's brother. Although he was initially on the Blitz Team, by episode 2, he decides to leave in order to explore the world. He is fairly hardy and courageous, though he was partially crushed in spirit after he was badly defeated post-Blitz Team. He eventually becomes partners with Naomi Fluegel for the tournament. His first zoid was a Shield Liger, anlthough after it's destruction, he obtains the more powerful Red Blade Liger.

Brad Hunter: voiced by Double D Samuel Vincent

While his general loyalty is towards the Blitz Team, he tends to act somewhat like a mercenary; no prize money, no deal (although he still breaks this rule regardless to help out). He apparently had some kind of attraction to Naomi Fluegel. His first zoid was the Command Wolf, although a small arc involving him and the Backdraft Group eventually yielded him the Shadow Fox.

Jamie Hemeros/Wild Eagle: voiced by Bill Switzer

He's kinda cowardly, and his skills as a zoid pilot are lacking compared to his team members; he mostly serves as a tactician, although no one really listens to him. This may be in part due to an accident involving his father and a Raynos (no the father isn't dead). But when he gets into the cockpit of a Raynos, his personality does a complete flip, becoming the Wild Eagle. Wild Eagle is very skilled, but incredibly cocky and arrogant. His first zoid was a Pteras, but later switched without consent to a Raynos.

Steve Toros: voiced by Ron Halder

Steve Toros is absent minded, an impulsive buyer/pennypincher depending on the situation, and overall kind of goofy. Despite this, he is quite knowledgeable about zoids. He has a petty rivalry with Dr. Laon over his marriage to Leena and Leon's mother, who Laon secretly loved.

The most common recurring characters include:

The Tigers Team/Zaber Fangs/"Fuzzy Pandas"

A reference to the Hanshin Tigers, this team consists of Kirkland, Omari, and Lineback, and is pretty much one of the butt monkeys of the series; the other being the Champ Team. They have never won any of their fights (not legally at least) after they met the Blitz Team, and have been degraded to the point that they have been referred to as the Fuzzy Pandas Team. They did attempt a revival with the new name "Zaber Fangs", but a funny incident involving a Judge put an end to that quickly. They all pilot Zaber Fangs.

The Champ Team

Harry Champ: voiced by Brad Swaile

...is "a man destined to be King"...or so he says every time you meet him, which is probably why he is considered a scrappy on TvTropes. He is obsessed with Leena, and is easily duped as a result, or prone to jumping to conclusions, especially about Bit Clouds' involvement with Leena. His partners are his butler robots, Sebastian and Benjamin, serve as his foils, although they still obey him in spite of his stupidity.

If you haven't guessed already, he's filthy rich, and thus has a ton of zoids, although Harry primarily uses a modded Darkhorn, while his robot partners use a Stealth Viper and Heldigunner.

Team Fluegel

Led by Naomi Fluegel: voiced by Saffron Henderson

Naomi had a reputation for being difficult to approach in battle, mainly because he Gun Sniper could strike enemy zoids before they could get within 1000 yards of her; this was prior to her meeting with the Blitz Team. She's tough, independent, and in a one sided rivalry with Leena, and a implied interest with Brad Hunter.

Team Lightning

Led by sisters Chris and Kelly Tasker, joined by:

Jack Cisco: voiced by Brian Drummond

I didn't pay all that much attention to the Tasker Twins, but Cisco is a mercenary, through and through. Before fighting Bit and Liger Zero Jager, he was generally a bored mercenary who charged exorbit amounts and held high expectations for those who planned to battle with him, usually ditching those who couldn't meet his standards. He joined the Twins not long after his encounter with Bit; they all pilot the cheetah like Lightning Saix.

And of course, it's hard to forget:

The Backdraft Group

I honestly don't feel like posting every little detail about them, so I'll just cover the most important ones:

Polta: sleazy guy who plays dirty, very cowardly. voiced by Scott McNeil.

Stigma Stoller & Sanders: the former is a powerful pilot with a strong sense of honor (for a Backdraft Member), with Sanders as his loyal lackey. Former is voiced by Scott McNeil, and both pilot Elephanders.

Pierce: She's laid back, but fierce in battle. voiced by Alaina Burnett, and pilots a Storm Sworder.

Fuma Team: They commandeer Warsharks.

