Zenless Zone Zero

All playable characters are associated with a faction. Agents possess one of five attributes: electric, ether, fire, ice, or physical. Additionally, each agent adopts one of five combat styles: anomaly, attack, defense, support, or stun.

Random Play
A video store in New Eridu where Belle and Wise rent out VHS tapes, while living on the second floor above their shop. The staff room at the back of the store also serves as a base for their work as Proxies.

Wise and Belle
Attribute: None
Style: None
Two siblings who secretly work as Proxies under the codename "Phaethon." Neither sibling participates in combat; instead, they synchronize with their Bangboo, Eous, to guide their clients through the Hollows using their unique "HDD" system. They are eligible to be chosen as the player character, while the one who is not selected will serve as an assistant to the player character throughout the game.

Cunning Hares
Formerly known as Gentle House, this is a small-scale temporary employment agency that takes on various assignments for clients who are unable or unwilling to hire a larger (or more reputable) agency. This faction was introduced in July 2024.

Anby Demara / Soldier No. 0
Attribute: Electric
Style: Stun (original), Attack (alternative)
Voice Actor (Japanese): Atsumi Tanezaki
Voice Actor (English): Sam Slade
A calm and composed young woman who is exceptionally competent and efficient in combat, wielding an electrified sword—though she struggles in other areas of life. Anby attempts to improve her social skills by imitating scenes from popular films, though with little success. In the alternative version, it is revealed that Anby was a member of the Silver Squad, a special forces unit composed of clone soldiers. When the unit was disbanded due to high costs—with the top brass deciding to keep only one clone alive—Anby attempted suicide to save her surviving sister, Soldier 11, before being discovered and rescued by Nicole. In this alternative version, she wields two swords in combat.

Billy Kid
Attribute: Physical
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor: Yū Hayashi
English Voice Actor: Clifford Chapin
A cyborg gunslinger with a surprisingly energetic personality who refers to his custom revolvers as his "girls." He is a huge fan of a Super Sentai-style franchise called "Starlight Knights."

Nekomiya "Nekomata" Mana
Attribute: Physical
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor: Sayuri Hara
English Voice Actor: Alice Hamora
The mischievous cat-girl Thiren of the group, who wields dual blades. She initially planned to kill the Cunning Hares in the Hollows, holding them responsible for the death of her former gang associate, Silver—but after witnessing them attempt to rescue her former neighbors from a scheme by the Vision Corporation, she decided to join them.

Nicole Demara
Attribute: Ether
Style: Support
Japanese Voice Actor: Yū Serizawa
English Voice Actor: Nadia Marshall
The founder of the Cunning Hares, who struggles to keep her group financially afloat; she carries a large handbag that also functions as a firearm.

Belobog Heavy Industries
A company specializing in construction within the Hollows. This faction was introduced in July 2024.

Anton Ivanov
Attribute: Electric
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor: Shin'ichirō Kamio
English Voice Actor: Alejandro Saab
A sharp-tongued project manager who refers to the drill mounted on his wrist as his "brother."

Ben Bigger
Attribute: Fire
Style: Defense
Japanese Voice Actor: Kenji Hamada
English Voice Actor: Henry Schrader
An anthropomorphic brown bear Thiren who works as an accountant. Despite his imposing presence, Ben rarely gets angry outside of combat. He wields a utility pillar.

Grace Howard
Attribute: Electric
Style: Anomaly
Japanese Voice Actor: Haruka Shiraishi
English Voice Actor: Megan Shipman [Note 1]
The group’s mechanic; her enthusiasm for all things mechanical has led her to design and program various heavy machines for Belobog, which she refers to as her "children." She wields a rapid-fire nail gun and electrified grenades.

Koleda Belobog
Attribute: Fire
Style: Stun
Japanese Voice Actor: Yūka Iguchi
English Voice Actor: TBA [Note 2]
Grace’s unofficial sister and the president of Belobog Heavy Industries, who wields a hammer and a wrench. She blames her father for disappearing one night with a bag full of money—believing he embezzled company funds and nearly ruined everything—leaving her to slowly rebuild Belobog’s reputation afterward.

Victoria Housekeeping Co.
An agency specializing in cleaning services, though they also accept jobs that require venturing into the Hollows to retrieve items for their clients. This faction was introduced in July 2024.

Alejandrina "Rina" Sebastiane
Attribute: Electric
Style: Support
Japanese Voice Actor (Seiyū): Satomi Arai
English Voice Actor: Morgan Lauré [Note 3]
A kind and gentle head maid, often accompanied by two floating Bangboo puppets named Drusilla and Anastella. In combat, she uses an anti-gravity belt to hover and fire lightning bolts at her enemies, while employing her Bangboo as secondary weapons.

Corin Wickes
Attribute: Physical
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor (Seiyū): Hiromi Igarashi
English Voice Actor: Chloe Eves
A shy and anxious maid who wields a massive circular saw as her primary tool.

Ellen Joe
Attribute: Ice
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor (Seiyū): Shion Wakayama
English Voice Actor: Giselle Fernandez
A deadpan Thiren (mako shark) who prefers to relax and hang out with her friends rather than take on extra work or participate in club activities. She wields a pair of oversized garden shears.

Von Lycaon
Attribute: Ice
Style: Stun
Japanese Voice Actor: Chikahiro Kobayashi
English Voice Actor: Will de Frenzy-Martin Note 4
A white wolf Thiren who serves as the head butler; he employs a kick-based fighting style, using his cybernetic legs to dispatch enemies. Later, in the epilogue of the first season, it is revealed that he was a co-founder of the Nightingale faction.

Hollow Special Operations Section 6
Also known simply as Section 6, this is a frontline operational unit within the Hollow Special Operations division. This faction was introduced in July 2024.

Asaba Harumasa
Attribute: Electric
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor: Tetsuya Kakihara
English Voice Actor: Micah Solusod
A calm member of Section 6 who enjoys drinking coffee. He suffers from a terminal illness, which frequently forces him to take time off from work. He fights using a custom bow that can be disassembled into two swords.

Hoshimi Miyabi
Attribute: Ice
Style: Anomaly
Japanese Voice Actor: Ami Koshimizu
English Voice Actor: Cristina Vee
The solemn leader of Section 6; she is a fox Thiren hailing from a renowned martial arts family. She wields a katana and stands 170 cm tall, including her ears.

