Attack of the Colossal Nisi

Attack of the Colossal Nisi (Officially abbreviated as AotCN and known as "Kisij fa ae Gauuic Nisi" in Eqiti) is a Sirian monster movie series filmed by Uabarri Films, a company notorious for its B films and cult movies. Aside from being extremely popular in both Savages and Sirian space, it is notable for its multiple endings and running gags (such as an Ashkathi who claims the giant Nisi can be reasoned with moments before being killed by said giant). Although production values were low for the first film, the returns they gained allowed the others to be of significantly higher quality.

Overview[]

The films often follow a similar format - a female Nisi grows to a gigantic size due to a plot contrivance of some sort or another, typically doing so in the middle of a Sirian city. She then proceeds to terrorise the populace in a variety of ways until the Sirian protagonists figure out a way to defeat her. The one exception is The Amazing Shrunken Sirian, a spin-off.

Each film has two endings - one in which the Sirians succeed, and one in which the Nisi win. The exact ending the audience watches is random (except on DVD releases, which allow the viewer to select their preferred ending before watching), and some films assume one ending or another. One of the series' gimmicks is that the Nisi actors were told to behave exactly as they would if the films' events really occurred. Supposedly this makes the films feel more "real".

Attack of the Colossal Nisi[]

The film is set on Ekea. The scientist Arrazua Veiao has been working on a special serum for the Sirian military that will amplify their soldiers' abilities significantly. However, as she walks home she is abruptly accosted by the thief Jaliokya Warblood, who steals the formula. Eventually Arrazua confronts Jaliokya in an alleyway, and the Nisi downs the formula in a panic. She then grows to a titanic height, and - declaring it

"revenge" for all the Sirians have done to the Nisi - she proceeds to wreak havoc on the hapless city. The military are powerless to stop her (much to Jalioyka's amusement), and she rips an all-male school from its foundations to carry it with her as a "hostage". Among those taken by her is Farunn Kirron, Arrazua's boyfriend, who was involved in a visit to the school. In the chaos Arrazua manages to escape, wracking her brains for a solution.

Eventually, she realises that if she changes the formula and gets Jaliokya to drink it, she will return to her normal height. By this point Jaliokya has clambered up the side of the tallest building in the city, taking a small chunk of the all-male school - the one which Farunn is in - with her. After hastily creating the new formula, Arrazua makes her way to the top floor, and tries to convince Jaliokya that the formula will make her even mightier.

In Ending A, Jaliokya takes the formula and is indeed returned to normal size - thankfully, the male students (and Farunn) had managed to sneak out of Jaliokya's grasp and got on to the roof of the building. The ending reveals that the film was a recounting of events by Arrazua to the authorities. In Ending B, Jaliokya also takes the formula - but due to a mistake on Arrazua's part, it ends up making Jaliokya even bigger. Claiming Ekea as hers, she begins a reign of terror.

In both endings, a Nisi spy - Chienia Farkiller - learns of what happened, and steals samples of the formula from Arrazua's lab, setting up the sequels.

Other Films in the Series[]

There are several films in the AotCN series. In order to differentiate between ones that occur in different timelines, fans put them into "Timeline A" and "Timeline B". Understandably, this gets rather confusing when a Timeline A film has a sequel that uses Ending B, and vice-versa.

