Shion Uzuki
Encyclopedia
is the female protagonist in the PlayStation 2
trilogy known as the Xenosaga
series: Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht
, Xenosaga Episode II Jenseits von Gut und Böse
, and Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra
. In addition, she was in the mobile game Pied Piper, Xenosaga I & II, Xenosaga Freaks, as well as the anime Xenosaga the Animation
. Xenosaga co-creator Soraya Saga
(née Kaori Tanaka) has revealed that most of the primary female characters in Xenosaga are named after flowers. "Shion" is the Japanese name of the Tatarian Aster, a type of daisy
, though it was once speculated that her name could have been a bastardization of "Zion
", a term meaning "The Kingdom of God".
. She does, however, share his liking for science.
Shion is portrayed as a girl who tries to overcome the tragic events of her past by "looking away from reality and truth". Takahashi compared the character's instinctive tendency to run away from things with his very own personality and mindset. A particular point he wanted to explore in the series was Shion "looking back at herself […] wondering how she should live her life". When he created Xenosaga, Takahashi made "life and death" a central theme of the story and gave each character a different outlook on it; Shion and Albedo were conceived as the two characters that eventually develop the "ideal compromise towards death".
-like art style, while Episode II and III use a more realistic style. Shion's design is thus very different in the last two episodes. She wears glasses in the first and third games.
If the player loads a save file from Episode II in Episode III, Shion will obtain special armor that will change her outward appearance.
. The tracks "Shion's Crisis", "Shion ~Memories of the Past~" and "Shion ~Emotion~" were also written for scenes focusing on her. "Fighting KOS-MOS" plays during a scene that showcases KOS-MOS' power, but composer Yasunori Mitsuda
chose to write the track from Shion's perspective for a twist. "Shion ~Emotion~" was first released on the "Kokoro" maxi-single as "Kokoro Piano Version", but Mitsuda changed the track's title in the Xenosaga Original Soundtrack as it fitted Shion best.
, the result of two traumatic incidents which happened during lightning storms; losing her parents and later her fiancé, Kevin. She does not get along well with her brother, Jin Uzuki, who is thirteen years her senior. Shion ends up being swept, along with KOS-MOS and her co-worker Allen Ridgeley, into a conspiracy concerning the very fate of mankind itself.
In addition to her intellect (a key factor in her usage of nanotechnology) she learned the same martial arts that Jin and Margulis are masters of as taught by her grandfather. However, unlike Jin and Margulis, she primarily focuses on hand-to-hand combat with use of her M.W.S.
Throughout the series, Shion has exhibited abilities unbecoming of most humans. During the Gnosis' assault on the Woglinde, she was caught in close proximity to an FAE (fuel air explosion), which no ordinary human could possibly survive. Shion, however, was blown back by the explosion and left otherwise unscathed. Shion has also demonstrated the peculiar ability to hear the Song of Nephilim, something which only Realians http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/Realian and U.R.T.V.s http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/URTV should be capable of (it should be noted that chaos has also demonstrated this ability, but his status as a "human being" remains ambiguous at best). During a Gnosis assault on the Woglinde, Shion was caught by a Gnosis http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/Gnosis in its immaterial state, which was able to grip onto her. She was able to escape crystallization and mysteriously avoided the fate of those whom did not survive such an encounter with a Gnosis, as those that comes into physical contact with Gnosis usually transformed into one. Andrew Cherenkov, for instance, suffered such a fate. This could be due to her status as the "Maiden" or her possession of what Wilhelm referred to as the "Shining Will", which is a prerequisite to become a Testament; it is said that those with the Shining Will will not Gnosify.
Shion can link to U-DO http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/U-DO, and can communicate with it, with U-DO responding to her through this power. During the Miltian Conflict (as a child), after seeing her parents killed by berserk realians she summons the Gnosis from her distress through the Zohar. When she once again experiences this as an adult she loses control and summons Abels Ark (a giant Gnosis). Shion also suffers from the same illness as her mother, which Kevin reveals is caused by communication with U-DO. Kevin confirms in Episode III that KOS-MOS is gradually killing Shion since KOS-MOS uses the Zohar and U-DO as an energy source. Had U-DO not chosen to let humanity live on, Shion would have ultimately died due to the extreme stress caused by these communications.
She has also experienced several unusual perceptions, seeing visions of the young girl named "Nephilim" and of her deceased Realian nanny Febronia. It is also revealed in Xenosaga I & II and the database of III that she has the natural ability to see into the "Realm of Imaginary Numbers", where the Gnosis hail from. Her glasses inhibit this ability and allow her to experience relatively normal perceptions. However, as this sense of hers is not active all the time, and as she "has gotten used to it," she removes the glasses when they present an inconvenience to her daily life.
