Zipang
Zipang was an ace pilot with a unique F-14D Super Tomcat paint scheme, featuring a purple chassis with pink sakura.
Biography
Not much is known about Zipang other than the ace's deployment in the Circum-Pacific War. On September 27, 2010, the ace engaged Wardog Squadron and the 3rd Osean Naval Fleet during the latter's escape from Port St. Hewlett but was shot down soon after.
Appearances
Following the ace's appearance in Ace Combat 5 and the popularity of the paint scheme, Zipang's paint scheme became available in future Ace Combat games.
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
Zipang appears during the second part of the mission Narrow Margin when playing on Normal difficulty or above after finishing Campaign mode once. The ace is one of a handful of ace pilots in the game who can deploy countermeasures. Additionally, similar to other friendly and enemy aircraft, Zipang can clip through the water, preventing the player from firing on the plane until it's above water. Zipang has been noted in the community for doing this more often than other aircraft.
Upon shooting down the aircraft and successfully completing the mission, the Zipang paint scheme will be available for the F-14D in the hangar as the SP color.
Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception
Zipang's paint scheme is available for the F-14D Super Tomcat as the Special 2 paint scheme. It is unlocked by filling the aircraft's Kill Bar.
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
Zipang's paint scheme was made available as Category:Downloadable Content in Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. The missile trails from missiles fired from an F-14D -ZIPANG- are colored purple. The ZIPANG's maneuverability and stability have been upgraded, while its speed, air-to-air damage, air-to-ground damage, defense and missile counts have all been downgraded.
The aircraft originally cost 200 Microsoft Points to purchase, released alongside Pack #06 on March 23, 2008. It later became free for all users on June 11, 2008. It is no longer available since all Ace Combat 6 DLC has been taken off the Xbox Live marketplace.
Ace Combat: Joint Assault
Zipang reappears as an enemy ace in Ace Combat: Joint Assault during Ace of Aces only if the player shoots down Wardog Squadron before the timer reaches 20:00. During this mission, Zipang is the only enemy pilot who sends radio transmissions, notably with a different accent than the Valahian pilots. The MiG-21-93s that spawn with him get more aggressive the longer the player takes to shoot down Zipang, but Zipang does not have to be shot down to unlock any of the further waves. The player can keep Zipang alive all the way until after they shoot down Yellow 13, after which Zipang will have to be shot down to complete the mission.
Zipang's paint scheme is available as the fourth color scheme for the F-14D Super Tomcat.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon
Zipang's paint scheme is available as Color 5 for the F-14D Super Tomcat in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, after earning 30,000 cumulative points using the aircraft in competitive multiplayer. As with the other paint schemes in the game, new paint schemes can be created by customizing it.
Ace Combat Infinity
Zipang's paint scheme became available as an alternate aircraft in Ace Combat Infinity in June 2014. Any player could have earned it from the Limited-Time Drop red box after Online Co-Op Missions during the month of June.
Gallery
Zipang's paint scheme in Ace Combat 5
Zipang's paint scheme in Ace Combat 6
Zipang's F-14D in Assault Horizon.
Hasegawa 1/72 F-14D Tomcat "Cherry Blossom" model kit box art
Hasegawa 1/72 F-14D Tomcat "Cherry Blossom" model
Trivia
- Zipang is derived from "Cipangu", one of the foreign words for "Japan", which is transliterated into Japanese as ジパング (Jipangu).
- The ace was notable in Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War for being one of the four pilots in the entire game who could deploy flares.
- The Infinity iteration of the Zipang is unique for being the only time the paint scheme was available on an aircraft other than the F-14D.