Revenge of the Colossal Nisi: A Timeline A film. Chienia returns to Jotun with her serum samples. Intrigued by this, Warlord Caniet hatches a cunning plan - on a state visit to Siria, she and her bodyguards consume the serum, rendering the Sirians powerless at a stroke. It is only the last second decision by the Chairwoman Kaess Misau to use the serum herself that precludes complete disaster. However, she is too late to prevent the Sirian Assembly and Council buildings being accidentally destroyed by Caniet falling on top of them. The Sirian Army try using an experimental teleportation cannon to force the warring giants away from Siria, but instead they accidentally send them teleporting around the galaxy. This includes Izera and the capital of Verandi, Cathedral City, which is practically razed to the ground. In Ending A, Kaess wins and returns to her normal size, swearing that the serum is too dangerous to be kept around. However, despite their best efforts the Sirians still miss some of the formula. In Ending B, Caniet wins and stays at her new size, absorbing the SU into a Nisi ruled empire. As a final insult, she has the former Assembly and Council buildings made into a giant throne for her.
Terror of the Colossal Nisi: A Timeline B film. Byss Honourskull is getting increasingly frustrated by the Sirian Army Space Corps's success in preventing her piracy. She is contacted by Chienia Farkiller, whom offers to give her the serum if she destroys the Sirian fleet at Hrondfor. Not needing any encouragement, Byss agrees. She first grows whilst on a space walk near the Sirian fleet (it is never explained how she got close enough to do this), with a throwaway line indicating that the serum allows its users to ignore environmental hazards, such as vacuum. Byss proceeds to toy with the Sirian fleet. However, Alosseil Sadarr tries one last desperate ramming attack. In Ending A it succeeds, and the wounded Byss is forced to retreat. In Ending B it fails, and the Sirian fleet is destroyed utterly.
Horror of the Colossal Nisi: A Timeline A film, and currently in production. After her failure to destroy the Sirian fleet, Byss is sent to attack Ennot Aunn. However, this time she has an ace in the hole. Will the Sirians - and Alosseil Sadarr - be able to stop her this time?

The Amazing Shrunken Sirian film poster
The Amazing Shrunken Sirian: It is left ambiguous which timeline this film belongs to. Reillan Batek is involved in a lab accident. He appears to be fine afterwards. However, he ends up having a delayed reaction and shrinks to a tiny size whilst visiting a Nisi coworker called Moneonxi Greatscar at her home. Realising that she will either crush him, eat him, or worse yet, try to get rich off the oddity, Reillan tries to avoid Moneonxi and find a way to get back to his normal height. In Ending A, he successfully evades her and uses lab equipment to return to normal, with Greatscar being arrested afterwards. In Ending B, Moneonxi captures him and sells him to another Nisi; his ultimate fate is left ambiguous.
The Incredible Shrunken Sirian: Like its predecessor, the exact timeline this film belongs to is unknown. This time, a group of nisi pirates led by the feared Captain Meopow Smokelion and her right hand woman Gaca Smokelion attack a spaceship carrying an experimental shrink ray onboard. Aboard are a number of scientists from different species, including Reillan Batek, who has become an expert in shrinking technologies. The pirates manage to seize the shrink ray, and - assuming it's a deadly weapon - try shooting the scientists with it. Realising its true nature, Meopow hatches a plan: they will travel to Siria, shrink it down and destroy it. In order to assure nisi dominance of galactic affairs, she also resolves to shrink any non-nisi ships or people she comes across, starting with a SASC fleet. At first the group of scientists are bereft of hope - particularly after some of their number are eaten or crushed by the normal sized pirates - but Reillan hatches a plan to save everyone. In Ending A, Reillan's plan succeeds and everyone is returned to their normal size, just in time to get some payback. In Ending B, they are too late and Siria is broken beneath Meopow's foot. In both endings Kangiell Greathowler, the ship's Tinkerer, manages to escape with the shrink ray.
Attack of the Colossal Sirian: A Timeline B film. Seeing the destruction wrought by the giant nisi, the Sirian Army high command secretly authorise the use of the serum on Eirtann Rukeo, a decorated sirian soldier. Before she takes the serum, she is sent to Jotun. She immediately goes on a rampage to take revenge on the Savages. During the chaos Sittang Whitepelt, a nisi stunt pilot, is accidentally splashed with some of the Savages' serum (which was intended for a trained fighter). Thus the stage is set for a gigantic brawl in the middle of a city. Unusually, both endings have unambiguous negative aspects. In Ending A Eirtann wins, but - realising her power - she decides she no longer wants to obey the SU and goes rogue. In Ending B Sittang wins, and decides she wants to get revenge on the Sirians for what they have done, perpetuating the destructive cycle of revenge.
Attack of the Colossal Rhizon: It is unknown what timeline this film takes place in. Szera City is hosting the Galactic Swordplay Tournament, and at the finals only two competitors are left: Reu Tiikei and Sima Coldstalker. Sima figures that her best chance of winning is to cheat, and so she pickpockets a drug from a visiting sirian scientist, believing it to be a steroid (it is actually the growth serum of the previous films). In order to incriminate her rival, Sima pours some of the serum into Reu's water bottle. The sirian duly drinks it, and during the opening stages of their bout both athletes end up growing to tremendous heights. However, because it was diluted by the water in her bottle, Reu finds herself shorter than Sima. Sima needs little excuse to go on a rampage, whilst the serum amplifies Reu's rage at being denied a chance to win the championship, causing her to rampage as well. Worse still, Sima soon tracks down the sirian scientist and kidnaps him, both because she desires more serum and because she has become infatuated with him. She climbs up one of Szera City's many skyscrapers, and begins swatting at the Izeran starfighters that come to attack her. It is then revealed that the Izerans have been keeping a giant robot for just an occasion - called Meccha'ku, which is piloted by a theran woman named Mira Rhival. The mecha is deployed, and a three-way brawl breaks out between Reu, Sima and Mira/Meccha'ku. Unexpectedly, the Mother Root - who is naturally colossal and inexplicably resembles a normal Rhizon - appears, having coincidentally chosen today to begin her insidious plan to take over the galaxy. Using her mind control pheromones, she takes control of Sima, who helps her defeat Reu and Meccha'ku, who were fighting each other at the time. Meccha'ku is crippled in the process. Resolving to put aside their differences after their devastating defeat, Mira is given the remainder of the growth serum by the sirian scientist, who had managed to escape from Sima in all the chaos. At her new height, she finds that she can somehow make use of the ruined Meccha'ku's weaponry (this is never explained). Reu, meanwhile, is given a gigantic zweihander that - supposedly - would have been used in the SU's super soldier programme. Thus the stage is set for a final climatic showdown. In Ending A Reu and Mira win, whereas in Ending B the Mother Root and Sima claim victory. A special Ending C is included on the home-release version in which Serruzua Irrek and Marianna Kesyk - both of whom had a cameo in the film - fight and defeat the colossal beings after tiring of the destruction.

