Fafner in the Azure

Fafner in the Azure: Dead Aggressor (蒼穹のファフナー Dead Aggressor) is a 26-episode anime series produced by Xebec. The story focuses on a group of children who pilot the titular Fafners in an escalating war against giant aliens called Festum.

The character designs were created by Hisashi Hirai, who is also known for his work on Infinite Ryvius, s-CRY-ed, Gundam SEED, and Gundam SEED Destiny.

Plot
At the beginning of the story, much of the world has been destroyed by the Festum and the remote Japanese island of Tatsumiyajima (竜宮島) has only remained unscathed by virtue of an advanced cloaking shield. The island's young people continue with their daily lives unaware of these events, but after many years of peace a lone Festum discovers Tatsumiyajima and attacks. The adults activate Tatsumiyajima's hidden defence systems and attempt to repel the attacker but to no avail. In desperation they order the deployment of the Fafner Mark Elf but its pilot is killed en route to the hangar. Left with no further options, they send a young boy named Kazuki Makabe as the replacement pilot assisted by Soushi Minashiro from within the Siegfried System.

The Festum is destroyed but with Tasumiyajima's whereabouts exposed the adults choose to abandon the island's current location. Production is accelerated on the additional Fafner units and more children are recruited to pilot them. It is also revealed that the cloaking was not meant to conceal Tatsumiyajima from only the Festum, but the rest of humanity who would seek to use its technology in the greater war against them. Before long this is precisely what happens and Tatsumiyajima is coerced into giving the Fafner Mark Sechs to the Neo United Nations.

Fafner Types

 * Fafner Mark Elf  (XI)- Kazuki's boarding machine. Capable of atmospheric flight to a certain extent.
 * Fafner Mark Acht (VIII)- Relatively basic Fafner used by Kenji Kondō.
 * Fafner Mark Sieben (VII)- Flight-capable Fafner based around the Mark Sechs. It is piloted by Maya Tōmi.
 * Fafner Mark Sechs (VI)-Flight-capable in atmosphere. Used very briefly by Shōko in Episode 6.
 * Fafner Mark Funf (V)- Defense-use Fafner equipped with the Aegis Shield. Used by Mamoru Kodate.
 * Fafner Mark Vier (IV)- Heavy assault unit briefly used by Kōyō Kasugai.
 * Fafner Mark Drei (III)- Specialized Fafner used by Sakura Kaname. Can charge energy into its right hand to use the "Fafner Finger" attack. Later piloted by Canon Memphis.
 * Fafner Megatherion model- Michio's Fafner, which is very different from the Nothung models made by Tatsumiya. This model is made by the Neo UN.
 * Fafner Babylon model- Kanon's Fafner, which is very different from the Nothung models made by Tatsumiya. This model is made by the Neo UN.
 * Fafner Gnosis model- The mass-production Fafner models made by the Neo UN. Their reliability is questionable. Their armaments consist of a right-arm Machine gun and a left-arm beam cannon, which, as seen in the anime, are mostly useless against even the most common Sphinx-type Festums.
 * Fafner ? model- A second mass-production Fafner of the Neo UN seen during Operation Heaven's Door which is capable of flight. Might be Megatherion units.
 * Fafner Mark Sein- Initially supposed to be piloted by Michio Hino, it became Kazuki's second boarding machine, delivered to him by a Festum in Master Form (Festums that take on human appearance) after Mark Elf was captured by the Neo UN and its core implanted into Mark Sein. The Festum in question is called Mjolnir and is the Festum his mother Akane Makabe merged with, thus having her looks. This unit changed form and abilities drastically after 'melting' inside a Festum, which among other things made it pilotable only by Kazuki.
 * Fafner Mark Nicht- A Salvator-model Fafner created by the Neo UN. It is a black version of the Mark Sein's original form using the core of the sunken remnaints of the Mark Vier. It was intended to be piloted by Yukie Kariya during Operation Heaven's Door, but it was stolen by the Master Form Festum Idun. It shares abilities from both Mark Sein and the Festum.
 * Fafner Titan Model (TSX)- Seen in Right of Left piloted by Ryō and his classmates, it appears to be a pre-production model Fafner. At least four were produced. The Assimilation Phenomenon also appears to be accelerated when using the Titan models. Armaments seems to consist of Arm Machineguns, a prototype version of the Ruga Lance simply called Naginata, and a multi-tube Missile launcher.
 * Fafner Mark Eins (I)- This appears to be the first Nothung Model made by Tatsumiya island. It was supposed to be piloted by Sōshi Minashiro (as seen in Right of Left), but apparently he cannot use it because of his scarred eye. It is a basic unit that became Michio's after the destruction of the Megatherion.
 * Fafner Mark Zwei (II)- Also seen in Right of Left. It appears to have been built at the same time as the Mark I as their piloting tests were at the same time and they seem to have virtually identical configurations. This was Karin Kuramae's unit which she tried to board in the first episode. Most if it were used to repair/rebuild Mark Elf after Kazuki's first battle.
 * Zero Fafner- The prototype Fafner model only mentioned in official background information. After its initial test phase some high ranking members of Alvis defected to the Neo UN.


