Chaos is the supernatural force threatening Nova City in ANANTA. Official press materials describe the city as having "plunged into Chaos." The A.C.D. exists specifically to investigate and combat it.
What Chaos Looks Like
Trailers and the TGS demo show Chaos manifesting as bizarre, surreal events. Legged toilets sprint through traffic. Hulking mechs climb skyscrapers. Gang activity spikes. Objects behave in ways they shouldn't. The tone is often absurd rather than horrifying.
Chaos Incidents
Official materials use terms like "Maniac Chaos" and "supernatural anomalies" (see Supernatural Anomalies). The incidents range from minor disturbances to city-wide catastrophes. Dila's meteor disaster appears to be one of the larger Chaos events in the backstory.
Chaos Liquid
Chaos Liquid is a combat mechanic where characters channel controlled Chaos energy for attacks. It is essentially fighting fire with fire: using the same force that threatens the city as a weapon against it.
What We Don't Know Yet
Where Chaos comes from, what the rules are for how it spreads, and the full in-universe taxonomy (is it a faction? a force of nature? something else?) have not been explained. The developers seem to be keeping the mystery intentional.
Confirmed Manifestations
Manifestation | Where Shown |
|---|---|
Animated mundane objects (legged toilets, walking furniture) | TGS 2025 gameplay video |
Large urban constructs (mechs scaling skyscrapers) | Reveal trailer and TGS demo |
Sudden gang activity spikes | Open-world encounter footage |
Spatial and physical oddities | Press materials and dev letters |
City-scale catastrophes (the meteor event) | Backstory tied to Dila |
In-Fiction Terminology
Chaos, the umbrella supernatural force destabilising Nova City
Maniac Chaos, phrase used in official materials for especially severe outbreaks
Supernatural anomalies, see the dedicated Supernatural Anomalies article for the response side
Chaos Liquid, the controlled, weaponised expression: see Chaos Liquid
What Is Not Yet Confirmed
The origin of Chaos in the in-game cosmology
Whether Chaos has factional intent or is purely environmental
How exposure thresholds work for awakening Espers
Whether the meteor in Dila's backstory is the first Chaos event or one of many