Soukaku
Attribute: Ice
Style: Support
Voice Actor (Japanese): Machico
Voice Actor (English): Rogin Rashidan [Note 5]
A blue-skinned oni girl who prefers talking about food more than anything else. She wields a large butcher knife and is Yanagi’s half-sister.

Tsukishiro Yanagi
Attribute: Electric
Style: Anomaly
Voice Actor (Japanese): Kaori Nazuka
Voice Actor (English): Corey Pettit
The deputy chief of Section 6 and the voice of reason within the unit. A veteran of the war between New Eridu and the oni people, she managed to bring the conflict to an end by becoming the leader of the oni tribe—a role she assumed after the previous leader (Soukaku’s older sister) sacrificed herself by bestowing her blood upon Yanagi, turning her into a half-oni. She fights using a naginata.

New Eridu Defense Force
The New Eridu Defense Force is a military organization under the New Eridu City Administration, comprising Obol Squad and the former Silver Squad. This faction was introduced in July 2024.

Orphie Magnusson and Magus
Attribute: Fire
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor: Yume Miyamoto
English Voice Actor: Dawn M. Bennett
Two female members of Obol Squad who are linked together. Magus—originally known as Orfeo and the former captain of Obol Squad—exists as the tail of Orphie, who serves as her subordinate. It is revealed that Orphie is a clone created from the DNA of Magus. Magus passed away years ago due to injuries sustained during an attack by Ethereals; her remaining consciousness was transferred into a special weapon—an intelligent construct—that now forms Orphie’s tail.

Seed
Attribute: Electric
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actors: Kiyono Yasuno (Seed [Girl]) and Tesshō Genda (Seed Senior)
English Voice Actors: Monica Rial (Seed [Girl]) and Justice Washington (Seed Senior)
A member of Obol Squad. "Seed" actually consists of two individuals: a giant robot named Seed Senior and its pilot—also called Seed—a whimsical young woman who rides a hoverboard.

Soldier 11 / Harin
Attribute: Fire
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor: Yukiyo Fujii
English Voice Actor: TBA Note 6
The composed leader of Obol Squad, who wields a superheated blade. Her real name is Harin. She loves spicy noodles and cats, and she is also Anby’s "sister."

Trigger
Attribute: Electric
Style: Stun
Voice Actor (Japanese): Yoshino Nanjō
Voice Actor (English): Erica Mendez
A sniper from the Obol squad and a friend of Soldier 11. Blinded during an Ethereal attack on a previous mission in Hollow Zero, her injuries heightened her other senses. In combat, she wields a sniper rifle equipped with an attached blade.

Krampus Enforcement Authority
The Krampus Enforcement Authority is a group that oversees all activities within the Alliance of Outstanding Paragons (abbreviated as TOPS), ensuring they align with the alliance's rules and interests—regardless of how morally gray those actions may be.

Banyue
Attribute: Fire
Style: Break
Voice Actor (Japanese): Show Hayami
Voice Actor (English): TBA
A cybernetic Thiren (lion).

Dialyn
Attribute: Physical
Style: Stun
Voice Actor (Japanese): Ayana Taketatsu
Voice Actor (English): TBA
The customer service representative for the Krampus Enforcement Authority.

Zhao
Attribute:
Style:
Voice Actor (Japanese): Naomi Ōzora
Voice Actor (English): TBA
A Thiren (rabbit).

Criminal Investigation Special Response Team
An agency that is part of New Eridu Public Security (PubSec), specializing in law enforcement. This faction was introduced in July 2024.

Jane Doe
Attribute: Physical
Style: Anomaly
Japanese Voice Actor: Yū Shimamura
English Voice Actor: Kalsey Jaffer
A cunning rat Thiren from the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team and an undercover PubSec agent who uses her wits and prehensile tail to dismantle criminal gangs from within. She wields a pair of sheepfoot-style knives shaped like a rat's skull.

Qingyi / 01 Neo-Genesis VI
Attribute: Electric
Style: Stun
Japanese Voice Actor: Maria Abo
English Voice Actor: Kira Buckland
A gynoid member of the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team who wields a three-section staff.

Seth Lowell
Attribute: Electric
Style: Defense
Japanese Voice Actor: Kengo Takanashi
English Voice Actor: Nazeeh Tarsha
A lynx Thiren member of the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team who wields an electric baton and a shield.

Zhu Yuan
Attribute: Ether
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor: Marina Inoue
English Voice Actor: Alaina Wis
The leader of the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team, who uses a handgun loaded with ether-infused bullets.

Sons of Calydon
A biker gang residing in the Outer Ring of New Eridu. This faction was introduced in July 2024.

Burnice White
Attribute: Fire
Style: Anomaly
Japanese Voice Actor: Karin Takahashi
English Voice Actor: Risa Mei
The barista for the Sons of Calydon, who wields dual flamethrowers. According to her fellow gang members, she is a very sociable person.

Caesar King
Attribute: Physical
Style: Defense
Japanese Voice Actor: Rina Satō
English Voice Actor: Jennifer Sun Bell
A courageous woman who wields a spiked shield and a sword. Although she is the leader of the Sons of Calydon, Lucy claims she is as "simple" as a Caesar salad. She has a prosthetic arm given to her by Billy Kid.

Lighter
Attribute: Fire
Style: Stun
Japanese Voice Actor: Hiroki Takanashi
English Voice Actor: Aleks Le
Regarded by others as incredibly strong, he is known as "The Champion." Big Daddy notes that Lighter possesses overwhelming strength—a power he uses to resolve problems in the Outer Ring. A former cage fighter, he once fought to support the families of his deceased friends after falling into deep debt; Big Daddy, the previous leader of the Sons of Calydon, helped him pay off the entire debt in exchange for him joining the gang.

Luciana "Lucy" de Montefio
Attribute: Fire
Style: Support
Japanese Voice Actor: Ayaka Asai
English Voice Actor: Elsie Lovelock [Note 7]
A rebellious blonde girl who travels with three small Thiren boars named "Grassy," "Woody," and "Bricky." She wields a baseball bat and uses the boars as projectiles and secondary weapons. Her demeanor is surprisingly refined, standing in contrast to her appearance. She is an heiress to the wealthy Montefio family, but she severed ties with her parents due to the lack of freedom she experienced at home.

Piper Wheel
Attribute: Physical
Style: Anomaly
Japanese Voice Actor: Manaka Iwami
English Voice Actor: Suzie Yeung
A petite young woman who maintains a large truck—which she has named "Steel Fang"—for the Sons of Calydon. She acts and speaks like an elderly person, prefers to rest whenever she isn't actively working, and wields a large axe in battle.