Characters[]

Jalioyka Warblood (Meleno Goldenlight) (Attack of the Colossal Nisi): A Nisi thief clothed in an impractical manner more reminiscient of the fantasy genre than a modern setting. Petty and cruel, she is also not very bright.
Chienia Farkiller (Meturu Dreamsun) (Attack/Revenge/Terror of the Colossal Nisi): A Nisi spy. Responsible for the Savages gaining access to the serum.
Warlord Caniet (Sicakin Ironmist) (Revenge of the Colossal Nisi): Cold and calculating, the Nisi Warlord rules her people with an iron fist - and intends to extend that fist to the Sirian Union by any means necessary.
Byss Honourskull (Kattingu Redscreamer) (Terror/Horror of the Colossal Nisi): An infamous space pirate, Byss is the terror of the space lanes. Possessed of an animal cunning and sadistic, she is nevertheless overconfident - a trait that can be exploited.
Moneonxi Greatscar (Calet Packtear) (The Amazing Shrunken Sirian): Reillan's coworker, and a Nisi supremacist. She has an intense distaste for Reillan, and would love nothing more than for him to disappear.
Arrazua Veiao (Erruanuzua Aloi) (Attack of the Colossal Nisi): Incredibly intelligent, Arrazua is a somewhat nervous Sirian who nevertheless can step up to the plate when the pressure is on.
Farunn Kirron (Alunn Aturral) (Attack of the Colossal Nisi): Gentle and kind, Farunn is Arrazua's boyfriend. He is always ready to offer her moral support.
Alosseil Sadarr (Azurran Lazuu) (Terror/Horror of the Colossal Nisi): Severe yet fair, Alosseil Sadarr is looked up to by those under her command. She is also something of a maverick within the Sirian military establishment.
Chairwoman Kaess Misau (Eoinnioi Varru) (Revenge of the Colossal Nisi): Resolute in all matters, Kaess puts what is best for the nation ahead of her own desires. In many ways, she is the epitome of the Sirian ideal.
Reillan Batek (Geil Jakul) (The Amazing Shrunken Sirian/TASS 2/Attack of the Colossal Rhizon): Reillan can be summed up in one word: nerdy. Never seen without his trademark glasses and lab coat, Reillan is occasionally absent minded. He is less than brave when confronted with danger. Heavily implied to be the scientist in Attack of the Colossal Rhizon.
Gaki-met-Ralafe-Loren (Hake-met-Tare-Tainu) (TASS 2): Ashkathi scientist. He wears an Ashkathi jumpsuit, though he also has a visor and gloves. At first he is incredibly cowardly, but this eventually gives way as he conquers his fears, inspiring his colleagues to rally behind Reillan in time to enact his plan.
Wena Arrhess (Vera Sindal) (TASS 2): A theran woman. Although a brilliant scientist, she is very awkward around other people. Takes great joy in making frequent anime and pop culture references, even if nobody else gets them.
Michua Ramons (Gary Reenett) (TASS 2): An Izeran human man. A dedicated professional, he places very little importance on manners or pleasantries and so often seems cold and rude as he is far more interested in facts rather than feelings.
Captain Meopow Smokelion (Kitt Wilytail) (TASS 2): The captain of the Nisi pirates. Her ears have the Nisi-An shape. Her fur colour is orange and her hair is white. She wears a dress. Meopow is sly and vindictive, though ultimately a pragmatist.
Gaca Smokelion (Gelli Wilytail) (TASS 2): Meopow's second in command and the muscle of the operation. She is a Nisi-In with orange and white fur and black hair, and like the rest of the crew she wears a customised jumpsuit. Gaca is relentless and cruel, enjoying giving her victims false hope before she kills them. She is not an opponent to be taken lightly.
