Captain Zo in 2013. Zobu at launch. And a Zobu for every traveller today.
Both were born in 2013, with the first Zostel in Jodhpur, and the launch teaser that year introduced them together.
The first mascot, drawn in August 2013: a superhero in a navy suit with a yellow Z. A life-size Captain Zo stood in the first Zostel, in Jodhpur, and from 13 September 2013 travellers put their faces in him. The Brand Manual drew him again (page 36, “Mascot”). He stays here as history — new work starts from Zobu.
Where the Brand Manual lives now →
The main character at launch, sketched in July 2013: “Back.Pack.Go!” Arms up — the \z/ pose: the z is a person, the slashes are arms. Zo orange skin ties every Zobu together, kept apart from Warm Orange so a face never reads as the logo.
#FC6736Autumn 2013, at the first Zostel: travellers from at least 11 countries put their faces in Captain Zo. 24 of them, from the archive.
Captain Zo's concept art and Zobu's first sheets, as they were drawn in 2013.
Then, a sketch: “Back.Pack.Go!” Now, a Zobu for every traveller.
The same square face and big round eyes, on the palette today, and dressed for every place Zostel is live, Jodhpur first. Tap one to say hello.
Meet the Zobus →188 Zobus in local dress — a female and a male one for each of 94 destinations, on the palette and alive: still, idle, hello and hop, and each as a face for a profile picture. Find a destination; where Zostel is live, its name opens the place's own page: its cover, its story and its kit.
Still: the still; the pose reduced motion holds. Hover or tap a Zobu to say hello.
The standard Zobu, the body every destination Zobu is drawn on, now has a skeleton, female and male: 25 moves and 10 faces, each an animated SVG and a Lottie. A place's dress rides the bones, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Leh first.
Hello: the right hand waves three times.
The same Zobu turned to the side: the standard pair in 9 poses and every place's Zobu standing, their hair and beards drawn for the profile: 199 stills, each an SVG. The detailed icons' Zobus on a bicycle, a motorbike and a camel, and the living walker and cyclist, are drawn on it.
Her: standing
Him: standing
Her: walk
Him: walk
Her: run
Him: run
Her: sit
Him: sit
Jaipur, her
Leh, him
Gangtok, her
Hampi, him
Her or him, from one wardrobe of 533 parts in 16 slots, each with its name. Wear any top with any bottoms: an outfit's two halves are worn together or apart, as you pair them, and one click puts the whole outfit back on; a one-piece stays whole. While you dress, the whole figure shows. Set the Zobu moving, pick a face and a ground, then save the whole figure, the head and shoulders for a profile picture, or the head. The link in the address bar keeps the Zobu you made.
24 profile pictures, each the head and shoulders of a dressed Zobu. Pick one to open it in the creator above and make it yours.
Use the arrow keys to move between the pictures.
Parts that show smoking or drugs, a weapon or violence, a flag worn as clothing, a dated line, another
studio's character or slang are left out of the creator and the wall. One list keeps them, each with its reason, following the brand audit:
src/components/characters/excluded-parts.json.
