Great Mazinger
Encyclopedia
is a manga
comic book and anime
television series by manga artist Go Nagai
, made as a direct continuation of the successful Mazinger Z
series. It was aired on Japanese television in 1974, immediately following the end of the first Mazinger
series, and ran for 56 episodes.
and his army of Warrior Beasts
. Kenzo gives the Great Mazinger to Tetsuya to pilot, who is accompanied by a new token female companion, Jun Hono
(an orphaned half Japanese, half African-American girl), in her feminine robot, Venus A
(Venus Ace).
Both Great Mazinger's and Tetsuya's training are completed just in time to come to Kouji's aid as the Mycenae Battle Beasts overwhelm Mazinger Z
. With the original Mazinger destroyed, Kouji went to America to study space travel and left Japan's defense in the hands of Tetsuya and the Fortress of Science. Tetsuya battles the Mycenae Battle Beasts and even their mighty generals, cumulating in a bitter final battle with the Mycenae's military leader, Ankoku Daishogun (Great General of Darkness). After the Great General of Darkness' defeat, the Mycenae forces are led by Doctor Hell, the villain from Mazinger Z
, back under the guise of the Great Marshall of Hell.
Produced as a direct sequel to Mazinger Z
, Great Mazinger
also includes some cast members the original series, including Shiro Kabuto (Kouji's little brother), and comic-relief robot Boss Borot
. While Great Mazinger
did not achieve the same astronomical ratings as Mazinger Z, but was still highly popular to run a very successful 56 weeks, and spawned a line of best-selling toys and merchandize as did it's predecessor, as well as several spin-off theatrical featurettes, and allowed for the creation of UFO Robo Grendizer.
Originally, Great Mazinger
was to be included in Jim Terry's Force Five
series, but was eventually swapped out with Spaceketeers, and was never aired in the United States. It was however successfully broadcast, unedited and in its entirety, as was Mazinger Z, in Italy, Mexico, and other Latin American countries. Eventually, footage from Great Mazinger's sole appearance in the final episode of Mazinger Z, was aired as part of the US version of Mazinger Z, known as Tranzor Z. But, Great Mazinger had already been introduced to millions of American children under the name of Mazinga as one of the imported, 24" Jumbo Machinder
toys released in the US by Mattel
as part of their Shogun Warriors
line in 1976.
Great Mazinger was also the star of the short theatrical "team-up movies" features released in Japan like Great Mazinger versus Grendizer, Great Mazinger versus Getter Robo G, etc., based on anime crossovers of the manga creations of Go Nagai.
Tetsuya and the Great Mazinger are featured, along with Jun in the Mazinkaiser
OVA and movie Mazinkaiser: Death match! Ankoku Daishogun. The characters have been also a mainstay in Banpresto
's Super Robot Wars
, a popular battle-simulation/RPG series of video games based on many anime mecha
shows, including the original Mazinger Z and many others like Getter Robo
, the Gundam
series, and Neon Genesis Evangelion
among others. Tetsuya also appears in Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen
. Tetsuya also pilots an earlier version of Mazinger Z called Energer Z.
: Tetsuya again fights alongside Kouji against Doctor Hell's forces. The OVA version of Great Mazinger is physically identical to the original, but with black coloring on the arms and legs instead of blue. Great is seriously damaged during the initial battle in the series, and later, when the captured Mazinger Z
attacks the Photon Power Labs, Tetsuya does his best to defend the lab against Mazinger Z and later the rampaging Mazinkaiser
, leaving him badly injured and Great Mazinger a complete wreck. Afterwards, he leaves together with Jun for treatment for his injuries.
Near the end of the OVA, Tetsuya returns with a new, much more powerful Great, discovered in Doctor Juzo Kabuto's laboratory; this is said to be the real Great Mazinger (or "Shin Great Mazinger"). The "true" Great is structurally the same as the earlier version, but the color scheme for the forearms and legs is blue, as in the original 70's version. It is explained that the Great Mazinger made by Doctor Kenzo Kabuto (Kouji's father) is the prototype version, seen in the early episodes, whereas Doctor Juzo Kabuto (Kouji's grandfather), secretly working in an underground laboratory, managed to finish the final version of Great Mazinger. It has tremendous power compared to the prototype version, and its armor is almost identical to the new Z Alpha armor used by Mazinkaiser. This Shin Great Mazinger was able to defeat an entire army of Doctor Hell's super robots single-handedly, including the possessed Venus Ace (although most of the battle was not shown). It suffered no damage and after the battle, Great Mazinger decided to find and help Kouji in the Floating Fortress of Dr. Hell. The concept of Shin Great Mazinger is to bring Great to the ranks of modern and more powerful robots such as Mazinkaiser and Shin Getter Robo.
