World Void Information Control Organization

The World Void Information Controlling Organization (世界虚空情報統制機構), called for short the Controlling Organization (統制機構), or the Library (図書館) by their detractors, is a multinational task force, run by a central authoritarian leadership in the world of BlazBlue. The Controlling Organization’s purpose is to keep balance in the world by safeguarding and regulating sources of dangerous power. The organization can be compared to the police or the military.

History
At first, it was the Void Information Administration Bureau (虚空情報管理局), a force consisting of the leaders and representatives from countries all over the world. It was created during the Great Dark War by Yūki Terumi and Seven of the Ten Sages. The rulers of countries that were not damaged by the Black Beast established their own department in the bureau. This new department was named Section 7 (セクション７), and its true purpose was to gather information on the Arch-Enemy Event Weapons held by the bureau, and to allow its originators to have a share in the bureau’s rights to rule over the world after the Black Beast’s defeat.

After the war, the bureau moved to the Magic City of Ishana and merged with the Magic Association, becoming the Void Information Management Agency (虚空情報管理機関). The agency took control over the people and built Hierarchical Cities, which are located in high-altitude areas, to protect humans from the deadly amounts of magic element. After the Six Heroes disappeared, Ishana was forgotten, and only the Twelve Originators maintained their strength, which they used to keep the Grimoires and control who should have access to them. Decades later, the agency has become what it is today, the World Void Information Controlling Organization.

The organization is ruled by the Emperor. Information on the supreme ruler’s location is kept strictly confidential, even within the Controlling Organization. The Emperor rarely appears in public, and only a few people know what the Emperor looks like.

The integrated headquarters (統合本部) are located in the 1st Hierarchical City of Ōkoto, and orders are issued from there to other city branches. However, sometimes orders are dispatched directly by the decree from the Emperor (帝からの命令書).

Although the organization claims they keep the Grimoires from being misused, the people resented them for their tight control over the only thing that could let them use the Magic Formulas. A great deal of dissent was caused by this widening socioeconomic gap between those who could, and could not, use Magic Formulas. Years later, this dissent would eventually spark the Ikaruga Civil War, when the Ikaruga Federation openly rebelled against the Controlling Organization. After the war, the Controlling Organization imposed a harsher rule on the world, punishing any sign of rebellion with the death penalty.

During the Ikaruga Civil War, the Emperor, Tenjō Amanohokosaka, was slain by Jin Kisaragi. Her rightful successor was her child, Homura Amanohokosaka. However, Hazama and Relius Clover did everything to put Hades: Izanami in the Emperor’s place. Kagura Mutsuki had the real successor, Homura under his protection, as per Tenjō’s request. Eventually, Homura became the Emperor, as it should have been before.

Ranks

 * Field Marshal (元帥大将) – second in command.
 * General (将官)
 * Admiral (大将)
 * Lieutenant General (中将)
 * Major General (少将)
 * Brigadier General (准将)
 * Field Officer (左官) – commander of the military divisions.
 * Colonel (大佐)
 * Lieutenant Colonel (中佐)
 * Major (少佐)
 * Company Officer (尉官)
 * Captain (大尉)
 * First Lieutenant (中尉)
 * Second Lieutenant (少尉)
 * Warrant Officer (准尉)
 * Other (その他)
 * Master Sergeant (曹長)
 * Sergeant (軍曹)
 * Corporal (伍長)
 * Lance Corporal (兵長)
 * Private First Class (上等兵)
 * Private E-2 (一等兵)
 * Private E-1 (二等兵)

The following positions are never seen noted amongst the organization’s military ranks:
 * Emperor (帝)
 * Martial Lord (武帝)
 * Supreme Commander (最高司令官)

