For the record: Matare yo!

Here lies a collection of Alnoah.Zero links to official sites, all my posts on the series, and to posts that I find interesting. This list is still a work-in-progress, but it’s mostly for the fans who have seen Aldnoah.Zero and want to understand what Aoki Ei and his team were doing. This being the day the project was first revealed, it seemed logical to leave this Master Post here. For a chronological marketing timeline, please see this post. But if the biggest question on your mind is about Urobuchi Gen’s involvement, then this is the post you’ll want to read. Spoilers abound, of course.

On the other hand, if you haven’t seen the show yet, then my suggestion is to work your way though the available Pre-S1 A/Z Reports (see below), watch S1–remembering to check the website for the key visual released after each episode–and then read this post on the translation issues in S1 — just don’t click on the links, which are mostly about translation issues in S2. If you’re still interested, then check out Aoki on the radio show (translation below), the media coverage highlights for S1 (see below), EXTRA EPISODES 1 to 3 and the Pre-S2 A/Z Reports, and then keep going. Hopefully it’ll enable you to experience A/Z along the lines of how the creators intended. A full experience is impossible, because it also requires more radio show and Twitter stuff, and I’m afraid that’s just too difficult to arrange. But I do hope that this Master Post helps at least some of you put this series in context…

Disclaimers: where possible, I have linked the original place where magazine scans have been shared. Other magazine scans can often be found through a google search. On the other hand, I will not provide links to scans of books or product booklets. Do also note that some of the youtube links are, unfortunately, only accessible to those with a Japanese IP address.

Finally, if there’s anything you think I should add, please drop me a note!

Last update: 2015-10-12: Interview with Aoki Ei from Newtype May 2015

OFFICIAL STUFF

Official web links

Official website
Official twitter
A/Z on Aniplex Japan’s Youtube channel

A/Z REPORTS

In essence, these reports provided teasers about A/Z in the lead-up to broadcast and during the three months between the two cours, as well as additional key visuals to contemplate as the series progressed. Distributed in stores and online, they can be categorised into two types: real world information and in-universe documents. You can find all of the former (interviews with Aoki, Urobuchi, Takayama and I-IV; and comments by Aoki and the cast about the characters) on the website, and summaries of the four interviews can be found here. However, for the latter, only the visuals are available online, some of which need to be unlocked using “decode keys” obtained from the store-distributed material. The pre-S1 stuff is notable for Wolf Areash’s reports, compiled as part of his spying mission on Earth prior to the start of the series. Most of the documents are also available in Book 2 of ArchiveZ, though some are a little difficult to read because the text is really small.

Pre-S1

Tx/001    Interview with Aoki Ei
Tx/002    Comment by Urobuchi Gen
Tx/003-1 Comments on Kaiduka Inaho by Aoki and Hanae Natsuki
Tx/003-2 Comments on Asseylum Vers Allusia by Aoki and Amamiya Sora
Tx/003-3 Comments on Slaine Troyard by Aoki and Ono Kenshō
Tx/004    Interview with I-IV
Tx/005-1 Interview with Takayama Katsuhiko
Tx/005-2 Timeline provided by United Earth government
Vs/005-1 Timeline annotated by Wolf Areash (translation here or here)
Vd/008-2 ALDNOAH.ZERO: COUNT TO A/Z pre-air special
Tx/008    in-universe magazine published by Harmony

Post-S1, Pre-S2

Vs/022    (unveiled at Shinjuku Station on 2014-10-07)
Tx/022    Episode summaries
Vs/023    (unveiled at Shinjuku Station on 2014-11-06)
  Ono Kenshō and Hanae Natsuki reacting to Vs/023…
Tx/023    Character Correlation Diagram (chart and some translations of the text)
Vs/024    (unveiled at Shinjuku Station on 2014-12-01)
Tx/024    Mechanics Sheet + Tactical Report (side 1)
Tx/025    in-universe magazines published by Harmony, UFE and Vers versions

NB: I’ve left out the trailers since they’re not necessary now that the series is over, but you can find a number of them on the official English website.