Great also returns in the 2003 movie Mazinkaiser: Deathmatch! Ankoku Daishogun, where Tetsuya once more fights the Mycenae Empire (using the prototype Great Mazinger for unknown reasons). This time, however, Great is incapacitated rather quickly, surviving battle but unable to continue fighting. However, the battle did display Tetsuya's skill, as he was the only member of the Mazinger Army
(made up of Great, Venus A and three mass-produced and significantly weaker versions of Mazinger Z) to defeat his attackers and survive.
In 2009 Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen
series Tetsuya is an ace pilot, noted for incredibly easy mastering control over Mazinger Z prototype, Energer Z. He has assisted Kabuto Kenzo and Juzo, Dr. Hell and Tsubasa Nishikiori in exploring Bardos Island. When Dr. Hell makes his first attempts for world domination, Tetsuya sacrifices his life, allowing Tsubasa to shoot Kenzo, who has been possessed by alien Kedora, killing them both. He is later revealed to be Tsubasa's lost brother and his ghost is summoned by Viscount Pygman to haunt her. In the first episode, mysterious figure bearing striking resemblance to Tetsuya in his pilot costume, with its face unseen, referred to as "Blade", kills Pygman. A silhouette of Great Mazinger is seen behind Blade but before the narrator can introduce it, Detective Ankokuji interrupts him, saying it's "another story", with Blade and Great Mazinger disappearing meanwhile. Great General Of Darkness also appears in the first and last episodes of the series.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
comic book and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television series by manga artist Go Nagai
Go Nagai
, better known by the penname , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with Meakashi Polikichi, but is best known for creating Cutie Honey, Devilman, and Mazinger Z in the 1970s. In 2005, he became a...
, made as a direct continuation of the successful Mazinger Z
Mazinger Z
, known briefly as Tranzor Z in United States, is a Super Robot manga and anime series created by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. In...
series. It was aired on Japanese television in 1974, immediately following the end of the first Mazinger
Mazinger
is a long running series of manga and anime featuring giant robots or mecha. The name can also be pronounced "Mazinga", as it is has been known in several countries, including in the United States of America.-Series:The series in order:...
series, and ran for 56 episodes.
Plot
The story centers on , an orphan raised by none other than , the once thought dead father of Mazinger Z pilot Kouji Kabuto. Kenzo Kabuto is the creator of the new, improved version of Mazinger, made by refining his father's Chogokin Z (Super Alloy Z) into a new, stronger form, designed to fight against humanity's new enemy, the Mycenae Empire, led by the Great General of DarknessGreat General of Darkness
was a fictional character, a supervillain and warlord from the series Great Mazinger. He takes the form of a gigantic warrior wearing a helmet decorated with three horns, a long red cape and vaguely Roman-like armour. His true face is that of a bearded old man and is set into his chest.He also...
and his army of Warrior Beasts
Warrior Beasts
The Warrior Beasts , also referred to as Battle Beasts in some translations, were the monsters and evil mecha from the anime and manga series Great Mazinger by Go Nagai...
. Kenzo gives the Great Mazinger to Tetsuya to pilot, who is accompanied by a new token female companion, Jun Hono
Jun Hono
is a fictional character featured in the works of Go Nagai. She is the Heroine character in the Super Robot series Great Mazinger and pilots the title female robot Venus A.- History :Jun Hono showed up in the first episode of Great Mazinger...
(an orphaned half Japanese, half African-American girl), in her feminine robot, Venus A
Venus A
is a female mecha from the Great Mazinger anime and manga series, created by Go Nagai. She plays the traditional role of the lady robot that helps the mazinger robot fight the enemy. She was named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty.- History :...
(Venus Ace).