Vega Obscura: Kid prodigy who treats Zoid Battles like a game, and as a result doesn't take the fact that he's fighting real people seriously ( not even sure if he knows). voiced by Alex Doduk and pilots the Berserk Fury/Fuhrer.

Berserk Fury/Fuhrer: The other Ultimate X of the series, very vicious, and was only called the Berserk Fuhrer in Japan, presumably due to the Hitler reference.

Dr. Laon: voiced by Michael Dobson

He loved Leena's mother, and has a soft spot for Leena. Hates Steve Toros for taking Leena's mother away from him due to a strange love letter incident. Fairly petty.

Sarah: voiced by Ellen Kennedy

She stole Atile's work to bolster herself to a higher position. The only person she truly cares about is Vega.

Atile: voiced by Don Brown

Ambitious, and was in search of the Ultimate X at the cost of his reputation. Hates Sarah for taking credit for his work.

Oh, but we can't forget about the Judges themselves. There is the standard Judge and the Dark Judge (no points for guessing who's the good judge).

Okay, now that the long list of names is over, what do you think about Zoids: New Century, or just the franchise in general, assuming you've even heard of it (so forgotten, poor Zoids).

WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT IT?

Well, I still like it, and I have all 26 episodes. As to WHY I like it...well...

I'm not sure to be honest. I just kind of enjoyed the occasionally cheesy and corniness. I liked the Zoid Battles for how flashy they could be at times. This series was just fun in general.

Edited by Frankenstein Joe
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I'll forever remember coming home from school and turning on Cartoon Network one day, and episode ten of the show was on where the Blitz Team were ambushed by Backdraft's Warsharks. I had no idea what was going on- I think I had been expecting another show to be on- but people were piloting armed animal mechas in battle so nothing else mattered at the moment. I've been a fan ever since; The 3D animation for the battles- especially the final one- was and still is fairly impressive for TV, and much more so than any of the prequel or even sequel series since. This particular human cast was more lovable than the others to me considering they weren't plagued by any real melodrama or war to bog any of the lightheartedness down; slice-of-life pack politics ensued, and it was genuinely funny due in no small part to Ocean Group's dubbing. Yes indeed, I love me some Zoids Zero.

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I had a Zoid when I was younger. I remember how fun it was to build the thing, but the playing part of the thing was terrible.

I don't remember the shows too much either. The only show that left enough of an impact on me was the one with the White Tiger and the Fuzzy Pandas Team. Now that was fun. I also liked watching the announcer robot in each episode. He certainly made me laugh.

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The show you're referring to would be Zoids Zero. =P

Ha; now I remember the Fuzzy Pandas. They were actually shown to be a decent team until The Liger Zero came along (the white tiger). But considering how quickly they descended, it makes me wonder about their placement in the league before the series started. Either they fell really far or they were just happy to have the Blitz team to pick on for a minute. Either way, I felt sorry for them a few times here and there. They were a walking Greek tragedy.

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The show you're referring to would be Zoids Zero. =P

Ha; now I remember the Fuzzy Pandas. They were actually shown to be a decent team until The Liger Zero came along (the white tiger). But considering how quickly they descended, it makes me wonder about their placement in the league before the series started. Either they fell really far or they were just happy to have the Blitz team to pick on for a minute. Either way, I felt sorry for them a few times here and there. They were a walking Greek tragedy.

Remember when the Judge called them the Fuzzy Pandas and they did the traditional, falling down in surprise maneuver? What caught me off guard is the twist the writers pulled with this joke by having their Zoids get wrecked in the process, forcing them to forfeit the match.

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I've seen New Century Zero and Chaotic Century. Greatly preferred Chaotic Century due to its slightly more serious tone and it's more extensive back story. I barely remember it, so it's been on my "shit to rewatch" list for ages.

Also, this little Shield Liger was my very first plastic model kit and always had a special place in my heart. Now here I am, nearly ten years later, with dozens upon dozens of Gundam and other various mecha model kits.

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*i'mnotalone.jpg*

I wasn't online when you posted your status, so I missed out. .__. Funny enough, I made a similar status when we're all on a nostalgia streak...

Anyway, I was quite a fan of the Zoids franchise in my younger years, watching New Century Zero and Chaotic Century (a more story-driven series) and collecting model kits that were made by Hasbro. My very first kit was the yellow Saber Fang, the last was if my memory serves, Iron Kong. (Curse you nearby Toys R' Us for not having the Blade Liger!)

