TV-Series
Description
Emperor Zu Zanbazir is the main antagonist and the tyrannical ruler of the Boazanian Empire. His rise to power is rooted in deception and cruelty, as he is the bastard son of the previous emperor. He usurped the throne from his cousin, La Gohl, who was the rightful heir. Zanbazir publicly exposed La Gohl as being born without horns, a significant physical trait that determines social status on their planet, thereby humiliating him and seizing the crown for himself moments before La Gohl’s coronation.
Personality-wise, Emperor Zu Zanbazir is defined by a potent combination of racism, cowardice, and boundless ambition. He is extremely racist, viewing horned Boazanians as superior, yet under his rule, both horned and hornless citizens who oppose him are subjected to imprisonment, enslavement, and execution, revealing that his prejudice is merely a tool for maintaining control. Despite his ruthless exterior, he is ultimately a coward who hides behind his power and armies, easily panicking when his forces suffer defeat. His ambitions are limitless; having secured the throne, he seeks to conquer Earth to expand his empire and acquire more slaves.
His primary motivation is the preservation of his own power and the expansion of his dominion. He is consumed by paranoia, viewing anyone with a legitimate claim to the throne, particularly his nephew Prince Heinel, as a threat to be eliminated. To this end, he sends Heinel to lead the invasion of Earth, not out of trust, but to remove him from the home planet and place him in harm's way. He secretly orders his underlings, such as Duke Zaki, to sabotage and kill Heinel should the opportunity arise, all while Heinel remains loyal to the empire.
In the story, Zanbazir serves as the remote, overarching evil that orchestrates the conflict. He remains on Boazania, issuing orders and watching the Earth invasion unfold from a distance. His role solidifies as the final obstacle when the Voltes team, having discovered their Boazanian heritage, travel to Boazania to liberate their father, La Gohl, and free the enslaved population.
His key relationships are defined by enmity and paranoia. He is the arch-nemesis of his cousin, La Gohl, whose rightful claim to the throne he stole. Even after La Gohl was imprisoned and later escaped to Earth, Zanbazir continued to view him as a threat. Regarding Prince Heinel, Zanbazir harbors deep-seated insecurity because Heinel, as La Gohl’s son, has a stronger claim to the throne. While Heinel initially respects his uncle and has no desire to oppose him, Zanbazir plots his death throughout the series, showing a complete lack of familial love.
Emperor Zu Zanbazir undergoes a definitive but static development as a villain; he remains cruel and power-hungry until his downfall. His arc concludes not with redemption, but with a final act of selfishness. As the Boazanian citizens rebel against his tyranny and his loyalists desert him, he attempts to flee the planet with a wagon full of riches, trying to shift all blame for the disastrous Earth invasion onto Heinel. This final display of cowardice proves to be his undoing. Enraged by his uncle’s betrayal of their planet and people, Heinel confronts him and kills him, bringing an end to his reign of terror.
In terms of abilities, Zu Zanbazir’s power is not physical but positional. He commands the entire Boazanian military machine, ordering the creation of powerful biomechanical weapons known as Beast Fighters to combat Voltes V. He has the authority to deploy planet-destroying bombs and massive super-weapons like the electromagnetic rings, which he is willing to use even at the risk of his own troops. Ultimately, his authority and his cruelty are his only notable traits, as he is physically weak and easily killed once his power structure collapses.
Personality-wise, Emperor Zu Zanbazir is defined by a potent combination of racism, cowardice, and boundless ambition. He is extremely racist, viewing horned Boazanians as superior, yet under his rule, both horned and hornless citizens who oppose him are subjected to imprisonment, enslavement, and execution, revealing that his prejudice is merely a tool for maintaining control. Despite his ruthless exterior, he is ultimately a coward who hides behind his power and armies, easily panicking when his forces suffer defeat. His ambitions are limitless; having secured the throne, he seeks to conquer Earth to expand his empire and acquire more slaves.
His primary motivation is the preservation of his own power and the expansion of his dominion. He is consumed by paranoia, viewing anyone with a legitimate claim to the throne, particularly his nephew Prince Heinel, as a threat to be eliminated. To this end, he sends Heinel to lead the invasion of Earth, not out of trust, but to remove him from the home planet and place him in harm's way. He secretly orders his underlings, such as Duke Zaki, to sabotage and kill Heinel should the opportunity arise, all while Heinel remains loyal to the empire.
In the story, Zanbazir serves as the remote, overarching evil that orchestrates the conflict. He remains on Boazania, issuing orders and watching the Earth invasion unfold from a distance. His role solidifies as the final obstacle when the Voltes team, having discovered their Boazanian heritage, travel to Boazania to liberate their father, La Gohl, and free the enslaved population.
His key relationships are defined by enmity and paranoia. He is the arch-nemesis of his cousin, La Gohl, whose rightful claim to the throne he stole. Even after La Gohl was imprisoned and later escaped to Earth, Zanbazir continued to view him as a threat. Regarding Prince Heinel, Zanbazir harbors deep-seated insecurity because Heinel, as La Gohl’s son, has a stronger claim to the throne. While Heinel initially respects his uncle and has no desire to oppose him, Zanbazir plots his death throughout the series, showing a complete lack of familial love.
Emperor Zu Zanbazir undergoes a definitive but static development as a villain; he remains cruel and power-hungry until his downfall. His arc concludes not with redemption, but with a final act of selfishness. As the Boazanian citizens rebel against his tyranny and his loyalists desert him, he attempts to flee the planet with a wagon full of riches, trying to shift all blame for the disastrous Earth invasion onto Heinel. This final display of cowardice proves to be his undoing. Enraged by his uncle’s betrayal of their planet and people, Heinel confronts him and kills him, bringing an end to his reign of terror.
In terms of abilities, Zu Zanbazir’s power is not physical but positional. He commands the entire Boazanian military machine, ordering the creation of powerful biomechanical weapons known as Beast Fighters to combat Voltes V. He has the authority to deploy planet-destroying bombs and massive super-weapons like the electromagnetic rings, which he is willing to use even at the risk of his own troops. Ultimately, his authority and his cruelty are his only notable traits, as he is physically weak and easily killed once his power structure collapses.