Zenless Zone Zero Soldier Anby: Strangers Yet Familiar

She is the guide for all Zenless Zone Zero players and one of the longest-serving agents accompanying us. Yet, her past remains largely unknown. Now that she has donned a new outfit, she seems eager to finally share stories about her own history. Today, let's delve into the character of Soldier 0 Anby.

1. The Meaning of the Name "Soldier 0 Anby"

The surname "Demara" in "Anby Demara" comes from Nicole, who found and took her in. While "Anby" isn't a common name, I was initially puzzled by its origin. However, after watching the character PV for Soldier 0 - Anby, the naming rationale becomes clear.

The creator of Soldier 0 - Anby, referred to as her "mother," is named An. Thus, "Anby" likely symbolizes her identity as 'An's child'.

2. What details are hidden into Soldier 0 Anby's clothes design?

Based on recent promotional materials for Soldier 0 - Anby, her design heavily pays homage to Rei Ayanami (from Neon Genesis Evangelion). This is evident not only in her character presentation but also in the naming of her character PV, which references specific episode titles from Evangelion. Additionally, numerous deja vu-inducing visual motifs further reinforce this connection.

Beyond her inherent similarities to Rei Ayanami, Soldier 0 - Anby incorporates other EVA-inspired elements and unique details. Let's break them down:

Hair Clip:

1. The emblem at the center of her hair clip is the insignia of the Silver Squad, which also appears in multiple locations on her outfit. While the exact meaning remains unclear, the triangular design (composed of three interlocking parts) leads me to speculate a potential connection to the Trinity concept.

2. The diamond-shaped ornament on the clip resembles the neural connectors worn by EVA pilots.

3. A separate hamburger mascot hairpin is attached to her hair, stated in lore to symbolize her status as an honorary member of a burger restaurant.

In terms of visual design, the cute hairpins effectively soften the rigidness of her standardized uniform, highlighting Anby's adorable and gentle side. This makes the character feel more lifelike rather than a soulless killing machine.

Let's dive deeper into Anby's Silver Army uniform. When her design was first revealed, many players questioned: 'How can such revealing clothing resemble military attire?' Yet it incorporates authentic military elements.

Later popularized by the French military during the Napoleonic era, it influenced many nations. Even today, numerous countries still use stand-collar designs in their military uniforms. For example, the U.S. Navy's attire, while Anby's color scheme closely resembles naval uniforms. Not only the color palette, but the golden wing accessories on her outfit also bear some resemblance to U.S. Navy emblems. However, since eagles are a common motif in military designs across nations, this could be coincidental.

The decorative collar piece on Soldier 0 - Anby's uniform is noteworthy. It can be interpreted as a stylized version of either the cravat (a symbol of nobility) or the gorget (a rank-indicating throat plate). The design here takes a form resembling these historical elements.

And this woven accessory beneath the metal ornament-its design likely references real-world aiguillettes, typically worn by high-ranking officers. These conclude all the military elements I've observed.

Beyond the military-inspired details, we must also examine other parts of the outfit. The skirt below the chest immediately showcases the modeling team's technical mastery. Variations in reflectivity, folds, and textures allow players to distinctly perceive the tactile differences between two materials. The subtly indented navel creates a wet-look cling effect.

Moving to the legs-the thighs remain flawless. The knee guards' angular, beak-like protrusions paired with green LED lights strongly evoke EVA aesthetics.

The carbon fiber guards on the calves are, in my opinion, the most masterful detail. The mirror-like reflection effect is executed flawlessly. The slender calves pair with perforated shoe tongues, creating a visual design practically identical to Unit-00's leg aesthetics (from Evangelion). Speaking of Unit-00, I'm sure many have noticed: Soldier 0 - Anby's primary color palette-orange, yellow, black, white, and gray-directly matches Unit-00's scheme. Thus, her color design itself is an overt homage to the iconic EVA unit.

3. Soldier 0 Anby's Weapon-"Gemina"

Let's examine Soldier 0 - Anby's weapon, the twin blades **'Gemina'. Honestly, when first seeing these blades, their design philosophy felt surprisingly unconventional-not embodying the military's pursuit of lethal efficiency, but rather resembling something stolen from a tokusatsu (Japanese live-action sci-fi) prop department.

Following this lead, I searched for prototypes in tokusatsu media and indeed found similarities. Examples include Kamen Rider Agito's weapons and Kamen Rider Saber's blades. While the dual-blade combined form shares conceptual parallels with Anby's weapon, such designs are fairly common. The lightning motifs on the hilt closely mirror one of Anby's blades, but that's where the similarities end.

While the twin blades' design may lean slightly toward flamboyance, their surfaces are rich in detail. For instance, the trigger-like mechanism near the grip is likely the activation switch for the blades' abilities-evident in the PV where Anby consistently positions her finger on this trigger.

Additionally, the "OIL" engraving on the blade suggests the energy source for its electrical discharges. During her character demo animation, Anby charges the weapon with a close-up of this fuel groove. Though this animation doesn't appear in actual gameplay, it's clear the designers wanted these cool concepts to influence her combat behavior and visual storytelling, ensuring the character radiates a cohesive, stylish identity. I hope my breakdown helps you appreciate these nuances.

This concludes my analysis of the new agent Soldier 0 - Anby. Of course, her design holds far more secrets-if you've uncovered additional inspirations behind her creation, don't hesitate to share them in the discussion! And remember to stay tuned for more Zenless Zone Zero lore and official merchandise.