 * Mk.I-III+XI apparently share the same body design, as do Mk.VI & VII and IV & VIII, respectively, according to the Memorial Book.
 * Considering there was less left of Mk.VII than of Mk.XI after their respective near-destructions, it is safe to assume that one of the two unseen Fafner Nothung model units (Mk.IX & X) was used for its reconstruction.

Weapons
These are all listed and used in the anime and/or game.


 * Aegis Shield- Mounted on protectors either on the shoulders or the back. It is essentially a portable Welle Shield, and is used to block Festum attacks.
 * Cluster Bomb
 * Dimension Gun- A large cannon/bazooka type weapon capable of inflicting a large amount of inter-dimensional damage. Can only fire one shot. Appears only in the game.
 * Dragon Tooth- A high-caliber sniper rifle with a 'tooth' to dig into the ground for stability.
 * Durandal- A small sidearm for taking on light targets. Ineffectual against Festums.
 * Electromagnetic Launcher - A railcannon type weapon. It is usually referred to as the "Rail Gun".
 * Fafner Finger- Used by Mark Drei initially. Concentrating energy into its right hand, the Fafner shoves it through the Festum's core, destroying it. It highly resembles the "god finger" attack used by the God Gundam.
 * Fenrir System- A self-destruct system that is assumed to activate automatically, should the Fafner be assimilated. It creates a miniaturized black hole similar to the Festums upon detonation.
 * Fire Drake
 * Garm-44- A semi-automatic rifle with 100 rounds, scaled to Fafner size.
 * Gegner- A small energy weapon, used typically against small Festums.
 * Gelatic Bullet-
 * Lindwurm- The Fafner's carrier-type vehicle. It is guided by the Siegfried System. Its armaments include Missile Pods, Grapple Pods, and a rotating Laser Cannon.
 * Long Sword- Mounted in a compartment within the Lindwurm. A solid shaft with a laser-edge running up the blade. Proved to be marginally effective against Festums.
 * Medusa- A shoulder mounted energy cannon. Contains considerable power, comparable to that of the Lindwurms Tail Laser Cannon.
 * Mine Blade- A short laser-edged knife. The blade is apparently made of nanomachines and can reshape itself, if broken. It bears an uncanny resemblance to the 'progressive knife' of the renowned series Evangelion in both appearance and use.
 * Piram- A handheld spike launcher. Once the spike hits the target, it sends an electric charge through the cable to damage or immobilize it.
 * Punch- A basic punching attack. Usually aided by a piston to provide more of a kick.
 * Razing Cutter- Small wires stored in the Fafner's knuckles that shoot out and envelope enemies. The wires can be charged to cut through materials.
 * Ruga Lance- The Fafner's main weapon. Usually used as a sword, but can be expanded to open a gap. Once a gap is made, an energy shot can be launched.
 * Scorpion
 * Thermotics Blade

