Zenless Zone Zero is a free-to-play action role-playing game developed and published by miHoYo. All playable characters are associated with a faction. Each character wields one of six attributes: Electric, Wind, Ether, Fire, Ice, or Physical. Additionally, each character adopts one of six combat styles: Anomaly, Attack, Defense, Rupture, Support, or Stun. In special cases, a character can possess a special attribute, adding on improvements to their base attribute. Notable characters include Hoshimi Miyabi and Yixuan, who possess Frost and Auric Ink respectively.
Zenless Zone Zero uses a gacha system as its core business model. This means that most of the game's revenue comes from sales on time-limited character "banners" during which players can spend in-game currency for the chance to acquire characters.
Creation and design According to Li Zhenyu, the producer of Zenless Zone Zero, there is no fixed process for designing a character; ideas for specific characters may come from the character design team or the scenario team. Li says that the development team has adopted a strategy of "backwards designing", where the character's movements and weapons were designed first, followed by the character design itself. By using this strategy, the design teams were able to more efficiently communicate with each other. Additionally, a character's design can be altered up until the last minute, and can even be altered after their physical appearance in the game. One major example of this was the design of Hoshimi Miyabi, in which her eye models were updated in Version 1.3, despite first appearing in Version 1.0.
Characters in Zenless Zone Zero have different designs based on their faction; For instance, the design for Victoria Housekeeping characters is based on Victorian-era butlers and maids with tropes from horror movies. The development team created characters based on previously unseen design elements, and there is an emphasis for quality over quantity in regards to development of characters.
Compared to design of characters in HoYoverse's previous games such as Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero took a different direction with its variety of playable characters; There are non-human playable characters such as Ben Bigger, a grizzly bear, Soukaku, a blue-colored oni, and Billy Kid, a cyborg gunslinger. During the planning stages, these non-human characters were not intended to be present in the game but the team did find them fun and later incorporated them into the game.
The development team cited Persona 5, Digimon World, and Street Fighter as influences for Zenless Zone Zero; influences from Street Fighter can be seen in combat animations for characters. Despite the similarities between Persona 5 and Zenless Zone Zero in terms of art style, the development team stressed that Zenless Zone Zero has its own unique style.
Prior to a character's official release in the game, HoYoverse promotes them by releasing teasers through social media. In addition to the main storyline, certain characters also have Agent Stories, which provide backstory and personality traits not fully explored in the main storyline.
Phaethon Phaethon is the Proxy alias of Wise and Belle, the main protagonists of the game. They run a VHS rental store called "Random Play", which doubles as a base for Proxy work.
Wise () and Belle () Voiced by: Lin Jing (Chinese); Stephen Fu (English); Atsushi Abe (Japanese); Lee Sang-Ho (Korean) (Wise) Voiced by: Hou Xiaofei (Chinese); Courtney Steele (English); Sayaka Senbongi (Japanese); Lee Sae-ah (Korean) (Belle) The main protagonists of the game. Initially neither of the siblings participates in combat; instead, they sync with their Bangboo, Eous, to guide their clients through the Hollows, via their unique "Hollow Deep Dive" (HDD) system, until the manisfestation of Pyrois allows them to participate on-field combat. Players can choose between Belle (the younger sister) and Wise (the older brother) as the player character. The sibling that is not picked will assist the one that is picked throughout the game. Fairy Voiced by: Da Wang (Chinese); Allegra Clark (English); Kaori Ishihara (Japanese); Kim Sung-hee (Korean) A powerful AI installed into Random Play's inter-knot system that helps Phaethon with their Proxy activies. Part of 4 AI systems. Pyrois () Voiced by: Unknown (Chinese); Unknown (English); Unknown (Japanese); Unknown (Korean) Phaethon's combat avatar.
Independent factions Cunning Hares The Cunning Hares (formally known as Gentle House) is a small-scale temp work agency that takes on various commissions for clients who cannot or will not hire a larger (or more reputable) agency.