Pulchra Fellini
Attribute: Physical
Style: Stun
Japanese Voice Actor: Natsumi Fujiwara
English Voice Actor: Marissa Lenti [19]
A feline Thiren who originally worked for a rival biker gang, but eventually joined the Sons of Calydon, aligning herself with their ideals. She uses a revolver and a two-handed blade as her weapons.

Lyra Stars
A famous musical group in New Eridu. This faction was introduced in January 2025.

Astra Yao
Attribute: Ether
Style: Support
Japanese Voice Actor: Aya Endō
English Voice Actor: Molly Zhang
A famous and carefree singer and actress from New Eridu. She uses her voice in battle, amplified by her microphone-wand.

Evelyn Chevalier
Attribute: Fire
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor: Yōko Hikasa
English Voice Actor: Elizabeth Maxwell
Astra Yao’s elegant manager and bodyguard. It is later revealed that she is a spy, planted by a rival company under the codename "Scheele's Green." She wields a weapon that combines a blade with a cord—both sharp and durable.

Nightingale
A well-known syndicate of phantom thieves in New Eridu. This faction was introduced in April 2025.

Vivian Banshee
Attribute: Ether
Style: Anomaly
Japanese Voice Actor: Saku Mizuno
English Voice Actor: Sarah Wiedenheft
A mysterious woman with an intense obsession with Phaethon. She possesses the ability to foresee people's future deaths. In combat, she utilizes a parasol and levitation capabilities—powered by thrusters concealed beneath her dress.

Hugo Vlad Ravenlock
Attribute: Ice
Style: Attack
Japanese Voice Actor: Jun Fukuyama
English Voice Actor: Jimmie Yamaguchi
An illegitimate member of the Ravenlock family. He is ostensibly "killed" by Von Lycaon while attempting to murder the Proxy, whom he had taken hostage. It is later revealed that he, alongside Lycaon, is a founder of Nightingale. He wields a retractable scythe in battle.

Yunkui Summit
A Taoist-themed organization based on the Waifei Peninsula. This faction was introduced in June 2025.

Yixuan
Attribute: Auric Ink
Style: Stun (Break)
Voice Actor: Mamiko Noto
Voice-over:
The astute 13th-generation master of Yunkui Summit and mentor to Ju Fufu. She wields her unique ether ability, "Auric Ink," as a weapon.

Ju Fufu
Attribute: Fire
Style: Stun
Voice Actor: Ayaka Suwa
Voice-over: Lindsay Sheppard (English)
A tiger Thiren and disciple of Yixuan. She uses a mechanical device that produces tiger-shaped popcorn, along with sharp brass knuckles, as her weapons.

Pan Yinhu
Attribute: Physical
Style: Defense
Voice Actor: Ryōta Takeuchi
Voice-over: Philip Sacramento (English)
A panda Thiren who also serves as the monastery’s cook. He practices martial arts and engages in unarmed combat, utilizing a wok as his weapon.

Ye Shunguang
Attribute:
Style:
Voice Actor: Mao Ichimichi
Voice-over:
Ye Shiyuan’s younger sister.

Cabin of Terror
An online forum dedicated to sharing and solving supernatural mysteries and inexplicable phenomena. This faction was launched in July 2025.

Alice Thymefield
Attribute: Physical
Style: Anomaly
Voice Actor (Japanese): Minami Tanaka
Voice Actor (English): Diana Garnet
A gentle Thiren (rabbit-folk) and member of the prestigious Thymefield family. She wields a rapier as her weapon.

Lucia Elowen
Attribute: Ether
Style: Support
Voice Actor (Japanese): Rio Tsuchiya
Voice Actor (English): TBA
A die-hard enthusiast of Ethereals, distinguished by her small horns and pointed ears. She carries an encyclopedia filled with stories about Ethereals.

Ukinami Yuzuha
Attribute: Physical
Style: Support
Voice Actor (Japanese): Ikumi Hasegawa
Voice Actor (English): Kimberly Tierney
A spirited young woman who carries a tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog) named Kama on her back. She uses her parasol as a weapon, with her tanuki serving as a source of support.

Komano Manato
Attribute: Fire
Style: Stun
Voice Actor (Japanese): Kazuyuki Okitsu
Voice Actor (English): TBA
A muscular Thiren (canine) and a childhood friend of Yuzuha. He is fiercely protective of the Failume Heights community and harbors a deep hatred for those who seek to harm or exploit its residents.

Yidhari Murphy
Attribute: Ice
Style: Stun
Voice Actor (Japanese): Yumi Hara
Voice Actor (English): TBA
A soft-spoken Thiren (octopus) who, much like Phaeton, is a prominent Proxy.

The Mayor informs Phaethon that a New Eridu Defense Force detachment—led by General Lorenz and his subordinate, Isolde (commander of Obol Squad)—has been deployed to the Waifei Peninsula. Their stated objective is to locate and destroy the Exaltist stronghold, putting an end to the Exaltist threat once and for all. Suspicious of Lorenz and his ties to Lucro, and seeking to assist Phaethon in their ongoing investigation of the Lemnian Basin for clues regarding Arna, the Mayor appoints the Proxy to serve as his envoy to the Defense Force operation.

The Proxy joins Obol Squad, where they are introduced to the gunner Orphie and her leader, Magus—a digital consciousness housed within a weapon attached to Orphie. Both Magus and Isolde are former members of "Agamemnon Squad," a unit that was wiped out 11 years earlier during the Hollow Zero incident while protecting a refugee train. Later, following a successful reconnaissance mission, Obol Squad discovers that the operation has been compromised due to unauthorized attacks on the Exaltists—attacks ordered by Lorenz himself. Lorenz subsequently orders the Proxy’s detention at the Defense Force outpost and restricts their communications to prevent them from alerting the Mayor. Meanwhile, Fairy detects an unusually large accumulation of Miasma within the Hollow, which threatens to destabilize it and consume the entire Waifei Peninsula.
While attacking the Exaltist stronghold, Obol Squadron is surprised to discover that an unauthorized strike had already supposedly destroyed the facility and scattered the remaining cultists. Given the large number of missing Obscura devices and the growing instability of the Lemnian Cavity, the Defense Force orders an evacuation of the Failume Heights. During the evacuation, however, the Exaltists launch an assault, unleashing hidden Obscura Sacrifices throughout the city; the attack results in the deaths of Lucro and several high-ranking Porcelumex employees. In the heat of the battle, Isolde abruptly contacts Obol Squadron, revealing that the so-called “refugees”—whom Agamemnon Squadron had been wiped out while protecting during the Zero Cavity incident—were actually Porcelumex agents. She further discloses that Lorenz had accepted a bribe from Lucro to facilitate their extraction, making them responsible for the destruction of Agamemnon. Although enraged by this revelation, Magus refuses to kill Lorenz when he confronts him; Isolde, however, intervenes and murders Lorenz herself before fleeing toward the Lemnian Valley.