Kangiel Greathowler (Tzllia Smokebeast) (TASS 2): Meopow's tinkerer. She is a Nisi-Or, with grey fur and brown hair; she too wears a jumpsuit. Kangiel is fascinated by the shrink ray and how it works, spending much of her time trying to figure out how it works (in fact, it's her cabin that Reillan and company find the shrink ray in).
Sittang Whitepelt (Kalerr Wilytail) (Attack of the Colossal Sirian): A stunt pilot. She is a Nisi-Un, and her fur is orange in colour. Her hair is red. She wears a nisi stunt pilot jumpsuit, which resembles a fighter pilot jumpsuit festooned with NASCAR style advertising. She is both curious and a perfectionist, never satisfied with the bare minimum.
Eirtann Rukeo (Serruzua Varrozal) (Attack of the Colossal Sirian): A soldier. She resembles a jackal. She wears a plain black jumpsuit. She can be spiteful when angered, though she is also very brave.
Reu Tiikei (Erruanuzua Jurru) (Attack of the Colossal Rhizon): A GST athlete who has her water bottle spiked with growth serum. Gets a colossal zweihander in the second act. Extremely serious, she has no time for nonsense like friends and family and just wants to become the best at swordfighting. She fights the other colossal beings because she is enraged due to her shot at the championship being ruined, with her anger being amplified due to the diluted the serum. Later, she calms down and join Mira to fight for the greater good against Sima and the Mother Root. She resembles a fox.
Sima Coldstalker (Isia Strongbite) (Attack of the Colossal Rhizon): A GST athlete who ends up getting mind controlled by the Mother Root. Sima was trying to get stronger and, misunderstanding what the serum did, took some of it. She then put it in Reu's water bottle to try and frame them for cheating. Sima loves the thrill of the fight itself and thus always searching for a worthy opponent, but is otherwise pretty lazy. She can get easily frustrated, though, and is not above cheating.
Mother Root (Anonymous) (Attack of the Colossal Rhizon): Played by a rogue Rhizon construct. Naturally colossal, she decides to launch her one-plant crusade against the galaxy at the worst possible time. The Mother Root shows up and uses special mind control spores to control Sima.
Meccha'khu/Mira Rhival (Sela Takin)(Attack of the Colossal Rhizon): Developed by Izera in response to the recent incidents of nisi and sirians growing huge and wrecking things. Prominently featured in the first act, Meccha'khu resembles a gigantic, metal, bipedal lizard with a pair of massive cannons mounted to its shoulders. During the second act, Meccha'khu is destroyed and Mira ends up taking the remaining the growth serum. She ends up using Meccha'khu's weapons herself despite them not having a power supply any more. Mira is a twenty-something theran, with white skin, brown eyes, and brown hair.
Marianna Kesyk (Marianna Kesyk) (Attack of the Colossal Rhizon): Three-time GST campion, 3551 Winners' Circle champion, now a prestigious coach. Just there to watch the fights. Cameos in several scenes. In a special ending, takes matters into her own hands with Serruzua and defeats the colossal beings without even using the serum.
Serruzua Irrek (Serruzua Irrek) (Attack of the Colossal Rhizon): Four-time GST champion, 3553 Winners' Circle champion, still an award-winning professional athlete. Just there to watch the fights. Cameos in several scenes. In a special ending, takes matters into her own hands with Marianna and defeats the colossal beings without even using the serum.

