赤い 光弾 ジリオン (Akai Koudan DJIRION)
"Zillion, The Shooting Master"
Anime Home Page

About the title: 赤い (akai) = "red"; 光 (kou) = "light"; 弾 (dan) = "projectile". This is one of my favourite science-fiction anime. Most of this Page was written with data collected from two CD, some catalogues and my memory, so if something seems out-of-order, please feel free to correct me...

Prologue and Introduction

Planet Maris (マリス), home of an ancient and long disappeared civilization, is found by Earth pioneers and a bright and successful colony is then settled. Its environment is so similar to humans' home-planet that most consider it as a second Earth.

Year 2387, the Nohza Empire (ノーザ), whose original planet became barren to their people, starts its invasion of the blue world Maris. Far superior in strength compared to the Maris' defense forces, the Nohza troops easily defeats the human army, spreading the fear and panic. Moved by an urgent need to find a new world to their next generation, the Nohzas are relentless.

But then, when the situation seems hopeless to the humans, three strange weapons are found in a crystal tetrahedron. They are called Zillion (ジリオン), in homage to the ancient civilization that once ruled that world, the Zillius (ジリウス).

Three young fighters are then selected to carry the Zillion guns, known only by their code-names: "Apple" (アップル), "Champ" (チャンプ) and "J.J." (ジェイ・ジェイ). Supported by a small group of dedicated men and women, the White Nuts (ホワイトナッツ) team (W.N.), they start a counterattack against the invader Nohza.

The Characters

The White Nuts Team:

J.J. (it is pronounced [djei djei]): the main character of the story. Lazy and absent-minded, no one can figure out how he could be one of the chosen to carry a Zillion gun.

アップル (Apple): the only woman to use a Zillion, a sub machine-gun. She has a secret attraction for J.J., but she never has the chance to express it (or be noticed).

チャンプ (Champ): an expert sniper, uses a Zillion precision rifle. Self-confident, he shifts from a serious manner to a joker, never missing a chance to shoot or to laugh.

デイブ (Dave): the mechanician of the White Nuts team. He is responsible for all equipment and the recosntruction of the Zillion guns. Dave is also a good pilot and usually takes the three White Nuts fighters to their mission sites.

ゴード (Mr. Gord, Mr. Gordon): chief of the White Nuts team. Not ever in accordance with the decisions of Maris army chiefs, he has almost complete autonomy about the goals of the White Nuts and the zillion guns.

エイミ (Emi): secretary and computer operator. Usually in a good mood, she makes things easier in the White Nuts headquarters.

オパ・オパ (Opa-Opa): it is a small flying robot, a "pet" of the team. It also stars in SEGA's game "Fantasy Zone". Later, it get a new friend, ウパ・ウパ (Upa-Upa), a similar robot with darker glass face and golden body.

バーンスタイン (Mr. Bernstein): the Maris Army chief, though hierarchically superior to Mr. Gordon, he is his friend and trusts his decisions, even when they go against the army's wills.

アディ (Adi): J.J.'s little friend, she is alone and found in him a great friend.

The Nohza Empire:

リックス (Ricks): the main antagonist of the story, leader of the invasion troops.

アドミス (Admis): empress of the Nohza Empire.

ナバロ (Navaro): a big Nohza soldier, filled with micromissiles, specially created to fight against the White Nuts, one of the three Nohza Warriors (N.W.)

ソラール (Solair): a flying Nohza woman, also specially built to fight the White Nuts, the second N.W., shaped somewhat like a wasp.

ガードック (Gardk, Guardk): a soldier with stretchable arms, the third Nohza Warrior created to counterattack the White Nuts.

The Equipment

"Akai Koudan Zillion" is a science-fiction anime and, as so, the technology is an important element of the stories. The most important items are:

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 an episode and reconstructed in another, 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 or a precision rifle.

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 VTOL (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.

The Z-Files

Due to frequent requests, here are the "unofficial data" of Zillion. It happens that I couldn't gather enough official material about this anime and some of it have either very few or no reference at all. If you are able to check any of them or know how I could check it, please write me. So, here we go:

• In the soundtrack album there are many pictures, but none of the series has the author. On the other hand, all picture not directly related with it has the illustrator name. The front cover was created by 開田 袷治 (Kouji Kaida), presenting part of a ridingcepter with an old-version Zillion pistol laid on it. The SD characters are from 後藤 隆幸 (Ryuukou Gotou), presenting Apple, Champ, J.J. and Ricks in SD format. But, and here is my best guess about the main artist, the あぶない Music (Abunai Music) album has many pictures, some in SD format, but many others, including drawing tests, of the "歌姫夜曲 Burning Night" (Kakiyakyoku Burning Night = Singing Princess of the Night Music - Burning Night) O.V.A., which is a "外伝" (Gaiden = Side Story) version of Zillion. 浜崎 博嗣 (Hirotsugu Hamasaki/Hamazaki) is the illustrator of "Abunai Music" booklet and I bet my credits in this name.
• In a program of varieties, Zillion was stated as having won a Japanese award of best anime of its year. I have no way to check this information (I couldn't find any official site in Japan with such data).
• Tatsunoko Productions finally released the series in two DVD packs, codes VPBY-11972 (on the end of 2003) and VPBY-11972 (on the middle of 2004):
  

Episode Guide

This is an episode list with the original title, [Romaji], (translation) and a very short synopsis.

