Louise Camford

Louise Camford
Camford as she appears in Chaotic Century.
Appearances	Battle Story Zoids: Chaotic Century Zoids: Guardian Force
Debut	Battle Story Episode 16 - New Helic City (anime)
Affiliation	Zenebas Empire (OJR Battle Story) Helic Republic
Age
Primary Zoids	None
Japanese Name	Gara Takashima
Voice Actors	Michelle Armeneau (eng dub)

President Louise Camford (ルイーズ・テレサ・キャムフォード) is a fictional character from Zoids: Chaotic Century and Zoids: Guardian Force. She is the leader of the Helic Republic, both in the anime and for part of the Battle Story.

Overview

Camford, perhaps best known as President Camford and the leader of the Helic Republic, appears in the anime, manga, and Battle Story — the former as Louise Theresa Camford, and the latter as Louise Elena Camford, a reference to her past identity.

Battle Story

Elena was carefully raised by her father, Zenebas Muroa (the man who started the empire of the same name)—she was, at the time, the only heir, as Gunther Prozen was yet to be born. She planned—along with her childhood friend, Störmer—to rebuild the Empire, no doubt as something more stable and peaceful than the doomed nation it was at the time.

Facing defeat in front of Mad Thunder and the Republic army, Zenebas enlisted the help of the Dark Army a second time. Guylos betrayed him instead, taking the Empire's troops back to Nyx—along with Elena, who he used as a convenient hostage to force Störmer and the rest of the Zenebas soldiers to work for him more willingly. Elena survived, however, through both captivity and the meteor disaster of ZAC 2056. Found by Helic during the ensuing chaos and brought back to the Central Continent, she attempted to assist in peace talks. However, she ended up hiding her past and running the Republic as Louise Elena Camford, likely because neither the Republic or Guylos lot would have trusted an open Zenebas heir in charge.

For many years, she rebuilt and held peace over the Central Continent, until in ZAC 2099 when Prozen—her half brother, though he was unaware of such—started war between the Republic and the Guylos Empire as part of his own plan to revive the Zenebas Empire. Not knowing he was fighting his own aunt, Wolff laid siege to the Republic capital city. Camford, refusing to surrender, attempted to escape in a Saberlion piloted by Tommy Paris. She disappeared mid-battle, and was presumed dead thereafter. Her son, Rob Herman, appears to have helped take over running the army in her place, and the Republic would eventually mount a counterattack.

Anime

Anime Concept Art

Chaotic Century

During her animated debut, Camford was known only for her leadership in the Republic. While she knew individuals in the Empire, no family ties to the Guylos Empire are ever mentioned. Her transport Zoid of choice was a special Hammerhead.

Guardian Force

President Camford makes a brief appearance in Guardian Force.

Manga

Persident Louise Theresa Campford (as it is written) appears in the Chaotic Century manga. She is seen in the city of Mule, attempting to ease intense political friction that was threatening to ignite into full-scale war.

Video Games

In Zoids Tactics Camford plays a similar role to that of the Battle Story (as the game roughly follows the NJR story) though her past involving the Zenabas Empire is unknown.

Personality

Battle Story

As Elena, Camford was described as intelligent and determined—if a bit selfish and emotional. In the Zoids Graphics version of events, her best childhood friend was Störmer, one of the emperor's bodyguards. They appear to have both planned to revive the Zenebas Empire as something better than what Zenebas himself had turned it into.

The Empire's collapse, her kidnapping, and the disasters on Zi left Camford still determined and out to rebuild—though now as the Helic President. She continually seeks peaceful solutions to the continent's conflicts, repeatedly offering Prozen a ceasefire...yet refusing to surrender, unlike her anime counterpart, who seemed more willing to accept his terms so long as the civilians involved remained safe.

Ability as a Zoid Pilot

Camford does not appear to have ever piloted Zoids in combat.

Relationships

Like all characters, Camford as her own relationships:

Battle Story

Rob Herman: In the anime, Herman's father is mentioned as the passing President. As Battle Story Camford took over for Helic, Herman's origins there (as well as the source of his differing surname) are even more unknown.

Störmer: Störmer was Camford's childhood friend, with whom she planned to rebuild the Zenebas Empire. Once she was captured and held hostage by Guylos, Störmer felt he had to work with the Guylos Empire in order to ensure her safety.

Anime

Rob Herman: Though Camford tries to treat him as she would any other soldier while they are talking face-to-face, she cares immensely for the well-being of her son. She seems to think that Herman inherited his father's strength of character, as she noted in episode 27 of Guardian Force.

Van Flyheight: Camford sees a lot of potential in Van and his ability as a Zoid pilot. Though the two don't directly interact that much, Van begins to respect her more as the series goes on, as he rudely referred to her as "Grandma" during their first meeting in episode 16 of Chaotic Century.

Michelle: As Camford's assistant, Michelle is always at her side. She displays undying devotion to the President, and often performs tasks such as ensuring her safety, and overseeing projects such as the evacuation of New Helic City during the later episodes of Guardian Force.

Dr. D: Dr. D and Camford appear to be old friends and appeared to have been her guardian early in life, acquainted long before the start of the Chaotic Century series. She was appalled upon seeing him behind bars together with Van and company, and immediately cooperated to release them.

References

Characters in Zoids media

Anime Characters

Zoids: Chaotic Century (GF indicates a character who debuts in Guardian Force)

Zoids: New Century

Zoids: Fuzors

Zoids: Genesis

Zoids: Wild

Zoids: Wild ZERO

Video Game Characters

Zoids VS series

Zoids Saga series

Zoids: Full Metal Crash

Liger Zero: Mythical Silver Beast

Zoids Infinity series

Canon • Chact Spect • Lance • Zalka Torres

Battle Story Characters