Military branch

 * Magic Formula Troops (術式部隊) are ground forces with the main task of combat and making use of Magic Formulas. They wear blue uniforms with a “unshakeable blue blaze” (揺るがぬ蒼炎) color theme. The unit is divided into the following groups:
 * Melee Infantry (武装近接歩兵), also known as the “Martial Infantry”, use Magic Formula-enhanced armor coating and hand-to-hand combat.
 * Magic Formula Infantry (武装術式歩兵), also known as “Heavy Infantry”, use Magic Formula in close-combat.
 * Magic Formula Special Army (術式特化兵), also known by its full name “the World Void Information Controlling Organization Special Infantry”, specialize in long-range Magic Formulas.
 * 9th Squad (第九分隊) is a team deployed to weaken opponents, so that the following army may finish them and claim glory for doing so.
 * Air Troops (航空部隊) mainly operate magic ships and protect their ports, maintain smaller Magic Formula aircrafts called Shebalves (シュバルヴェ), although the Controlling Organization only has a few of them, and specialize in air combat. They wear green uniforms with a “triumphant return of kingfisher” (翡翠の凱旋) color theme.
 * Intelligence Department (諜報部) mainly perform tasks relating to information, such as gathering intelligence data. They wear black uniforms with a “corroding jet black” (浸食する漆黒) color theme.
 * Engineering Department (技術部): No information. They wear purple uniforms.
 * Relief Troops (救護部隊): No information.
 * Imperial Palace Elite Guards (帝宮親衛隊): No information.

Divisions

 * 0th Division: Wings of Judgment (第零師団・審判の羽根) is a unit consisting of Imperial Guards, as well as Imperial Guards candidates. Their main task is to eliminate rebels and traitors of the Controlling Organization, thus they are begrudgingly called the Garbage Disposal Troop (ゴミ処理部隊) by some. All members wear the same cloaks and masks, making it impossible to distinguish features such as gender or facial expressions at a glance. Their theme color is “incorruptible pure white” (穢れなき純白).
 * 3rd Magic Division (第三魔道師団)
 * 4th Magic Division (第四魔道師団)
 * Imperial Guards (近衛師団) is a unit consisting of specially selected soldiers from various other divisions. They normally serve under other military divisions, and only assemble when specifically ordered by the Emperor under special circumstances. The name “Imperial Guard” is closer to a class or social title.

Current members

 * Homura Amanohokosaka — the current Emperor,
 * Kagura Mutsuki — Colonel, the leader of the Imperial Guards,
 * Meifang Lapislazuli — Colonel, the leader of the Wings of Judgment,
 * Jin Kisaragi — Major of the 4th Magic Division, member of the Imperial Guards, member of the Magic Formula Troops,
 * Tsubaki Yayoi — member of the Magic Formula Troops; formerly Major of the Wings of Judgment, previously the First Lieutenant,
 * Hibiki Kohaku — Captain,
 * Makoto Nanaya — member of the Magic Formula Troops; previously Second Lieutenant of the Intelligence Department,
 * Ellen Nelson — Warrant Officer of the 3rd Magic Division, and member of the Magic Formula Troops.

Former members

 * Hades: Izanami — the former Emperor,
 * Tenjō Amanohokosaka — the former Emperor, overthrown for Izanami,
 * Hōichirō Hazuki — Martial Lord, and the former Supreme Commander,
 * Relius Clover — former Colonel of the Engineering Department,
 * Hazama Honoka — former Captain of the Intelligence Department, previously a Corporal,
 * Noel Vermillion — former Second Lieutenant of the 4th Magic Division, former member of the Imperial Guards, and former member of the Magic Formula Troops, later became a nun along with Lambda-11,
 * Grimwood Hastur — former Captain of the 9th Squad,
 * Karengina Parcette — former Corporal and member of the 9th Squad.

Trivia

 * In the English localization, the organization’s namings are in Latin.
 * Void Information Management Agency — Orbis Librarius Norma (“World Library Norm”)
 * World Void Information Controlling Organization — Novus Orbis Librarium (“New World Library”)
 * Emperor — Imperator Librarius (“Library’s Emperor”)
 * Field Marshal — Invictus (“Unconquered”)
 * The Controlling Organization’s creed is: “We, dispatched as apostles of daylight in these final days, are knights of the blue blaze.” (我ら、終末の日に使わされた、白日使徒にして、蒼炎の騎士なり.)