Zone of the Enders (series)
Encyclopedia
, commonly referred to by the acronym Z.O.E., is a franchise created by Hideo Kojima
, owned by the video game publisher Konami
, and expanded on by the animation studio Sunrise
. The original Zone of the Enders is a game created for the launch of the Sony
PlayStation 2
, which has so far spawned a single PS2 sequel, a Game Boy Advance
side-story, an OVA
movie and a twenty-six episode television anime
series.
, and space colonies are also set up in orbit around Jupiter
. Fueling this expansion are two scientific advances: the development of the Laborious Extra-Orbital Vehicle, or LEV, a mecha
used for labor and military use, and the discovery of Metatron, a high-energy ore found on Callisto
.
However, those in power on Earth begin to take a dim view of the colonists of Mars and Jupiter, calling them "Enders", and imposing harsh and exploitive laws and taxes against them. Eventually, different groups on Mars begin to rise up in opposition to Earth. A new weapon given to these rebels is the Orbital Frame, a mecha making extensive use of Metatron-based technology, These Orbital Frames come to shape the destiny of Earth and its colonies, for both good and evil.
, are named after Egyptian gods. Also, many of the bosses and enemies in the series (like the Mummyhead), are linked to ancient Egyptian culture and myth.
The main character of the story usually comes across the Orbital Frame by accident. The main character's Orbital Frame comes with an advanced, intelligent, female A.I., who becomes a major character in her own right. A subplot throughout the series is the growth and development of the A.I., as well as her attachment to her runner. However, IDOLO reverses this concept; the Metatron's "consciousness" takes over the mind of the Frame's pilot, causing him to go insane.
There is often a clear ethical distinction between protagonists and antagonists that is determined by their respect, or lack thereof, for human life. The heroes are typically the ones who attempt to save other people and spare lives when possible including the lives of their enemies, while the villains can be identified by a disregard for human life and a willingness to sacrifice innocent people to further their cause.
In Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
(known as Anubis: Zone of the Enders in Japan), a new pilot, Dingo Egret, finds Jehuty on the Moon of Callisto two years after the events of the first game and travels to the superweapon Aumaan in order to defeat Colonel Nohman of the BAHRAM army, who pilots Jehuty's sister craft, Anubis.
Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars
(known as Zone of the Enders: 2173 Testament in Japan) is a side-story released for the Game Boy Advance, about a conspiracy involving the construction of Orbital Frames for Earth. The protagonist, a young man named Cage Midwell, finds himself getting involved with a resistance organization known as BIS.
Hideo Kojima
has promised that he would produce the next game in the series, Zone of the Enders 3, at an unspecified point in the future.
At E3 2011, Konami announced the 'Zone of the Enders HD Collection', a re-release of the two main Zone of the Enders games on the PS3 and Xbox 360 due out in 2012. It includes updated interfaces for the HD resolutions, redrawn art, Trophy/Achievement support, improved audio and rumble support.
is a prequel for the entire series, telling the story of Radium Lavans, the pilot of the first Orbital Frame. Zone of the Enders: Dolores,i is a followup to IDOLO, following the exploits of James Links, an alcoholic trucker, who, while trying to reunite with his estranged family, discovers an Orbital Frame hidden in one of his shipping containers. The frame, calling itself Dolores, seems to consider James her prince.
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese game director originally employed at Konami. He is currently the director of Kojima Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Konami Digital Entertainment in early 2011...
, owned by the video game publisher Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
, and expanded on by the animation studio Sunrise
Sunrise (company)
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios...
. The original Zone of the Enders is a game created for the launch of the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
PlayStation 2
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...
, which has so far spawned a single PS2 sequel, a Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
side-story, an OVA
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...
movie and a twenty-six episode television 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....
series.
Setting
The Zone of the Enders series is set in the late 22nd century. Humankind has colonized MarsMars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, and space colonies are also set up in orbit around Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
. Fueling this expansion are two scientific advances: the development of the Laborious Extra-Orbital Vehicle, or LEV, a 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:...
used for labor and military use, and the discovery of Metatron, a high-energy ore found on Callisto
Callisto (moon)
Callisto named after the Greek mythological figure of Callisto) is a moon of the planet Jupiter. It was discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei. It is the third-largest moon in the Solar System and the second largest in the Jovian system, after Ganymede. Callisto has about 99% the diameter of the...
.
