is an anime series, linked to the Zoids toy line of the same name. It is the third Zoids series, following Zoids: New Century Zero in order of production. The series is 26 episodes long, however, the show had an unsuccessful U.S. broadcast, and only aired its first 13 episodes. Similar to Transformers: Armada, the show was first broadcast in the U.S. instead of Japan. Zoids: Fuzors was created specifically for the western market and was not originally intended to air in Japan at all, though it was eventually broadcast there in 2004. For the Japanese broadcast and its subsequent DVD release, the animation was given some additional polish and the second episode was remade from scratch.
Series background
The series focuses on a delivery boy named RD who works for a company called Mach Storm, based in Blue City, a metropolis on Planet Zi's Eastern Continent. Mach Storm also moonlights as a Zoids battling team. RD learns the ropes of becoming a good Zoid pilot, and eventually discovers the abilities to fuse with other Zoids. Like Zoids: New Century, Zoids battles are also fought for competition, however, instead of the Judge Satellites and wide open areas used for fighting, the sanctioned battles take place in enclosed arenas. Due to setbacks in the toy production line, the lead Zoid is the Liger Zero. The Energy Liger (known early in development as the "Air Liger") was intended to be featured as the main character's Zoid, but the toy wouldn't be ready in time for the show's debut.
The series initially focuses on the rivalry between the Mach Storm and Savage Hammer teams, as well as other battles. As the series progresses, RD and the rest of Mach Storm become aware of a conspiracy to take control of Blue City, and fight to stop it.
Fuzors differs from previous seasons because it shows a lot more of the setting outside the Zoid battles or military. In Fuzors, two, sometimes more, Zoids can combine to become a single unit called a Fuzor. However, not every Zoid can be a Fuzor and for multiple units existing only one is a Fuzor partner to another. For example, Savage Hammer had multiple Leoblazes, but only Matt's Leoblaze (which was owned by Mach Storm) was compatible as part of the Matrix Dragon.
A Zi-Fighter's license is a glove for the right hand (that leaves only the middle, ring and small fingers bare) with a mechanical device on the back. This apparently is used for "synchronization" and to bring out the full potential of the Zoid being piloted. Also, it is used to initiate a Fuzor combination. Furthermore, it can work as something of a short-range communicator when outside the cockpit.
The command to initiate the fusion is "FUZORS, COMBINE!" for the American version and "ZI-UNIZON!" for the Japanese version while raising a clenched right fist to face level, followed by the name of the Fuzor (ex: RD here raises his gauntlet and shouts "FUZORS, COMBINE/ZI-UNIZON! Liger Zero Phoenix!")
Zoids: Fuzors has no connection to the previous Zoids anime produced by Xebec and Digital Frontier. Though this went unmentioned in the show itself, information on the packaging associated with the series' Japanese toy release clarifies that Zoids: Fuzors takes place in the same fictional universe as the Zoids Battle Story, in the same location and during the same time frame as volumes 9-12 of Zoids Official Fan Book EX.
Characters
The Mach Storm Team RD
The main protagonist of the series. RD is a delivery boy who works for the company known as Mach Storm. He becomes the pilot of the Liger Zero. However, he still has yet to grow as a Zoid pilot. RD is determined to become better, and usually butts heads with his rival Blake, who pilots the Berserk Fury. After a close call while fighting Blake and his Buster Fury Zoid, he is saved by the Fire Phoenix and eventually discovers the ability to Fuse it with the Liger Zero to create the powerful Liger Zero Phoenix. RD's personal goal is to find the legendary "Alpha Zoid", a Zoid that is more powerful than any other. It is the same Zoid that his father dedicated his life to finding. Even though his father, Harris, left him when he was very young, RD is determined to follow in his footsteps. RD matures considerably over the course of the series, turning from a brash and somewhat irresponsible young man into a skilled pilot and leader, although he still maintains a somewhat immature attitude.
Sweet
Sweet is another member of Mach Storm. Even though she does not pilot a Zoid, she is usually seen driving a Gustav Traveller. She seems to have a very close and somewhat motherly relationship with RD, and is usually there for him when he needs help. It is quite obvious that they have feelings for each other, even though they have yet to come out. In many ways, she acts like an older sister to RD. Sweet seems to see Amy as a rival for RD's affections, even though the rivalry exists only in her head. She also gets very annoyed whenever RD is around Rebecca. Sweet does a lot of the day to day work in running the team, doing financial work as well as cooking and running the base. She also moonlights in other jobs, working as a waitress amongst other things.
Helmut
The oldest pilot in the Mach Storm Team (being in his mid 30s), Helmut Titan (known as Maskman in the Japanese version) was a member of the "original" Mach Storm along with Harris, Marvis, Haldo and Graheme (Sandra commented at the end of series that Helmut was just like RD when he was younger, but he denies by exactly like him). Helmut taught RD how to pilot a Zoid, and to this day can still beat him. He has a rather fatherly relationship with RD, and is his mentor to a degree. Helmut pilots a Command Wolf AC, and has done such for his entire career. His Zoid has been slightly modified, and sports a Laser Claw upgrade amongst other systems. Also, after fusing with Sigma's Leostriker for the first time against the escaped Marvis, the Command Wolf AC had become pearl white instead of the standard sapphire blue color scheme. Helmut always wears a mask, but it is never revealed why.
