Xenosaga/Xenosaga: The Animation

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Xenosaga: The Animation
Xenosagaゼノサーガ THE ANIMATIONZenosāga: Za Animēshon
Genre	Mecha, Science Fiction, Shōnen
Anime series: Xenosaga
Directed by	Shigeyasu Yamauchi
Studio	Namco
Licensor	ADV Films
Network	TV Asahi Anime Network
Original run	5 Jan 2005 — 23 Mar 2005
No. of episodes	12

Xenosaga: The Animation (ゼノサーガ THE ANIMATION, Zenosāga: Za Animēshon) is a 12-episode anime television series by Toei Animation, which premiered on TV Asahi in Japan on January 5, 2005. The series is based on the PlayStation 2 game Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht, with several changes to the storyline, including omissions (Jr., Ziggy, and MOMO's first appearance in Episode I, the removal of Cherenkov and the Cathedral Ship) and additions (before the destruction of the Woglinde, Shion becomes good friends with one of Albedo's "personal assistant" Realians, the Kirschwassers, Virgil surviving until episode 9). Some scenes were entirely re-written for the show's purposes, with the Encephalon dive and the final confrontation with Albedo on Proto Merkabah being major examples.

The ending theme is "in this serenity," performed by Mayumi Gojo.

Contents 1 Plot and Setting Summary 2 Content 3 Episode list 4 External links

[edit] Plot and Setting Summary

The Xenosaga series begins in the year T.C. 4768, and mankind exists only on distant planets and offworld artfical colonies. Earth is seemingly gone, for it has been erased from all starmaps and renamed "Lost Jerusalem". The capital of all known space is Fifth Jerusalem where the Galaxy Federation is headquartered and supposedly keeps watch over all of mankind. The Xenosaga universe is not divided into galaxies and solar systems as we divide the universe today, but rather is divided into what is called UMN columms. Although initally host to humans, both science and the paranormal have created several quasi-lifeforms, including:

• Androids
• Cyborgs
• Gnosis
• Realians
• U.R.T.V.

The world of Xenosaga is mostly epic science fiction mythology based. Being largely futuristic. the average life span is well over 100 years. Due to such legislation such as the Life Recycling Act, people live well beyond their natural life span.

Plot: After Dr. Matsuda discovers the Original Zohar in 20xx AD. in Turkana, Kenya, Africa. The focus shifts to the transport of a Zohar Emulator aboard the Galaxy Federation starship Woglinde. The Zohar Emulator was discovered in the wake of the disappearance of Ariadne. The Woglinde is also home to Vector Industries' KOS-MOS development project headed by Shion Uzuki. The project proceeds through a holographic test experiment on the Anti-Gnosis android KOS-MOS.

[edit] Content

The pacing has the viewer running through the first ten to fifteen hours of gameplay of Episode I in the first five episodes. Jin Uzuki, Shion's brother and a major character in Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse, can be seen in episode eight of The Animation. Given the nature of the anime, it works best as a supplement to Episode I; some points that the game explained poorly or did not explain at all are brought to light in the anime. For example, in the game, Albedo comes across as a mentally insane individual initially with uncertain motives. In the series, it becomes apparent that Albedo has abandonment issues (amongst other things) that enhance his character development. These issues make a return and are explored more fully in Episode II. One character who did not receive any additional development to his character was Lt. Virgil, who was kept alive for nine episodes in the place of Commander Cherenkov. Despite being alive and traveling with the main characters, no new information about Virgil came out in the anime. He was portrayed as an edgy, saracastic and trigger-happy man, just like he was in the game.

Another major difference is the role of the Kirschwassers. While in Episode I they serve in a minor role working for Albedo, the anime focuses on only one. This Kirschwasser was impersonating a 100-series while on the Woglinde in order to escape Albedo, but was recaptured and set to work against Shion, who had befriended her earlier. The ending of the anime has the Kirschwasser in the control room of Proto Merkabah, setting it to self-destruct mode, where she dies. In the game, however, KOS-MOS does this and escapes unharmed.

[edit] Episode list

1. 覚醒, "Awakening"
2. 轟沈, Gōchin, "Immediate sinking of a ship"
3. 邂逅, "Chance Meeting"
4. 死地, "Point of Death"
5. 異形, "Fantastic"
6. 投錨, "Dropping Anchor"
7. エンセフェロン, "Encephalon"
8. 記憶, "Memory"
9. 歌声, "Singing Voice"
10. 兵器, "Weapon"
11. 妄執, "Delusion"
12. "KOS-MOS"

Of note are the use of the Zohar Emulators in the title card; each one contains a Hebrew numeral which denotes the episode's number.

[edit] External links

• (Japanese) Official TV Asahi Xenosaga site
• (Japanese) Xenosaga TOEI ANIMATION
• Xenosaga: The Animation at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia.
• Xenosaga The Animation Vol.1 Enter The Gnosis Advance ReviewActive Anime