However, those in power on Earth begin to take a dim view of the colonists of Mars and Jupiter, calling them "Enders", and imposing harsh and exploitive laws and taxes against them. Eventually, different groups on Mars begin to rise up in opposition to Earth. A new weapon given to these rebels is the Orbital Frame, a mecha making extensive use of Metatron-based technology, These Orbital Frames come to shape the destiny of Earth and its colonies, for both good and evil.
Plot
Throughout the Zone of the Enders series, a number of themes and dramatic devices show up prominently. The story usually revolves around two specific Orbital Frames, created as part of the same project. Each frame ends up on opposite sides of the conflict, and the final confrontation is between the two and their pilots. The two main Orbital Frames in each series, such as Jehuty and AnubisAnubis
Anubis is the Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion. In the ancient Egyptian language, Anubis is known as Inpu . According to the Akkadian transcription in the Amarna letters, Anubis' name was vocalized as Anapa...
, are named after Egyptian gods. Also, many of the bosses and enemies in the series (like the Mummyhead), are linked to ancient Egyptian culture and myth.
The main character of the story usually comes across the Orbital Frame by accident. The main character's Orbital Frame comes with an advanced, intelligent, female A.I., who becomes a major character in her own right. A subplot throughout the series is the growth and development of the A.I., as well as her attachment to her runner. However, IDOLO reverses this concept; the Metatron's "consciousness" takes over the mind of the Frame's pilot, causing him to go insane.
There is often a clear ethical distinction between protagonists and antagonists that is determined by their respect, or lack thereof, for human life. The heroes are typically the ones who attempt to save other people and spare lives when possible including the lives of their enemies, while the villains can be identified by a disregard for human life and a willingness to sacrifice innocent people to further their cause.
Games
Zone of the Enders, the first game in the series, details the story of a boy named Leo Stenbuck, a colonist from Jupiter who accidentally finds himself piloting the Orbital Frame Jehuty.In Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, known in Japan as , is a video game that was developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2003. The sequel to Zone of the Enders, the game was produced by, and is closely associated with Hideo Kojima. The game is based around mecha combat...
(known as Anubis: Zone of the Enders in Japan), a new pilot, Dingo Egret, finds Jehuty on the Moon of Callisto two years after the events of the first game and travels to the superweapon Aumaan in order to defeat Colonel Nohman of the BAHRAM army, who pilots Jehuty's sister craft, Anubis.
Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars
Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars
Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars, known in Japan as , is a video game that was developed by Sunrise Interactive and published by Konami in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance. The game is story-orientated, and is based around turn-based strategic mecha combat....
(known as Zone of the Enders: 2173 Testament in Japan) is a side-story released for the Game Boy Advance, about a conspiracy involving the construction of Orbital Frames for Earth. The protagonist, a young man named Cage Midwell, finds himself getting involved with a resistance organization known as BIS.
Hideo Kojima
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese game director originally employed at Konami. He is currently the director of Kojima Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Konami Digital Entertainment in early 2011...
has promised that he would produce the next game in the series, Zone of the Enders 3, at an unspecified point in the future.
At E3 2011, Konami announced the 'Zone of the Enders HD Collection', a re-release of the two main Zone of the Enders games on the PS3 and Xbox 360 due out in 2012. It includes updated interfaces for the HD resolutions, redrawn art, Trophy/Achievement support, improved audio and rumble support.
Anime
Zone of the Enders: 2167 IDOLOZOE: 2167 IDOLO
Zone of the Enders: 2167 Idolo is an hour long Original Video Animation, set as a prequel to the original Zone of the Enders game. It serves to explain the war between Earth and Mars, and the origin of the Orbital Frame technology. The events also lead into the TV series ZOE: Dolores, i.In the...
is a prequel for the entire series, telling the story of Radium Lavans, the pilot of the first Orbital Frame. Zone of the Enders: Dolores,i is a followup to IDOLO, following the exploits of James Links, an alcoholic trucker, who, while trying to reunite with his estranged family, discovers an Orbital Frame hidden in one of his shipping containers. The frame, calling itself Dolores, seems to consider James her prince.
Reception
Zone of the Enders received moderate critical success. While the second game in the series, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, was more "well-received by the press and users", Hideo Kojima cites "errors in setting the release time frame" and being overshadowed by other major titles as the reason it did not achieve high sales. In spite of this, Konami recently announced an HD remake for PS3 and Xbox 360.External links
- http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/zoe/english/