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Zillion (anime)
Encyclopedia
Zillion, full title , is a Japanese anime
television series that ran from April 12, 1987 to December 13, 1987 on Nippon Television
in Japan and was produced by Tatsunoko Production
and Sega
. After the production of the anime, Tatsunoko Production and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa
, the producer of Zillion, established Production I.G to obstruct the dispersing of the excellent staffs of Tatsunoko branch which had done actual production. Therefore, Zillion is considered to be Production I.G’s first work.
Five of the 31 episodes were dubbed
into English and released on VHS
in the United States by Streamline Pictures
. This anime was featured in the music video for Michael
and Janet Jackson
’s collaboration Scream
.
Maris in the year 2387. Around this time, the Nozas started to genocidally
kill all humans in order to lay eggs
and reproduce on the planet. Three mysterious gun
s dubbed the “Zillion Weapon System” appear and three teens (JJ, Champ, and Apple) are chosen to wield them as the White Knights in order to fight back against the Nozas.
and Zillion II
. An original video animation
(OVA) movie titled Zillion: Burning Night
has also been released after the success of the TV series. It also left a legacy of becoming the first anime to inspire a video game hardware, namely Sega Master System
’s Light Phaser.
Despite the cult success of the video games, the Zillion anime received only a very brief release in the early 1990s in the United States. The first five episodes of the TV series, as well as the Burning Night OVA were dubbed and released on VHS by Carl Macek’s Streamline Pictures line.
In 1993, Eternity Comics published a comic book adaptation, written by Tom Mason, drawn by Harrison Fong, and lettered by Tim Eldred.
Closing :
for the Sega Master System
: Zillion
, an action game similar in play style to Metroid
and Impossible Mission
and a sequel, Zillion II
: The Triformation, which was a faster-paced game involving a powered armor mecha
which transformed into a motorcycle.
The Light Phasers wielded by the characters looked the same as the Sega Master System
’s light gun. A separate Q-Zar
-like toy line also by Sega
was also released in stores of Toys R Us; it was also released in Brazil by Tec Toy
.
Opa-Opa, one of Sega’s early mascot characters (debuting in the 1986 arcade game Fantasy Zone
), was a frequent minor character on the show. His frequent involvement with the show led many to believe that Fantasy Zone was actually a spin off series based on the character, but in reality Opa-Opa was around a year prior to the anime
, and was a guest character from the start. The fact that he appears so frequently on the show is simply a testament to the character’s popularity in Japan at the time.
This is mainly due to the sponsorship of Sega in the beginning of the series. However, later in the series, Sega stopped sponsoring the show and the Light Phasers (though self-contradictory with the earlier plot which says the guns cannot be modified or changed) were changed to newer versions that do not look like Sega
’s own light phaser that was supplied with the Master System.
Anime
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....
television series that ran from April 12, 1987 to December 13, 1987 on Nippon Television
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
in Japan and was produced by Tatsunoko Production
Tatsunoko Production
, often shortened to , is a Japanese animation company. Founded in October 1962 by acclaimed anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida along with his brothers Kenji and Toyoharu...
and Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
. After the production of the anime, Tatsunoko Production and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa
Mitsuhisa Ishikawa
is Japanese anime entrepreneur, the co-founder and current president and CEO of Production I.G, as well as a leading producer for the studio. He was also a former executive at Bee Train from 1997–2006, and as of 2010 is expected to join Tatsunoko Productions company as a part time director.Ishikawa...
, the producer of Zillion, established Production I.G to obstruct the dispersing of the excellent staffs of Tatsunoko branch which had done actual production. Therefore, Zillion is considered to be Production I.G’s first work.
Five of the 31 episodes were dubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
into English and released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
in the United States by Streamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation. -Founding:Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first North American companies that was created primarily for the intention of...
. This anime was featured in the music video for Michael
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
and Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
’s collaboration Scream
Scream/Childhood
"Scream"/"Childhood" is the lead single from Michael Jackson's ninth studio album, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I where "Scream" is the first song and "Childhood" is the tenth song on the second disc of the album HIStory Continues. The A-side, "Scream", is a duet with his younger sister...