What got me hooked was mostly how the mechas were design-based on prehistoric and fantasy creatures; however, I was starting to lose interest when the Fuzors (or at least that's what I think they're called) were introduced, and skipped the Genesis series.

Around early last year, I'd discovered about Kotobukiya obtained the license to make these highly detailed, show-accurate Zoids model kits and I just have the urge to get back into the franchise and slowly re-collect them one by one, but the prices on these, ouch.

Ironically enough, the first Zoid model I've brought for years was Revoltech's Blade Liger and the Genobreaker, and they've been standing on my desk ever since. laugh.png

Now I'm currently waiting for HMM (Highend Master Model) Shadow Fox and the Liger Zero is already on its way to my home. cool.png

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Well this general topic died really fast...

Anyone wanna watch the 26 Zoids episodes I have stored on my computer?

Granted, I'm going to have to figure out where I can put it so people can download it...

And figure out the process to get it there.

I'ts New Century episodes btw.

Edited by Frankenstein Joe
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I don't think the Schnieder ever actually used its swords, just always using the ones on it's head,those were really more like horns than swords. I seem to recall them using the panzer like twice. Really seemed like they wanted to make it really situational, I guess they didn't bring it out because it would have eclipsed Leena's thing. I'm not sure why they needed to launch the zoids off a catapault every time they wanted to leave the hover cargo.

And man they played fast and loose with the rules. Dumping a judge into wherever the battle was to take place, sending out a one sentence warning before engaging in live fire competitions. Competitors joining mid match? No problem. A combatant registers himself on the other team and shadily transfers his zoid to the other team? Why not? It's not like it was even an officially recognized battle in the first place.

It always struck me as kind of funny that this series never seems to bring up that a major chunk of the surface of the earth has seemingly been reduced to moonscape due to this widespread live fire competition. But it's totally safe, no one attacks the cockpit.

Looking at all that it sounds like I didn't like the show, and if I were to watch it now, I probably wouldn't, at least not unironically, but maybe that's what they were going for. It's a good thing this show didn't take itself too seriously considering the presence of a crime syndicate that doesn't seem to understand that you're supposed to keep it secret when you fix a fight. You'd think they'd have figured that out the first time the official judges shot them from space.

I also find it funny that some fans of the initial zoids series don't like this one, calling it a toy commercial, as if Zoids didn't start out that way.

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Rezzing my own topic:

I think Eggman would have made a good Zoid Pilot. Or at the least a manufacturer of one, considering about 50 - 70% of his machines tend to be animal based.

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Considering Eggman tends to pilot things in a highly-predictable and telegraphed fashion, I actually think he'd make a terrible Zoids pilot, as in, beyond Fuzzy Pandas terrible. Engineering's another story.

Also, has anyone tried any of the Zoids video games? I might the misguided fan-boy mistake of buying Zoids Versus on GameCube in the hopes of expecting emulation of the fluid control and strategic battles presented in the shows. It was anything but. Clunky movement and camera controls, and with AI that was dumb and broken. The Berserk Fury in the Zero storyline can be defeated by merely hopping in the bleachers of the arena and raining hell down upon it. Also, the flying Zoids can't even get any real air; they just hover over the ground. Such a waste of potential. =(

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Considering Eggman tends to pilot things in a highly-predictable and telegraphed fashion, I actually think he'd make a terrible Zoids pilot, as in, beyond Fuzzy Pandas terrible. Engineering's another story.

Also, has anyone tried any of the Zoids video games? I might the misguided fan-boy mistake of buying Zoids Versus on GameCube in the hopes of expecting emulation of the fluid control and strategic battles presented in the shows. It was anything but. Clunky movement and camera controls, and with AI that was dumb and broken. The Berserk Fury in the Zero storyline can be defeated by merely hopping in the bleachers of the arena and raining hell down upon it. Also, the flying Zoids can't even get any real air; they just hover over the ground. Such a waste of potential. =(

I found Zoids Assault at a GameStop for ten bucks a few months back and tried it out. I knew in advance it was pretty bland but I figured I could still stomach through it. I didn't realize that no one was exaggerating when they described just how bland it all was online though. The Zoids themselves are pretty much just really dull colors, the environments are very typical and nothing pops at the eye. Combat has the same camera angles every time...I don't know. You'd think a SRPG-styled Zoids game could be neat but there was no love put into that game at all.

Edited by Mykonos
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