Aldnoah.Zero is a mecha anime television series created by Olympus Knights and A-1 Pictures,
that began July 2014.
The director is Ei Aoki and the original creator is listed as Gen Urobuchi, both of whom had
previously collaborated on Fate/Zero.
Katsuhiko Takayama is in charge of writing the scripts for the series.
Hiroyuki Sawano composes the music and Kalafina is credited with performing the opening theme
song.
The main cast was announced by Ei Aoki at AnimeJapan on March 22, 2014.
Aniplex of America has licensed the series for a streamed simulcast beginning in July.
It will be broadcast on Tokyo MX, BS11, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, Gunma TV and AT-X
in Japan, with streaming available on Nico Nico Douga.
It was also streamed in Australia by Hanabee.
Plot In 1972, an ancient alien hypergate was discovered
on the surface of the moon.
Using this technology, humanity began migrating to Mars and settling there.
After settlers discovered additional advanced technology, the Vers Empire was founded, which
claimed Mars and its secrets for themselves.
Later, the Vers Empire declared war on Earth, and in 1999, a battle on the Moon's surface
caused the hypergate to explode, shattering the Moon and scattering remnants into a debris
belt around the planet.
Cut off from Mars, the remnants of the Vers Empire established several massive orbital
space stations within the debris belt and a ceasefire was established.
15 years later, in 2014, an attack on the Vers princess during a peace mission causes
the Empire to launch a new attack on Earth, this time determined to conquer it once and
for all.
Production Aldnoah.Zero was announced on 15 February
2014, as a project headed by Nitro+, with animation by A-1 Pictures and TROYCA.
It was created by Gen Urobuchi and is directed by Ei Aoki with mechanical designs by Kenji
Teraoka, characters by Masako Matsumoto and designs by Takako Shimura.
Katsuhiko Takayama acts as the series composer.
The music will be done by Hiroyuki Sawano.
The opening theme song is "heavenly blue" performed by Kalafina, whilst the ending theme
from episode 2 onwards is "A/Z" by Hiroyuki Sawano and Mizuki, with the exception of episodes
4, 7, and 8, in which the ending theme is "aLIEz" by Hiroyuki Sawano and Mizuki.
Aldnoah.Zero's production committee, Project AZ, consists of Aniplex, Houbunsha, Tokyo
MX, Nippon BS Broadcasting, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, MAGES, Nitroplus and Movic.
Characters Main characters
Inaho Kaizuka Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae
A high school student on Earth.
Ever since the death of his parents, he has been living together with his older sister.
He is characterized by his emotionless, stoic demeanor, and is capable of coming up with
tactics to defeat the Martian Knights, even within the heat of battle.
Inaho also has a peculiar interest in various ways of preparing eggs.
Slaine Troyard Voiced by: Kenshō Ono
A Terran living on a Martian ship orbiting Earth under the observation of a Mars Knight,
and a close friend of Princess Asseylum.
He and his now-deceased father were saved by her five years prior to the beginning of
the story.
It is hinted at that he has feelings for the Princess.
Asseylum Vers Allusia Voiced by: Sora Amamiya
The Princess of the Vers Empire.
She is very close to Slaine.
She went to Earth on a goodwill visit, but her motorcade was attacked and she was presumed
to have died.
This assassination was used by the orbiting Martians as a casus belli for their invasion.
However, the princess was ill that day and the person who died was a body double.
Asseylum now travels with Inaho's group under a false identity until they can get a message
back to her grandfather in hopes of stopping the rekindled war.
United Forces of Earth Inko Amifumi
Voiced by: Mikako Komatsu Inaho's childhood friend and fellow high school
classmate.
She is a member of the Student Council Committee.
Rayet Areash Voiced by: Sachika Misawa
A girl from Shinawara.
Her father was one of a few Martians who were stranded on Earth after the previous war.
They carried out the assassination attempt in exchange for the promise of extraction
back to Mars and knighthood under the Vers Empire.
Rayet witnessed Trillram murder her father and fellow conspirators to keep them quiet
and, after Yuki rescued her, swore vengeance on the Martians.
Calm Craftman Voiced by: Taishi Murata
Inaho's friend and classmate.
He comes from a country that was severely affected by Heaven's Fall.
Despite the name, he is actually very loud and jovial, though he swears vengeance on
all Martians after a Knight kills his friend.
Nina Klein Voiced by: Ai Kakuma
Inko's best friend who is also in Inaho's class.
She comes from the same country as Calm that was severely affected by Heaven's Fall.
Okisuke Mikuni Voiced by: Yoshitaka Yamaya
Inaho's friend and classmate.
His friends call him Okojo.
He is killed while trying to save Yuki from Trillram.
Kisaki Matsuribi Voiced by: Kengo Kawanishi
A Shinawara High student who is Inaho's senior, and one of the volunteers for lieutenant Marito's
rescue crew.
Yūtarō Tsumugi Voiced by: Sōma Saitō
A Shinawara High student who is Inaho's senior, and one of the volunteers for lieutenant Marito's
rescue crew.
Yuki Kaizuka Voiced by: Sayaka Ohara
Inaho's older sister and a Warrant Officer in the United Forces of Earth.
She is capable of piloting a Kataphract into battle and has helped train students at the
academy.
