A NOTE OF CAUTION: I have just started watching the start of the
anime on video after having seen the last few eps on TV first. I haven't
caught up with the end of the story yet, so some of the info might be
a bit off.

Intro:
Some listmembers might remember this 80s run of Japanese mecha toys that looked like robot animals. Yes, this is the same show. I've been told that the original Japanese toys had a really cool story background as part of the packaging, which did not come with the toys in international releases. Anyway, the ZOIDS got a re-release last year in Japan and a new sci-fi adventure anime to go with them. And I really, really like it. Although it is aimed at younger children than, say, Gundam, the basis of the story is still serious drama. The large universe leaves lots of room for fanficcers to have fun in!

And best of all: it's highly slashable! ;-> Now, I am not prone to write shotacon so please BEAR WITH ME until the end of the synopsis and do not deem me crazy, 'k? ;->

The Story and why I like it:

I have only seen the beginning and the end of the anime, but here is what I can figure out:

Years ago, a planet-wide war wiped out most traces of the ancient civilization on the planet Zi. Now, the remaining humans are scattered in groups across the planet, some having founded new countries or kingdoms, others surviving in small remote colonies. Wars, raids and skirmishes are frequent and wild Zoids, huge mecha in the shape of long-extinct animals, wreak havoc in the vast desert lands outside civilization.

As we later find out, zoids are actually astral beings that were given robot bodies by the Ancients. Therefore they have their own conscience and, left untamed without a master, will turn wild. Docile zoids are still widely used by humans for farming, transport and war.

The story follows Ban, a young boy of 14 who befriends a mysterious "organoid" zoid he calls Jeeg in the old desert ruins outside his home colony. Together with the amnesiac Fiene, whom Ban finds alongside Jeeg, the three travel to parts unknown to find out more about Fiene's past. Also, somebody very powerful is looking for Jeeg and sends a number of goonies their way. And if that was not enough, a large war is brewing between two of the major forces of power on Zi: The Empire and the Republic (no, this is NOT Star Wars - but it might be a reference. ;-).

Things start to get interesting when they meet another organoid master called Raven - an angry and arrogant young boy who rides his zoid for the joy of destruction and some hidden ulterior motive. Everything seems to lead back to Jeeg, Fiene and the mysterious legendary Zoid Eve machine. Yes, there's a lot more plot and more characters... but let this be enough for now.

What first drew me to Zoids is the outstanding computer-aided mecha animation. It blends in very smoothly with the conventional character animation, but it allows for a tremendous amound of detail and freedom of movement. The anime really LOOKS good.

Also, plot-wise, it thankfully does NOT try to copy Evangelion. It's a classic adventure story. Much like Final Fantasy or Star Wars, it depends on memorable characters (and cool mecha ;-) to draw viewers. And the mecha have an attitude of their own. It HAS been done before, but it's still a fresh enough concept to get my attention.

Also, you really get to SEE the characters grow up. At the start of the 2nd season, the series makes a time leap and we find ourselves 3-4 years in the future. Ban's grown up all nicely and yummily, as well as Raven ;-) Also, characters go through some interesting changes and developments during the course of the show. For example, some of the characters who were enemies in the 1st season now work together as friends in the 2nd and so forth. I've always liked series that presented a large universe to play with and Zoids is one of these.

Main Characters:

To see pictures of all the main characters as they look as grown-ups, please go to: http://mbs.co.jp/zoids/character.html . The main page is at http://mbs.co.jp/zoids/index.html .

My character descriptions are in the same order as the pictures on the character page. Unfortunately, this results in some confusion as to who's really important... so I put the important guys in CAPITALS.

BAN: The male lead. Wants to be a great fighter just like his deadfather (awww :-). Adventurous, optimistic, loyal, stubborn,never-say-die. Was raised by his sister. Somewhat of a thrill-seekerand too easy to trust people as a kid. Grows up to be a good teamleader in the 2nd season. (His Zoid is the Blade Liger, a blue lion)

FIENE: Female heroine, highly intelligent (we are talking about a girlthat completely masters Van's language in the first few episodes), hastelepathic powers which enable her to communicate with the Zoids.Last descendant of the ancient race that created the Zoids. Is found ina sleep capsule left over from pre-war times by the young Vantogether with Jeeg (in the 1st episode). Fiene wakes up amnesiac andonly regains some fuzzy memory fragments of her past during theshow. She is a quiet and gentle character and hates violence. Bothenemies and her friends tend to underestimate her a lot: although sherarely talks and may seem naive and docile, she packs a punch in thebrain department. Wears an UGLY orange ribbon in her hair. (I still likeher, but that thing has to GO! Well it does, but only in the 2nd season.Phew.)

