Walk through the neon-soaked streets of New离都 (New Eridu) long enough and you’ll start to notice things that aren't exactly on the map. It's a vibe. Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) is packed with these little corner-store details that make the world feel lived-in, but lately, everyone is obsessed with one specific name: Ju Fufu.
If you've been grinding Inter-Knot levels or just wandering around Lumina Square, you know the feeling of looking for a specific NPC or shop and coming up empty. It’s frustrating. People are scouring the districts of New Eridu looking for this mythical "Ju Fufu" location, often confusing it with existing landmarks like the noodle shop or the gadget store. But here is the reality check: Ju Fufu isn't a playable character or a major faction leader. Not yet, anyway.
What is Ju Fufu and Where Does it Fit in New Eridu?
The confusion usually starts with the names. In a game where you have "141" convenience stores and "Waterfall Soup" noodle stands, players are primed to look for the next interactable buff station. Zenless Zone Zero Ju Fufu has become a bit of a localized legend because of how HoYoverse handles its environmental storytelling.
Look. The game is heavily inspired by urban street culture, specifically mixing elements of Tokyo, Hong Kong, and generic "future-city" aesthetics. "Ju Fufu" sounds like a classic Cantonese-inspired shop name you'd find tucked away in a dense urban sprawl. While players keep hunting for a "Ju Fufu" storefront to buy rare materials or W-Engines, many are actually misremembering or misreading signage in the background of the Lumina Square or Sixth Street districts.
It’s easy to get lost. Really easy. You’re dodging Bangboos, checking your schedule on the in-game PC, and trying to manage your battery life. In that chaos, a background texture that looks like a shop sign can suddenly become the "secret" to unlocking a new tier of gear in the minds of the community.
The Search for "Ju Fufu" Explained
Why are people even looking for this? Usually, it's a mix of three things:
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First, there's the "Secret Shop" trope. Every HoYoverse game—from Genshin to Star Rail—has those weird, hidden vendors that only appear at 3:00 AM or after a specific hidden quest. Players naturally assume Zenless Zone Zero Ju Fufu is one of those. They think it’s the key to getting more Master Tapes or those elusive upgrade materials for their Bangboo.
Second, the localization. Zenless Zone Zero uses a lot of puns. If "Ju Fufu" is mentioned in a throwaway line of dialogue by a random NPC standing near the metro station, players will spend three hours trying to find the building it refers to. It’s the "Mew under the truck" syndrome for the modern gacha age.
Third, and perhaps most likely, is the confusion with upcoming content. HoYoverse is notorious for planting names in Version 1.0 that don't actually show up as physical locations until Version 1.3 or later. Think about how many times we heard about characters in other games months before they actually stepped foot on screen.
Why Detail Matters in Zenless Zone Zero
New Eridu isn't just a hub; it's a character. When you’re playing as Wise or Belle, you aren't just clicking menus. You're walking. You're seeing the posters for movies that don't exist and shops that might never open. This level of detail is exactly why things like Zenless Zone Zero Ju Fufu gain traction.
The game’s aesthetic is "Retrotech Urbanism." It’s crunchy. It’s dirty. It feels like a place where a shop named Ju Fufu should exist, probably selling high-end street food or maybe illicit hollow-exploration gear.
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Is Ju Fufu Actually a Character?
This is where the rumors get spicy. Some corners of the internet—you know the ones, the Discord servers that stay up 24/7—speculate that Ju Fufu isn't a place, but a person. Specifically, a member of a yet-to-be-announced faction.
Currently, we have the Cunning Hares, Belobog Industries, and Victoria Housekeeping. But we know more are coming. Could Ju Fufu be an alias? In the world of Proxy work, names are rarely what they seem. Look at "Phaethon." It’s a mythic name for two kids running a video rental store. If there's a legendary fixer or a black-market dealer out there named Ju Fufu, it fits the tone perfectly.
However, let’s be real for a second. If you check the current official database and the character archives, there is no one by that name. If you're seeing "leaks" about a 5-star S-Rank Ju Fufu, take them with a massive grain of salt. Most of those are just fan-made concepts or mistranslations of upcoming NPC names.
How to Actually Progress in ZZZ Right Now
Instead of hunting for a ghost shop, you should focus on what's actually in front of you. New Eridu is dense. If you’re struggling with high-level content like the Shiyu Defense or the later stages of Hollow Zero, a "secret shop" isn't going to save you. Your build will.
- Check the 141 Store Daily: Seriously. The three Bangboos running that place are your best friends. They sell the basic stuff you need to keep your agents from hitting a wall.
- Trust the Naphtha: Use the HIA Club. It’s the most efficient way to spend your stamina. Don't wander the streets hoping for a random encounter to give you XP.
- Talk to Everyone: While Zenless Zone Zero Ju Fufu might be a wild goose chase, other NPCs actually do give you hidden quests (blue exclamation marks). These are the real ways to expand your influence in the city.
The Cultural Context of Names Like Ju Fufu
The "Fufu" suffix or naming convention is common in various East Asian contexts, often implying something "plump," "wealthy," or "lucky." In gaming culture, especially in the "cozy" or "gacha" spheres, these names are often associated with mascot characters or food vendors.
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If Ju Fufu ever does appear in an update, expect it to be a specialty food stall in a new district—maybe something that offers a unique buff to Ice or Ether damage that you can't get from the standard noodle shop. HoYoverse loves to iterate on their systems. A new district would need a new gimmick, and a "specialty" shop is the easiest way to implement that.
Misinformation and the Gacha Hype Cycle
We’ve seen this before. A name gets dropped in a livestream or a developer diary, and suddenly it's the most searched term on Google. The "Ju Fufu" phenomenon is a testament to how much people love the world-building in ZZZ. They want to find every corner of this world.
But don't get scammed. There are dozens of sites claiming to have the "Ju Fufu Location Guide" or "How to Unlock Ju Fufu." Most of these are just AI-generated junk pages trying to catch search traffic. If the official Zenless Zone Zero social media hasn't posted a character card or a "City Map Expansion" trailer featuring the name, it’s not in the game as a functional mechanic yet.
Actionable Steps for New Eridu Proxies
If you’re still itching to find something new or feel like you’ve missed a secret, do this instead:
- Max out your trust levels: The real "hidden" content in ZZZ is the character trust events. Spend time with Anby, Billy, or Nicole. The rewards are better than any mystery shop.
- Complete the Officer Mewmew challenges: These are the literal "treasure maps" of the game. If Ju Fufu were a hidden interaction, it would likely be tracked through one of Mewmew's medals in a specific district.
- Watch the background art: HoYoverse often teases future characters on the billboards in Sixth Street. If you see a stylized logo that looks like it says "Ju Fufu," take a screenshot. You might be looking at a teaser for Version 2.0.
- Organize your inventory: Stop looking for new items and optimize what you have. Most players haven't even touched the sub-stats on their Disk Drives yet. That’s where the real power is, not in a mythical shop.
New Eridu is a city of secrets, but some secrets are just things we haven't built yet. Keep your eyes open, but keep your Inter-Knot level climbing. That’s the only way you’ll be ready when the real mysteries actually drop.