Out of the box, Zillion SV TW cast 1/8 oz past 90' on 12-lb fluoro.   This was Tatsu, and I would call it springy.  

As mentioned above,  the best thing about 34-mm floating-spool Daiwa is the range of available spools,  from BFS to swimbait using the same frame. 

If you want to cast heavy lures on heavy fluoro,  I recommend swapping in a MagZ spool.

Adding a note about Tatsu, I mostly fish PE braid,  #0.8 to #2, on BFS to 1000S spools, when I pull out 1016 spool,  the 4 y-o Tatsu charge is still low memory. 

I've liked my Zillion so far. Easy to use and cast a mile.

 

I have Shimano and Daiwa reels and like both in their own way. As far as a comparison, I like my Metaniums more for jigs and softplastic but the Zillion I like for everything else. Also, just an observation but I think the Metaniums will out last the Zillion.  The Zillion I have is starting to feel broken in and a little loose but still awesome. While the Metaniums feel exactly like they did when I bought them.

The closest I can agree, four salty years, my Zillion SV TW feels new, but when I swap to SLPW Z, the newer reel based on 22 HD feels smoother and more qualified. But it's close enough,  the subtle difference is only recognized on immediate swap.

 

4 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

The closest I can agree, four salty years, my Zillion SV TW feels new, but when I swap to SLPW Z, the newer reel based on 22 HD feels smoother and more qualified. 

 

I feel the same about the HD. I am starting to like it better than the Steez A II I have.  I feel more connected to it, if that makes sense.Also, it might actually be a little smoother as well. 

17 hours ago, jejenkyns said:

what makes the long cast spool a long cast spool?

Beyond the mechanical, fast clean bearings, lightweight spool etc with Daiwa it's all brake tuning. Different thickness of inductor rotor, different ramp angles, spring rates etc to tune the brake impulse. The boost spools will typically have a thinner inductor and stronger spring to keep the brake impulse short. SV spools have a thick inductor and an ultralight spring, you can usually hear the inductor pop back into position at the end of a cast.

51 minutes ago, FishTank said:

I've liked my Zillion so far. Easy to use and cast a mile.

 

I have Shimano and Daiwa reels and like both in their own way. As far as a comparison, I like my Metaniums more for jigs and softplastic but the Zillion I like for everything else. Also, just an observation but I think the Metaniums will out last the Zillion.  The Zillion I have is starting to feel broken in and a little loose but still awesome. While the Metaniums feel exactly like they did when I bought them.

Broken in in what way? Even from factory, the Met comes with a ton of side to side (lateral) movement of the handle, while the zillion has none. So when it comes to the Met, there's nothing to break in, it comes loose from factory.

32 minutes ago, ABU is overpriced said:

Broken in in what way? Even from factory, the Met comes with a ton of side to side (lateral) movement of the handle, while the zillion has none. So when it comes to the Met, there's nothing to break in, it comes loose from factory.

Mine didn't, it's tight as anything I could imagine, so is the zillion. both are and were perfect out of the box. No play anywhere.

2 hours ago, ABU is overpriced said:

Broken in in what way? Even from factory, the Met comes with a ton of side to side (lateral) movement of the handle, while the zillion has none. So when it comes to the Met, there's nothing to break in, it comes loose from factory.

 

As of right now the Metanium is definitely tighter in feeling than the Zillion. Its not really much and it doesn't bother me in slightest.  The Metanium does have some back play to it like most Shimano reels but very little compared to the reels of old. I would describe what I feel in the Zillion as more of a flex than wiggle room though.  I have same feeling with my older Steez SV, Costal 80, Steez CT and I'm starting to get it in one of my Steez A IIs. I don't have that feeling in the new Steez SV TW, Steez SV Limited, Tatula BF 70 or the Zillion HD. 

 

With my Metaniums, they felt a little stiff out of the box, have loosened up a fuzz, and feel perfect to me know. I would also say the same about the four Calcutta Conquests and the  Bantam I have. The Shimano reels with the most play I have, have been the Curado BFS reels.  They function and feel OK but seem sort of clunky. I do like them though. 

 

Also, out the reels in question. The 20 Metanium has seen the most abuse, followed by the Zillion. That particular Metanium has been probably seen four times as many fish as the Zillion and some big accidental catfish as well.

I just bought the latest Zillion...I'm also late to the party.  It palms pretty good imo...I give it a 7 5/10.  A hair better than my  Curado 150mgl, but not as good as the 70 curado.  My best palming reels are my first gen 13 fishing Concept series reels.

2 hours ago, jejenkyns said:

Mine didn't, it's tight as anything I could imagine, so is the zillion. both are and were perfect out of the box. No play anywhere.