Her consciousness has existed since the time of Lost Jerusalem as the maiden and close acquaintance of Mary Magdalene; her brief vision of the distant past was not through KOS-MOS' memory, but through her own.
It can be deduced from KOS-MOS' last words that Shion's former self died as a result of being caught up in some larger occurrence, and that KOS-MOS (Mary) had been unable to protect her.
After discovering Allen's feelings for her on Michtam, Shion took the first step towards her independence. Shion, so caught up in the memories shared with Kevin Winnicot, had not truly realized the extent of Allen's love for her. Because Allen differs from Kevin in every conceivable way, including attitude, disposition and personal history, Shion felt as though he would be the one able to offer comfort for her sorrowful heart.
Thus begins Shion's journey to Lost Jerusalem http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/Lost_Jerusalem, wherein humanity's collective consciousness awaits guidance and salvation.
during a series of dimensional disturbances, in time to help the main characters against a Gnosis attack. In the game, Shion is paired with MOMO as a single unit.
Bandai
has released Shion figurines as part of the Xenosaga Legend toy set.
also praised the more realistic character designs seen in Episode II, noting that Shion's design became "more flattering
", having "been injected with ye old "Babe Serum."" RPGamer
also praised the design change, though they felt that Shion's lack of glasses in that episode was "amusing". In a review of the first volume of Xenosaga: The Animation
, GameSpot compared Shion and KOS-MOS to "the ultimate fanboy fan-service
pair", feeling that Shion was an example of a "cute, yet smart glasses girl".
Personalitywise, Shion has been described by GameSpot
as being "pretty straightforward as a heroine, though maybe a little ditzy for someone who's supposedly one of the best scientists in the galaxy". On the other hand, IGN
felt that the character was "more complicated than she first lets on". In a review of the Xenosaga anime, another reviewer from IGN noted that Shion's idealism and naivety were out of place considering her tragic past, and that it was annoying "since it seems to happen a lot with anime heroines". GameSpy
echoed this concern, stating that Shion was "often naïve to the point of unbelievability".
On voice acting, GameSpy felt Shion in Episode I was "excellent" despite the game not having "Hollywood-quality" acting. The site called the character a "calm center" around which the rest of the game is built. IGN considered Shion's voice acting was "surprisingly strong", and that it was a good point since she was the character the player would hear most. In Episode II however, PALGN
felt that Shion's voice actress was "terrible" and overacting compared to most other characters.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
trilogy known as the Xenosaga
Xenosaga
is a series of science fiction video games developed by Monolith Soft and published by Namco Bandai. Xenosaga's main story is in the form of a trilogy of PlayStation 2 video games. There have been three spin-off games and an anime adaptation. The Xenosaga series serves as a spiritual successor to...
series: Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht
is a console role-playing game for the PlayStation 2 and the first title in the Xenosaga series. Der Wille zur Macht, "The Will to Power", is a reference to Friedrich Nietzsche's posthumous collection of notes and unused aphorisms, which was intended to become his magnum opus...
, Xenosaga Episode II Jenseits von Gut und Böse
Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse
is an RPG for the PlayStation 2 and the second title in the Xenosaga series. Jenseits von Gut und Böse, literally "Beyond Good and Evil", is taken from a philosophical work by Friedrich Nietzsche of the same name...
, and Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra
Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra
is an RPG for the PlayStation 2, and the third game in the primary Xenosaga trilogy. Also sprach Zarathustra, literally "Thus spoke Zarathustra", is also the title of Friedrich Nietzsche's most famous work, which introduced the concept of the Übermensch...
. In addition, she was in the mobile game Pied Piper, Xenosaga I & II, Xenosaga Freaks, as well as the anime Xenosaga the Animation
Xenosaga: The Animation
is a 12-episode Japanese anime television series by Toei Animation, which premiered on TV Asahi in Japan on January 5, 2005. The series is based on the PlayStation 2 game Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht...
. Xenosaga co-creator Soraya Saga
Soraya Saga
, also known by her pen name, , is a Japanese illustrator, designer, and video game story writer.She adopted as her pen name for several years before changing it to "Soraya Saga" circa 2001 . She worked for Square for many years, serving as a map designer on Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI...
(née Kaori Tanaka) has revealed that most of the primary female characters in Xenosaga are named after flowers. "Shion" is the Japanese name of the Tatarian Aster, a type of daisy
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
, though it was once speculated that her name could have been a bastardization of "Zion
Zion
Zion is a place name often used as a synonym for Jerusalem. The word is first found in Samuel II, 5:7 dating to c.630-540 BCE...
", a term meaning "The Kingdom of God".
