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Xenosaga: The Animation

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Xenosaga: The Animation
Key artwork featuring main protagonists Shion Uzuki and KOS-MOS.
ゼノサーガ THE ANIMATION
(Zenosāga: Za Animēshon)
GenreScience fiction, mecha
Anime television series
Directed byShigeyasu Yamauchi
Tsuyoshi Kouga (chief director)
Written byYuichiro Takeda
Music byKousuke Yamashita
StudioToei Animation
Licensed by
Original networkTV Asahi
English network
Original run January 5, 2005 – March 23, 2005
Episodes12

Xenosaga: The Animation (Japanese: ゼノサーガ THE ANIMATION, Hepburn: Zenosāga: Za Animēshon) is a science fiction mecha anime produced by Toei Animation. The 12-episode series ran from January to March 2005 on TV Asahi, while it was licensed for release on DVD overseas first by A.D. Vision and later by Funimation Entertainment. The anime is based on the narrative of Xenosaga Episode I, a role-playing game for the PlayStation 2 developed by Monolith Soft and published by Namco. Set 5000 years in the future, it tells of the adventures of scientist Shion Uzuki and the battle android KOS-MOS as they fight the threat of the alien Gnosis.

The anime was created mostly without the involvement of Namco following the success of the first game, though any new characters were created with Namco's permission. The characters were redrawn for the anime by Nobuteru Yūki, while the script was written by Yuichiro Takeda. The music, composed by Kousuke Yamashita, was designed to emulate the original game's orchestral score. The anime has received mixed to positive reviews from journalists, with many commenting that only those familiar in the game would understand it. Both Yamashita and Takeda were later involved in the production of Xenosaga I & II, a Nintendo DS re-imagining of the first game and its direct sequel.

Plot

Main articles: Xenosaga Episode I and List of Xenosaga characters

The story of Xenosaga: The Animation is based on the narrative of Xenosaga Episode I, a game developed for the PlayStation 2 by Monolith Soft and Namco.[1][2][3] Set in a science fiction reality thousands of years in the future, humanity lives in multiple planets forming the Galaxy Federation after being forced to abandon Earth following a disaster tied to a mystical artifact called the Zohar; Earth has since become known as Lost Jerusalem. Humanity has come under attack from a hostile alien race called the Gnosis, which is immune to normal weapons. The narrative follows Shion Uzuki, a scientist working for Vector Industries, and the anti-Gnosis battle android KOS-MOS. The two are driven from their ship the Woglinde by a Gnosis attack triggered after the Woglinde picked up the Zohar.[1][3] The anime roughly follows the plot of Episode I, although some events are altered or condensed.[4]

Media

Anime

There are 12 episodes that aired every Wednesday on TV Asahi from January 5, 2005, to March 23, 2005.