Tie-ins[]

There have been a number of tie-ins that take advantage of the success enjoyed by the series, some successful, some less so.

Novels: The novels set in the AotCN series are generally stand-alone or trilogies, typically following either the terrorised populace or the gigantic nisi doing the terrorising.
Comics: The comics differ from the movies in several respects. Firstly, the protagonist (a female nisi) can change her size at will. Secondly, each comic is usually episodic in nature, depicting the nisi's attempts to evade and defeat the Sirian military, usually represented by a general (who acts as the antagonist).
Cartoon: The cartoon is based on the comics. Sometimes it tweaks storylines so that they are better suited for broadcasting, much to the chagrin of some fans.
Action figures: A series of action figures have come out. These are normally either the nisi who have appeared in the films, or latterly the colossal sirians.
Video games: A handful of video games have been released as well. The most well known are a fighting game which allows you to pit any two giant characters against one another and a game in which players compete to cause the most damage to a city (and in the most stylish manner possible).

Critical Reception[]

In the Savages of Jotun's space, the AotCN series is insanely popular, to the point where it may well be the most legitimately purchased Sirian media amongst them. The Nisi have also created a small number of their own spin-offs as a result. When Warlord Caniet was questioned regarding her own depiction in Revenge of the Colossal Nisi during an interview with a Savages' news outlet, she commented with, "yeah, I think that's about how it would go down." When asked which ending she was referring to, she said, "either." Caniet has since only officially commented on the movie by criticizing the film makers for getting the appearance of her mask wrong.

It is equally popular in the Sirian Union, with the series often being affectionately parodied. The series is seen as an example of how cultural exchange between the Sirian Union and the Savages of Jotun is eminently doable, and might even provide a way of thawing the Savages' relationship with Siria. One of the more peculiar pieces of media directly inspired by the series was Attack of the Colossal Analysis, written by Eoissur Uzil. The book closely analysed the movies in an attempt to figure out what it said about the deeper parts of Sirian psychology, as well as other areas. For example, it claimed that the giant Nisi represented females from other species "taking" Sirian menfolk, and the Sirian military's inability to harm them a fear that they may not be able to stop them. It also offered the alternative explanation that the Nisi represented an ascendant Savages of Jotun taking its revenge on an enfeebled Sirian Union. The book has prompted some very mixed reactions, with some calling it an accessible look at media analysis and others calling it "meaningless psychobabble".

The film franchise has generally been released directly to home video in the Verandi Empire. While not a critical success, the films do have a cult following in the Empire due to many finding the deliberately bad production qualities charming and humorous. The selection of Cathedral City as the romping grounds in Revenge of the Colossal Nisi is credited as being the fuel for the film's unique popularity in rival Saffron City. To date, only Terror of the Colossal Nisi has played in select theaters, while the rest of been broadcast on several Verandi network channels such as TeleUabarri. The franchise gained an unexpected nod of acknowledgement from Imperial academia when Lord Kelly Villaraigosa mentioned it in his report on Interspecies Cultural Studies, which observed that Sirian media had begun to branch out from its traditional patterns in order to appeal to foreign markets, while at the same time criticizing the films for taking advantage of the existing complications in Sirian-Nisi relations to pander to the audience's prejudices and that by changing the narrative to suit audience expectations, the films were only dividing the two peoples.

The first Colossal Nisi film of the franchise gained a small but dedicated fanbase in Izera, making it a cult classic that is and was celebrated for its absurd concept, its terrible writing and its poor acting. Keikaku Magazine described the first film, Attack of the Colossal Nisi, as "so bad it's great" and recommended it to its readers without giving it a score. The later, high-budget sequels and spin-offs were commercial successes - especially Attack of the Colossal Rhizon - but were all met with mixed reception from fans of the original. Nevertheless, every Galactic Standard Year, on the anniversary of the first film's release, Keikaku Magazine republishes its original review and offers to publish reader-submitted works of fanfiction for the next week, so long as they are "in keeping with the spirit of the franchise."