Conception
Shion Uzuki is the main character of the three episodes of Xenosaga, which have been referred to as "Shion's Arc" by Namco Bandai. While her role is less prominent in Xenosaga Episode II, which focuses on the character Jr., she is the lead character again in the DS remake Xenosaga I & II. While Shion's surname is "Uzuki", Takahashi has stated that she is not meant to be a distant relative of the character Citan Uzuki from XenogearsXenogears
is a science-fiction console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation. It was released on February 11, 1998 in Japan and on October 20, 1998 in North America. The game was never released in PAL territories...
. She does, however, share his liking for science.
Shion is portrayed as a girl who tries to overcome the tragic events of her past by "looking away from reality and truth". Takahashi compared the character's instinctive tendency to run away from things with his very own personality and mindset. A particular point he wanted to explore in the series was Shion "looking back at herself […] wondering how she should live her life". When he created Xenosaga, Takahashi made "life and death" a central theme of the story and gave each character a different outlook on it; Shion and Albedo were conceived as the two characters that eventually develop the "ideal compromise towards death".
Designs
Xenosaga Episode I has an animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
-like art style, while Episode II and III use a more realistic style. Shion's design is thus very different in the last two episodes. She wears glasses in the first and third games.
If the player loads a save file from Episode II in Episode III, Shion will obtain special armor that will change her outward appearance.
Musical themes
Shion's main theme in Episode I is the ending song "Kokoro"(heart) performed by Joanne HoggJoanne Hogg
Joanne Hogg is an Irish singer and songwriter for the band Iona.-Biography:Hogg was born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland and is best known as the lead singer and songwriter with the Christian progressive Celtic/pop/rock band Iona . Her father is a Presbyterian minister, her mother a nurse; her...
. The tracks "Shion's Crisis", "Shion ~Memories of the Past~" and "Shion ~Emotion~" were also written for scenes focusing on her. "Fighting KOS-MOS" plays during a scene that showcases KOS-MOS' power, but composer Yasunori Mitsuda
Yasunori Mitsuda
is a Japanese video game composer, sound programmer, and musician. He has composed music for or worked on over 35 games, and has contributed to over 15 other albums...
chose to write the track from Shion's perspective for a twist. "Shion ~Emotion~" was first released on the "Kokoro" maxi-single as "Kokoro Piano Version", but Mitsuda changed the track's title in the Xenosaga Original Soundtrack as it fitted Shion best.
Fictional biography
Shion Uzuki was assigned to Vector Industries' First R&D Division at the young age of 18 in T.C. 4763. Her official title is "Chief Engineer of the KOS-MOS Project General Operation System Research Center, Vector Industries First R&D Division". She has a bright, cheerful personality and is ever the optimist, perhaps to hide the scars of losing both her parents as a child and her fiancé two years ago. In Episode I, it was revealed that she suffers from astraphobiaAstraphobia
Astraphobia, also known as astrapophobia, brontophobia, keraunophobia, or tonitrophobia, is an abnormal fear of thunder and lightning, a type of specific phobia. It is a treatable phobia that both humans and animals can develop. The term astraphobia derives from the Greek words ἀστραπή and φόβος...
, the result of two traumatic incidents which happened during lightning storms; losing her parents and later her fiancé, Kevin. She does not get along well with her brother, Jin Uzuki, who is thirteen years her senior. Shion ends up being swept, along with KOS-MOS and her co-worker Allen Ridgeley, into a conspiracy concerning the very fate of mankind itself.
In addition to her intellect (a key factor in her usage of nanotechnology) she learned the same martial arts that Jin and Margulis are masters of as taught by her grandfather. However, unlike Jin and Margulis, she primarily focuses on hand-to-hand combat with use of her M.W.S.
Throughout the series, Shion has exhibited abilities unbecoming of most humans. During the Gnosis' assault on the Woglinde, she was caught in close proximity to an FAE (fuel air explosion), which no ordinary human could possibly survive. Shion, however, was blown back by the explosion and left otherwise unscathed. Shion has also demonstrated the peculiar ability to hear the Song of Nephilim, something which only Realians http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/Realian and U.R.T.V.s http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/URTV should be capable of (it should be noted that chaos has also demonstrated this ability, but his status as a "human being" remains ambiguous at best). During a Gnosis assault on the Woglinde, Shion was caught by a Gnosis http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/Gnosis in its immaterial state, which was able to grip onto her. She was able to escape crystallization and mysteriously avoided the fate of those whom did not survive such an encounter with a Gnosis, as those that comes into physical contact with Gnosis usually transformed into one. Andrew Cherenkov, for instance, suffered such a fate. This could be due to her status as the "Maiden" or her possession of what Wilhelm referred to as the "Shining Will", which is a prerequisite to become a Testament; it is said that those with the Shining Will will not Gnosify.
