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Zillion (TV series)

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Zillion
Official Blu Ray-DVD cover in North America from Funimation.
赤い光弾ジリオン
(Akai Kōdan Jirion)
GenreAdventure, science fiction
Anime television series
Directed byMizuho Nishikubo[1]
Produced byHidehiko Takei
Minoru Ōno
Hiro Iwata
Written byTsunehisa Ito
Music byJun Irie
StudioTatsunoko Production
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkNNS (NTV)
Original run April 12, 1987 – December 13, 1987
Episodes31
Original video animation
Zillion: Burning Night
Directed byMizuho Nishikubo
Written byMizuho Nishikubo
Music byJun Irie
StudioI.G. Tatsunoko
Licensed byCrunchyroll
ReleasedJune 21, 1988
Runtime45 minutes

Zillion (Japanese: 赤い光弾ジリオン, Hepburn: Akai Kōdan Jirion, literally Red Photon Bullet Zillion, fully titled Red Photon Zillion) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Tatsunoko Production. It ran from April 12 to December 13, 1987, on Nippon Television, comprising 31 episodes.[2]

Plot

[edit]

The story takes place on the planet Maris in the year 2387. Around this time, the Nohzas (ノーザ, Nōza) civilization, led by Empress Admis, started a genocide program to kill all humans in order to lay eggs and reproduce on the planet. Three mysterious guns dubbed the "Zillion Weapon System" appear and three teen soldiers (JJ, Champ, and Apple) are chosen to wield them as a task force called White Nuts (ホワイトナッツ, Howaito Nattsu) (W.N.) (known as the White Knights in the English version), whose purpose is to fight back against the Nohzas.

Main characters

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Characters of Zillion.
  • J.J. (ＪＪ): the series' 16-year-old main protagonist and third member of the White Nuts. He is an avid fighter.
  • Champ (チャンプ Chanpu): the 18-year-old primary leader of the White Nuts.
  • Apple (アップル Appuru): the 17-year-old female member and navigator of the White Nuts.
  • Amy Harrison (エイミ・ハリソン Eimi Harison): a primary assistant of Mr. Gord. She has a liking for J.J.
  • Mr. Gord (Mr.ゴード Mr. Gōdo): the commissioner/commander of the White Nuts.
  • Dave (デイブ Deibu): a mechanic and assistant pilot, later member of the White Nuts.
  • Opa-Opa: White Nuts' companion robot and ally, and later member of the White Nuts.
  • Bernstein (バーンスタイン): Commander in Chief of Maris.

Nohzas

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  • Admis (アドミス): empress of the Nohza Empire.
  • Baron Ricks (バロン・リックス): the main antagonist of the story, leader of the invasion troops.
  • Navarro (ナバロ): a big Nohza soldier, filled with micromissiles, specially created to fight against the White Nuts, one of the three Nohza Warriors (N.W.)
  • Solar (ソラール): a flying Nohza woman, also specially built to fight the White Nuts, the second N.W., shaped somewhat like a wasp.
  • Gurdock (ガードック): a soldier with stretchable arms, the third Nohza Warrior created to counter the White Nuts.

Cast

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Character Japanese English
J.J. Toshihiko Seki Doug Stone
Champ Kazuhiko Inoue Kerrigan Mahan
Apple Yūko Mizutani Barbara Goodson
Amy Chieko Honda Wendee Lee
Dave Daiki Nakamura Eddie Frierson
Gord Yuzuru Fujimoto Michael Forest
Bernstein
Narrator		 Osamu Kobayashi Tom Wyner
Baron Ricks Show Hayami Doug Stone

Equipment

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Equipment of the White Nuts team:

  • Zillion (ジリオン): a mysterious weapon, impossible to analyze and reproduce. It fires a load of a strange substance, appearing as a red light that engulfs the target and disintegrates it. It uses a small red crystal ("zillionium") for ammunition, unstable and also impossible to reproduce. One of the guns is destroyed in episode 10 and reconstructed afterwards by Dave, changing its initially "flat" design to a more ergonomic one. All pistols are then rebuilt, allowing the use of special accessories that change them into a sub machine-gun, used by Apple, or a precision sniper rifle, used by Champ.
  • Ridingcepter (ライディングセプター): a motorcycle. It can carry a Sidecepter (サイドセプター), a Cargocepter (カーゴセプター) or a Cannoncepter (キャノンセプター).
  • Tricharger (トライチャージャー): a tricycle that can change into a versatile mobile suit. It has three forms, buggy form (バギーフォーム), kneeled form (ニールドフォーム) and armoretter form (アーモレーターフォーム).
  • Big Porter (ビッグポーター): a Vertical Take Off and Landing vehicle, prepared to carry one of three special crafts, named:
    • Submarine Aqua-Carried (潜航艇アクアキャリッド), a yellow small submersible;
    • Armoured Vehicle Land-Carried (装甲車ランドキャリッド), a red battle tank;
    • Fighter Bomber Aero-Carried (戦闘爆撃機エアロキャリッド), a blue air-and-space fighter.

