Numan (race)
Encyclopedia
Numans, or newmans, are members of a fictional race in the Phantasy Star
video game series. They are genetically engineered
beings, made with a combination of DNA
from Palmans (the series' humans) and artificial wild creatures called biomonsters. Their appearance is mostly Palman, except for their long, pointy ears.
. Called Neifirst, she was created by scientists at the Biosystems Lab as a combination of Palman and biomonster DNA. Regarding Neifirst as a failed experiment, they tried to kill her, but she managed to escape. Afterwards she sought revenge by infiltrating the Climatrol Center and initiating a devastating biomonster outbreak.
There was a schism within Neifirst between her resentment and anger on one hand, and her more peaceful nature on the other, manifesting in a physical split. Two new beings resulted - Neifirst and Nei. The latter was found by government agent Rolf (Eusis in the Japanese version), who adopted her as a little sister.
She looked like a 6-year-old at that time, although she was actually a few months old. Only seven months later, in the beginning of the game, she was already in her late teens. When Rolf was sent on a mission to investigate the biomonster outbreak, Nei faced off against Neifirst to end her hateful ambitions. There are two possible outcomes, with either Nei claiming victory, or Rolf avenging her after she is slain. Either way, since Nei cannot continue to live if Neifirst dies, the battle marks the end of her life.
games. Officially, no plot continuity exists between the original series and the Online games, so there is no canonical
link between "numans" and "newmans". There are also certain visual differences between the games, with the newmans of PSO having long curved ears more perpendicular to the head, rather than vertical position of the original series numans. In a new development, a story sequence in PSO points to the uncertain lifespans of numans, and although this was never mentioned in the original series, it could be a consequence of their rapid growth.
, Newmans are a race of genetically-modified humans, who were given above average mental and spiritual powers. To compensate for these advantages, and prevent them from becoming too powerful, their physical strength and hardiness was reduced. The Newman homeland is the planet Neudaiz; after their initial landing in the Agata Islands area, they established a religion, the Communion of Gurhal (CoG). The CoG is presided over by the Divine Maiden, and is followed by Newmans and non-Newmans alike.
Because of their superior mental abilities, Newmans excel in using TECHNICs, which are roughly the PSU equivalent of magic
. They also have higher mental stamina to protect against enemy TECHNICs, as well as evasion, which allows them to block physical attacks much more frequently than other races. In addition, due to their heightened ability to concentrate and focus, Newmans have excellent attack accuracy, the second highest among the races.
Like previous games, Newmans develop faster than Humans and the other races. However their lifespans are apparently now stabilized and are shown to live to old ages. During the story mode of the game, it is revealed that different races have wildly different tastes in food, and that Newmans and Humans differ quite drastically. Notable Newmans in the offline and online story modes include Karen Erra, Maya Shidow, Mirei Mikuna, and Hiro Vol.
Phantasy Star series
is a series of console role-playing video games and other supplementary media created by Sega. The original game debuted in 1987 on the Sega Master System with Phantasy Star, and continues into the present with Phantasy Star Universe, Sega's foray into the realm of MMORPGs...
video game series. They are genetically engineered
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
beings, made with a combination of DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
from Palmans (the series' humans) and artificial wild creatures called biomonsters. Their appearance is mostly Palman, except for their long, pointy ears.
Phantasy Star II
The first numan appeared in Phantasy Star IIPhantasy Star II
Phantasy Star II is a console role-playing video game developed by Sega AM7 and released for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan in 1989. It was also released for the Mega Drive in Europe and the Genesis in America in 1990...
. Called Neifirst, she was created by scientists at the Biosystems Lab as a combination of Palman and biomonster DNA. Regarding Neifirst as a failed experiment, they tried to kill her, but she managed to escape. Afterwards she sought revenge by infiltrating the Climatrol Center and initiating a devastating biomonster outbreak.
There was a schism within Neifirst between her resentment and anger on one hand, and her more peaceful nature on the other, manifesting in a physical split. Two new beings resulted - Neifirst and Nei. The latter was found by government agent Rolf (Eusis in the Japanese version), who adopted her as a little sister.
She looked like a 6-year-old at that time, although she was actually a few months old. Only seven months later, in the beginning of the game, she was already in her late teens. When Rolf was sent on a mission to investigate the biomonster outbreak, Nei faced off against Neifirst to end her hateful ambitions. There are two possible outcomes, with either Nei claiming victory, or Rolf avenging her after she is slain. Either way, since Nei cannot continue to live if Neifirst dies, the battle marks the end of her life.
Phantasy Star IV
Over a period of a thousand years, the sentient supercomputer called Seed uses the long-lost information about the Neifirst experiment to conduct research into creating a much improved creature, Rika (Fal in the Japanese version), completing its project a year before the beginning of the game. In spite of being only a year old, she takes the form of an adult. She has a bright and cheerful personality, something that belies her formidable combat skills.Phantasy Star Online
Numans — now renamed newmans — are a playable race in the Phantasy Star OnlinePhantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Online is an online multiplayer action RPG title, originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000, bundled with a demo of Sonic Adventure 2. Another edition, entitled Phantasy Star Online ver.2, was released for Dreamcast the following year...
games. Officially, no plot continuity exists between the original series and the Online games, so there is no canonical
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
link between "numans" and "newmans". There are also certain visual differences between the games, with the newmans of PSO having long curved ears more perpendicular to the head, rather than vertical position of the original series numans. In a new development, a story sequence in PSO points to the uncertain lifespans of numans, and although this was never mentioned in the original series, it could be a consequence of their rapid growth.
Phantasy Star Universe
In Phantasy Star UniversePhantasy Star Universe
is an action roleplaying game by Sega's Sonic Team for the PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360. In Japan, it was released for the PC and PlayStation 2 on August 31, 2006, with the Xbox 360 version releasing on December 12, 2006. Its North American release was on October 24, 2006, available in all...
, Newmans are a race of genetically-modified humans, who were given above average mental and spiritual powers. To compensate for these advantages, and prevent them from becoming too powerful, their physical strength and hardiness was reduced. The Newman homeland is the planet Neudaiz; after their initial landing in the Agata Islands area, they established a religion, the Communion of Gurhal (CoG). The CoG is presided over by the Divine Maiden, and is followed by Newmans and non-Newmans alike.
Because of their superior mental abilities, Newmans excel in using TECHNICs, which are roughly the PSU equivalent of magic
Magic (fantasy)
Magic in fiction is the endowing of fictional characters or objects with magical powers.Such magic often serves as a plot device, the source of magical artifacts and their quests...
. They also have higher mental stamina to protect against enemy TECHNICs, as well as evasion, which allows them to block physical attacks much more frequently than other races. In addition, due to their heightened ability to concentrate and focus, Newmans have excellent attack accuracy, the second highest among the races.
Like previous games, Newmans develop faster than Humans and the other races. However their lifespans are apparently now stabilized and are shown to live to old ages. During the story mode of the game, it is revealed that different races have wildly different tastes in food, and that Newmans and Humans differ quite drastically. Notable Newmans in the offline and online story modes include Karen Erra, Maya Shidow, Mirei Mikuna, and Hiro Vol.