Shion can link to U-DO http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/U-DO, and can communicate with it, with U-DO responding to her through this power. During the Miltian Conflict (as a child), after seeing her parents killed by berserk realians she summons the Gnosis from her distress through the Zohar. When she once again experiences this as an adult she loses control and summons Abels Ark (a giant Gnosis). Shion also suffers from the same illness as her mother, which Kevin reveals is caused by communication with U-DO. Kevin confirms in Episode III that KOS-MOS is gradually killing Shion since KOS-MOS uses the Zohar and U-DO as an energy source. Had U-DO not chosen to let humanity live on, Shion would have ultimately died due to the extreme stress caused by these communications.
She has also experienced several unusual perceptions, seeing visions of the young girl named "Nephilim" and of her deceased Realian nanny Febronia. It is also revealed in Xenosaga I & II and the database of III that she has the natural ability to see into the "Realm of Imaginary Numbers", where the Gnosis hail from. Her glasses inhibit this ability and allow her to experience relatively normal perceptions. However, as this sense of hers is not active all the time, and as she "has gotten used to it," she removes the glasses when they present an inconvenience to her daily life.
Her consciousness has existed since the time of Lost Jerusalem as the maiden and close acquaintance of Mary Magdalene; her brief vision of the distant past was not through KOS-MOS' memory, but through her own.
It can be deduced from KOS-MOS' last words that Shion's former self died as a result of being caught up in some larger occurrence, and that KOS-MOS (Mary) had been unable to protect her.
After discovering Allen's feelings for her on Michtam, Shion took the first step towards her independence. Shion, so caught up in the memories shared with Kevin Winnicot, had not truly realized the extent of Allen's love for her. Because Allen differs from Kevin in every conceivable way, including attitude, disposition and personal history, Shion felt as though he would be the one able to offer comfort for her sorrowful heart.
Thus begins Shion's journey to Lost Jerusalem http://xenosaga.wikia.com/wiki/Lost_Jerusalem, wherein humanity's collective consciousness awaits guidance and salvation.
Other appearances
Shion makes an appearance in Namco × Capcom, when she, MOMO, and KOS-MOS appear in the middle of ShibuyaShibuya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
during a series of dimensional disturbances, in time to help the main characters against a Gnosis attack. In the game, Shion is paired with MOMO as a single unit.
Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
has released Shion figurines as part of the Xenosaga Legend toy set.
Critical reception
Shion as seen in Xenosaga Episode I has been called "cute" and "likable" by critics. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
also praised the more realistic character designs seen in Episode II, noting that Shion's design became "more flattering
Physical attractiveness
Physical attractiveness refers to a person's physical traits which are perceived to be aesthetically pleasing or beautiful. The term often implies sexual attractiveness or desirability, but can also be distinct from the two; for example, humans may regard the young as attractive for various...
", having "been injected with ye old "Babe Serum."" RPGamer
RPGamer
RPGamer is a media and news website dedicated to covering computer and video game RPGs. Its coverage includes North American game news, European game news, Asian game news, gaming industry news, game reviews, game previews, hands-on game impressions, gaming conventions, game merchandise, release...
also praised the design change, though they felt that Shion's lack of glasses in that episode was "amusing". In a review of the first volume of Xenosaga: The Animation
Xenosaga: The Animation
is a 12-episode Japanese anime television series by Toei Animation, which premiered on TV Asahi in Japan on January 5, 2005. The series is based on the PlayStation 2 game Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht...
, GameSpot compared Shion and KOS-MOS to "the ultimate fanboy fan-service
Fan service
, fanservice, or , is a term originating from anime and manga fandom for material in a series which is intentionally added to please the audience. It is about "servicing" the fan - giving the fans "exactly what they want"...
pair", feeling that Shion was an example of a "cute, yet smart glasses girl".
Personalitywise, Shion has been described by GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
as being "pretty straightforward as a heroine, though maybe a little ditzy for someone who's supposedly one of the best scientists in the galaxy". On the other hand, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
felt that the character was "more complicated than she first lets on". In a review of the Xenosaga anime, another reviewer from IGN noted that Shion's idealism and naivety were out of place considering her tragic past, and that it was annoying "since it seems to happen a lot with anime heroines". GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
echoed this concern, stating that Shion was "often naïve to the point of unbelievability".
On voice acting, GameSpy felt Shion in Episode I was "excellent" despite the game not having "Hollywood-quality" acting. The site called the character a "calm center" around which the rest of the game is built. IGN considered Shion's voice acting was "surprisingly strong", and that it was a good point since she was the character the player would hear most. In Episode II however, PALGN
PALGN
The PAL Gaming Network is an Australian based video game news and reviews website that focuses on the videogame industry and culture in PAL territories, particularly Australia and the UK. It was launched in 2003 by a group of PAL forum members on the IGN message boards who were disenfranchised by...
felt that Shion's voice actress was "terrible" and overacting compared to most other characters.