# Title[5] Original airdate[6]
1"Awakening (KOS-MOS' Awaken)"
Transliteration: "覚醒" (Japanese: TBA)		January 5, 2005 (2005-01-05)
For 4000 years after the origin of the earth was abandoned, humankind was at stake because of the appearance of the unknown entity Gnosis. Veterinary cruiser Vaux Linde, a member of the Federation of Star Clusters, boarded by engineer Shion Uzuki collects a mysterious object called Zohar. Unfortunately, it was nothing but an act of summoning Gnostic. While the fleet was devastatingly destroyed by the Gnosis attack, the android KOS-MOS for battle was launched without any command!
2"Imminent Defeat / Immediate Sinking of a Ship"
Transliteration: "轟沈" (Japanese: Todoroki)		January 12, 2005 (2005-01-12)
Shion is attacked by Gnosis on the cruiser Voklinde. The one that saved the crisis was KOS-MOS, where Shion was the chief development officer. However, KOS-MOS tries to secure Zohar according to a mysterious command that even Shion does not know. Because of this, Zohar was taken away by Gnostic, and Vokhlinde sank. Shion barely succeeds in escaping and later encountering a young man named Chaos. On the other hand, KOS-MOS was in contact with Elsa, a passenger ship that appeared in the air after the end of the battle for the remains.
3"Chance Encounter / Encounter"
Transliteration: "邂逅" (Japanese: TBA)		January 19, 2005 (2005-01-19)
KOS-MOS uses force to stop the cargo passenger ship Elsa and board the cargo bay. At some point, the passenger Cyborg Ziggy was attacked. Shion, who was also recovered, stops, but Ziggy and his protected MOMO, strangely, were destined for the second Mircia, the same as KOS-MOS. Because all of them have the same interests, Elsa rushes into hyperspace, aiming for the Milcia solar system. But soon, a mysterious armed battleship attacked there.
4"Jaws of Death / Point of Death"
Transliteration: "死地" (Japanese: Deadland)		January 26, 2005 (2005-01-26)
The mission of Ziggy, who belongs to the Star Federation, is to recapture the peaches abducted by the U-TIC institution and send them to the second Milcia. The battleship that attacked Elsa was also of the U-TIC organization. Elsa escapes the crisis by using the technique of Tony the helmsman. Afterwards, KOS-MOS senses the presence of Zohar and is gated out in front of the Gnostic group. Giant battleship Durandal comes to the rescue, but Elsa is cornered in front of 30,000 Gnosis.
5"Heteromorphic / Fantastic"
Transliteration: "異形" (Japanese: Atypical)		February 2, 2005 (2005-02-02)
KOS-MOS, which went out into outer space, absorbed tens of thousands of gnostic groups. Shion is worried about the ability of KOS-MOS, which she doesn't even know. The damaged Elsa is housed in the giant battleship Durandal. The special foundation Kukai Foundation, which owns Durandal, was Elsa's employer. The young Foundation director Jr, Shion and his friends meet. Durandal heads to the Foundation's grounds, the Free-Orbit Colony, to repair Elsa.
6"Anchorage / Dropping Anchor (Not-So Fun at the Beach)"
Transliteration: "投錨" (Japanese: Anchor)		February 9, 2005 (2005-02-09)
Durandal arrived at the base, the Kukai Foundation. The Foundation's representative director, Guinan Kukai, welcomes Shion and others. In a peaceful city of foundations, Shion get a moment of peace. Unfortunately for Shion, she later gets Astraphobia (fear of thunder), while she and her friends (except for KOS-MOS) having fun at the beach. Later at that point, the U-TIC organization, which relentlessly aims for the Y material that sleeps in the peach, has launched a new plot. The Foundation was besieged by the federal fleet of stars, with suspicions that it was Durandal who attacked cruiser Voklinde.
7"Encephalon / Virtual World (Shion and Her Co. in Vitural World)"
Transliteration: "エンセフェロン" (Japanese: Enceferon)		February 16, 2005 (2005-02-16)
Shion and others are detained by the Star Federation Federal Army. Since then, Captain Lapis was a comrade sent by Helmer into the military. With the help of Lapis, Shion and the others escaped from Durandal head for the city of the Foundation. Allen is trying to access the KOS-MOS database with the help of Hakase, a scientist familiar with him, to clear the charges of the Durandal attack. Soon, the U-TIC organization was developing an aggressive program for Enceferon.
8"Memory / Memories (Back from the Past)"
Transliteration: "記憶" (Japanese: TBA)		February 23, 2005 (2005-02-23)
In Enceferon, Shion defeated the aggressive program. Fortunately, Shion is made to relive the experience of the old Mircia 14 years ago under the guidance of the mysterious girl Nepyrim. It's the day Shion witnessed his parents' death. On the other hand for Jr, the day he left his brothers, Urtv, was also reproduced. Now both of them (Shion and Jr) who have a hard time in the past. Nepyrim says he needed to face the past to change the future. Despite his wish not fulfilled, Shion proves the innocence of the Kukai Foundation by accessing the memory of KOS-MOS.
9"Singing Voice / The Sing (Fighting with the Gnosis Robots)"
Transliteration: "歌声" (Japanese: TBA)		March 2, 2005 (2005-03-02)
The Kukai Foundation finally arrives at the second Milcia, after allegations of rebellion against the Star Federation have cleared. Later on, due to Albedo's use of Nepyrim's singing voice, a horde of Gnostic appears. Shion greet Gnostic who has infiltrated the city. Meanwhile, Virgil, who set out in Aegus, saves MOMO, who should have been a hated Realien. Vergil. Before that, KOS-MOS's attack kills Virgil's attempt to break through, while, Jr, who sets himself to control the giant anti-Gnois robot to confront Albedo by fighting him! What will happen next if Jr win the battle with Albedo?
10"Weapon / The Weapon (KOS-MOS' New Weapon)"
Transliteration: "兵器" (Japanese: TBA)		March 9, 2005 (2005-03-09)
Although Gnosis invaded the city area, it was destroyed, but MOMO was taken away by Albedo, which Jr lost the mecha battle with him. Right at this moment, Jr. tells Shion about the relationship between himself and Albedo. Afterwards, Gnostic's attack becomes even more intense. Appearing there was Akemi, which is the base of the vector. Akemitsu sweeps away Gnostic with its overwhelming destructive power. Then, a phase change gun was sent from Akemitsu to identify the place where Albedo lurks. Shion orders KOS-MOS to use a phase change gun to save MOMO.
11"Delusion (Captured MOMO)"
Transliteration: "妄執" (Japanese: TBA)		March 16, 2005 (2005-03-16)
It was the research plant once built by Joakim Mizurahi that was pulled out of the distortion of space by the phase change gun. In the heavenly car, Albedo searches for Y material sleeping in the peach. Alone, Jr. collides with Ziggy in an attempt to save MOMO. Soon, Shion's feelings for peaches are the same. They take Elsa and infiltrate into the heavenly car. Shion and the others finally reach the center and face Albedo. However, the mutant Simeon appeared there.
12"KOS-MOS (KOS-MOS' Plan)"
Transliteration: "ＫＯＳ－ＭＯＳ"" (Japanese: TBA)		March 23, 2005 (2005-03-23)
If not defeating the mutant Simeon fused with Kirschwasser, the second Myrcia will be destroyed. For Shion's distress, KOS-MOS proposes a strategy to rescue Kirsch. KOS-MOS that responds to Shion's trust and succeeds in its operations. But the celestial car began to plunge into the second Miltia atmosphere. Kirsch remains in the heavenly car and disassembles the plant. The ship Elsa, which Shion and others are riding on, is about to burn out in the atmosphere, but KOS-MOS saves herself and saves the crisis! Can she save it by sacrificing herself before it's too late?