1. コードネームはＪＪ [KO-DONE-MU Wa Djei Djei] (The codename is J.J.): Apple and Champ meet the third member of the White Nuts team, J.J.
2. 頭上の敵をうて！ [Dzudjyou No Teki O Ute!] (Attack the enemy of the high skies): the first official mission of the White Nuts.
3. チャンスは０．１秒！ [TCHYANSU Wa 0.1 Byou!] (The chance is 0.1 second!): the White Nuts has to destroy a huge Nohza cannon.
4. 姿なき忍者部隊のわな [Sugata Naki Nindja Butai No Wana] (Trap of the shapeless ninja squadron): Ricks summons a ninja force to get the White Nuts.
5. アップル命令違反！？ [APPURU Meirei Ihan!?] (Apple order violation!?): Apple tries to save a group of scientists from a Nohza surprise attack.
6. 発進トライチャージャー [Hasshin TORAITCHYA-DJYA-] (Take off, Tricharger): Dave creates a new equipment for the White Nuts.
7. 死闘！ＪＪ対リックス [Shitou! JJ Tai RIKKUSU] (Struggle till death! J.J. Versus Ricks): J.J. and Ricks finally meet.
8. 海底基地をぶっとばせ！ [Kaitei Kitchi O Buttobase!] (Strike the oceanfloor base!): the White Nuts finds something strange in a paradisiacal island.
9. ぬすまれたジリオン [Nusumareta DJIRION] (Stolen Zillion): Champ has his zillion stolen and goes after it.
10. 炎！リックスの逆襲 [Honoo! RIKKUSU No Gyakushyuu] (Flames! Ricks' counterattack): Ricks attacks and forces J.J. to make a hard decision.
11. 新ジリオン誕生！ [Shin DJIRION Tandjyou!] (Birth of a new zillion!): Dave does it again and redesigns one of the Zillion guns.
12. 撃て！トリプルシュート [Ute! TORIPURU SHYU-TO] (Attack! Triple shoot): the new Nohza menace comes from the sea.
13. 怒れシャッターチャンス [Ikare SHYATTA-TCHANSU] (Angry shutter chance): the White Nuts are called to help a cameraman.
14. 戦場のナイチンゲール [Sendjyou No NAITCHINGE-RU] (Nightingale of the battlefield): J.J.'s movie idol decides to help people in real life.
15. 生か死か！？宿命の対決（前編） [Sei Ka Shi Ka!? Shyukumei No Taiketsu (Zenpen)] (Life Or Death!? Confrontation of fate - first part): J.J. discovers something terrible about his career in the White Nuts.
16. 生か死か！？宿命の対決（後編） [Sei Ka Shi Ka!? Shyukumei No Taiketsu (Kouhen)] (Life Or Death!? Confrontation of fate - last part): J.J. fights Ricks again.
17. 涙！ＪＪをさがせ [Namida! JJ O Sagase] (Tears! Let's search J.J.): the White Nuts looks for J.J.
18. ノーザの美しき挑戦 [NO-ZA No Utsukushiki Tchyousen] (Nohza's beautiful challenge): J.J. dates a beautiful woman, while an unknown menace invades the White Nuts base.
19. 勝負！コインを投げろ [Shyoubu! KOIN O Nagero] (Match! Let's throw the coin): J.J. finds a new luck amulet.
20. 失恋パワーでけちらせ [Shitsurei PAWA- De Ketchirase] (Kick away with the power of a broken heart): Emi has a day off from her hard work as a White Nuts member.
21. 激突！ ザ・スナイパー [Gekitotsu! ZA.SUNAIPA-] (Clash! The sniper): Champ meets a match rival.
22. ウソから出た大勝利！ [Uso Kara Deta Taishyouri!] (Great victory from a lie!): Adi feels lonely and lies to attract her friend J.J.'s attention.
23. 恐怖！魔のバイオ兵器 [Kyouhu! Ma No BAIO Heiki] (Terror! Demon's bio weapon): three special Nohza cyborgs are built, the Nohza Warrios (N.W.), to fight the White Nuts (W.N.)
24. 大冒険!戦士オパオパ [Daibouken! Senshi OPAOPA] (Great adventure! Warrior Opa-Opa): Opa-Opa, the flying robot, goes out to prove that he is a valuable White Nuts member, too.
25. 優しき逃亡者アップル [Yasashiki Touboushya APPURU] (Gentle fugitive Apple): Apple helps the only child of her friend Francoise to escape the Nohza pursuers.
26. しのびよる復讐鬼！ [Shinobi Yoru Hukushyuu Oni!] (Revenge demon ninja!): an unknown enemy appears to haunt J.J.
27. 非常の反逆者リックス [Hidjyou No Hangyakushya RIKKUSU] (Extraordinary Rebel Ricks): Ricks rebels and decides to fight J.J. alone, without the interference of the Nohza Warriors.
28. 神秘！？ジリオンパワー [Shinpi!? DJIRION PAWA-] (Mystery!? Zillion power): the White Nuts are running low in zillionium and J.J. discovers a strange feature of his zillion.
29. 壮絶！リックス死す！？ [Souzetsu! RIKKUSU Shisu!?] (Heroic! Ricks dies!?): looking for more zillionium, the White Nuts finds an ancient city.
30. 惑星マリス絶体絶命！ [Wakusei MARISU Zettaizetsumei!] (Planet Maris on the corner!): Admis decides to destroy Maris and the White Nuts prepares to fight the Nohzas' base.
31. 勝利へのラストシュート [Shyouri E No RASUTOSHYU-TO] (Last shoot for victory): the White Nuts discover the real purpose of zillion.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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Page last modified on 2005-June-01 Wednesday.



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Page under construction.