I have a hard time believing this because Shimano doesn't pay attention to the lateral movement of the handle. I don't have enough experience with the newest conquests and antares, but every single other shimano baitcaster i've ever had or tried, they all had lateral vibration of the handle. Like ALL OF THEM. Not only that, but there's even backplay of the handle (hold the spool, and turn the handle backwards, you'll see what i mean), and this hasn't improved in the last 20 years plus. A thing that doesn't exist from Daiwa.

50 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

As of right now the Metanium is definitely tighter in feeling than the Zillion. Its not really much and it doesn't bother me in slightest.  The Metanium does have some back play to it like most Shimano reels but very little compared to the reels of old. I would describe what I feel in the Zillion as more of a flex than wiggle room though.  I have same feeling with my older Steez SV, Costal 80, Steez CT and I'm starting to get it in one of my Steez A IIs. I don't have that feeling in the new Steez SV TW, Steez SV Limited, Tatula BF 70 or the Zillion HD. 

 

With my Metaniums, they felt a little stiff out of the box, have loosened up a fuzz, and feel perfect to me know. I would also say the same about the four Calcutta Conquests and the  Bantam I have. The Shimano reels with the most play I have, have been the Curado BFS reels.  They function and feel OK but seem sort of clunky. I do like them though. 

 

Also, out the reels in question. The 20 Metanium has seen the most abuse, followed by the Zillion. That particular Metanium has been probably seen four times as many fish as the Zillion and some big accidental catfish as well.

The Met "feeling" tighter is because of it's construction, not because all its parts being tighter fitted than the zillion. A few weeks ago i made a thread on here saying how Daiwa should steal the coresolid design from Shimano. This is what makes the reel feel tighter, especially under heavy load. It's a superior way of construction because there are less moving parts. The only thing that breaks in on a zillion is the grease, which lowers the drag, and increases how free it is to turn the handle.

9 minutes ago, ABU is overpriced said:

The Met "feeling" tighter is because of it's construction, not because all its parts being tighter fitted than the zillion. A few weeks ago i made a thread on here saying how Daiwa should steal the coresolid design from Shimano. This is what makes the reel feel tighter, especially under heavy load. It's a superior way of construction because there are less moving parts. The only thing that breaks in on a zillion is the grease, which lowers the drag, and increases how free it is to turn the handle.

The Zillion has loosened up over time and use. If I fish the HD Zillion side by side with regular version, you can't mistake the difference.  They were very close in feel at one time. Also, I have taken my Zillion apart more than once since I bought it and you can tell the difference there as well in the parts. Again none of this bothers me. 

 

I do totally agree with you on the body construction on the Metanium being better. 

6 hours ago, FishTank said:

I feel the same about the HD. I am starting to like it better than the Steez A II I have.  I feel more connected to it, if that makes sense.Also, it might actually be a little smoother as well. 

I’ll take the steez off your hands if you want to get rid of it. 😁

3 hours ago, FishTank said:

 

As of right now the Metanium is definitely tighter in feeling than the Zillion. Its not really much and it doesn't bother me in slightest.  The Metanium does have some back play to it like most Shimano reels but very little compared to the reels of old. I would describe what I feel in the Zillion as more of a flex than wiggle room though.  I have same feeling with my older Steez SV, Costal 80, Steez CT and I'm starting to get it in one of my Steez A IIs. I don't have that feeling in the new Steez SV TW, Steez SV Limited, Tatula BF 70 or the Zillion HD. 

 

With my Metaniums, they felt a little stiff out of the box, have loosened up a fuzz, and feel perfect to me know. I would also say the same about the four Calcutta Conquests and the  Bantam I have. The Shimano reels with the most play I have, have been the Curado BFS reels.  They function and feel OK but seem sort of clunky. I do like them though. 

 

Also, out the reels in question. The 20 Metanium has seen the most abuse, followed by the Zillion. That particular Metanium has been probably seen four times as many fish as the Zillion and some big accidental catfish as well.

With the daiwas what do you mean by flex? In the handle while retrieving baits?

29 minutes ago, woolleyfooley said:

I’ll take the steez off your hands if you want to get rid of it. 😁

 

I think I might hang on to it for a while. I really like it for deep cranks.  I also need to figure out why the thumb bar keeps sticking on the 6.x:1 model. It's probably something I did when I worked on it. It's weird. It may not happen at all one day and then next it starts back up. 

 

31 minutes ago, woolleyfooley said:

With the daiwas what do you mean by flex? In the handle while retrieving baits?

 

Sort of. I can only describe it as flex in the whole reel when it is under load with either a fish on or with a deep crankbait/jerkbait. I first noticed it in the 16 Steez SV about 2 years after buying it. I think I have mentioned this a few times.  