BD/DVD extras list

Vol. 1: Character Archives, interview with Aoki Ei
Vol. 2: EXTRA EPISODE 1, interview with Urobuchi Gen
Vol. 3: EXTRA EPISODE 2, interview with Takayama Katsuhiko
Vol. 4: EXTRA EPISODE 3, interview with Matsumoto Masako (Character Design)
Vol. 5: Mechanics Archives I, interview with I-IV
Vol. 6: OST 2 incl. Ending 4, interview with Sawano Hiroyuki
   IV’s “Mademoiselle Tharsis”
   Adolescence,” by Shimura Takako, translated by variationa
      (Personally, I wouldn’t call these “canon,” though this one’s implications are probably true anyway.)
Vol. 7: EXTRA EPISODE 4, interview with Kato Tomonori (Compositor)
   “I am him and he is me,” by Shimura Takako, translated by variationa
Vol. 8: EXTRA EPISODE 5, interview with Nagano Toshiyuki (Producer)
Vol. 9: EXTRA EPISODE 6, interview with Shimura Takako
Vol. 10: Mechanics Archives II, interview with Hanae x Ono x Amamiya
Special Extra AU Drama CD for buying the series: Lux Puella Magi Seylum / The Shining Magical Girl, Seylum (preview, sound clips and rough translations)
      Do note that this is NOT CANON.

BD/DVD EXTRA EPISODE contents

EXTRA EPISODE 1: a manga about a younger Slaine and Asseylum (translation)
EXTRA EPISODE 2: a novella about a younger Yuki and Inaho (translation)
EXTRA EPISODE 3: an AU drama CD where Slaine transfers into Alnoah Academy (preview, translation)
EXTRA EPISODE 4: a manga about Inaho et al between S1 and S2
EXTRA EPISODE 5: a novella about the first interplanetary war
EXTRA EPISODE 6: a return to Aldnoah Academy (preview, sub)

Books etc

Manga

(I won’t be linking them either, but scanlations are available for some of these: try google)
Aldnoah.Zero Comic S1, vol. 1-4
Aldnoah.Zero Comic S2 vol. 1-2
Aldnoah.Zero Gaiden Comic vol.1-3
Aldnoah Anthology Comic vol. 1-3

Artbooks & Guidebooks

Aldnoah ArchiveZ (2014-08-14 at Summer Comiket; later on aniplexplus)
Guidebook 1
   summary/translation of the History/World section, p.5-12
Guidebook 2
Key Animations 1/2 and 2/2
Materials 1/2 and 2/2

Convention/Event appearances

Aoki Ei and main cast at Stage event at AnimeJapan 2014 (NB: A/Z Report 002 is distributed here)
Urobuchi Gen on a panel at Anime Expo (2014-07-03)
Urobuchi interviewed at Japan Expo (2014-08-25)
Aoki at BD/DVD release Talk event at Machiasobi in Tokushima (2014-10-12) (highlights)
Hanae Natsuki and Ono Kenshō at Talk event at Ikebukuro (2014-11-15) (highlights)
Aoki and Minase Inori at Stage event at Anime Festival Asia (2015-05-01)
Aoki and (producer) Kurosaki Shizuka at Machiasobi in Tokushima (2015-05-04)
Aldnoah.Zero EXTRA DAY at Tokyo Dome City Hall (2015-06-21)
  teaser: ToroKen vs. Hanaho, Round 3!!
  teaser 2: on certain misconceptions amongst Western ‘fans’…
  Full report
Aoki, Kurosaki and (producer) Nagano Toshiyuki at OTAKON in Baltimore, Maryland USA (2015-07-24~26)
  Official interview on ani-gamers
  A brief summary, a podcast discussion and a full write-up of the panel (Saturday, 2-3pm)
  Re: Slaine, as of Ep.3

Media coverage highlights (Magazines and Newspapers etc)

S1 and pre-S2

LisAni! Vol. 18: kalafina, Sawano, mizuki (2014-08-08)
Bandai Channel Interview vol. 13: Director/Episode Director Aoki Ei (2014-08-25; A/Z on p.3)
Animedia Nov 2014: 16 page special
  Aoki’s interview (translation)
Febri Vol. 25: 16 page special (2014-11-01)
Animedia Dec 2014: spread

S2 and post-S2

natalie: interviews with Sawano Hiroyuki and mizuki (2015-02-04)
CUT Mar 2015: Aoki, Amamiya (2015-02-19)
LisAni! Vol. 20: Sawano, mizuki, Aoki and Aoi Eir (2015-02-09)
Animedia Mar 2015: 4-way interview with Aoki and main cast ++
Animedia May 2015: 16 page special
  Aoki x Nagano interview (translation)
  Seiyuu interviews (summary)
Newtype May 2015: interview with Aoki (translation)

more coming soon

Music

Opening 1 「heavenly blue」
Ending 1 & 2 「A/Z|aLIEz」
Original Soundtrack 1
Opening 2 「&Z」
Ending 3 「GENESIS」
Original Soundtrack 2 (extra on BD/DVD 6)

