Geno Saurer

The Geno Saurer is Tyrannosaurus-type Zoid, one of over 200 species of fictional biomechanical lifeforms depicted by TOMY's "Zoids" model, toy, and media franchise. Based on the Death Saurer, the Geno Saurer plays a large role in several parts of the Battle Story, is the main antagonist's Zoid in the ' anime and manga, and makes appearances in ', and "", in all but the middle case piloted by a major character.Zoids
Zoid_name = Geno Saurer
ImageName = Geno Saurer.jpg
Caption = A CGI rendering of the Geno Saurer
Model_number = EZ-026
Faction = Guylos Empire
Zoid_type = Tyrannosaurus
Crew = 1
Weight = 112.8
Length = 23
Height = 11.7
Speed = 260 km/h
Weapons = Hyper Killer Fangs, Hyper Killer Claws (2), Hyper Strike Claws (2), Laser Gun, Long Range Pulse Laser Rifle (2), Charged Particle Cannon
Equipment = Anchors (2)=Overview=

The Geno Saurer is a Tyrannosaurus-type Zoid, created by the Guylos Empire, and used during the Helic-Guylos wars that occurred on Zi after the meteor strike of ZAC 2056.

The Geno Saurer was one of the first new Zoids designed after the destruction of the third moon of Zi and the resulting meteor shower. The Zoid's design came about by scaling down the Death Saurer, and adapting its technology. Geno Saurers were the first Zoids to be equipped with the newly-developed Organoid System. This system, derived from technology found in an ancient ruin, enhances the Zoid's intelligence and abilities.

The Geno Saurer is a very capable Zoid, being fast and agile, while also very well armed and armoured. The Zoid's main weapon is a Charged Particle Cannon, a derivative of the Death Saurer's main weapon. While smaller and less powerful than the older weapon, the Geno Saurer's cannon remains potent. The Zoid's only weakness is that it needs to be anchored and completely stationary in order to fire the Charged Particle Cannon. Another problem is caused due to the massive heat generated by such a weapon, causing the weapon to only be able to fire once every couple of minutes. The thick tail of the Geno Saurer is covered with vents and filled with heat-sinks to partially compensate for this problem.

In the anime and the games, the Geno Saurer (as well as the Geno Breaker) is depicted with an additional weapon. It is able to launch its hands on long, retractable cables like grappling hooks to grab and restrain Zoids at a distance, and pull them into its line of fire. In addition, these "grappling claws" can deliver an electric shock, though it loses the ability to shock opponents when it becomes the Geno Breaker.

Battle Story appearances

The Geno Saurer was developed in ZAC 2099 as an offshoot of the Guylos Empire's attempts to recreate the Death Saurer, combined with their research into the Organoid System. The Geno Saurer was entered into mass production, and used as shock troops in the Western Continent War. The Geno Saurer was initially very effective, proving to be more than a match for any Zoid the Republic could field.

However, with the development of the Blade Liger, the Geno Saurer was suddenly outmatched. In response, the Guylos Empire created a newer Zoid, the Geno Breaker. The Geno Saurer was still considered effective, and remained in service. Guylos Geno Saurers were amongst the first Zoids to face the Berserk Führer during the Eisen Dragoon coup, and were easily dispatched.

When the Neo-Zenebas Empire took over the Guylos Empire, they inherited the few remaining Geno Saurers. However, they abandoned the design due to its Guylos influence, in favour of new, purely Zenebas designs such as the Seismosaurus.

Media appearances

Anime

Chaotic Century

The Geno Saurer first featured in "". A unique Zoid, the Geno Saurer was "cloned" from the core of the Death Saurer, and was initially mistaken for one, causing to recoil in fear in a similar manner to when she first encounters the Death Saurer. The black and purple Zoid was given to Raven by , who used it to carry out his master's diabolical bidding.

The first time Van and his friends encountered the Geno Saurer, it very nearly killed them, but Rosso and Viola (piloting an Iron Kong at the time) pinned the Saurer down long enough for them to escape before it was destroyed. (Rosso and Viola survive the encounter, but exactly how is never addressed.) Not long after, Van would face off against Raven again, and the battle resulted in the destruction of his Shield Liger and the near death of Van's Organoid Zeke. Zeke, however, would resurrect the remains of the Shield Liger and transform it into the Blade Liger.

Eventually, the Blade Liger's power would be tested in a final showdown against Raven's Geno Saurer. During this battle, Raven's own arrogance and rage proved to be his downfall as he attempted in desperation to fire his Charged Particle Cannon at point blank range. Van used the Blade Liger’s laser blades to protect himself from the blast, before cutting through the cannon’s emitter. Raven was bailed out by his Organoid, Shadow.

Later, Raven returned and somehow acquired a second Geno Saurer, this one possessing red panelling instead of purple. Nearly immediately after acquiring it, he defeated Thomas, Van, Irvine and Moonbay in combat. After his initial attack, Shadow caused the Geno Saurer to retreat, in order to evolve it into the Geno Breaker. It is believed, due to a conversation between and , that Raven acquired this Zoid with their help, and that Hiltz's Organoid, Ambient, had tampered with the Zoid's core, with the red panelling appearing as a side effect.

Four more Geno Saurers were seen in "Guardian Force". The first belonged to the Ancient Zoidian ; it was created from the "Zoid Element" of Raven's Geno Breaker, its blue colouration and Organoid-induced abilities earning it the name Psycho Geno Saurer. The other three were used by the Dark Kaiser against Raven during the battle in the ruins of the Ancient Zoidian capital. These ones, like the one used by Raven prior to his acquisition of the Breaker, were red and black. They were used to stall Raven so that Prozen could fuse with the Death Saurer; though they nearly killed him, Raven managed to defeat all three of them in close combat.