.
Plot
The story takes place on the planetPlanet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
Maris in the year 2387. Around this time, the Nozas started to genocidally
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
kill all humans in order to lay eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
and reproduce on the planet. Three mysterious gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
s dubbed the “Zillion Weapon System” appear and three teens (JJ, Champ, and Apple) are chosen to wield them as the White Knights in order to fight back against the Nozas.
Adaptations
Two video games have been spawned with the story loosely based on the series with ZillionZillion (video game)
Zillion, known as in Japan, is a space adventure platform video game designed for the Sega Master System as a companion for the Zillion anime in 1987. The game is a free-scrolling platform/adventure in the vein of Metroid. It also has objects to be inspected and the necessity of enable things by...
and Zillion II
Zillion II
Zillion II:The Tri-Formation Cycle is a horizontal platform video game created in 1987 by Sega. It is a sequel to the game Zillion.-Story:A faint distress transmission, barely understandable, was received at the headquarters of the White Knights...
. An original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
(OVA) movie titled Zillion: Burning Night
Zillion: Burning Night
Zillion: Burning Night, known in Japan as , is a Japanese direct-to-video anime release by Production I.G, a subsidiary of Tatsunoko. It is also referred to as "Red Bullet Zillion: Burning Night" and "Zillion: Burning Night Special".- Story :...
has also been released after the success of the TV series. It also left a legacy of becoming the first anime to inspire a video game hardware, namely Sega Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
’s Light Phaser.
Despite the cult success of the video games, the Zillion anime received only a very brief release in the early 1990s in the United States. The first five episodes of the TV series, as well as the Burning Night OVA were dubbed and released on VHS by Carl Macek’s Streamline Pictures line.
In 1993, Eternity Comics published a comic book adaptation, written by Tom Mason, drawn by Harrison Fong, and lettered by Tim Eldred.
Characters
| Name | Japanese Voiced by | US Voiced by |
|---|---|---|
| Champ | Kazuhiko Inoue Kazuhiko Inoue is a veteran voice actor from Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.-Biography:Since his debut in 1973, Kazuhiko Inoue has become one of Japan's most well established voice actors. His early roles from the 1970s include Anthony in Candy Candy, and later as Joe in the 1979 remake of Cyborg 009... |
Kerrigan Mahan Kerrigan Mahan Kerrigan Mahan is an American voice actor, also known as Ryan O'Flannigan.Mahan was born in Los Angeles, California. His voice ranges from young and exuberant to sneering and Lee Van Cleef-ish... |
| J.J. | Toshihiko Seki Toshihiko Seki is a Japanese voice actor and member of 81 Produce. Apart from voice actor work, Seki sometimes does live action drama stage work. He is sometimes mistaken for another voice actor, Tomokazu Seki, sharing the same last name but are unrelated.-Person/Career:... |
Doug Stone Doug Stone (voice actor) Douglas David Stone is a voice actor who is most notable for his representation of the character Psycho Mantis from the popular video game Metal Gear Solid, as well as the voice of Matt Trakker and several other characters in M.A.S.K., and Dragonborg in Beetleborgs Metallix... |
| Apple | Yuko Mizutani Yuko Mizutani is a Japanese voice actress working for Production Baobab.-Notable voice roles:*Alfimi, Katana & Byakuya in Super Robot Wars OG Saga: Endless Frontier EXCEED*Andrea Zuckerman in Beverly Hills, 90210*Anri in Bubblegum Crisis*Apple in Zillion... |
Barbara Goodson Barbara Goodson Barbara Goodson is an American actress known mostly for her versatility in voicing original and dubbed cartoons. She is voted one of the ten best women to do the voices for young males in cartoons... |
| Amy | Chieko Honda Chieko Honda is a Japanese voice actor.-Notable voice roles:*After War Gundam X *Akihabara Dennō Gumi *Bosco Adventure *Devil Hunter Yohko *Dragonball *Dragon Century... |
Wendee Lee Wendee Lee Wendee Lee is an American voice actress. While she has done voice work for many video games as well as several episodes in the Power Rangers franchise, she is particularly prolific in the dubbing of anime. As of April 2009, with 223 credits to her name, she has more credits in this medium than any... |
List of episodes
- My Name Is J.J.