Media

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Anime

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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 Streamline Pictures.[3] The anime was featured in the music video for Michael and Janet Jackson's collaboration "Scream".[3] Samples from the English dub of the anime were also featured in Del the Funky Homosapien's single "Cyberpunks".[4]

In October 2018, Funimation has released the complete series and the OVA on a Blu-ray/DVD set with Japanese audio and English subtitles.[3]

List of episodes

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  1. "My Name Is J.J." (US title: "They Call Me, J.J.") (Original Airdate: April 12, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  2. "Attack the Enemy of the High Skies" (US title: "Hang Fire") (Original Airdate: April 19, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  3. "0.1 Second Chance!" (US title: "Split—Second Chance") (Original Airdate: April 26, 1987): written by Haruya Yamazaki
  4. "Trap of the Shapeless Ninja Squadron" (US title: "Target, The White Knights") (Original Airdate: May 3, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  5. "Apple Order Violation!?" (US title: "Judgement Call") (Original Airdate: May 10, 1987): written by Mami Watanabe
  6. "Take Off, Tricharger" (Original Airdate: May 17, 1987): written by Haruya Yamazaki
  7. "Struggle 'Til Death! J.J. vs. Ricks" (Original Airdate: May 24, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  8. "Strike the Oceanfloor Base!" (Original Airdate: May 31, 1987): written by Mami Watanabe
  9. "Stolen Zillion" (Original Airdate: June 7, 1987): written by Mami Watanabe
  10. "Flames! Ricks' Counterattack" (Original Airdate: June 14, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  11. "Birth of New Zillion!" (Original Airdate: June 21, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  12. "Attack! Triple Shoot" (Original Airdate: June 28, 1987): written by Haruya Yamazaki
  13. "Angry Shutter Chance" (Original Airdate: July 5, 1987): written by Mami Watanabe
  14. "Nightingale of the Battlefield" (Original Airdate: July 12, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  15. "Life Or Death!? Confrontation of Fate—Part. 1" (Original Airdate: July 19, 1987): written by Haruya Yamazaki
  16. "Life Or Death!? Confrontation of Fate—Part. 2" (Original Airdate: July 26, 1987): written by Haruya Yamazaki
  17. "Tears! Let's Search J.J." (Original Airdate: September 6, 1987): written by Mami Watanabe
  18. "The Beautiful Noza's Challenge" (Original Airdate: September 13, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  19. "Match! Let's Throw the Coin" (Original Airdate: September 20, 1987): written by Haruya Yamazaki
  20. "Kick with a Broken Heart" (Original Airdate: September 27, 1987): written by Mami Watanabe
  21. "Clash! The Sniper" (Original Airdate: October 4, 1987): written by Takao Koyama
  22. "Great Victory from a Lie!" (Original Airdate: October 11, 1987): written by Takashi Yamada
  23. "Terror! Demon's Bio Weapon" (Original Airdate: October 18, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  24. "Great Adventure! Warrior Opa-Opa" (Original Airdate: October 25, 1987): written by Mami Watanabe
  25. "Gentle Fugitive Apple" (Original Airdate: November 1, 1987): written by Takashi Yamada
  26. "Revenge Demon Ninja!" (Original Airdate: November 8, 1987): written by Haruya Yamazaki
  27. "Extraordinary Rebel Ricks" (Original Airdate: November 15, 1987): written by Mami Watanabe
  28. "Mystery!? Zillion Power" (Original Airdate: November 22, 1987): written by Mami Watanabe
  29. "Heroic! Ricks Dies!?" (Original Airdate: November 29, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  30. "Planet Maris on the Corner!" (Original Airdate: December 6, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito
  31. "Last Shoot for Victory" (Original Airdate: December 13, 1987): written by Tsunehisa Ito

Music

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Opening
  • "Pure Stone" by Risa Yuuki
Closing
  • "Push!" by Risa Yuuki (eps. 1–20)
  • "Rock Candy" by Risa Yuuki (eps. 21–31)

OVA

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VHS cover of the Zillion: Burning Night OVA.