As the etheric activity in the Lemnian Basin continues to intensify, Obol Squadron is deployed alongside the Yunkui Summit to identify and halt the source of the destabilization. They locate Isolde, who reveals her true identity as Supervisor Mevorakh. She explains that she joined the Exaltists out of desperation after discovering Lorenz’s duplicity and realizing that Agamemnon Squadron had perished in vain. She is accompanied by Sarah, who has been working with her to destabilize the Lemnian Basin in hopes of gaining an opportunity to meet the “Creator” of the Exaltists. Isolde and Sarah separate; Ye Shiyuan of Yunkui Summit pursues Sarah, while the others chase and engage Isolde in battle. After weakening her and stripping her of her miasmatic powers, Orphie and Magus duel Isolde and attempt to persuade her to surrender. She refuses, believing she has gone too far, which forces Magus to kill her. With Isolde dead, the Cavity restabilizes. Following the battle, the Proxy witnesses a specter of Arna speaking with an unknown third party, but is unable to extract any information before the specter dissipates. Following the attack on the Failume Heights and the battle to restabilize the Lemnian Basin, the evidence left behind by Isolde is used to publicly expose the crimes of Lorenz and Lucro. Damian reaches an agreement with Zhao—a member of KRAMPUS, the enforcement division of TOPS—to conduct a thorough investigation and audit of Porcelumex, prompted by revelations of bribery and the company’s failure to contain Exaltist collaborators. Meanwhile, Ye Shiyuan corners Sarah, but she reveals that she has inherited Isolde’s powers and the title of Supervisor; she then offers Ye Shiyuan the chance to join the Exaltists in exchange for the fulfillment of an unspecified “wish.”

The Yunkui Summit is invited to a conference regarding an investigation by Porcelumex—the primary company overseeing mining operations in the Lemnian Basin—into the infiltration of the miners' union by "Exaltists" and an outbreak of corruption in Failume Heights. With Yixuan away conducting an independent investigation, Phaethon volunteers to represent the Yunkui Summit. At the conference, they meet Ferox and Lucro, the co-CEOs of Porcelumex, as well as Alice Thymefield, a researcher from the Thiren Basin who is attending on behalf of the influential Thymefield family in place of her ailing grandfather.

Following the conference, Alice approaches Phaethon and requests the Yunkui Summit’s assistance in investigating a mysterious nocturnal prank. This inquiry leads them to Ukinami Yuzuha, leader of the paranormal research team known as the "Terror Cabin." Although Yuzuha denies direct involvement, she shows them a fragment of a machine called an "Obscura"—a device used to extract Aether from a "Cavity" for observation. Since Obscuras are strictly regulated by TOPS, the group suspects that someone within Porcelumex is manufacturing these devices illegally for an unknown purpose. Their investigation in the Lemnian Valley leads them to a hidden Obscura factory. Further inquiry reveals a testing laboratory deep within the facility, containing documents that indicate Porcelumex was using the site to manufacture Obscuras for the Exaltists and to conduct experiments involving Aether on orphaned children. Their investigation is interrupted when they are attacked by a dangerous "Sacrifice" known as the "Miasmatic Demon"—a creature manifested from Yixuan’s memories of his sister. Although they manage to escape the entity, the noise of the battle draws the attention of Porcelumex guards. With the group cornered deep inside the complex, Yuzuha leads them toward a secret escape route. She reveals to Alice that she is the sole survivor of the experiments Porcelumex performed on children, and that her father discovered the truth and sacrificed his own life to ensure her escape. Yuzuha then stays behind to stall the guards, ultimately surrendering to Ferox—who turns out to be the Exaltists' collaborator within Porcelumex.

Outside the Cavity, Alice and Phaethon—reluctant to leave Yuzuha in danger—enlist the help of Obol Squadron, the remaining members of the Yunkui Summit, and Porcelumex General Manager Damian Blackwood. Together, they re-enter the testing facility to rescue Yuzuha before Ferox can destroy the entire complex to cover up his involvement with the Exaltists. Upon returning to the Cavity, they are attacked once more by the Miasmatic Demon; however, with Yixuan’s assistance, they succeed in defeating the creature and subduing Ferox before he can escape. Afterward, Ferox and his surviving guards are removed from the Cavity to be arrested, while Alice ensures that Yuzuha receives medical treatment; however, it is revealed that a large number of "Obscuras"—manufactured at Porcelumex’s illegal facilities—had been removed prior to the site's discovery and distributed to unknown locations throughout the Waifei Peninsula.

The mayor contacts Phaethon once again, who informs them about an investigation by the Yunkui Summit into an incident that took place in the Lemnian Hollow—a vast depression on the Waifei Peninsula. He also reveals that a photograph of Carole Arna has been recovered, though its origin and context remain unknown. To assist the mayor and the Yunkui Summit with their investigation without drawing unwanted attention, Yixuan designates the Proxy and his brother as official disciples and escorts them by airship to his temple in the city of Failume Heights, located on the Waifei Peninsula. During the journey, their airship is shot down over the Lemnian Hollow by Sarah; however, Yixuan and the Proxy manage to escape unharmed and eventually reach Failume Heights.

Yixuan explains that the incident in the Lemnian Hollow began when several miners unknowingly consumed a defective medicine intended to provide resistance to Ether, which led to their corruption. Despite the miners suffering from various injuries and illnesses, the mining company is withholding compensation payments, citing an ongoing investigation. Consequently, the local miners' union has requested that the mayor and the Yunkui Summit investigate the matter and expose a potential cover-up by the company. The union’s efforts are also supported by Dr. Lohr, an unlicensed physician who provides the miners with an affordable alternative to the company-supplied medicine.
During the investigation, it is discovered that Dr. Lohr is aligned with the Exaltists, who exert influence over the miners' union and distribute tainted medicine to corrupt the miners and citizens of Failume Heights. The Yunkui Summit narrowly averts the resulting corruption outbreak, though Yixuan is left severely wounded by Ether corruption. She reveals to the Proxy that the Yunkui Summit was last active in Failume Heights during the Hollow Zero crisis; most of the temple’s members—including Yixuan’s own sister—perished while attempting to rescue civilians from the Hollow. Consequently, the Yunkui Summit abandoned the Failume temple, only to return recently. As she recovers, Yixuan appoints the Proxy to lead the investigation in the interim—having personally trained them to better harness their own Ether-influence abilities.