Japanese cast

 * Kohei Kiyasu as Soushi Minashiro
 * Makoto Ishii as Kazuki Makabe
 * Marika Matsumoto as Maya Toomi
 * Masayuki Tanaka as Fumihiko Makabe
 * Miyu Irino as Kouyou Kasugai
 * Miyu Matsuki as Shouko Hazama
 * Sakiko Tamagawa as Ayano Kondou
 * Yoko Soumi as Yukie Kariya
 * Akimitsu Takase as Haruko Kodate
 * Emi Shinohara as Chizuru Toomi
 * Hideyuki Hori as Michio Hino
 * Hisako Kyouda as Ikumi Nishio
 * George Nakata as Kouzou Minashiro
 * Jūrōta Kosugi as Youji Hino
 * Katsuji Mori as Mitsuhiro Bartland
 * Kei Kurita as group member
 * Megumi Toyoguchi as Kazuki (young)/Myorunia/Akane Makabe
 * Minoru Shiraishi as Kenji Kondou
 * Mitsuaki Madono as Idun (Festum)
 * Mitsuki Saiga as Mamoru Kodate
 * Nanaho Katsuragi as Youko Hazama
 * Rikiya Koyama as Seiichirou Kaname
 * Ryōko Shiraishi as Rina Nishio/Shokora (ep 7)
 * Sanae Kobayashi as Kanon Memphis
 * Satomi Arai as Sakura Kaname
 * Shizuka Ishikawa as Kiyomi Kaname
 * Shoko Tsuda as Ryouko Kasugai
 * Takaya Hashi as Kyouhei Mizoguchi
 * Tamaki Nakanishi as Tsubaki Minashiro
 * Tarusuke Shingaki as Kazuhira Tezuka
 * Tomoya Kawai as Seihiro Kasugai
 * Toshiko Fujita as Hestor Gallop
 * Yukana as Yumiko Toomi

English cast

 * Jennifer Sekiguchi as Maya Tomi
 * Johnny Yong Bosch as Kazuki Makabe
 * Steve Staley as Soushi Minashiro
 * Barbara Goodson as Dr. Kondo
 * Doug Stone as Mr. Kasugai
 * Ian Hawk as Island's Core
 * Jane Alan as Yoko Hazama
 * Jessica Gee as Mrs. Kasugai
 * John Smallberries as Kyouhei Mizoguchi
 * Julie Ann Taylor as Sakura Kaname
 * June Ellis as Kiyomi Kaname
 * Kim Strauss as Tamotsu Kodate
 * Lex Lang as Kenji Kondo
 * Mela Lee as Rina Nishio/Tsubaki Minashiro
 * Mia Bradly as Dr. Chizuru Tomi
 * Michelle Ruff as Yumiko Tomi
 * Ron Allen as Fumihiko Makabe
 * Tiffany Gayle as Shoko Hazama
 * Tony Oliver as Mamoru Kodate
 * Wendee Lee as Yukie Kariya
 * Yuri Lowenthal as Koyo Kasugai
 * Megan Hollingshead as Kanon Memphis

Anime
The series features two pieces of theme music. Angela performed the opening theme entitled "Shangri-La" and the ending theme "Separation".

Sōkyū no Fafner: RIGHT OF LEFT, a 50-minute prequel special to the television series, aired on December 29, 2005. The opening theme "Peace of Mind" for the special was also performed by Angela.

A new project has been announced under the name "Fafner: Dead Agressor: Heaven and Earth," which will start in 2010.

The main series was licensed by U.S publisher Geneon, who published it under the shortened title Fafner.

Light novel
A novelization of the series was written by Tow Ubukata, and featured illustrations by Hisashi Hirai. It was published in English by Digital Manga Publishing.

Video games
Fafner in the Azure was adapted into a video game released for the PlayStation Portable in early 2005. It follows almost directly to the storyline with two bonus missions and also features new weapons such as the dimension gun. It offers a unique style of gameplay being a 3-Dimensional, real-time Role-Playing-Game (RPG).

In 2009, the series made its debut into the long-running Super Robot Wars series as a part of Super Robot Wars K for the Nintendo DS.