- Attack the Enemy of the High Skies
- 0.1 Second Chance!
- Trap of the Shapeless Ninja Squadron
- Apple Order Violation!?
- Take Off, Tricharger
- Struggle ’Til Death! J.J. vs. Ricks
- Strike the Oceanfloor Base!
- Stolen Zillion
- Flames! Ricks’ Counterattack
- Birth of New Zillion!
- Attack! Triple Shoot
- Angry Shutter Chance
- Nightingale of the Battlefield
- Life Or Death!? Confrontation of Fate—Part. 1
- Life Or Death!? Confrontation of fate—Part. 2
- Tears! Let’s Search J.J.
- The Beautiful Noza’s Challenge
- Match! Let’s Throw the Coin
- Kick with a Broken Heart
- Clash! The Sniper
- Great Victory from a Lie!
- Terror! Demon’s Bio Weapon
- Great Adventure! Warrior Opa-Opa
- Gentle Fugitive Apple
- Revenge Demon Ninja!
- Extraordinary Rebel Ricks
- Mystery!? Zillion Power
- Heroic! Ricks dies!?
- Planet Maris on the Corner!
- Last Shoot for Victory
Music
Opening :- “Pure Stone” by Risa Yuuki
Closing :
- “Push!” by Risa Yuuki (eps 1-20)
- “Rock Candy” by Risa Yuuki (eps 21-31)
Sega's involvement
Two games were made based on the series, both by SegaSega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
for the Sega Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
: Zillion
Zillion (video game)
Zillion, known as in Japan, is a space adventure platform video game designed for the Sega Master System as a companion for the Zillion anime in 1987. The game is a free-scrolling platform/adventure in the vein of Metroid. It also has objects to be inspected and the necessity of enable things by...
, an action game similar in play style to Metroid
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
and Impossible Mission
Impossible Mission
Impossible Mission is a platform computer game for several home computers. The original version for the Commodore 64 was programmed by Dennis Caswell and published by Epyx in 1984.-Description:...
and a sequel, Zillion II
Zillion II
Zillion II:The Tri-Formation Cycle is a horizontal platform video game created in 1987 by Sega. It is a sequel to the game Zillion.-Story:A faint distress transmission, barely understandable, was received at the headquarters of the White Knights...
: The Triformation, which was a faster-paced game involving a powered armor mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
which transformed into a motorcycle.
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
’s light gun. A separate Q-Zar
Q-Zar
Q-ZAR is a type of laser tag that was developed by Geoff Haselhurst and Omnitronics in Perth, Western Australia...
-like toy line also by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
was also released in stores of Toys R Us; it was also released in Brazil by Tec Toy
Tec Toy
Tectoy is a Brazilian videogame and electronics company. They are best known for publishing and distributing Sega's consoles and video games in that country. The company stock is also traded at Bovespa...
.
Opa-Opa, one of Sega’s early mascot characters (debuting in the 1986 arcade game Fantasy Zone
Fantasy Zone
thumb|Fantasy Zone arcade PCB is a surreal arcade game released by Sega in 1986. It was later ported to a wide variety of consoles, including the Sega Master System. The player controls a sentient spaceship named Opa-Opa who fights nonsensical invader enemies in the titular group of planets, full...
), was a frequent minor character on the show. His frequent involvement with the show led many to believe that Fantasy Zone was actually a spin off series based on the character, but in reality Opa-Opa was around a year prior to the anime
Anime
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....
, and was a guest character from the start. The fact that he appears so frequently on the show is simply a testament to the character’s popularity in Japan at the time.
This is mainly due to the sponsorship of Sega in the beginning of the series. However, later in the series, Sega stopped sponsoring the show and the Light Phasers (though self-contradictory with the earlier plot which says the guns cannot be modified or changed) were changed to newer versions that do not look like Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
’s own light phaser that was supplied with the Master System.