Summary
Zeon, known as Zeno in the English adaptation, is a mamono who physically resembles Gash Bell, distinguished only by his paler skin tone and purple eyes. While he utilizes the same spells as his brother, they are significantly more potent. Unlike Gash, Zeon retains full consciousness and awareness while casting these abilities. He possesses a magical cloak that can shield both him and his bookkeeper from danger and teleport them to different locations. Zeon is characterized by his immense power, malevolence, and deep-seated hatred for humans, though his primary animosity is directed toward Gash. His bookkeeper is Dufaux, called Dufort in the English version. He is an extremely quiet and reserved individual who appears almost devoid of emotion and possesses psychic abilities. Zeon is revealed to be Gash’s twin brother and the architect of Gash’s amnesia. Their father is the king of the Makai, an electric elemental who held the ultimate power known as Baou. This power was inherited by Gash, causing his parents to fear what would happen when it awakened and inciting jealousy in Zeon. To protect them, Gash was sent away to live as a commoner, where he endured near-servitude under his foster mother and constant teasing from classmates at a private school. Meanwhile, Zeon underwent harsh military training. Upon learning of his brother and the Baou power, Zeon grew resentful, believing Gash would wield his father’s ultimate ability without understanding its implications. During the Mamono Fight, Zeon prepared thoroughly, training his body and studying artifacts to aid him in the human world. Before entering the Mamono Fight, Zeon acted to ensure his own victory and his brother’s misery. After finding his bookkeeper, he tracked Gash to a forest in England, where Gash was living peacefully with local animals. Without revealing his identity, Zeon brutally attacked Gash, using physical force and his own spells to defeat him. Rather than burning Gash’s book, which would have sent him home to the Makai, Zeon removed his memories, forcing him to wander the human world alone and friendless. Gash was later found by Seitaro Takamine, who sent him to Japan so Seitaro’s son, Kiyomaro, could investigate Gash’s origins and benefit from the experience. Zeon became fascinated by the Faudo Tower upon its arrival in the human world, having researched its locked-away power in his home libraries. After extensive preparation, he manipulated Kiyomaro and Gash toward the tower using a doll-like emissary to warn of impending danger. Although he used his brother to help awaken the tower for Riou, this served Zeon’s own ambitions. Once Faudo was resurrected, Zeon challenged Riou, crushing him, sending him back, and taking control of his control jewel. While maintaining Faudo’s original mission to destroy Japan, Zeon awakened the beast’s full capabilities, reviving guardians and upgrading many mamono previously under Riou’s command. This created a series of difficult challenges for the remaining mamono as they ascended the tower to face Zeon and Dufaux. Zeon’s book is burned by Gash, though the circumstances differ between the manga and anime; in both versions, it results from a struggle between Gash’s Bao Zakeruga and Zeon’s Jigaridasu Uruzakeruga. In the anime, Zeon remains resentful until the end, breaking the Faudo control jewel out of spite. In the manga, Zeon realizes Gash had a similarly difficult childhood and regrets his actions. The jewel breaks due to the strain of their battle. Recognizing that their father’s original power was divided between the twins, Zeon transfers his power to Gash to complete the Bao, helping to defeat Faudo. In the original Japanese version, Zeon is voiced by Urara Takano. In the VIZ Media dub, Zeno is voiced by Debi Derryberry, who also voices Gash.