A prototype version of the Geno Saurer model kit depicted it as black and red, (perhaps in imitation of the Death Saurer), similar to the Geno Saurers seen in the latter half of Chaotic Century.

New Century Zero

A trio of Geno Saurers appeared in "", under the control of the Backdraft Group's Fuma Team. These Zoids were excavated from the same ruin that the Berserk Fury was discovered in. The Zoids were later used in a conspiracy by Alteil against the Berserk Fury, but after failing to destroy it with their charged particle cannons, they were effortlessly defeated by it. They were black and purple, the same as Raven's original Geno Saurer.

In the New Century Zero english dub, these Zoids were erroneously referred to as "Geno Saurus". This mistake was rectified in the Chaotic Century dub, which brings back the original "Geno Saurer" name.

Fuzors

Several Geno Saurers appeared in "". Unlike in the previous series, the Geno Saurers were depicted as being normal, albeit powerful, Zoids. The most notable was one piloted by Rotten Roger, one of the best pilots in the Zi-Fighter Championship. Roger's Geno Saurer was unusual in that it had yellow parts in place of the purple. While Roger initially fought against RD (including helping to rig a match against him), he later would side with RD against Alpha's Seismosaurs.

A flashback in episode 21 showed that Blake also used a Geno Saurer in his first battle against RD, only to have it destroyed by RD's Liger Zero. Sandra later replaced it with his Berserk Fury. Blake's Geno Saurer, as well as a couple of others seen in the show, all had the regular black and purple colour scheme.

Manga

Chaotic Century

Raven and his experimental Geno Saurer face off against Van in the sixth and seventh graphic novel volumes of the "Chaotic Century" manga, when Raven threatens to destroy the power-plant Zoid Wendeen. Under Raven's control, and while fused with Shadow, the Geno Saurer is powerful enough to take down a squadron of Pterases, Van’s Shield Liger, an elite trio of Saicurtis and Colonel Schubaltz’s Iron Kong in rapid succession. However, the Geno Saurer is defeated by the Blade Liger piloted by Van. This version of the Geno Saurer contains a large number of Zoid Cores to withstand the limit-breaking effect of the Organoid Shadow.

Zoids: Saga Games

The "Zoids Saga" series of Game Boy Advance games features a series of Geno Saurer derivatives. These include the Geno Trooper, Proto Breaker, Proto Breaker II, Geno Scissors and Geno Flame.

Models

New Japanese Release

*Assembly required. (Snap-together, no glue needed. Scissors or X-acto knife recommended for trimming off excess plastic bits.)
*The model's colours are moulded into the plastic, and it does not need any paint. The Zoid does feature some pre-painted parts.

The Geno Saurer kit comes on ten frames, along with a battery-operated motor, two clear eye pieces, twenty-four rubber caps, and a label sheet. The Geno Saurer is moulded in black and purple, with grey claws and weapons. In addition, several painted details were present on the frames. Instead of a normal pilot figure, the Zoid came with two unpainted figures of Raven, one seated and one standing. The Zoid's features are somewhat reminiscent of the Death Saurer's, albeit scaled down. The entire kit was later recoloured and re-released with additions as the Geno Breaker.

The Geno Saurer is one of the more complicated model kits in the Zoids line and is rather difficult to build. The Geno Saurer uses a pair of "AAA" sized batteries for motion. Once activated, the Zoid walks forwards with its arms waving, jaw snapping and the tail sweeping side to side. Additionally, a red light flashes on in the eyes. The Zoid is unusual in that the cockpit is mounted in the chest, not the head.

TOMY also released an upgrade kit for the Geno Saurer, the CP-07 Shot Cannon. Also used by the Molga and Heldigunner, the kit consists of a large, long-barrelled artillery cannon. The Shot Cannon replaces the Geno Saurer's standard back guns.

The Geno Saurer was the first new Zoid designed for the "New Japanese Release". The Geno Saurer was released in 2000, with production continuing semi-regularly until about 2004.

New English Release

The Geno Saurer was released in England by TOMY in 2003. This version was identical to the "NJR" version, save for the packaging. The Geno Saurer was one of the last "NER" Zoids to be released.

Clear Geno Saurer

Another Geno Saurer variant, the Special Color Version Clear Black Geno Saurer (unofficially dubbed "Holotech" after Hasbro's partially translucent Zoids) was released by Toy's Dream Project in 2004. This version had the black frames replaced with clear charcoal grey, but retained all the painted details.

Museum Geno Saurer

A limited edition version of the Geno Saurer was released in 2005 as an exclusive to the Ueno Museum's 'Dinosaur Expo 2005'. This version of the Geno Saurer was primarily bone-white, with dark coffee coloured parts, gunmetal weapons, and orange canopies. There were no differences in the model design.

Geno Saurer Blox

Released as a limited edition model with the "Zoids Infinity EX Neo" game for the Xbox 360, the Geno Saurer Blox is a small Blox Zoid. Including one frame of Unenlagia parts, enough components are included to produce either a standard Geno Saurer, or a black 'Psycho Geno Saurer'.

Although a section of Battle Story is printed on the box, it is regarded by fans as non-canonical.

High-end Master Model

In 2007, the Geno Saurer was released by TOMY and Kotobukiya as the part of the "High-end Master Model" line. It was radically redesigned, featuring a much smaller head, larger, wider teeth, a longer, thicker neck, a skinner body and a different looking back-mounted pulse laser cannon. Like all of the Zoids released in the HMM line, it was non-motorised, with high posability and a more complicated construction.