The appeal and reviews of "ZOE 2167 IDOLO": The pinnacle of mecha action

ZOE 2167 IDOLO - Zone of the Enders 2167 IDOLO

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

March 1, 2001

■Release and sales

VAP

■Frequencies

52 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work: KCE Japan
・Planning/Sunrise

■ Director

・Director: Tetsuya Watanabe

■ Production

・Production: Sunrise

■Works

©2001 KCE Japan/SUNRISE・VAP

■ Story

The solar system in the 22nd century. Mars was under the rule of the United Nations Earth Forces. Lieutenant Radam was a BAHRAM pilot born on Mars. One day, he was sent to the remote land of Noctis due to a dispute with Colonel Burrows of the United Nations Earth Forces, who mocked the physical handicap of Martians (Martians are inferior to Earthlings due to gravity) at the BAHRAM base on Mars. However, what awaited him there was the task of being a frame runner for the IDOLO, a new generation humanoid mobile weapon, orbital frame. Moreover, his girlfriend Dolores, who is involved in the development of the orbital frame, was with him, and Radam, who thought he had been demoted, was in high spirits. IDOLO... It is a super high performance machine that was made possible by using a large amount of the rare mineral Metatron recently discovered on Jupiter, and it is said that if it is completed, Mars will be able to sever its ties with Earth. Therefore, this craft can only be tested for one hour, when Noctis' base is out of sight of Earth's surveillance satellites.
Radam immediately takes to the test of the IDOLO, but is at the mercy of the Orbital Frame, which still has many unknown aspects, and crashes. Radam feels defeated... However, Radam demonstrates his genius piloting skills and gradually becomes adept at piloting the IDOLO.

■ Main staff

・Planning by Sunrise ・Original story by KCE Japan
・Director / Tetsuya Watanabe ・Screenplay / Shin Yoshida ・Main character designer / Animation director / Madoka Hirai ・Character designer / Kumi Horii ・Animation director / Mechanical design / Mechanical animation director / Tsutomu Suzuki, Tsutomu Miyazawa ・Music / Hikaru Nanase ・Art director / Masaru Sato ・Director of photography / Kazunori Oketa ・Sound director / Yota Tsuruoka

■ Related works

・[TVA] 01.04.06-01.09.28 ZOE Dolores,i (26 episodes)

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ Background and setting of the work

"ZOE 2167 IDOLO" is a science fiction anime set in the solar system in the 22nd century, and by depicting the conflict between Mars and Earth, it skillfully blends political tension with advances in science and technology. The setting of Mars being under the rule of the United Nations Earth Forces is reminiscent of real-life colonialism and independence movements, encouraging deep reflection in the viewer. Additionally, the setting of Martians being inferior in physical ability to Earthlings symbolically depicts social issues such as discrimination and prejudice. This background setting lends depth to the work as a whole, and it has been praised as a work that contains a social message rather than simply being a robot anime.

■Characters and story

The protagonist, Lieutenant Radam, is a BAHRAM pilot born on Mars, and his character is at the center of the series. Radam is conflicted between his pride as a Martian and the ridicule he faces from Earthlings. This conflict leads him to be demoted to Noctis, but what awaits him there is a new challenge: to be a test pilot for IDOLO, a new generation humanoid mobile weapon known as the Orbital Frame. Radam's growth and synchronization with IDOLO not only impresses viewers, but also delves deeper into his humanity and talent as a pilot. His relationship with his lover Dolores is also an important element, and while her presence increases Radam's motivation, her position in relation to the Mars independence movement also adds tension to the story.

■Mecha design and action

The mecha design of "ZOE 2167 IDOLO" is particularly noteworthy, especially the orbital frame IDOLO. IDOLO is an ultra-high performance machine that uses a large amount of the rare mineral Metatron found on Jupiter, and its design is sleek, functional, and visually appealing. The technical skills of mecha designers Suzuki Tsutomu and Miyazawa Tsutomu shine through in IDOLO's movements and battle scenes, which are very realistic and powerful. In particular, the scene in which Radam crashes during IDOLO's test not only creates tension for the viewer, but is also an important scene that symbolizes Radam's growth. In addition, the fact that IDOLO can only be tested for one hour, when Noctis' base is in the blind spot of Earth's surveillance satellites, skillfully creates the tension of the time limit.

■Music and Sound

The music was composed by Nanase Hikaru, and his compositions play an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. In particular, the music in IDOLO's test scenes and battle scenes not only enhances the viewer's emotions, but also adds depth to the progression of the story. Additionally, the sound effects by sound director Tsuruoka Yota and the performances of the voice actors also add to the realism of the work. The performance of the voice actor who voiced Radam realistically portrayed his conflicts and growth, leaving a strong impression on the viewer.

■Director and staff

Director Tetsuya Watanabe has skillfully depicted the worldview of "ZOE 2167 IDOLO" and succeeded in deeply moving the audience. His direction not only visually expresses Radam's growth and synchronization with IDOLO, but also delves deeply into the theme of the conflict between Mars and Earth. Screenwriter Shin Yoshida also delves deeply into Radam's character, evoking empathy in the audience by depicting his struggles and growth. The technical skills of Madoka Hirai and Kumi Horii, who were in charge of main character design and animation direction, are also important elements supporting the visual aspects of the work.

■ Related works and the entire series

"ZOE 2167 IDOLO" is related to the TV anime series "ZOE Dolores,i" and shares the same worldview. "ZOE Dolores,i" consists of 26 episodes and delves deeper into the story of Radam as an IDOLO test pilot. Throughout the series, the conflict between Mars and Earth and the technological innovation of the Orbital Frame are depicted, allowing viewers to feel the appeal of the entire series through "ZOE 2167 IDOLO". In "ZOE Dolores,i", the story also unfolds from the perspectives of characters other than Radam, allowing viewers to enjoy the work from a broader perspective.

■ Recommendations and ratings

"ZOE 2167 IDOLO" is a work that can be highly recommended not only to sci-fi anime fans, but also to viewers who want to enjoy a deep story and character growth. It is a must-see work, especially for those who are interested in mecha design and action scenes, and is also recommended for viewers who can empathize with the theme of Radam's growth and the conflict between Mars and Earth. Also, by watching it together with "ZOE Dolores, i", you can feel the appeal of the entire series even more deeply. The work has been highly evaluated for all elements, including the depth of the story, the growth of the characters, the beauty of the mecha design, and the quality of the music and sound, and can be said to be a very complete work for an OVA. This work will move and sympathize with the viewer, and is definitely worth watching at least once.