Production

An anime adaptation of Xenosaga was initially unplanned, but after the game's commercial success worldwide, an anime adaptation was commissioned.[7] The anime was produced by Toei Animation, in association with TV Asahi and under supervision from Namco and the Xenosaga production team. The series was directed by Tsuyoshi Koga and co-produced by Satoko Matsuda and Takao Yoshizawa. The supervising director was Shigeyasu Yamauchi, who had acted as a director for the Ojamajo Doremi and Saint Seiya series. The script was written by Yuichiro Takeda, an anime scriptwriter who had worked on Banner of the Stars and The King of Braves GaoGaiGar.[2][8][9] Character designs were handled by Nobuteru Yūki, whose previous work included Record of Lodoss War. Mech designs were created by Hiroyuki Taiga, who had worked on Beast Wars: Transformers.[9] The character designs were meant to emulate the artstyle of Episode I while adjusting them to be distinct from the originals.[2][4]

No staff from the original game's production were involved in creating the anime. While all the original characters were included, some original characters were created and incorporated by Toei under approval from the game's developers.[7] Due to the twelve-episode run, some elements of the plot of Xenosaga Episode I needed to be altered, or were changed by the staff of the anime as long as they did not stray too far from the source material. Some aspects were also incorporated based on future developments in Xenosaga Episode II. Character roles were shifted around, such as Shion's brother Jin Uzuki being introduced and featured in a larger role, and supporting character Luis Virgil being given a much larger role in the overall narrative. Other minor characters such as Miyuki were removed entirely.[4] A major scene from the game, the discovery of the Zohar on Earth, was left out of the anime. Despite this, the policy was to keep in as much of the original game's plot and scenes as possible, right down to the unresolved mysteries presented in the game.[7]

The anime's soundtrack was composed by Kousuke Yamashita, who had notably worked on the Nobunaga's Ambition series. To emulate the original orchestral soundtrack of the game, the anime's soundtrack featured a full orchestra, with an orchestrated opening.[2][10] The ending theme, "In This Serenity" performed by Mayumi Gojo, was written by Yamashita and lyrics by Roland Lennox.[8] Like the rest of the score, the ending theme was performed using a full orchestra.[10] The original game's Japanese cast, including Ai Maeda as Shion and Mariko Suzuki as KOS-MOS, reprised their roles for the anime. Maeda found returning to the scenario of Episode I an unnerving experience due to the passage of time and the need to recapture her performance. Suzuki found returning to the scenario nostalgic, enjoying the faster pace of work in relation to the anime's style. Japanese dubbing began in December 2004, a month before the series began broadcasting.[11]

Release

Xenosaga: The Animation was first announced in November 2004.[2] The anime was broadcast on TV Asahi during the channel's late night slot between January 5 and March 23, 2005.[12] Following the anime's broadcast, it was released across six DVD volumes between April and September 2005. Also released were an original soundtrack album in March, and an art book containing artwork and staff interviews related to the series.[13] The anime was first licensed and dubbed for North America by A.D. Vision in 2007.[3] The series originally premiered on Anime Network on August 30, 2007.[14] The rights to the anime's Western distribution was later picked up by Funimation Entertainment in 2008 as one of many anime licenses acquired from ADV's parent company.[15] The anime was made available in dubbed and subtitled form through Funimation's site starting in 2009,[16] and all episodes were released in DVD asXenosaga Complete Series S.A.V.E. on September 13, 2011.[17]