Anby Demara () Voiced by: Yanning (Chinese); Sam Slade (English); Atsumi Tanezaki (Japanese); Kim Bo-na (Korean) A calm and collected girl who is unusually competent and efficient in combat, but struggles in other aspects. She was originally known as "Soldier 0" (), the captain of Silver Squad, a special forces unit of clone soldiers. After being found by Nicole, she adopts her family name. Billy Kid () Voiced by: Chen Runqiu (Chinese); Clifford Chapin (English); Yū Hayashi (Japanese); Lee Jo-seung (Korean) An energetic and intellectual gunslinger from the sapient robotic race of Intelligent Constructs that refers to his custom revolvers as his "girls" and is a superfan of a Super Sentai-like franchise called "Starlight Knights". Nekomiya Mana () Nekomata () Voiced by: Hualing (Chinese); Alice Himora (English); Sayuri Hara (Japanese); Lee Bo-hee (Korean) The mischievous catgirl Thiren of the group. Initially, she planned to have the Cunning Hares killed for their role in killing her former gang-mate Silver, but after seeing them try to rescue her former neighbors from the Vision Corporation's scheme, she decided to join them instead. Nicole Demara () Voiced by: Chen Tingting (Chinese); Nadia Marshall (English); Yū Serizawa (Japanese); Shin Na-ri (Korean) The savvy founder of the Cunning Hares who struggles to keep her group afloat financially due to her spending.
Belobog Heavy Industries Belobog Heavy Industries is a company specializing in In-Hollow construction.
Anton Ivanov () Voiced by: Xiao Zhai (Chinese); Alejandro Saab (English); Shinichiro Kamio (Japanese); Jang Seo-hwa (Korean) The sharp-tongued and masculinity obsessed project manager who refers to his wrist-mounted drill as his "bro." Ben Bigger () Voiced by: Meng Xianglong (Chinese); Henry Schrader (English); Kenji Hamada (Japanese); Han Bok-hyun (Korean) A hard-working grizzly bear Thiren who works as an accountant. Despite his imposing presence, Ben rarely gets angry outside of combat. Grace Howard () Voiced by: Xiao Gan (Chinese); Megan Shipman (English); Haruka Shiraishi (Japanese); Kim Yea-lim (Korean) The eccentric engineer of the group with an enthusiasm of all things mechanical. She designs and programs heavy machinery for Belobog, referring to them as her "children." Koleda Belobog () Voiced by: Mu Xueting (Chinese); Emily Reams (English); Yuka Iguchi (Japanese); Jeong Hae-eun (Korean) The feisty president of Belobog Heavy Industries.
Sons of Calydon The Sons of Calydon is a biker gang that resides in the Outer Ring of New Eridu.
Burnice White () Voiced by: Ge Zirui (Chinese); Risa Mei (English); Karin Takahashi (Japanese); Bae Ha-gyoung (Korean) An exuberant and enthusiastic young woman who wields dual flamethrowers. She is a very sociable person according to her groupmates. Caesar King () Voiced by: Su Ziwu (Chinese); Jennifer Sun Bell (English); Rina Satō (Japanese); Kim Bo-Min (Korean) A rambunctious and confident green-haired woman who uses a sword and spiked shield. Although she's the leader of the Sons of Calydon, Lucy claims she's as "simple" as a caesar salad. She has a prosthetic arm that came from Billy Kid. Lighter () Voiced by: Zhang Pei (Chinese); Aleks Le (English); Hiroki Takahashi (Japanese); Chung Eui-han (Korean) An even-tempered and reticent man who serves as the Sons of Calydon's Champion, Caesar's right hand man and the gang representative. Lighter possesses overwhelming force and strength that he uses to solve problems in the Outer Ring. Luciana "Lucy" Auxesis Theodoro de Montefio () Voiced by: Xian Ta Wutong (Chinese); Elsie Lovelock (English); Ayaka Asai (Japanese); Kim Mi-so (Korean) A rebellious blond-haired young woman who travels with three tiny boar Thirens named "Grassy, "Woody" and "Bricky". Piper Wheel () Voiced by: Wu Zheru (Chinese); Suzie Yeung (English); Manaka Iwami (Japanese); Son Jung-min (Korean) A petite young woman who maintains a big rig she named "Steeltusk" for the Sons of Calydon. She acts and speaks like an old woman, prefers resting when not actively on the job. Pulchra Fellini () Voiced by: Pan Danni (Chinese); Marissa Lenti (English); Natsumi Fujiwara (Japanese); Son Seon-young (Korean) A sand cat Thiren. Initially working for a rival biker gang, she eventually joined the Sons of Calydon due to their ideals.
