"Xenosaga: The Animation" (2005) TV series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

5 January 2005 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

4000 years have passed since humanity abandoned Earth. Forced to fight an alien form of life, Gnosis...

Cast

Ai Maeda	...	Shion Uzuki (1 episode, 2005)
Stephanie Wittels	...	Shion Uzuki (1 episode, 2005)
Mariko Suzuki	...	Kos-Mos (1 episode, 2005)
Luci Christian	...	Kos-Mos (1 episode, 2005)
Rumi Shishido	...	M.O.M.O. (1 episode, 2005)
Brittney Karbowski	...	M.O.M.O. (1 episode, 2005)
Eriko Kawasaki	...	Jr. / ... (1 episode, 2005)
Greg Ayers	...	Jr. (1 episode, 2005)
Kôichi Yamadera	...	Albedo Piazzolla (1 episode, 2005)
John Gremillion	...	Albedo Piazzolla (1 episode, 2005)
Masakazu Morita	...	Louis Virgil (1 episode, 2005)
Andrew Love	...	Louis Virgil (1 episode, 2005)
Hideyuki Tanaka	...	Jin Uzuki (1 episode, 2005)
Chris Ayres	...	Jin Uzuki (1 episode, 2005)
Vic Mignogna	...	Wilhelm (1 episode, 2005)
Ryô Hirohashi	...	Kirschwasser (1 episode, 2005)
Hilary Haag	...	Kirschwasser (1 episode, 2005)
Hiroaki Hirata	...	Allen Ridgely (1 episode, 2005)
Blake Shepard	...	Allen Ridgely (1 episode, 2005)
Yumi Tôma	...	Nephilim (1 episode, 2005)
Carrie Savage	...	Nephilim (1 episode, 2005)
Hiroaki Miura	...	Tony (1 episode, 2005)
Chris Patton	...	Tony (1 episode, 2005)
Yasuhiro Takato	...	Hammer (1 episode, 2005)
Josh Grelle	...	Hammer (1 episode, 2005)
Masashi Ebara	...	Ziggurat 8 (1 episode, 2005)
Jason Douglas	...	Ziggurat 8 (1 episode, 2005)
Naomi Shindô	...	Juli Mizrahi (1 episode, 2005)
Tiffany Grant	...	Juli Mizrahi (1 episode, 2005)
Christine M. Auten	...	Pellegri (1 episode, 2005)
Greg Ayres	...	Jr. (1 episode, 2005)
Clint Bickham	...	Chaos (1 episode, 2005)
Jessica Boone	...	Mary Godwin / ... (1 episode, 2005)
Charles Campbell	...	Captain Moriyama (1 episode, 2005)
David Devaney Jr.	...	Blonde Realian (1 episode, 2005)
Hisao Egawa	...	Andew Cherenkov (1 episode, 2005)
James Faulkner	...	Helmer (1 episode, 2005)
Steve Fenley	...	Captain Matthews (1 episode, 2005)
Illich Guardiola	...	Caspase (1 episode, 2005)
Soichiro Hoshi	...	Chaos (1 episode, 2005)
Tetsu Inada	...	Helmer (1 episode, 2005)
K.C. Jones	...	Operator (1 episode, 2005)
Scott Kilgore	...	Togashi (1 episode, 2005)
Taiten Kusunoki	...	Margulis (1 episode, 2005)
George Manley	...	Vanderkam (1 episode, 2005)
Andy McAvin	...	Margulis (1 episode, 2005)
Hikaru Midorikawa	...	Wilhelm (1 episode, 2005)
Carli Mosier	...	Councilwoman (1 episode, 2005)
Kenji Nomura	...	Captain Mathews (1 episode, 2005)
Mariela Ortiz	...	100-Series Observational Realian Units (1 episode, 2005)
Xero Reynolds	...	Jonvelle / ... (1 episode, 2005)
Ryoko Shiraishi	...	Child Albedo / ... (1 episode, 2005)
John Swasey	...	Cherenkov (1 episode, 2005)
Sean K. Thompson	...	Councilman (1 episode, 2005)
Wakana Yamazaki	...	Pellegri / ... (1 episode, 2005)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) (VHS/DVD rating) | USA:TV-14

Company:

ADV Films

Trivia:

The password into KOS-MOS' subconscious, "Ye shall be as gods" was spoken by the serpent to Eve while tempting her to eat the forbidden fruit.

Quotes:

Shion Uzuki: [reacting to a generated thunder storm] Thunder?
[a loud clap frightens Shion]
Shion Uzuki: Stop it! I hate thunder!

Movie Connections:

Remake of Xenosaga Episode I: Chikara he no ishi (2002) (VG)

Awesome potential, let down by cheesy metaphysics and confusing plot

This series will make sense to those who have played the game, but for "virgins" like me, it is not the most understanding plot line. The plot takes place 4000 year after the Earth is wiped out (it is not clear in the series what wiped out the Earth), and humanity is spread over the galaxy. There are several classes of people, from soldiers fighting for the Federation, workers for Vector Industries, Realiens who are designed humans, Androids, Cyborgs, a dimensional race called Gnosis, People working for U-Tic (bad guys), The Kukai foundation (good or bad?). They are looking for the Zohan (not Adam Sandler) and they only have zohan avatars (I don't know who made them or what they actually do, but they have Jewish characters on them).

It's a confusing mess and the way the plot unwinds doesn't help. It makes assumptions that you know what is going on, when new characters suddenly appear, or when a flashback happens. The problem is that the series (which is only 10-25 min episodes should be 2~3 seasons long (30~50 episodes) where the complex plot can be explained and flashbacks unveiled. It has the possibility to become an excellent show, but it seems that the producers wanted to finish with the series and move to their next project.