Human Kingdom

Lore & Background

In the Great War, the Old Deus fought for control of the Suniaster, a conceptual device that would make the holder the One True God. The conflict pitted the sentient races against each other and effectively destroyed the world. Humankind, unable to use magic, was driven to the brink of extinction. Riku, the leader of humanity's last colony, allows another companion to die in a Flügel attack (by Azril) while sourcing for information; the death, along with all the others that have come before, plagues him with nightmares and guilt. The colony he leads finds itself on the verge of annihilation, with their leader unstable, their numbers dropping, and the battles that endanger their lives becoming more frequent and drawing ever closer. Delving into a ruined Elvish hideout, Riku stumbles upon an Ex-Machina unit that had been independently observing humans before its unit was destroyed, its primary motivation being to gather data. Initially hesitant to help her, Riku eagerly accepts when she challenges him to a game of chess. He loses, and they agree to cooperate, allowing him to take advantage of her logical prowess and letting her stay with him to continue her data collection. Riku names her Shuvi based on the word 'Schwarzer' (German for 'black') which he hears in her designation, though her appearance is that of a silver-haired android, not black-haired.

In Their Own Story

Riku and Shuvi devise a plan to manipulate the stronger races into fighting and using their strongest weapons against each other, utilizing the power generated from the spirit circuit of all races and using Shuvi's machinery to shift its direction. They plan to break into the core of the planet and take the Suniaster for their own. Riku proposes to Shuvi, despite the differences in their races and the latter having previously destroyed the former's last home. When the plan begins to destroy his body, Shuvi decides to acquire the Suniaster herself to save his life; in the process, she crosses paths with Jibril. A vicious battle ensues and Shuvi is mortally damaged, but she completes the last step of the plan by reconnecting with the Ex-Machina hive-mind and employing them to aid Riku. Shuvi uses the last of her energy to protect Riku's wedding ring as Jibril destroys the rest of her body. Devastated by Shuvi's death, Riku forces himself to complete the plan. The forces of the other races and the Old Deus assemble and fight one last battle; after the energy from their weapons pierces the planet's core, the Suniaster appears before Riku, but his arm dissolves as he reaches for it, the device having rejected him. He prays aloud to a God of Games, which he used to play with as a child, to take the Suniaster and end the war in his place. Tet, having manifested from Riku's imagination, grants his wish as Riku dies and takes the Suniaster; he uses it to become the One True God and remake the world, predicating it on the playing of games rather than the use of violence and war.

Reader's Guide

The Human Kingdom in No Game No Life: Zero is not a nation but the last colony of humankind, led by Riku and his sister Corounne. The colony is on the verge of annihilation, with their numbers dropping and battles endangering their lives becoming more frequent. Riku is unstable, plagued by nightmares and guilt over the deaths he has caused. The colony's survival depends on Riku's cooperation with Shuvi, an Ex-Machina severed from her hive-mind. Together, they devise a plan to manipulate the stronger races into using their strongest weapons against each other, aiming to break into the planet's core and take the Suniaster. The plan ultimately succeeds, but at the cost of Shuvi's life and Riku's own death, leading to Tet becoming the One True God and remaking the world based on games.

Did You Know?

• The film No Game No Life: Zero is based on the sixth volume of the light novel series, titled 'The Gamer Couple Who Challenged the World?'
• The film premiered in Japan on July 15, 2017, and was directed by Atsuko Ishizuka at studio Madhouse.
• Riku names Shuvi based on the word 'Schwarzer' (German for 'black') which he hears in her designation, though her appearance is that of a silver-haired android, not black-haired.
• Shuvi uses the last of her energy to protect Riku's wedding ring as Jibril destroys the rest of her body.
• Tet manifests from Riku's imagination and grants his wish to take the Suniaster and end the war.