No Game No Life: Zero

No Game No Life: Zero

Year: 2017

Runtime: 106 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Atsuko Ishizuka

AnimationAdventureFantasyRomanceDrama

Long before Sora and Shiro's time, Disboard was ravaged by war, a conflict threatening to extinguish humanity. A young man named Riku rises to lead the people toward a brighter future amidst the devastation. While exploring the ruins of an Elf city, he encounters Schwi, an exiled android known as "Ex Machina." She requests Riku teach her about the essence of the human heart, embarking them on an unexpected journey of discovery and connection.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – No Game No Life: Zero (2017)

Explore the full timeline and setting of No Game No Life: Zero (2017). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day and 6,000 years ago during the Great War

The film shifts between two eras: a present-day frame with chess-like stakes between Izuna and Tet, and a distant past about six thousand years ago during the Great War. In that era, Riku leads humanity's last stronghold as the world collapses under magical and mechanical forces. The Suniaster becomes the ultimate objective, steering events toward a fate decided by strategy rather than sheer force. The juxtaposition suggests history may repeat itself in new forms.

Location

Ruined Elvish Hideout, Human Colony, World of the Suniaster War

The past narrative unfolds around a ruined Elvish hideout and a dwindling human colony amid a world torn by war. Riku and Corounne lead humanity against the Old Deus and rival races vying for the Suniaster, a device that could redefine power. The present frames hint at a larger cosmos where games and destiny shape the fate of civilizations.

🏚️ Post-apocalyptic 🗺️ Fantasy world ⚔️ Multi-race conflict

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:33

Main Characters – No Game No Life: Zero (2017)

Meet the key characters of No Game No Life: Zero (2017), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Schwi Dola (Ai Kayano)

An Ex-Machina whose strict logical training clashes with human emotion. She challenges Riku's worldview and learns about the complexity of the human heart. Her bond with Riku evolves into a powerful partnership, and she ultimately sacrifices much of herself to save the plan. Her arc centers on empathy, sacrifice, and the limits of machine rationality.

🤖 Ex-Machina 💔 Trauma 🤝 Alliance

Riku Dola (Yoshitsugu Matsuoka)

Leader of humanity's last colony, he is driven by survival but haunted by the deaths around him. He plans a radical strategy to pit races against each other, yet his partnership with Shuvi reveals a capacity for empathy and self-reflection. His arc culminates in choosing a path that transcends war, even at personal cost.

🧭 Leader ⚔️ Strategy 😨 Guilt

Couronne / Stephanie (Yoko Hikasa)

A descendant linked to Corounne, she embodies the connection between past and present. Her lineage carries the weight of a world-saving plan and the clues to a future where games guide destiny. She serves as a bridge between generations, hinting at the persistence of history.

🌟 Legacy 🧭 Ancestry 🤝 Bridge

Jibril (Yukari Tamura)

A powerful being from one of the beholden races who clashes with Shuvi in a brutal confrontation. She embodies the strength and danger of the otherworldly factions in the Great War. Her actions catalyze Shuvi's sacrifice and highlight the tensions between different civilizations.

🗡️ Combat 👑 Racial Tension 💥 Power

Teto (Rie Kugimiya)

A presence in the present timeline who joins Izuna in chess-like exploration of fate. As a compact, enigmatic figure, Teto embodies the cosmos' game-like nature and acts as a catalyst for the story's meta-questions about destiny.

🕹️ God ✨ Cosmic 🧠 Intellect

Izuna Hatsuse (Miyuki Sawashiro)

A character present in the present-day frame who recognizes the echoes of Shuvi and Riku in Shiro and Sora. Her perception frames the larger theme of rebirth and the cyclic nature of history. She serves as a witness to the saga's cross-generational threads.

👁️ Observation 🕰️ Time Link 🤝 Witness

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:33

Major Themes – No Game No Life: Zero (2017)

Explore the central themes of No Game No Life: Zero (2017), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎲 Play

The story centers on redirecting war into games, using chess-like moves to chip away at empire-building and enemy alliances. Shuvi and Riku manipulate competing factions to exhaust each other rather than annihilate one another. The Suniaster is framed as a prize to be earned through intellect and planning, not bloodshed. Ultimately, the film argues that strategic play can govern fate as effectively as violence.

💭 Guilt

Shuvi's awakening forces Riku to confront the deaths caused by his choices, grounding the fantasy in moral consequence. Their partnership deepens as they share trauma and learn to see beyond numbers and hive minds. The narrative treats memory and remorse as catalysts for empathy, growth, and leadership. This theme showing how guilt can drive humanity toward wiser decisions.

🌀 Legacy

Izuna notes the parallels between Shuvi and Riku and Shiro and Sora, implying reincarnation or enduring legacy across generations. Couronne's descendant carries relics that link past and present, hinting at a continuing cycle of consequence and rebirth. The Suniaster's appearance suggests history is reset not by conquest but by a shared, game-like destiny. The movie frames destiny as a perpetual game whose players reshape the world.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:33

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Epic Tragic Romances like No Game No Life: Zero

Heartbreaking love stories that blossom during war or between opposing forces.If the heartbreaking yet beautiful love story between Riku and Schwi in No Game No Life: Zero resonated with you, explore these other movies. They feature similarly profound romances that bloom amidst war or impossible circumstances, leaving a lasting emotional impact.

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Narrative Summary

This thread groups stories where a central, deeply felt romance develops between characters on opposite sides of a major conflict, such as a war or a fundamental species divide. The relationship often becomes a symbol of hope and a catalyst for change, but its resolution is typically bittersweet or tragic, involving significant sacrifice for a greater good.

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Movies in this thread are united by their focus on a love story that is both epic in scale and tragic in outcome. They share a heavy emotional weight, a bittersweet tone, and the theme of love transcending boundaries to ultimately enable peace or salvation at a great personal cost.

War-torn Survival Stories like No Game No Life: Zero

Stories of desperate struggle where bonds of family offer a glimmer of hope.For viewers who appreciated the epic scale of the Great War and the desperate fight for humanity's survival in No Game No Life: Zero, this collection features similar narratives. Discover more movies about apocalyptic conflicts where hope is found in the bonds of a newfound family.

war-tornapocalyptichopefuldesperateepicfound familysacrificial

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a large-scale, existential war that serves as the backdrop for a more intimate story. The protagonist, often a reluctant leader, fights for the survival of their people. The emotional journey is defined by forming deep, familial bonds with fellow survivors or unexpected allies, providing a personal stake and a source of hope within the overwhelming despair of war.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared setting of a devastating war and their core theme of hope persisting through found family connections. They typically feature high intensity, a steady pacing that balances epic action with character moments, and a tone that blends bleakness with determination.

Unlock the Full Story of No Game No Life: Zero

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No Game No Life: Zero Summary

Read a complete plot summary of No Game No Life: Zero, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

No Game No Life: Zero Summary

No Game No Life: Zero Timeline

Track the full timeline of No Game No Life: Zero with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

No Game No Life: Zero Timeline

No Game No Life: Zero Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of No Game No Life: Zero that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

No Game No Life: Zero Spoiler-Free Summary

More About No Game No Life: Zero

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