The Proxy and the Yunkui Summit uncover a plot by the Exaltists—commanded by an individual known as the "Overseer"—to amass large quantities of Miasma, a dangerous, concentrated form of Ether. Under the guise of a protest against the mining company’s alleged involvement in the corruption incident, the Exaltists lure members of the miners' union into the Lemnian Hollow. Led by a recovered Yixuan, the Proxy, her brother, and the rest of the Yunkui Summit enter the Hollow. They present the miners with evidence of the Exaltists' culpability, successfully convincing them to evacuate. They then confront the Overseer, whom Yixuan defeats—drawing strength from the memory of her sister. In the process, they recover an unknown, Miasma-filled device from the Exaltists' stronghold, which they bring back to the temple for further study. Back in Failume Heights, the Yunkui Summit receives word that the mining company has provided compensation to the surviving miners. The Proxy and his brother note that they have made no progress in tracing the origin of Carole’s photograph; nevertheless, they decide to continue their investigation. Meanwhile, deep within the Hollow, it is revealed that the Supervisor has survived his battle against the Yunkui Summit and reunites with Sarah. Both prepare for the next phase of their plans.

Following the incident involving Inspector Bringer, Lyacon contacts Phaethon, informing them that his boss—the head of the Mayflower family in New Eridu and the city’s current mayor—wishes to speak with them. The mayor reveals himself to be an old friend of Carole Arna and expresses sympathy for the siblings' goal of clearing their name. As a gesture of goodwill, he provides an upgrade to their HDD system, along with ocular implants that restore their resistance to Ether; this allows them to enter the Hollows in person without facing extreme risk. He also requests their assistance in securing a gem that contains the core of a "Sacrifice" creature—a being subdued by Belobog during the battle at the monument. This core, which does not draw energy from the Hollows like other Ethereals, would enable the Sacrifice to manifest outside of a Hollow; however, it has been stolen from Public Security and is reportedly set to be auctioned off soon. Fearing that the Exaltists—the cult to which Sarah and Bringer belong—might acquire the gem and unleash the Sacrifice upon the population, the mayor asks Phaethon to attend the auction and place a bid for the object on his behalf.
The Proxy also knows Hugo, the leader of a phantom thief organization known as "Nightingale," who poses as an art gallery owner. Hugo takes an interest in the siblings and provides them with tickets to an auction. At the auction, the siblings locate the gem, but Hartmann Ravenlock—the current head of the Ravenlock family, who is striving to regain favor with TOPS—outbids them. Suddenly, Hugo appears, steals the gem, and escapes into a Hollow. The Proxy and Lyacon pursue him; it is then revealed that Lyacon is a former member of Nightingale, having left after becoming disillusioned with Hugo’s methods—specifically, Hugo’s decision to break his late master’s vow against killing. Hugo, in turn, accuses Lyacon of betraying Nightingale by accepting work from the Mayor. The two clash, but Hugo ultimately manages to evade Lyacon and escape capture.

After the Proxy informs the Mayor about the events at the auction, they are approached by Vivian—a girl with the ability to foresee deaths and disasters—who offers to help them investigate Bringer’s belongings. They discover a hidden recording revealing that Bringer had witnessed a miracle inside a Hollow, an event that prompted him to join the Exaltists. They also find Bringer’s notebook, which contains a list of locations. The Proxy, Vivian, Hugo, Lyacon, and Anby track one of these locations to the "Ballet Twins" Hollow, where they discover a dormant Sacrifice. However, Hugo betrays the group, having struck a deal with the Ravenlock family to hand over both the gem and the dormant Sacrifice to Hartmann, who is allied with the Exaltists.
Hartmann and Hugo take the latent Sacrifice to the rooftop of the Ballet Twins, where Hugo reveals himself to be the illegitimate son of the former patriarch of Ravenlock. He attempts to kill Hartmann, but Lyacon intervenes. During the duel, Vivian manages to steal the gem from Hugo, but Hugo takes the Proxy hostage, forcing her to return it. When Hugo attempts to kill the Proxy regardless, Lyacon seemingly “kills” him and throws him off the side of the building into the Cavity.

Following the incident, Hartmann, the Sacrifice, and the gem disappear; Lyacon claims he will report the event to the mayor and vows to pursue Hartmann. The Proxy and Vivian return to Random Play, where the siblings allow Vivian to stay. Unbeknownst to them, however, Vivian experiences a vision of “fear, suffering, despair, and destruction” involving Phaethon.

Vivian reveals to Phaethon the secondary locations of the latent Sacrifices in the Valley of the Ballet Twins, but upon investigation, they find that the Sacrifices are already gone. They discover that they were destroyed by an Exaltist named Camille. Vivian admits that she and Camille were once members of the Janus District chapter of the Exaltists, alongside Dina—the daughter of the leader, Landon, and a former friend of Vivian. Vivian eventually had a falling out with the organization after discovering that Landon was using her “blessing” of precognition to select unsuspecting cult members for his experiments with the Aether serum. In the ensuing confrontation, Camille killed Landon in self-defense, and Vivian fled; consequently, Dina blamed Vivian for Landon’s death. Later, Vivian and the Proxy intercept a meeting between Hartmann and Dina, where the stolen core gem is to be handed over. Dina reveals that the gem is a fake and declares her intention to continue Landon’s experiments with the Aether serum, before allowing the Aetherials to ambush them. In the process, they are rescued by Yixuan, a member of the mystical Yunkui Peak sect, who assists the mayor with the investigation; they then return to Random Play to discuss their next steps.
Lyacon reveals that Hartmann—in a desperate, last-ditch effort to regain his waning influence within TOPS—is hosting a banquet at his mansion to assuage the concerns of the Ravenlock family. Vivian and the Proxy use this event to infiltrate the estate, hoping to locate the true core. Hartmann catches them, revealing that the banquet was a trap, but he is stopped by the sudden arrival of Hugo. Hugo explains that, with Lyacon’s help, he had faked his own death at the Ballet Twins to go into hiding and investigate the Ravenlocks' ties to the Exaltists. He discovers that the Ravenlocks had been using desperate employees as test subjects for Dina—who combined her father’s ether serum with a mind-control formula to create "Sacrifices" that would obey human commands—and hands this evidence over to TOPS. TOPS subsequently disavows the Ravenlock family and expels them from the organization. Hugo, for his part, renounces the Ravenlock name and helps the Proxy and Vivian escape the mansion.