Zillion: Burning Night, known in Japan as Red Photon Zillion: Songstress's Nocturne (赤い光弾ジリオン 歌姫夜曲, Akai Kodan Jirion Utahime Yakyoku), is a Japanese direct-to-video anime release by Tatsunoko. It is also referred to as "Red Bullet Zillion: Burning Night" and "Zillion: Burning Night Special". It was released on June 21, 1988.[5]

According to Toshinori Otsuri, it's inspired by Streets of Fire.[6]

Plot

[edit]

In the peaceful aftermath of the Nozsa wars, the charismatic heroes known as "White Nuts" have changed career paths to becoming music making rock stars. Their music career would soon be interrupted by a new threat of colonial settlers. Apple is kidnapped by the sadistic ODAMA Clan - a family of ruthless killers. Located in a heavily fortified mountain retreat, J.J. and company attempt a rescue mission with their laser weapon Zillion, but the former Knights only have a limited supply of Zillium for the Zillion guns. A mysterious stranger named Rick, a wondering bodyguard for the ODAMA Clan, turns out to be an old lover of Apple.

Comic

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In 1993, Eternity Comics published a comic book adaptation, written by Tom Mason, drawn by Harrison Fong, and lettered by Tim Eldred.

Video games

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A Zillion-themed toy gun

Two games were made based on the series, both by Sega for the Master System: Zillion, an action game similar in play style to Metroid and Impossible Mission, and a sequel, Zillion II: The Tri Formation, which was a faster-paced game involving a powered armor mecha which transformed into a motorcycle.

Toy

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A Zillion-based laser tag toy line also by Sega was also released in Japan and Brazil. The design of the gun, which was also featured in the series released in 1987, was reused from the Master System Light Phaser light gun which was released in 1986 in North America, Europe and Brazil.[7][8]

Later in the series, Sega and Tatsunoko changed the design of the anime series' guns, simultaneous with a cosmetic change in the laser tag guns on which they were based.

In 2009, a Brazilian man used the toy in a hostage crisis situation where a woman was held for more than 10 hours.[9]

Development

[edit]

After the production of the anime, Tatsunoko Production and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, the producer of Zillion, established IG Tatsunoko (which later became 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.[10][11]

The anime's mechanical designs were done by Studio "Ammonite".

References

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  1. ^ "NISHIKUBO Mizuho".
  2. ^ "タツノコプロ | 赤い光弾ジリオン".
  3. ^ a b c "Funimation Licenses 1987 Anime Zillion (Updated)". 8 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Del the Funky Homosapien's 'Cyberpunks' sample of Episode Opening scene in Zillion | WhoSampled".
  5. ^ "Production I.G [WORK LIST]".
  6. ^ 小黒祐一郎「第10回 大月俊倫」『この人に話を聞きたい アニメプロフェッショナルの仕事 1998-2001』飛鳥新社、2006年11月2日、ISBN 4-87031-758-3、175頁。
  7. ^ Computer & Video Games, "November 1987" (UK; 1987-10-15), page 132
  8. ^ "Interview: Stefano Arnhold (Tec Toy) – Sega-16".
  9. ^ "Man holds woman hostage for 10 hours... With a Sega light gun". 5 March 2009. Archived from the original on 2020-09-28.
  10. ^ Iwamura, Takuya (28 December 2007). "Ishikawa shachō ga 20 nen o kataru "Production I.G sōritsu 20 shūnen kinen ten" kaisai-chū" 石川社長が20年を語る 「プロダクション I.G 創立20周年記念展」開催中 [President Ishikawa talks about 20 years during the opening of the "Exhibition of Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Foundation of Production I.G"] (in Japanese). mycom.co.jp. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  11. ^ Yamashita, Hisatake (8 February 2008). "Dai 25 kai Kabushiki Gaisha Production I.G daihyō torishimariyaku shachō Ishikawa Mitsuhisa - Sono 2 - Kuyashisa kara dokuritsu, free ni" 第25回 株式会社プロダクション I.G代表取締役社長 石川光久-その２-悔しさから独立、フリーに [25th Representative of Production I.G Co., Ltd. President Mitsuhisa Ishikawa - Part 2 - I become independent out of frustration, and I am free] (in Japanese). CodeZine. Archived from the original on 30 June 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
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