Sigma
The third member of Mach Storm, Sigma is older than RD, is rather cocky and argumentative, and tends to look down on RD. Despite this, he is a capable pilot. He usually provides fire support for the team with his Boldguard, whose cannons have been modified to fire various weapons (including the 'capture rings' used to immobilizes wild Zoids). After the Boldguard was destroyed, it was replaced with a new Leostriker. Later in the series, Sigma and Helmut's Zoids gain the ability to fuse into the Command Striker. For some reason, the Command Striker was never utilized in the final battle against Alpha. One has to wonder if the Command Striker could have held out longer against the Berserk Seismo's Sword Rail Cannon than the two Zoids separately.
Amy
A freelance agent within the Team, Amy seems to only work as a part of Mach Storm when it suits her. Amy uses her looks to get her way, and seems to enjoy setting up Mach Storm to further her own aims. She's a good person per se, just rather greedy and selfish. Despite this, she does help out the team in battle, even when it seems like there's nothing in it for her. Amy pilots a König Wolf Mk II that she inherited from her earlier days being part of a two-person fighting team with Keith. Keith abandoned the König Wolf and lost his self-confidence when he was defeated in a championship, and Amy got to keep it.
Matt
A young boy (about ten) who was living alone in the city when RD found him. Matt's mother had died, and his father had moved away to work. Matt was taken in by RD and become an unofficial member of the team. Impressed by RD, he decided to become a Zoid pilot and learned to pilot the team's Leoblaze. The rest of Mach Storm, however, was not impressed. This plan backfired, as the Leoblaze was stolen by Savage Hammer and used to form their Matrix Dragon. However, after the mini-arc, Matt appears not to have been traumatized, even when he himself references the Fuzor a few episodes later (the focus of the episode in question, coincidentally, is the Matrix Dragon's counterpart, the Chimera Dragon, thus the reference). Matt is quick to tag along with RD when he is on a mission.
Dan
Dan is the main mechanic for Mach Storm. Always reliable and eager to help out the Mach Storm team, he becomes really excited once he learns that Zoids have the ability to fuse. He tries to go out of his way to discover ways to fuse each of Mach Storm's Zoids. Dan first joined Mach Storm when he was stranded in the middle of a desert after his truck ran out of gas (In the Japanese version Dan showed up at Mach Storm offering his help when he heard that Liger Zero was going to battle Killer Spiner). He runs into RD and Sweet, and begs them to join the team, mostly because RD pilots a Liger Zero, which is Dan's favourite Zoid ("a classic" as he describes it). He can pilot a Zoid himself, and uses a Heldigunner later in the show, though not for battles.
Hop
The manager of the Mach Storm team, Hop seems to be perpetually worried about the team's finances. Not a fighter by any means, he is completely unprepared for any sort of combat. He tends to worry about the team's situation, their reputation, and how much money they're going to spend on repairing their Zoids. When confronted with danger he suggested going to see his sister in another city for a while. Despite all this, he is still very reliable and gets along well with the rest of the team.
The Savage Hammer Team Blake
Blake (Blade in the Japanese version) is the main antagonist of Fuzors, but he becomes much less of an antagonist after episode 16. He has an intense rivalry/hatred for RD for initially unknown reasons. The lead pilot of Savage Hammer, he uses a Berserk Führer that has the (unique) ability to fuse with a Buster Eagle, forming the Buster Fury/Buster Fuhrer. Blake seems to be driven entirely by his hatred of RD, but despite this, he has a close friendship with his co-pilot, Luke. He also strongly believes in the bond between a Zoid and its pilot, stating that a Zoid will never willingly betray its pilot. Blake's Zoid is destroyed by the Energy Liger. It is later replaced with a Gairyuki (sometimes erroneously called Gairyuki Fury). His hatred of RD is later revealed by flashback to stem from his first ever battle, where his Geno Saurer (mistakenly dubbed "the Gairyuki") was easily defeated by RD's Liger Zero. Blake lears that Sandra sabotaged his Zoid and blamed RD for it in order to recruit him to Savage Hammer. He seemed to become less spiteful of RD after that, although he still taunts him every now and then but not for hateful reasons. Blake's Gairyuki is capable of becoming either a Gairyuki Speed (fused with an Evo Flyer) or a Gairyuki Destroy (fuzed with a Dispelow), the former was used against his and RD's last battle against the Energy Liger (no Fuzor sequence was shown and the Fuzor itself only appeared for less than 2 minutes, after which the Gairyuki was hit, splitting the two and heavily damaging the Evo Flyer) and the later being the first used and later used again for a short time in the final battle (minus the Fuzor sequence). Ironically, he never used either of his Fuzor zoids against RD (by the time he got them he was more concerned with finding the captured Luke). It is not known what happened to Blake and Luke following their reunion after the battle, considering Sandra having dissolving the Savage Hammer Team, but it is possible the two formed a rival team, this time lacking the intent of revenge.
Sandra