Liger Zero Panzer

Liger Zero Panzer
CGI model of the Liger Zero Panzer
CP-21 Lion Type Helic Republic
Crew	1
Weight	145 tons
Depth	23.3 m
Height	9.7 m
Maximum Speed	285 km/h
Weapons	Laser Fangs, Strike Laser Claws (4), Hybrid Cannon (2) consisting of AZ 216 mm Railgun and AZ 108 mm Beam Gun, AZ6 Twin Missile Pods (4), AZ3 Twin Micro-Homing Missile Pod (2), AZ2 Twin Micro-Homing Missile Pod (2), AZ2 Twin Missile (4), Vulcan Pod (2), AZ3 Grenade Launcher
Equipment	Changing Armour System (CAS), Multi-Blade Antenna (2), Aero fairing (4), Head Armour

The third CAS for the Liger Zero (in both the anime and models), the CP-21 Liger Zero Panzer (ライガーゼロパンツァー, Raigā Zero Pantsuā) is specifically designed to be a heavy-artillery Zoid. It has a great number of missiles, as well as two powerful "Hybrid Cannons", and is wrapped in thick armor that offers much more protection than the basic armor does. However, this comes at a cost, as the Zoid is not as agile as it would if it were to mount the other CAS units.

"Panzer" is German for "tank" or "armor".

Release Details

As one of the Customize Parts, the model was released in 2000, with production continuing until about 2003.

In Korea, the Panzer CAS was released by Academy, and sold boxed along with the base Liger Zero. The Korean version of this Zoid was produced in limited numbers and is somewhat expensive and hard to come by.

A chrome version was released by TOMY in limited numbers.

In July 2012, Kotobukiya released a 1/72 scale kit of the Liger Zero Panzer as the 32nd entry in the Highend Master Model line for 7,300 Japanese Yen. In May 2019, Kotobukiya reissued the HMM Liger Zero Panzer as the Liger Zero Panzer Marking Plus Ver. for 8,400 Japanese Yen.

Battle Story

Introduced in ZAC 2101, the Panzer proved to be the most effective of the Zero CAS units. The Zoid was employed against the swarms of Eisen Dragoon attack Zoids, using its missiles to decimate whole formations at once.

Anime

In New Century, the Liger Zero Panzer was the final, and the least used, of the three CAS units. This was because, the anime greatly exaggerates the weight of the armor: in the Battle Story, the Panzer was capable of moving at a respectable 285 km/h, while in New Century, the Panzer is nearly immobilized by the armor's mass. Furthermore, it caused the Liger's systems to overload and generate excessive quantities of heat. This meant that it was a unit that could potentially inflict permanent damage to the Liger. The Hybrid Cannons are also portrayed as being a pair of single, extremely powerful beam cannons. The Panzer was eventually deployed against the Elephander in the Blitz Team's third encounter with the Zoid. It was not only able to effortlessly withstand the Elephander's AG unit's missile attacks, but it was also able to shatter the Energy Shield that had previously shattered the Schneider's blades. However, it did not actually defeat the Elephander, and shut down from the excessive strain that using the Panzer's weapons put on the Liger. It was only when the Backdraft showed up that the Zoid rebooted itself, unleashing a missile barrage (called the Burning Big Bang) that annihilated the Backdraft's unmanned Zabats. Apart from in minor roles, the next appearance of the Panzer would be against the Berserk Fury, as Bit had damaged the other two CAS units in prior episodes. It would be unable to penetrate the Fury's shield, but would help destroy a falling Judge Satellite with its missile barrage (which Bit erroneously calls a Megabomb). As this missile barrage caused the Panzer to spontaneously overheat, it was ejected, and the Liger Zero's basic armor was used for the remainder of the battle.

Manga

The Panzer appears in the last chapter of the New Century manga. Unlike the anime, the Panzer is ejected from the top of the Hover Cargo, and was mobile enough to evade oncoming fire. Bit used the "Burning Big Bang" to prevent falling debris from crushing the Hover Cargo. He was forced to jettison the Panzer armour after that attack.

Video Games

The missile bombardment of Liger Zero Panzer is called "Full Burst" in video games such as Zoids VS where it is an EX attack.

Gallery

Actual CP-21 on a Liger Zero

Liger Zero Panzer HMM

HMM Liger Zero Panzer