Phaethon and Vivian discover the site of Dina’s experiments and rush to stop her and destroy the serum before she can perfect it. Cornered, Camille begs Dina to flee with Vivian; she then takes public responsibility for the incident and sacrifices herself to destroy the final experiment. Reluctant to forgive Vivian or start a new life, Dina injects herself with her own serum, transforming into a powerful Ethereal and attacking both Vivian and the Proxy. Knowing from a previous vision that the Proxy was destined to die in this battle, Vivian injects herself with a stolen vial of Dina’s serum. She uses it to protect the Proxy and defeat Dina, but at the cost of becoming fatally corrupted. As she succumbs to the corruption of the ether, the Proxy’s refusal to let her die unleashes an unknown power that heals Vivian’s corruption—though the exertion leaves them both unconscious.

Upon waking back at Random Play, their brother informs them that both they and Vivian were found unconscious, though Vivian has since recovered. Hugo reveals that the actual core was hidden inside a trinket from the auction—a gift Vivian had given to Phaethon—and agrees to hand it over to the Mayor for safekeeping. Lyacon informs the Phaethon siblings that they appear to possess the power to manipulate ethereal energies, which explains how they managed to reverse Vivian’s corruption. The Mayor introduces Phaethon to Yixuan, who notes similarities between Phaethon’s implants and the procedures used at the Yunkui Summit, and offers to assist in their investigation.

Nicole contacts Phaethon and informs them that Perlman has awakened. The Proxy travels to Blazewood with the Cunning Hares to interrogate him; Perlman reveals that his position as CEO of Vision Corporation was merely a figurehead role, and that his secretary, Sarah, was the one running the company—as well as the mastermind behind the conspiracy involving Vision. It is also revealed that Bringer, the deputy commander of New Eridu Public Security, is her accomplice. Believing that Public Security has been compromised, Nicole reaches out to Section 6—an elite government special operations team—to apprehend Perlman. However, Section 6 also attempts to arrest the Proxy, suspecting them of illegal activities. The Cunning Hares intervene, leading to a confrontation that is interrupted when an unknown third party attacks the group. During the ensuing pursuit, the Proxy’s truck crashes and falls into a Hollow, with Hoshimi Miyabi of Section 6 in close pursuit.

Inside the Hollow, the Proxy helps Miyabi navigate the environment and contain "Tailless"—an entity bound to her sword that nearly overwhelms her—before the Proxy loses consciousness due to Ether exposure. Miyabi rescues the Proxy from the Hollow, but it is discovered that Perlman has been captured by the unknown gunmen who attacked them. Grateful for the assistance, Miyabi allows the Proxy to leave. Upon returning to Random Play, however, Fairy mysteriously shuts down, and the shop is subjected to a surprise search by Public Security—an event that nearly exposes their operations as Phaethon. The search is thwarted at the last moment by the arrival of Zhu Yuan and Qingyi. The siblings reveal their secret identities as Phaethon; although initially dismayed that the siblings hadn't told them sooner, Zhu Yuan and Qingyi agree to help them track down Perlman.
The search leads Phaethon to the Ballet Twins, but after recovering Perlman, they encounter Bringer, who takes Miyabi into custody. Miyabi is brought before Sarah, who reveals that she was the true target of her plans; using the biometric data stolen from Miyabi, Sarah unseals Tailless from her sword and releases it during a public event organized by Bringer. Possessed by Tailless, Miyabi ends up causing a massacre of civilians. The Proxy and Zhu Yuan catch up to Miyabi; as she struggles mentally to maintain control over Tailless, they push her into a Hollow to distance her from innocent bystanders and give her a chance to regain control. Miyabi succeeds in calming Tailless and reclaiming control, but it is revealed that, following the failure of the plan, Bringer is attempting to flee the city.

Bringer is pursued and cornered inside a Hollow, but he summons an entity he calls the “Creator” and injects himself with a serum that transforms him into a massive sacrificial creature (similar to the one that attacked Belobog). Through the combined efforts of the Cunning Hares, Belobog Heavy Industries, New Eridu Public Security, Victoria Housekeeping Co., the Sons of Calydon, Sector 6, and Miyabi—wielding a fully empowered Tailless—Bringer is defeated, though Sarah manages to disappear once again.
Following a brief celebration, Phaethon personally enters the Hollow in secret to confront a dying "Bringer"—a creature whose "Sacrifice" form they recognize as the very one they witnessed capturing Carole Arna during the ancient Eridu Hollow disaster. Realizing that the siblings are the "students of the culprits," the Bringer attempts to kill them in a self-sacrificial attack, but they emerge unharmed, shielded by an unknown power. Later, while revisiting the monument to Old Eridu, Phaethon encounters Miyabi, who reveals that her mother perished in the disaster and that she is determined to track down the person responsible. As a gesture of trust, the Proxy reveals their identity—and that of their sibling—as "Phaethon," explaining their mission to investigate Hollow Zero in order to clear Carole Arna’s name and uncover the true culprit. In response, Miyabi acknowledges that the truth may be more complex than either side realizes, and declares that the siblings are now under the protection of her family.

In the “Periphery”—a desert wasteland surrounding New Eridu—the “Sons of Calydon” biker gang (comprising leader Caesar King, her bodyguard/champion Lighter, second-in-command Luciana "Lucy" de Montefio, trucker Piper Wheel, and waitress Burnice White) discovers an unconscious Perlman amidst the wreckage of an aircraft he had stolen while fleeing the city. Billy, a former associate of the Sons of Calydon, informs the siblings of this discovery and agrees to transport the Proxy to Blazewood. However, while en route, they are ambushed by Lucius—second-in-command of the rival biker gang, the Vanquishers—forcing them to crash into a Hollow.