 

For some odd reason in my head I thought it was the frame material but the more I used it, the more I noticed it and thought it had to be something else. My guess is, if someone besides me were to use it, they would never feel it. I think back then, I was using the Steez SV for soft plastic and Shimano Antares 70A for jigs. The difference in the feel of these reels probably made it more noticeable. The Antares is solid like a tank that powers fish in with no movement and Steez SV is light and easy going (more finesse).   

On 6/10/2025 at 6:09 PM, FishTank said:

 

I think I might hang on to it for a while. I really like it for deep cranks.  I also need to figure out why the thumb bar keeps sticking on the 6.x:1 model. It's probably something I did when I worked on it. It's weird. It may not happen at all one day and then next it starts back up. 

 

 

Sort of. I can only describe it as flex in the whole reel when it is under load with either a fish on or with a deep crankbait/jerkbait. I first noticed it in the 16 Steez SV about 2 years after buying it. I think I have mentioned this a few times.  

 

For some odd reason in my head I thought it was the frame material but the more I used it, the more I noticed it and thought it had to be something else. My guess is, if someone besides me were to use it, they would never feel it. I think back then, I was using the Steez SV for soft plastic and Shimano Antares 70A for jigs. The difference in the feel of these reels probably made it more noticeable. The Antares is solid like a tank that powers fish in with no movement and Steez SV is light and easy going (more finesse).   

Ah, ok. So does it seem like with a fish on the reel feels more “geary” or “grindy” than it does without a fish? 

I’m a big fan of the Zillion SV TW. My fourth JDM showed up today😁

2 hours ago, woolleyfooley said:

Ah, ok. So does it seem like with a fish on the reel feels more “geary” or “grindy” than it does without a fish? 

 

Not necessarily. The reel just feels loose and broken in, again a flex feeling. 

sounds like drama that I haven't experienced.  

Here's a little of what I have experienced.  

On 6/9/2025 at 2:45 PM, jejenkyns said:

I like Daiwa rods but I'm a Shimano reel guy at heart. The Shimano reels I have palm great and just fit my hands. The Breaking system feels fluid, natural and unobtrusive. Shimano reels are very set and forget for me, I don't touch the dial that much, regardless of lure weight or conditions.

 

Daiwa baitcasters, on the other hand, can be bulky and feel strange on a rod. The magnetic breaking feels intrusive and I'm always trying to get rid of the feel. This affects my "fun". This is true for casting but most apparent when pitching. The experience of pitching with magnetic brakes just doesn't suit my tastes.

 

Too early to do a quick write up with only a few hours on the water? Nah, it's just a reel,

 

So why did I buy a Zillion? Curiosity I guess. I understand the braking system uses centrifugal forces to move the rotor in and out of the magnetic field. I found that intruiging. People speak highly of this reel. Most of all, there is a new tackle shop in my town that is carrying a bunch of great stuff from the Dark Side. I'm invested in supporting their growth. So rather than buy another Met from Japan, I decided to drop some coin on a Zillion they had in stock.

 

So what do I think of it? Well, it is big and bulky and doesn't palm comfortably. It isn't bad, but it isn't a Met or even a Curado. The frame doesn't feel nearly as solid at the Met's magnesium frame. It is a smooth reel, no doubt, very refined feeling. The biggest surprise is the braking system. Daiwa has solved mag brakes as far as I'm concerned. It's not perfect, but it is very close. Casting is so smooth, the way the line feels coming off the spool is very satisfying. I can't feel the brakes in the way that has always annoyed me. Despite what others say, and despite what my past experience with Daiwa reels tells me, this Zillion can absolutely go toe to toe with my Met on casting distance (at least so far in my limited experience). Casting distance isn't everything of course, but from the bank you can only fish where you can reach. Just as important to me, however, is how the reel feels in action, and not feeling those magnets makes a huge difference. Even pitching distance is reliably very good and feels great.

 

I never touched the spool tension (normally that is the first thing I do with a reel) I just left it and started casting on the default position of 6 on the external dial. It just felt great right out of the box. I've backed the dial down to 3 and it is performing every bit as well as I'd expect from a Shimano reel.

 

The clicker drag is an amazing addition. I really didn't expect to appreciate it as much as I do. It's just really great to have visceral feedback on your drag settings, not just when a fish makes a run either. I really like to set my drag so it slips just a little bit on hookset. The audible click is great feedback that everything is dialed in.

 

If you love your Tatula and are thinking about moving up in price, this reel might actually blow your mind, and if it doesn't, it sure won't be a step in a wrong direction! If you are a Shimano fan will the Zillion change your mind and pull over to the other side? No, very likely not, but it is a solid option with some nice features like the clicker drag and the braking system... just. solves. magnetic. brakes...

 

If I were to buy another reel tomorrow I would buy another Met. But this reel has shifted my perspective on Daiwa baitcasters an magnetic brakes in general.

