This Infamous 2004 Mecha Anime Killed the Zoids Franchise
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Mecha anime is a genre that’s mostly defined by a few franchises, with Mobile Suit Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangelion being the biggest brands. Of course, there are other, smaller properties that have also come and gone over the years. One is a series that was once popular in the West, with a certain anime series ending its temporary rise.
Zoids is still known for its model kits, but it was once a veritable juggernaut of different mediums. The sucess of the line began to crumble after the release of the Zoids: Fuzors anime, which was widely reviled by many. Quickly canceled in the West and attaining an infamous reputation worldwide, the show cemented the brand as an “also-ran” in the annals of mecha anime.
The Zoids franchise by Tomy (now Takara Tomy, after being bought out by the company that handles the Transformers brand in Japan) began as Technozoids, and this is also the name of the titular species. Also known as Technozoidaryans, Zoidaryans or simply Zoids, these gigantic creatures are robotic animals. They’re used for various purposes depending on the series, namely as weapons of warfare. Among the different types (which are based on felines, insects and dinosaurs), the “Liger-type” Zoids are the most common and typically treated as the “main” Zoid in each series, similar to how the main mobile suits from Gundam anime usually resemble the original RX-78-2 Gundam.
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