With the Proxy’s assistance, Billy manages to hold back the Ethereals within the Hollow long enough for the Sons of Calydon to launch a rescue mission; however, the Proxy loses consciousness due to overexposure to the Hollow’s corruption. Upon waking, the Proxy finds that the Sons of Calydon have brought them to Blazewood and summoned the other Phaethon sibling. Caesar informs Phaethon that Perlman remains unconscious, but she agrees to look after him on the condition that they work for the gang as Proxies during the “Tour de Inferno”—a massive motorcycle rally race held within a Hollow. The race concludes at Cinderglow Lake, where the winner secures their victory by casting an explosive “Sparkstone” into the lake. This action clears away the Ether corruption, allowing Cinderglow Lake to continue supplying fuel to the Periphery—thereby keeping the region independent of the Ether-based fuels used in New Eridu. The victor is also declared the de facto ruler of the Periphery, a position currently held by Pompey, the leader of the Vanquishers.
Despite numerous setbacks and acts of sabotage orchestrated by Lucius, the Sons of Calydon—with the help of Phaethon—successfully prepare for the Tour of Inferno. During the race, however, Lucius uses explosives to delay the Sons of Calydon, allowing his own team to reach Cinderglow Lake first. Lucius then betrays Pompey, employing a sabotaged Sparkstone to spike the ambient Ether levels; his goal is to overwhelm Cinderglow with corruption, thereby forcing the Outer Rim to rely on New Eridu’s corporations for fuel. The surge in Ether activity also mutates Pompey into an Ethereal, whom Lucius leaves behind to confront the arriving Sons of Calydon. The group defeats Pompey, and Caesar seemingly sacrifices herself to deliver an intact Sparkstone into the depths of Cinderglow to purge the corruption—though a hidden Hollow fissure allows her to escape back to the surface. With Cinderglow Lake successfully cleansed and Lucius having fled, the Sons of Calydon are declared the victors and the new rulers of the Outer Rim.

On their way back to the city, the siblings make a detour to an old monument overlooking the ruins of the original city of Eridu. After paying their respects, they reveal that they were the students and adopted children of “Carole Arna”—a former professor at the Hollow Institute who was blamed for the incident that destroyed the old city and created “Hollow Zero.” Believing her to be innocent, the siblings reaffirm their commitment to investigating the Hollow disaster themselves, determined to uncover the true circumstances behind the destruction of the ancient city.

Following the Vision Corporation scandal, Nicole and the Cunning Hares intend to represent the survivors in the upcoming trial against Perlman. Knowing that Sarah plans to make him the scapegoat for the entire affair, Perlman threatens to blackmail Sarah with information regarding her own involvement, demanding that she help him escape in exchange for his silence.

As the Cunning Hares prepare for the trial, Nicole turns to Phaethon to investigate the disappearance of Rain—a hacker friend of hers who vanished shortly before—as Nicole has been receiving strange messages from Rain’s phone that might be a cry for help. The investigation by Phaethon and the Hares leads them to the "Ballet Twins," a pair of massive skyscrapers partially consumed by an encroaching Hollow. There, they encounter the Victoria Housekeeping Co., led by the white wolf Thiren Von Lycaon; the group has been tasked by an anonymous employer with maintaining the Twins and keeping intruders at bay. While Nicole and the Cunning Hares are summoned to board the airship that will transport them—along with Perlman—to the courthouse, the Victoria Housekeeping Co. agrees to assist the Proxy in their ongoing search for Rain. The search leads the Proxy and Victoria Housekeeping Co. to a higher level—near the Ballet Twins—toward the tops of buildings exposed above the Hollows. They receive a distress call from Billy, who informs the Proxy that sleeping gas has been released aboard the airship, knocking everyone unconscious; meanwhile, an unknown party is remotely controlling the vessel, steering it toward the Ballet Twins. As the Proxy and the Victoria Housekeeping team race to the top, they encounter armed mercenaries—the same group responsible for both Rain’s kidnapping and the remote hijacking of the airship. The mercenaries intend to kill everyone on board by forcing Rain to take control of the craft and crash it into the Hollow. After rescuing Rain from her captors, Lyacon manages to leap onto the airship, regain control, land it safely on the rooftop, and evacuate the passengers. However, once he regains consciousness, Perlman—realizing that the mercenaries were hired by Sarah to eliminate him as a "loose end" rather than to secure his freedom—sneaks back onto the airship, steals it, and pilots it away from New Eridu.

Following the resolution of the incident, Victoria Housekeeping Co. tracks Phaethon to Random Play—unbeknownst to the siblings—and discovers their true identities. Nevertheless, their employer orders them to take no action against the pair, asserting that Phaethon could prove to be a potential ally in the future.

Phaethon receives a commission request from Belobog Heavy Industries, a construction firm led by Koleda Belobog that specializes in construction and demolition projects both inside and outside the Hollows. Despite taking over construction projects from Vision Corporation following that company’s collapse in the wake of a scandal, Belobog is struggling with financial and reputational issues—compounded by rumors that Kohrs Belobog, Koleda’s father and the previous owner, vanished after embezzling company funds during the Hollow Incident that swallowed Old Eridu. After the Proxy visits Belobog’s main construction site, Koleda explains that their commission is to help the company locate three of its automated construction machines—designed specifically for work within the Hollows—which have gone rogue and disappeared inside one of the Hollows. After subduing the machines, it is revealed that, shortly before losing control, they had received an encrypted transmission from deep within the Hollow—purportedly from Kohrs himself—and were attempting to communicate with him. Belobog, accompanied by the Proxy, investigates and discovers that the source of the transmission is a prototype-construction machine designed by Kohrs—who had used Belobog’s funds to complete it, rather than embezzling them for personal gain—which was supporting the remains of a damaged monument. As they attempt to retrieve the prototype, the monument gives way, revealing an unknown creature that merges with Belobog’s machines and attacks the group. With Koleda operating the prototype, Belobog and the Proxy manage to defeat the creature, and its remains are taken into custody by Public Security and Deputy Commander Justin Bringer.

Some time after Public Security secures the creature’s remains, the Proxy befriends Zhu Yuan and Qingyi—two Public Security officers who had accompanied Commander Bringer after rescuing the Proxy from a car accident caused by an EMP. With the Proxy’s assistance, the officers discover that the recent EMP attacks in the city are part of a covert plot to steal the creature’s remains before they can reach the headquarters of HAND (Hollow Affairs and Neutralization Department). Although Zhu Yuan and Qingyi set off alone to stop the criminals, the Proxy decides to provide secret assistance—without revealing their own identity—by using Eous to help the officers escape after they fall into a trap. Afterwards, Koleda discovers a recording captured by the prototype, which reveals that Kohrs was using the machine to prevent the monument from collapsing and to contain the creature, but he was killed by an unknown person. However, before dying, he manages to get his attacker to reveal the creature's name: Sacrifice.