Reception

The anime received generally mixed to positive reviews from critics.[18][19][20][21][22] In his review of the first English DVD release for Newtype USA, Kevin Gifford said; "If you're a Xenosaga player, you'll probably get more out of this show (which skips a lot of the games' exposition out of necessity) than someone unfamiliar with the basic plot—but it's precisely those gamers who might have a few issues with the new designs and compressed storyline.".[22]

Legacy

Main article: Xenosaga I & II

Following the end of production on the anime, Takeda was asked by series creator Tetsuya Takahashi to write the script for Xenosaga I & II, a re-imagining of the first two Xenosaga games for the Nintendo DS. Multiple staff involved in the anime's production, including Yamashita, were involved in the game's production.[23][24] Xenosaga I & II released on March 30, 2006.[25]

References

  1. ^ a b Sato, Ike (June 8, 2001). "Xenosaga Preview". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 8, 2001. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e 「ゼノサーガ」アニメ化! 「Xenosaga THE ANIMATION」1月からテレビ朝日で放映 (in Japanese). Game Watch Impress. November 10, 2004. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Carle, Chris (June 19, 2007). "Xenosaga Anime Series Announced". IGN. Archived from the original on September 11, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c プレミアムアートコレクション「Xenosaga THE ANIMATION」 [Xenosaga: The Animation Premium Art Collection]. Mag Garden. May 28, 2005. ISBN 4-8612-7148-7.
  5. ^ "Ghost Sweeper Mikami: Season 1". YouTube. Archived from the original on March 9, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  6. ^ "GS美神　-東映アニメーション-" (in Japanese). Toei Animation. Archived from the original on March 10, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Carle, Chris (June 19, 2007). "Xenosaga Interview". IGN. Archived from the original on September 14, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  8. ^ a b ゼノサーガ THE ANIMATION - Staff (in Japanese). Toei Animation. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  9. ^ a b Niizuki, Hirohiko (November 10, 2004). "Xenosaga anime series to air in Japan". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 12, 2004. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  10. ^ a b ゼノサーガ THE ANIMATION - Information (in Japanese). Toei Animation. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  11. ^ 「Xenosaga THE ANIMATION」アフレコ収録スタート！ 出演声優のコメントをお届け (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. December 10, 2004. Archived from the original on January 1, 2006. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  12. ^ ゼノサーガ THE ANIMATION (in Japanese). Toei Animation. Archived from the original on September 9, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  13. ^ Xenosaga THE ANIMATION / バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト (in Japanese). Xenosaga: The Animation Website. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  14. ^ "Xenosaga Premieres August 30 on Anime Network". Anime News Network. August 7, 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  15. ^ "Funimation Picks Up Over 30 Former AD Vision Titles". Anime News Network. July 4, 2008. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  16. ^ "More FREE Streaming Episodes". Funimation. November 30, 2009. Archived from the original on February 24, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  17. ^ "North American Anime, Manga Releases: September 11-17". Anime News Network. September 13, 2011. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  18. ^ "Anime Reviews - Xenosaga". Them Anime. 2005. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  19. ^ Brienza, Casey (March 3, 2009). "Xenosaga: The Animation DVD - Complete Collection Review". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 9, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  20. ^ Harris, Jeffrey (September 20, 2007). "Xenosaga: The Animation - Enter the Gnosis Review". IGN. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  21. ^ Orr, Omari (May 22, 2009). "Xenosaga: The Animation Complete Collection". Mania.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012.
  22. ^ a b Gifford, Kevin (September 2007). "Xenosaga: The Animation Vol. 1". Newtype USA. Vol. 6, no. 9. A.D. Vision. p. 96. ISSN 1541-4817.
  23. ^ ゼノサーガ エピソードI・II / 製品概要 / バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト (in Japanese). Xenosaga I & II Website. Archived from the original on July 30, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  24. ^ ゼノサーガ I・II / 原案・監修高橋氏・脚本竹田氏スペシャル対談！ (in Japanese). Xenosaga I & II Website. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  25. ^ Xenosaga.jp -Xenosaga EPISODE III- PRODUCTS (in Japanese). Xenosaga Portal Site. Archived from the original on July 17, 2006. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
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