Zone of the Enders Dolores, i

Publisher
ADV
Director
Tetsuya Watanabe
Production
Sunrise, TV Tokyo, VAP
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes
Year
2001

Zone of the Enders Dolores, i vol 6: Last Things Last!

By John Huxley
23rd May 04

The final volume of ZOE presents us with very little that will shock or surprise. It's as predictable as the days are long, pampering to the viewer's every expectation with climactic showdowns, tearful farewells and lots and lots of action packed scenes involving big robots. But its exactly this simplicity that makes it all the more enjoyable; you're never given cause to flex those brain muscles, you can just sit back and enjoy the ride with a few sugar-filled drinks and heavily salted snacks by your side. But don't go thinking ZOE is the anime equivalent of a Hollywood popcorn flick - scratch beneath the surface and you'll find a well constructed narrative filled with interesting characters that *shock!* develop as time goes on. Vin Diesel this 'aint!

The story picks up where the last volume left off, leaving the Links family stranded in the middle of a Martian battlefield with the only weapon that can stop the needless destruction and killing - Dolores, an orbital frame (a giant robot to you and me) with incredible abilities and the AI of a young, innocent girl. Giving the robot a personality beyond the usual confines of a mechanical voiceover was a stroke of genius. Dolores is every bit a living, breathing character that is as integral to the story as any other, creating and developing relationships and effecting the world around her. Without the Dolores character, ZOE would be just another mech related anime. As it stands, we're able to associate with her likeable personality and become attached to her as we would any central character, something which brings a very human face to an otherwise mechanical subject matter.

The loveable Dolores isn't the only thing that sets ZOE apart. There's also the dysfunctional Links family - a father, mother, daughter and son who endured a breakdown of relations when the children were at a susceptible age, leading them to grow to hate their father in the absence of their mother. This scenario may sound like a cue for Evangelion style theatricals, but it really doesn't bare any similarity to that particular show, preferring instead to lighten the tone with a much friendlier, comedic atmosphere. The father of the family, James Links, and his inadequate attempts to curry favour with his estranged siblings by following the instructions of a misguided self-help book make for some genuinely funny moments earlier in the series, despite the bitter tinge of his constant failure in this respect. Their relationship is given plenty of room for development over the course of the series as the whole family is thrusted into close proximity and presented with situations that force them to cooperate with one another, if they like it or not. For a show aimed primarily at a younger audience, ZOE's characterisation is unusually strong.

Comedy and pathos give way to drama and tension as the series enters its final chapter, which sees a devastating chain of events take place that will leave the fate of Earth and Mars in the balance. This has all the vital ingredients any sci-fi mech anime needs - heroic characters willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good, an evil megalomaniac intent on the destruction of all living things and more firefights than I care to mention right now. The conclusion is as satisfactory as it is unsurprising and should leave even the most cynical viewer with a broad smile etched across their face. A fine (if unspectacular) conclusion to a good, solid series.

I could give some space to telling you about the series various shortcomings - including the distinctly average animation and disappointingly generic mechanical designs, or the characters that are introduced but never fully developed despite their close relationship to the central characters, or the overuse of technical jargon that even the most studious of viewers would struggle to comprehend - all of these will doubtless have some impact on your enjoyment of ZOE. But why waste time and space telling you about something that doesn't really matter? ZOE is an animation that doesn't deserve to be chastised for its few mistakes when there's so much more to enjoy and celebrate. If you're a fan of the games or not, ZOE is well worth serious consideration. Read up on the alternatives and make your choice - but don't underestimate this unassuming yet highly gratifying series.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English and Japanese 2.0 audio, English subtitles, roundtable talks with Tesshou Genda (James), Mitsuru Miyamoto (Leon), Narumi Hidaka (Noel) & Hoko Kuwashima (Dolores), omkae, document 2178.09.28, opening & closing karaoke version, production sketches, conceptual artwork, ADV previews

Release information: UK release date: 16th February 2004, ADV

Notes: The previous five ZOE DVDs have been well above par, delivering some excellent, well thought-out extras. Well, this volume manages to top them all with a good couple hours worth of entertainment that's every bit as essential as the main feature itself. First on the menu is the Omake, a cute little SD animation that takes place after the series has ended, giving us a new spin on the relationship between James Links and Dolores. It's just as adorable/sickly-sweet as it sounds, but surprisingly well put together and a neat epitaph for the series. This is followed by a lengthy roundtable talk with several of the Japanese voice actors and actresses, a piece that benefits from the kind of relaxed and jovial atmosphere that most staff interviews sorely lack. There's also a written document illustrated with some storyboard sketches which should help you better understand the events that take place during the last few episodes. And let's not forget the regular production sketches and conceptual artwork and the Karaoke versions of the opening/closing themes, all of which help make this a pleasingly successful DVD.

-- John Huxley 23rd May 04

Zone of the Enders Dolores, i Images