Energy Liger

The Energy Liger is a Lion-type Zoid, one of over 200 species of biomechanical lifeforms depicted by TOMY's Zoids model, toy, and media franchise.

Based on the Liger Zero, the Energy Liger was first released in 2003, and the Zoid plays a significant role in the late Battle Story, one in particular playing a role in the conclusion of the New Battle Story as the personal Zoid of Neo-Zenebas Emperor Wolff Muroa. The Energy Liger also appears in the Zoids: Fuzors anime, and is believed by the characters to be the Legendary Alpha Zoid, the pursuit of which forms a subplot for most of the series. It also remains the only Liger Zoid that served as a "villain" zoid in the anime.

Overview
The Energy Liger is a Lion-type Zoid, created by the Neo-Zenebas Empire. It was developed from the same wild Zoid type as the Liger Zero.

The Energy Liger is unusual, in that it uses a special power source for its weapons and other systems. The Zoid has a unique “Energy Charger” system built into its back. The Energy Charger feeds off the Energy Liger’s core power system and amplifies its output, producing tachyon particles that in turn power its weapons and movement systems. This gives the Energy Liger far greater speed and firepower than comparably sized Zoids.

The Energy Liger’s primary weapons, a twin-barrelled beam cannon and an eight-barrelled Gatling gun, are both powered by the Energy Charger. As a result, the weapons are very powerful and deal tremendous damage. The Energy Liger has a pair of wings, also powered by the Energy Charger, that provide the Zoid with limited flight capability, along with the ability to cut through opponents.

Battle Story appearances
The Energy Liger's origins lie in the Liger Zero X used by the Neo-Zenebas Empire during their coup in ZAC 2101. Based on the technology from the Zero X, the Energy Liger improved upon the earlier Zoid in every way. The Energy Liger first appeared in ZAC 2108, being used by the Neo-Zenebas Empire to help protect Seismosaurus against Gairyuki and Liger Zero Phoenix. In combat, the Zoid proved to be superior to its predecessor; the sudden unexpected appearance of the Energy Liger resulted in the decimation of the Helic Forces, delaying their plans for retaking their homeland.

A year later in ZAC 2109, the Helic Republic attempted to retake their capital from the Zenebas forces. The Neo-Zenebas Emperor, Wolff Muroa, lead the counter attack from his own Energy Liger, which had been modified to have a higher engine output than a normal example of the Zoid. Again, the Energy Ligers proved to be superior to the Republic's Liger Zeroes; decimating the Helic Forces and preventing the Gairyuki units from destroying the Seismosaurus. Only the arrival of the Jet Falcon (ironically originally designed as a Fuzor partner for the Energy Liger) allowed the Republic to salvage their assault.

While the counter was largely successful, during the battle, the Energy Charger on Muroa's modified Zoid was damaged, threatening to explode in a detonation that would have wiped out the Republican capital and both armies. Republican hero Ray Gregg, piloting a Liger Zero Falcon, was able to link up with the Energy Liger and siphon off the excess energy.

Anime
The Energy Liger appeared solely in the Zoids: Fuzors anime, first appearing in episode 13, during a battle between Mach Storm and Savage Hammer. The Energy Liger effortlessly destroyed Savage Hammer’s Buster Fury and Matrix Dragon without warning, and damaged Liger Zero Phoenix before running off. Nobody could identify the Zoid, but RD believed that the Energy Liger was the legendary Alpha Zoid. The Zoid is not named as the "Energy Liger" until episode 14.

The Energy Liger appeared several more times, saving RD on several occasions, while launching seemingly random attacks at other times. Each time, the Zoid ran off, disappearing just as abruptly as it appeared. The Energy Liger was revelled to be piloted by Dr Pierce. In episode 24, the Energy Liger is shown to fuse with the Ray Kong to form the Energy Ray Liger. It is here that Pierce reveals that he wants the Liger Zero "Out of the picture", which apparently contradicts the point in having the Energy Liger save RD so many times. At the end of this fight, RD and Blake defeat the Energy Liger, however the Evo Flyer appears to be written off during this battle.

The opening animation from the English language version of Fuzors from episode 20 onwards depicts a sequence of the Energy Liger running alongside the Liger Zero Falcon, its energy charger connecting to the Falcon’s body. This scene never occurred in either version of Fuzors, but this may be a tribute to the events of the Battle Story. In episode 25 Alpha called it the Energy Liger Zero, maybe because of the fact that in Battle Story it was based on Liger Zero X. More probably, this is due to the inconsistent naming of Zoids throughout the entire Fuzors Anime. Similar to how Blake calls his Gairyuki by the name Gairyuki Fury, and even calls a genosaurer a Gairyuki.