Radio Show: Aldnoah Radio

41 episodes total from 2014-06-28 to 2015-04-04, later released on Radio CDs
hosted by Amamiya Sora [Asseylum] and Minase Inori [Eddelrittuo], guests listed below, summary of format here.
Radio CD vol.1, incl. special recording with Hanae Natsuki [Inaho] and Ono Kenshō [Slaine] (mini-translation)
   #2 Hanae Natsuki [Inaho] (very brief summary)
Radio CD vol.2, incl. special recording with Komatsu Mikako [Inko] (Amamiya only)
   #9 Hayami Shō [Cruhteo] (mini-translation)
   #10 Komatsu Mikako [Inko] (mini-translation)
   #14 Aoki Ei (summary/translation)
Radio CD vol.3, incl. special recording with Kakuma Ai [Nina] (Minase only)
Radio CD vol.4, incl. special recording with Misawa Sachika [Rayet]
   #22 Kayano Ai [Darzana]
   #28 Kakuma Ai [Nina]
Radio CD vol.5, incl. special recording with Natsukawa Shiina [Lemrina]
   #32 Natsukawa Shiina [Lemrina] (short snippet)
   #34 Murata Taishi [Calm]
Radio CD vol.6, incl. special recording with Hanae Natsuki [Inaho]
   #41 Hanae Natsuki [Inaho]

Radio extras

2014-08-30 Hanae and Amamiya guest on Anispa radio show
TSUTAYA special rental-only Radio CD vol. 1: Hanae Natsuki and Ono Kenshō (short snippet and mini-translation)
TSUTAYA special rental-only Radio CD vol. 2: Amamiya Sora and Minase Inori
TSUTAYA special rental-only Radio CD vol. 3: Hanae and Murata Taishi
TSUTAYA special rental-only Radio CD vol. 4: Ono and Hirasawa Daisuke [Harklight]
TSUTAYA special rental-only Radio CD vol. 5: Hanae and Toyonaga Toshiyuki [Mazuurek]
TSUTAYA special rental-only Radio CD vol. 6: Amamiya and Ohsaka Ryōta [Klancain]

Fun stuff

Seiyuu crack

ToroKen vs. Hanaho, Round 1!! (also linked above)
ToroKen vs. Hanaho, Round 2!!
More A/Z crack to brighten up your day

Shimura Takako on tumblr

Shimura Takako’s latest display of love for Slaine
12 days bonus: Merry Christmas! from Shimura Takako
12 days bonus 2: an impossible request
12 days bonus 3: the Sawano-Shimura tag-team!
Aldnoah.Zero: the Kaiduka Family is ♡
Translation: The Tale of the A/Z Mangaka, by Shimura Takako, alternative translation

FAN ENGAGEMENT

Some posts and comments I found interesting…

…even if I don’t agree with everything they say. The tumblr links might disappear (tumblr bloggers seem to like changing their handles), but let me know if that happens, and I’ll try to find them again.
Questions of Empathy and Emotional Unavailability in Aldnoah.Zero
A technological analysis of the Martian Kataphraktoi to Episode 16
Several posts on Asseylum, Slaine and the ending of Aldnoah.Zero

My week-by-week musings (S2 only)

Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15 (one and two)
  Aldnoah.Zero: the state of the war
Episode 16
Episode 17
Episode 18
Episode 19
  Translation issues
  Aldnoah.Zero: The Black-tailed Gull
Episode 20
Episode 21
  Aldnoah.Zero: it finally clicks (on the main theme of A/Z)
Episode 22
Episode 23
  On Slaine up to this point…
Episode 24

My other posts on A/Z (chronological order)

Aldnoah Zero’s Kaiduka Inaho: most boring protagonist ever?
Looking back on 2014, part 10: succumbing to the marketing machine
Aldnoah.Zero S2 countdown Tー3 days: here’s what they really said
Aldnoah.Zero S2 countdown Tー2 days: the cast on certain memorable scenes in S1
Aldnoah.Zero S2 countdown Tー1 day: Aoki on Slaine and Inaho
Aldnoah.Zero S2 countdown, zero hour: whither to?
Review post 1: The main problem with Aldnoah.Zero…
Review post 2: Aldnoah.Zero through an international relations lens