Phaethon is contacted by a feline Thiren named Nekomata, who informs them that the Cunning Hares are trapped within the blast zone of a demolition project led by Vision Corporation—an initiative aimed at clearing out abandoned sections of Old Eridu’s subway lines to facilitate the city’s expansion. According to Nekomata, Nicole had accepted a job from her to recover a “family heirloom” from the Red Fang gang—the very same group that had originally stolen the safe containing Fairy from the Hollow Research Institute. Their search led them to “Dead End Hollow,” a vast Hollow located within New Eridu’s old subway system. This area is controlled by a large and formidable Ethereal known as the Dead End Butcher, and it is through this space that Vision Corporation intends to send an unmanned, explosives-laden train as part of its demolition plans.
The Proxy temporarily halts the train, but it is revealed that the supposedly “unmanned” train is actually full of armed men disguised as Public Security officers. While searching Dead End Hollow, the Cunning Hares stumble upon a large community of survivors living in the supposedly “abandoned” subway ruins; they realize that Vision—which is also aware of this population—intends to kill them to keep their presence hidden from the rest of the city. With the help of the Proxy and Nekomata, the Cunning Hares successfully evacuate the civilians through Dead End Hollow (defeating the Dead End Butcher in the process) and capture Vision CEO Charles Perlman, intending to use him as a hostage to force Vision to abandon its demolition plans. Perlman’s secretary, Sarah, is revealed to be the mastermind behind the scheme and orders her armed men to kill both the civilians and the Cunning Hares; however, Public Security—acting on an anonymous tip from Phaethon—arrives at the scene. Although Sarah manages to escape, Perlman is arrested, and the Vision Corporation becomes embroiled in a massive scandal. It is later revealed that Nekomata’s request to recover her “relic” was a fabrication; she had once been raised by Miguel Silver, the leader of the Red Fang gang—whom the Cunning Hares were forced to kill in self-defense after he became corrupted into an Ethereal during his own mission to retrieve the safe. Nekomata had intended to lead them to their deaths in Dead End Hollow as an act of revenge, but upon realizing the virtue of the Hares and the circumstances surrounding Miguel’s death, she changed her mind and decided to join them instead. Nicole also reveals that Miguel had been contacted by an “unknown party” to steal the safe in the first place.

Anby Demara and Billy Kid, two agents from the organization “Gentle House” (also known as the “Cunning Hares”), end up inside a Hollow during a mission to recover a safe—stolen from the Hollow Research Institute by a local gang of thugs. Their leader, Nicole Demara, contacts Phaethon to locate the two agents and escort them out of the Hollow; however, the safe is lost in the process following an attack by a powerful Ethereal.

Nicole hires Phaethon to help them retrieve the safe. During the mission, however, Phaethon’s Hollow Deep Dive (HDD) system is hacked by an unknown assailant, who holds the system—and by extension, the safety of the Cunning Hares, who remain trapped within the Hollow—hostage in exchange for information regarding the contents of the safe. Phaethon sends their primary account information to the local authorities to force the hacker out, but in doing so, they lose their navigation data, leaving them with no way to extract the Cunning Hares from the Hollow. In a desperate move, the Proxy uploads the data contained within the safe to their Bangboo avatar, Eous, but the process causes them to lose consciousness.

While unconscious, they are compelled by an entity to enter into a “contract.” Upon waking, it is revealed that the entity is a powerful artificial intelligence named “Fairy,” which has installed itself onto Phaethon’s hard drive.

The player assumes the role of a “Proxy”—either Belle or Wise, depending on the player’s choice—one half of a sibling duo collectively known as the legendary “Phaethon.” They operate a video rental store called "Random Play" as a front for their covert activities as Proxies—individuals who assist agents raiding Hollows by helping them navigate the dangerous and ever-changing landscape within these zones. To do this, Phaethon utilizes a "Hollow Deep Dive" (HDD) system, which allows them to project their consciousness in real time into a small, rabbit-like robot known as a "Bangboo." This stands in contrast to other publicly available Hollow-observation systems, which suffer from significant time delays in the transmission of information to and from a Hollow. Since operating as a Proxy without authorization from the New Eridu Public Security is illegal, the twins use Random Play as a legitimate cover while carrying out assignments in various Hollows both inside and outside of New Eridu. However, their work as Proxies is secondary to their investigation into “Hollow Zero”—the oldest and largest Hollow, located at the site of the original city of New Eridu, which was destroyed in a massive Hollow disaster approximately 15 years prior to the events of the game.

Zenless Zone Zero is set in the fictional, post-apocalyptic metropolis of New Eridu. Modern civilization has been destroyed by a supernatural disaster known as the “Hollows.” These emerge exponentially out of nowhere, creating chaotic dimensions inhabited by mysterious monsters dubbed “Ethereals.” New Eridu—the last urban civilization to survive the apocalypse—has managed to thrive by acquiring the technology to extract valuable resources from the Hollows.
As New Eridu transformed into a miraculous city, drawing in more resettled residents, it also saw the commencement of large-scale exploration of the Hollows to fuel its perpetual expansion. Under the city’s administration, the Hollows were subsequently industrialized and monetized—a process that gradually fueled mounting tension among monopolistic corporations, gangs, conspirators, and zealots. Despite its futuristic setting, Zenless Zone Zero features a retro aesthetic—a choice explained by the idea that modern technology is susceptible to corruption by the game’s primary antagonists, the Ethereals. Characters can be seen using flip phones or devices reminiscent of models from the 2000s and 2010s. The two main protagonists operate out of a video store (known as "Random Play"), where the citizens of New Eridu can rent VHS tapes. CRT televisions, evocative of those from the early 1980s and 1990s, are a common sight throughout the game. There are also references to 1990s media, alongside grunge and street-style aesthetics found all across New Eridu.

Zenless Zone Zero is an urban fantasy action role-playing game developed by miHoYo. It was published by miHoYo in mainland China and by HoYoverse globally for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, and PlayStation 5 platforms. It was released on July 4, 2024. A version for Xbox Series X|S was subsequently released on June 6, 2025.

The game takes place in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic haven known as New Eridu. Entities known as "Ethereals" traveled to the human world through portals called "Hollows," wreaking havoc and annihilating most of the population. However, a group of survivors established a stronghold against them, having survived the onslaught by salvaging technology and resources from the invaders.

The game features monetization in the form of a gacha system.