Koichirō Marito Voiced by: Kazuya Nakai
A Lieutenant in the United Forces of Earth.
He, along with Yuki, is currently a training instructor at the high school Inaho attends,
but is also a veteran of the War of 1999, and witnessed first hand the power of the
Aldnoah.
Despite reporting what happened 15 years ago before the Heaven's Fall, the governments
on Earth refused to make public that knowledge, as it showed how out powered the Earth's forces
truly were.
One of his best friends was killed in that battle and drinks heavily to cope with his
experiences of that time.
Sōma Yagarai Voiced by: Kōsuke Toriumi
A doctor living in the city of Shinawara and a friend of Marito.
Darzana Magbaredge Voiced by: Ai Kayano
A Captain in the United Forces of Earth.
She helps Marito evacuate the civilians while Inaho and his friends distract Trillram.
Her older brother was a friend of Marito, who died in the battle of Tanegashima, that
occurred right before Heaven's Fall and seems to blame him for his death.
Kaoru Mizusaki Voiced by: Yū Shimamura
Captain Magbaredge's executive officer in the United Forces of Earth.
She takes command of the refugeee escort mission when Darzana volunteers to help Marito.
Darzana usually tries to give her some dating advice, even in the middle of a battle.
Shigō Kakei Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa
A sergeant in the United Forces of Earth, and one of the volunteers for lieutenant Marito's
rescue crew.
Vers Empire Eddelrittuo
Voiced by: Inori Minase A young Martian girl who serves Princess Asseylum
as her loyal maid, unfortunately, she tends to nearly reveal the princess secret identity
on a usual occasion.
She takes manners very seriously when people speaks to the princess.
Cruhteo Voiced by: Shō Hayami
A Count of the Vers Empire and one of the Martian Knights who beats Slaine for any slight,
no matter how small.
A friend of Saazbaum, but seems unaware that he is one of the conspirators that tried to
assassinate the princess.
After he brutally tortures Slaine for information, he realizes the truth about the princess's
assassination attempt.
He apologizes to Slaine and swears to find the culprits, only to be attacked and killed
by Saazbaum.
Saazbaum Voiced by: Tōru Ōkawa
A Count of the Vers Empire and one of the Martian Knights.
A friend of Cruhteo who has been eager for a rekindled war between Mars and Earth.
He's one of the conspirators behind the murder attempt of Princess Asseylum.
He pilots the Kataphract Dioskuria and uses it to attack Cruhteo's castle the moment he
realizes he has been discovered.
He then kills his fellow Martian Knight and captures Slaine.
He reveals that Slaine's father saved him during the Heaven's Fall, hence the reason
of why he took Slaine when he thought Cruhteo was going to kill him.
The woman he loved died during Heaven's Fall and blames the royal family for her death,
so now he wants to kill Asseylum and take Earth's resources as a way of revenge.
Trillram Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai
A Martian Knight and Baron under the Vers Empire who enjoys killing Terrans, and also
killed fellow Martians who carried out the attempted assassination on Princess Asseylum
to tie up loose ends.
He pilots the Kataphract Nilokeras, that possesses a defensive shield that absorbs all types
of matter that touch it, until Inaho found its weakness.
Later he was shot dead after inadvertently revealing to Slaine that he was one of the
conspirators.
Vlad Voiced by: Hiroki Yasumoto
A Martian Knight in pursuit of survivors from Shin-awara who pilots the Kataphract Argyre,
that has a large beam katana, capable of cutting through anything, including explosive rounds
shot in its direction.
He was forced to retreat after being defeated by Inaho, Calm and Inko.
He returns trying to get his revenge and battles Inaho, only to be killed once Inaho uses the
power of his sword against him; he makes him fall in the ocean and the temperature of the
beams cause a massive steam explosion that obliterates him.
Femieanne Voiced by: Yuki Kaida
A Martian Knight who encounters the survivors of Shinawara when they arrive to Tanegashima.
She pilots the Kataphract Hellas, that can shoot its six arms as missiles, but act more
like drones than actual "projectiles".
Aside from its fists, the Hellas has no other weapons, which renders it vulnerable to melee
attacks.
After all six of her arms are destroyed by the teamwork of Slaine and Inaho, she turns
Hellas into a flying platform with six engines, only to be crushed by the giant battleship
Deucalion controlled by Asseylum.
She's then finished off by Rayet.
Rayregalia Vers Rayvers Voiced by: Shinji Ogawa
The Martian Emperor and Princess Asseylum's grandfather.
He founded the empire in 1972 when the Aldnoah technology recognized him as its master, burning
their activation processes into his very genes, giving him supreme authority over them.
All of his descendants share this power, and he can give a limited amount of the Aldnoah's
powers to others.
Utilizing this power monopoly, he created a class of warlords loyal to him who would
become the Martian Knights and based the authority of his empire on this military force.
He retired in 1997 due to health problems, but when his son and heir Gilzeria was killed
in the war of 1999, he was forced to return to the throne.
He's manipulated by Saazbaum into believing that his granddaughter is truly dead, that
Slaine is a spy of the Terrans and that he must officially rekindle the war on Earth.
Episode list References
External links Official website
Aldnoah.Zero at Anime News Network's encyclopedia