I have to admit I'm falling in love with this reel pretty fast. 

On 6/9/2025 at 3:39 PM, casts_by_fly said:

If you haven't touched the spool tension, you should, just to confirm where it is.  They are supposed to be zero adjust set from the factory, but confirm it.  If you are casting on a '3' for the braking system, you're either using a good bit of thumb, not really loading up the rod and lure, or else there is spool tension added.  I find that on mine, anything under an 8 or so and you're fluffing up pretty good and lower is an immediate blowup on an overhead cast.

 

I'm also a shimano guy for the most part.  I've got a good set of mets, bantams, and chronachs (plus an aldebaran BFS) as well as my zillion (with some more reels on the way).  I agree they have a bit different form factor and shape.  Most people have a preference for one or the other, but both are very good.  

I checked the spool tension today. There is just a touch of side to side play. It's just about exactly where I would set a reel on my own. Does this sound about right?

On 6/10/2025 at 3:08 PM, ABU is overpriced said:

The Met "feeling" tighter is because of it's construction, not because all its parts being tighter fitted than the zillion. A few weeks ago i made a thread on here saying how Daiwa should steal the coresolid design from Shimano. This is what makes the reel feel tighter, especially under heavy load. It's a superior way of construction because there are less moving parts. The only thing that breaks in on a zillion is the grease, which lowers the drag, and increases how free it is to turn the handle.

It doesn't matter how play free the handle is on the reel if the knobs have slop in them, youre going to feel it.  It's not a difficult fix and it would be cheap as well, but both Daiwa and Shimano still have problems with that.  

Well I figured I'd revive this thread just to let everyone know I've totally fallen for the Zillion. My hands just got used to it and I'm now just fishing with it, not camparing, fishing. And it really is a dream. It hasn't left my Dark Sleeper and I've really just been carrying around that rod and my windbusters, occasionally bringing my super destroyer out for heavier stuff. No love lost for the Met, but man the Zillion was a great purchase and I'm just loving it's consistency and smoothness. I think my favourite thing about it is just how lovely it feels to wind under load, and the smooth feeling of line coming off the spool. I'm smitten, ditch the d**n chrome thing though...

mine seem to breed - there's another

16 hours ago, jejenkyns said:

Well I figured I'd revive this thread just to let everyone know I've totally fallen for the Zillion. My hands just got used to it and I'm now just fishing with it, not camparing, fishing. And it really is a dream. It hasn't left my Dark Sleeper and I've really just been carrying around that rod and my windbusters, occasionally bringing my super destroyer out for heavier stuff. No love lost for the Met, but man the Zillion was a great purchase and I'm just loving it's consistency and smoothness. I think my favourite thing about it is just how lovely it feels to wind under load, and the smooth feeling of line coming off the spool. I'm smitten, ditch the d**n chrome thing though...

sooo...no for sale thread ?

 

ha...glad you love it.  i love mine. i have two, and will pick up one more in Tokyo, november.  the reel manages line beautifully.    and i dont mind the silver/chrome look.  i would take one in that weird flesh color all the kids use from the crayon box to color in people...:D  Aesthetics is 3rd/4th.  

On 6/10/2025 at 1:50 PM, KP Duty said:

I just bought the latest Zillion...I'm also late to the party.  It palms pretty good imo...I give it a 7 5/10.  A hair better than my  Curado 150mgl, but not as good as the 70 curado.  My best palming reels are my first gen 13 fishing Concept series reels.

Believe it or not I agree with this. I was fishing the first gen Concept reels exclusively for almost 9 years. Recently sold most of them and moved over to Daiwa. No regrets, I really love my Daiwas... But those Concept reels are still the nicest palming reels I've owned. Most of them just started to break and were slowing down so I got rid of them. Only two I still have are the original TX and an A.

 

The Zillion SV TW is next on my list. I've had to lay back on fishing quite a bit recently so I haven't made that purchase yet. 

Seems like a better fit here than starting a new thread:

1) do spools ever go on sale? I'd like some extras but at 1/2 the price of a whole reel it's hard to want to buy them

2) I have a zillion that maybe has a sticky inductor? Getting mid-cast fluffing or backlashes even up in the mid-teens setting on the magnet. It's like the reel has gone wild. Managable with thumb but definitely not working right. Manually pulling out the inductor it moves just fine so not totally stuck. But it behaves very differently than the other zillions both JDM and USDM. And I have a second one that kinda felt like it was doing the same thing this weekend, but not nearly as much. 

 

On 6/10/2025 at 7:02 AM, bulldog1935 said:

 

If you want to cast heavy lures on heavy fluoro,  I recommend swapping in a MagZ spool.

What's heavy line and lure in this context?