Mockingbird Mockingbird is a notorious phantom thief syndicate in New Eridu.
Hugo Vlad () Voiced by: Liang Dawei (Chinese); Jimmie Yamaguchi (English); Jun Fukuyama (Japanese); Kim Hye-sung (Korean) A dapper vampire gentleman and former illegitimate member of the Ravenlock family. He founded Mockingbird alongside Von Lycaon. Vivian Banshee () Voiced by: Chen Yang (Chinese); Sarah Wiedenheft (English); Saku Mizuno (Japanese); Jang Mi (Korean) A mysterious woman with a great obsession with Phaethon. She has the ability to see people's deaths in the future.
Spook Shack Spook Shack is an online forum dedicated to sharing and solving supernatural mysteries and unexplained phenomena.
Alice Thymefield () Voiced by: Duoduo (Chinese); Diana Garnet (English); Minami Tanaka (Japanese); Park Shi-yoon (Korean) An uptight, blond-haired Netherland Dwarf rabbit Thiren lady who is a member of the prestigious Thymefield family. Komano Manato () Voiced by: Li Zhuoting (Chinese); Ricco Fajardo (English); Kazuyuki Okitsu (Japanese); Seo Jung-ik (Korean) A stalwart, muscular red-haired coyote Thiren and Yuzuha's childhood friend. He is very protective to the Failume Heights community and hates those that try to harm and exploit them. Lucia Elowen () Voiced by: Liang Shuang (Chinese); Nola Klop (English); Rio Tsuchiya (Japanese); Seo Jeongmin (Korean) An eager blue-haired goat Thiren who is an avid Ethereal enthusiast. She carries an encyclopedia filled with stories on Ethereals. Ukinami Yuzuha () Voiced by: Jin Na (Chinese); Kimberly Tierney (English); Ikumi Hasegawa (Japanese); Kim Seon-joo (Korean) A puckish, red-haired young woman who is accompanied with her pet tanuki named Kama who is strapped to her back. Yidhari Murphy () Voiced by: Zhang Ye (Chinese); Katelyn Barr (English); Yumi Hara (Japanese); Kim Seo-hyun (Korean) A blonde, soft-spoken octopus Thiren who, like Phaethon, is also a Proxy.
Angels of Delusion The Angels of Delusion is an emerging idol trio in New Eridu. Aria () Voiced by: Jingchen (Chinese); Rebecca Wang (English); Kaori Maeda (Japanese); Cha Young-hee (Korean) A demure but optimistic Intelligent Construct who is the lead vocalist and face of the group. Nangong Yu () Voiced by: Du Qingqing (Chinese); Michelle Marie (English); Kanon Takao (Japanese); Lim-Ji yeon (Korean) The carefree and impish captain and lead dancer of the group. Sunna () Voiced by: Muya Ruilin (Chinese); Alexis Tipton (English); Yuuka Morishima (Japanese); Lee Seul (Korean) The introspective but nervous lead composer of the group.
Covenant of Dayat Remielle Dan () Voiced by: Cucu (Chinese); Amber Lee Connors (English); Saori Ōnishi (Japanese); Chae-rim (Korean) An enigmatic but coy winged thiren who is one of the first Void Hunters from over 100 years before the events of the main story.
New Eridu City Administration