Touma R. Schwartz: A soldier of the Imperial Forces. Touma's a fighterpilot and flies a pterodactyl like Zoid. Haven't seen the episodesfocussing on him yet though <sigh> I have a feeling he's a newcharacter in the 2nd season...

IRVINE: Gruff, sarcastic, opportunistic lone wolf with a very wellhiddenheart of gold :-). Basically the Han Solo of anime. When we first meethim, he travels the desert taking on any job for money, looking for theorigin of the Zoids. He reluctantly befriends Ban and Fiene during thecourse of the first season and is part of Ban's Federation strike forceunit in the 2nd season. The binoculars on his left eye are notcybernetic BTW - he can take them off. His 1st season Zoid is theLightning Cykes (a red and black Jackal). 2nd season: Command Wolf

MOONBAY: Independent, suave and clever with cool afro hair. Can takecare of herself. Her weapon of choice are her wits. As far as I couldfigure out so far, she doubles as a mechanic and the Zi equivalent of atruck driver. LOVES her work. She drives a cargo Zoid of the Gustavtype, shaped like a caterpillar, in the 1st season.

Prince Rudolph: Leader of the Empire in the 2nd season. I don't knowabout the 1st, sorry...

Doctor D.: Somewhat peculiar old man who is an expert on ancientZoids. Fiene later stays with him as his student to find out more abouther past between season 1 and 2. He is somewhat of a surrogategrandfather to her.

HILTZ: Main villain in the 2nd season. Trained and controls both Reeseand Raven in the 2nd season. Power-hungry and ruthless. A soldier,not a politician like Preussen.

REESE: Possesses psychic attack powers. At first it is not knownwhether Reese is a girl or a boy. She also controls an organoid. Victimto her own rage and a loner just like Raven, she seems to think morebefore she acts. She is the first of the two children to question heractions and turns rogue on Hiltz before Raven does in the 2nd season.I do not know whether she pilots a Zoid at all.

RAVEN: Ban's main antagonist and rival. Angry, proud, impulsive,desperate, dangerous and just a bit crazy. Had a traumatic childhoodand blames Zoids for the death of his family. He does not care whom orwhat he has to kill in order to rid the world of them. His red Zoid issimilar to Ban's, but Raven's the better pilot. He disappears afterbeingdefeated by Ban in the 1st season and mysteriously reappears in the2nd.

Karl Schwartz: Touma's older brother. Sorry, pass :-)

Herman: Who IS he? ;->

O'Connell: Looks like Rowan from Samurai Troopers. Easy-going,fun-loving guy. Apparently grows to be one of Ban's and Irvine's bestfriends. I think he's mighty cute :->

PREUSSEN: The 1st season main bad guy. He's good slash material andI wish I knew more about him. A conspirator that wants to revive ZoidEve to take over the world.

[no picture] The ORGANOIDS, Jeeg, Shadow and Specular: Three dinosaur-likemecha that are the keys to the revival of Zoid Eve. They befriend Ban,Raven and Reese respectively. Each have a personality of their ownthat mirrors that of their master's. They can merge with the big Zoidmecha by reverting to their energy form and thereby enhance theirpowers greatly.

Potential couples:

Ban & Raven: Theirs is a very interesting and dynamic relationship thatgoes through some surprising changes in the 2nd season - they startout as rivals with completely opposite world views and histories. Theyhate each other, maybe because each of them has something theother lacks. I can see both hurt/comfort at the end of season 2, aswell as a Seifer-Squall like love/hate relationship or n/c situations.You just have to play them right.

Hiltz x Raven: Hiltz has psychological control over Raven. Hiltz iscold, ruthless and a bloody bastard. Whoopee. :-)

Preussen x Raven, Preussen x Hiltz: Preussen is not QUITE dead in the 2nd season, as we soon find out. :-)

Irvine x Ban: Nothing serious here, but Irvine's sort of the big brotherfor Ban - he might like to show him the ropes as he gets older. :-) Atthe start of the series, he does not seem to belive in anything oranyone but himself. Ban is the one who teaches him otherwise.

Irvine x O'Connel: They're good chums and I can see them gettingdrunk after their duties late at the bar. :-) Things start from there...