Captain
| Captain (Chenxiu) | |
|---|---|
| File:Captain1.png | |
| Character Information | |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male (with female option) |
| Affiliation | Anti-Chaos Directorate |
| Combat Information | |
| Weapon | Tentacle-like ability |
| Media Information | |
| First Appearance | Ananta announcement trailer (2023) |
Captain, whose male version is named Chenxiu (Chinese: 晨修), is the main playable protagonist of Ananta, an upcoming free-to-play urban open-world role-playing video game developed by Naked Rain and NetEase.[1][2] Captain serves as the leader of the Anti-Chaos Directorate (ACD) task force, an elite organization dedicated to investigating supernatural anomalies and combating the mysterious force known as "Chaos" that threatens humanity in Nova City.[3]
Character Overview
Captain is described as the thrill-seeking leader who serves as the primary character players control throughout their adventure in Nova City.[4] As the captain of the ACD task force, the character is responsible for dealing with gangs and individuals "who are up to no good" while investigating paranormal phenomena.[5]
The character's catchphrase, "Traffic jam? Let's take to the skies," reflects their dynamic approach to navigating the urban landscape of Nova City.[6]
Abilities and Combat Style
Captain possesses a unique tentacle-like ability that serves multiple purposes in both exploration and combat.[7] This ability can be used to:
- Hook onto enemies during battle
- Access higher vantage points for observation
- Facilitate stealthy movement through buildings
- Navigate the city with Spider-Man-like swinging mechanics[8]
The gameplay trailer showcases Captain's abilities in action, beginning with a scene in the center of a vast commercial plaza where members of the Black Gold Gang surround the protagonist, creating a tense confrontation.[9]
Story and Missions
Captain features prominently in the game's narrative, including a showcased story mission titled "Rookie Captain's Disastrous First Day," which has been demonstrated in official gameplay trailers.[9] This mission appears to serve as an introduction to the character's role within the ACD organization and their responsibilities in maintaining order in Nova City.
As a top supernatural investigator known as an "Infinite Trigger," Captain investigates anomalies and paranormal events throughout Nova City.[10] The character's journey involves uncovering the mysteries of Chaos while also discovering their own identity as an agent of the ACD.[3]
Gender Options
While the male version of Captain is named Chenxiu, a female main character option has been confirmed in developer interviews.[11] However, as of September 2025, the game's official marketing materials and website primarily feature the male version of the character, referring to Captain using masculine pronouns and featuring full male voice acting.[12]
The female protagonist option appeared in earlier trailers from approximately nine months prior to the September 2025 reveal but was not prominently featured in the most recent promotional materials.[13] Despite this shift in marketing focus, developer interviews have confirmed that a female MC option will be available in the final game.[12]
Development and Reception
Captain was first revealed in the announcement trailer for Ananta (then known as Project Mugen) at Gamescom on August 24, 2023.[11] The character has been central to most gameplay demonstrations and trailers released since the game's announcement.[7]
In September 2025, the official Ananta website received a major update that provided official character names and detailed information about the game's playable roster, with Captain being confirmed as one of four playable characters at launch alongside Taffy, Richie, and Seymour.[14]
Availability
Unlike traditional gacha games, Ananta will not feature a character gacha system. All playable characters, including Captain, will be obtainable for free and unlocked as players progress through the story.[15] This design decision was made to align with the game's intended playstyle and high degree of freedom, according to the game's producer.[15]
References
- ↑ "All Ananta characters we've seen so far". Pocket Tactics. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ "Ananta Characters List". TechWiser. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Enter A New Era of Urban Open World RPG with ANANTA". NetEase Games. 2024-12-05. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ "Ananta Characters List September 2025: Captain, Taffy & More". Finding Dulcinea. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ "Ananta Characters Guide October 2025: Every Hero & NPC". Of Zen and Computing. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ "Chenxiu". Ananta Wiki. Fandom. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Coolest Features Confirmed For Ananta". Game Rant. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ "Ananta isn't just a free anime take on GTA, but folds in Spider-Man style swinging and Uncharted levels of action". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Ananta Gameplay Revealed: Navigating the Everyday and the Anomalous in New Dawn City!". LDShop.gg. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ "ANANTA: NetEase's Open-World Urban RPG Blends Chaos, Style, and Supernatural Threats". Gamerficial. 2025-09-23. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Ananta (video game)". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "ANANTA Website Update Removes Female Protagonist References". GamerBraves. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ "Tweet about Ananta female main character". Twitter. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ "ANANTA Website Update". Twitter. 2025-09-23. Retrieved 2025-10-02
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Locking characters behind gacha would have clashed with ANANTA's intended playstyle and high degree of freedom, producer explains". AUTOMATON WEST. Retrieved 2025-10-02