Let me start by saying I’ve been playing Zenless Zone Zero since day one, grinding through Hollows, collecting my favorite agents, and thinking I’d seen everything this game could throw at me. Then 2026 rolled around and the community exploded over something I genuinely wasn’t prepared for: Zhao’s animations. I first caught wind of her during the main story quest—this stern, no-nonsense Krampus agent who looked like she could bench-press a car and still have time to file her taxes. Cool, I thought. Another serious operative to balance out the chaos. What I didn’t expect, and what the recent leaks have revealed, is that her actual gameplay animations are... something else entirely.
You guys... I can’t even.
The moment I saw the first leaked footage, my brain stopped functioning at a normal human level. Sure, we’d seen Zhao in cutscenes, all business and furrowed brows, but her in-game moves? Absolute pandemonium in the best possible way. The highlight reel begins with her basic attack sequence, and it’s here where we witness true art: Zhao, wielding an enormous greatsword that’s easily twice her size, immediately fumbles her footing and faceplants over the blade. She doesn’t just trip—she executes a full-body pratfall that would make classic cartoon characters proud. And the sword? I swear it almost looks embarrassed, its edge shimmering with a faint glow as if to say, “Not again, lady.”
But wait—she gets up. Barely. And then she runs. I have watched this on loop about fifty-seven times now, and I still cackle like a gremlin. Her sprint animation is a direct import from Looney Tunes. Legs spinning in a circular blur, torso leaning forward way too much, that sword dragging behind her like an exhausted sidekick. It’s not a tactical dash; it’s a frantic scramble that screams “I was told there would be snacks at the objective marker.” The best part? She occasionally stumbles mid-sprint, windmilling her arms before regaining balance, as if the ground itself is pranking her. You can almost hear a slide whistle.
This is where I need to pause and just... breathe.
Because it’s not just her movement. The pièce de résistance is her W-Engine. Leaks have surfaced a two-stage visual of this thing, and I’m telling you, it’s a masterpiece of comedic design. At first glance, it looks like a somewhat overgrown mechanical toy—a chunky, brightly colored cube with gears peeking out. But when you trigger it? The front panel swings open like a jack-in-the-box, revealing not a weapon core or a high-tech reactor, but an entire serving of ice cream. I’m not making this up. Picture a tiny cartoon dessert cone sitting inside a combat-grade piece of equipment, complete with what looks like sprinkles. It’s the kind of detail that makes you question whether the developers were on a sugar rush themselves.
And the implications are hilarious. During combat, this thing probably powers her up with a burst of frozen confectionery energy. Maybe the ice cream acts as a coolant? Or it’s her emergency morale booster after constantly tripping over her own weapon. I like to imagine the W-Engine has a tiny AI that goes, “You look stressed, agent. Here, have a vanilla scoop,” right before she delivers a clumsy but devastating finisher. Peak character design, honestly.
Now, here’s where the contrast gets so sharp it could cut through that same oversized sword. In the main story, Zhao is depicted as a Krampus agent, and if you know anything about Krampus lore, you understand these folks are supposed to be terrifying. Stern expressions, no tolerance for foolishness, the whole nine yards. She’s the type who probably writes daily reports with perfect penmanship and considers “fun” a glitch in the system. Yet, once you take control, she transforms into a walking, tumbling, ice-cream-throwing cartoon. The dissonance is so jarring it loops right back around to being ingenious. It’s like the dev team said, “Let’s give her the demeanor of a tax auditor but the physical coordination of a baby deer on roller skates.” And we are all here for it.
So why is this such a big deal in 2026? The leaks hit during a time when the community was already buzzing about upcoming faction content, and Zhao just swooped in and stole every spotlight. Players on social channels can’t stop posting reaction clips, fan edits with cartoon sound effects, and memes comparing her to everything from classic anime goofs to real-life slapstick compilations. The phrase “peak cartoon energy” gets thrown around a lot, but in Zhao’s case, it’s not hyperbole. Her entire kit feels handcrafted by a team that genuinely loves animation history.
Speaking of leaks, there’s a delicious rumor simmering alongside this visual feast: Zhao might be free to unlock. I’ll say it again for the people in the back—free. Some data miners have hinted that she could be an event reward or a permanent freebie tied to a major update, much like certain agents we’ve seen before. Now, I’m not holding my breath because nothing is officially confirmed, and we all know how gacha games can play with our hearts. But if there’s even a sliver of truth here, I will be first in line, clown shoes and all, ready to add this beautiful disaster to my squad.
Let’s break down what makes her animations so dangerously watchable, because honestly, I can’t stop replaying them. Here’s a little table of highlights that keeps me up at night:
| Animation Element | Description | Why I’m Cackling |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Attack | Swings greatsword, misses footing, faceplants | Unapologetic self-inflicted knockback |
| Sprint | Road Runner leg whirl, sword dragging, occasional trip | Physics? Never heard of it. |
| Dodge | Desperate tuck-and-roll that ends with her in a heap | She’s trying her best. |
| W-Engine Activation | Box opens, reveals ice cream cone | Combat dessert break, obviously. |
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Her idle animation reportedly includes her trying—and failing—to lift the sword properly, after which she just pats the blade like a disappointed pet owner. There’s something deeply endearing about a character who fails so spectacularly at being cool but ends up cooler because of it. She’s the embodiment of that quote, “If you’re going to be a disaster, be the most entertaining disaster possible.”
One more thing before I wrap this up. The sheer joy I get from watching Zhao’s animations is a reminder of why I love Zenless Zone Zero. Yes, the game has a slick urban fantasy aesthetic, intense combat, and a banger soundtrack. But moments like this—where a supposedly serious agent turns into a slapstick legend—showcase the developers’ willingness to not take everything so seriously. It humanizes the world, makes every new leak feel like unwrapping a gift. And if Zhao does end up being free, the streets of New Eridu will be flooded with poorly balanced sprinting furries wielding ice-cream-powered W-Engines. I cannot wait.
So here I am, in 2026, still refreshing leak forums like it’s my part-time job, hoping to see more of this chaotic legend in action. Zhao wasn’t on my radar a month ago, but now she’s the only character I think about. I don’t know what the official release date will be, but I do know one thing: if you don’t hear from me for a few days after she drops, it’s because I’ll be too busy laughing my socks off while faceplanting into the first enemy squad I meet. Until then, I’ll keep watching those leak clips on loop. Don’t judge me—you know you’ll be doing the same.