Both Great Mazinger's and Tetsuya's training are completed just in time to come to Kouji's aid as the Mycenae Battle Beasts overwhelm Mazinger Z
Mazinger Z (robot)
Mazinger Z is a fictional mecha from the anime and manga series of the same name, created by Go Nagai. Within the story, Mazinger Z was created by Professor Juzou Kabuto and piloted by his grandson Kouji...
. With the original Mazinger destroyed, Kouji went to America to study space travel and left Japan's defense in the hands of Tetsuya and the Fortress of Science. Tetsuya battles the Mycenae Battle Beasts and even their mighty generals, cumulating in a bitter final battle with the Mycenae's military leader, Ankoku Daishogun (Great General of Darkness). After the Great General of Darkness' defeat, the Mycenae forces are led by Doctor Hell, the villain from Mazinger Z
Mazinger Z
, known briefly as Tranzor Z in United States, is a Super Robot manga and anime series created by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. In...
, back under the guise of the Great Marshall of Hell.
Produced as a direct sequel to Mazinger Z
Mazinger Z
, known briefly as Tranzor Z in United States, is a Super Robot manga and anime series created by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. In...
, Great Mazinger
Great Mazinger
is a manga comic book and anime television series by manga artist Go Nagai, made as a direct continuation of the successful Mazinger Z series...
also includes some cast members the original series, including Shiro Kabuto (Kouji's little brother), and comic-relief robot Boss Borot
Boss Borot
' is a fictional mecha from the anime and manga series Mazinger Z, first premiering in episode 48. Within the story, Boss Borot was created by three engineers from the Photon Power Laboratory and piloted by Boss and his cohorts Mucha and Nuke...
. While Great Mazinger
Great Mazinger
is a manga comic book and anime television series by manga artist Go Nagai, made as a direct continuation of the successful Mazinger Z series...
did not achieve the same astronomical ratings as Mazinger Z, but was still highly popular to run a very successful 56 weeks, and spawned a line of best-selling toys and merchandize as did it's predecessor, as well as several spin-off theatrical featurettes, and allowed for the creation of UFO Robo Grendizer.
Originally, Great Mazinger
Great Mazinger
is a manga comic book and anime television series by manga artist Go Nagai, made as a direct continuation of the successful Mazinger Z series...
was to be included in Jim Terry's Force Five
Force Five
Force Five was a syndicated anime cartoon anthology during the late 1970s/early 1980s. In the US, this series was primarily shown only in New England and Virginia, though it did make brief appearances in other markets, such as Dallas, Texas and San Jose, California on KICU-TV 36. It was also shown...
series, but was eventually swapped out with Spaceketeers, and was never aired in the United States. It was however successfully broadcast, unedited and in its entirety, as was Mazinger Z, in Italy, Mexico, and other Latin American countries. Eventually, footage from Great Mazinger's sole appearance in the final episode of Mazinger Z, was aired as part of the US version of Mazinger Z, known as Tranzor Z. But, Great Mazinger had already been introduced to millions of American children under the name of Mazinga as one of the imported, 24" Jumbo Machinder
Jumbo Machinder
Jumbo Machinder is the name of a series of large-scale plastic robots sold by Bandai's character toy subsidiary, Popy in the 1970s. Although a trademarked brand name, in common usage Jumbo Machinder is often applied to any large-size robot toy roto molded out of polyethylene terephthalate , a...
toys released in the US by Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
as part of their Shogun Warriors
Shogun Warriors
The Shogun Warriors were the central characters of a line of toys licensed by Mattel Inc. during the late 1970s that consisted of a series of imported Japanese robots based on the then popular anime shows featuring giant robots...
line in 1976.
Great Mazinger was also the star of the short theatrical "team-up movies" features released in Japan like Great Mazinger versus Grendizer, Great Mazinger versus Getter Robo G, etc., based on anime crossovers of the manga creations of Go Nagai.
Tetsuya and the Great Mazinger are featured, along with Jun in the Mazinkaiser
Mazinkaiser
is an anime OVA series, inspired by Go Nagai's Mazinger series. The OVA follows Kouji Kabuto, Tetsuya Tsurugi and the rest of the "Mazinger Team" as they fight against Dr. Hell's Mechanical Beasts....
OVA and movie Mazinkaiser: Death match! Ankoku Daishogun. The characters have been also a mainstay in Banpresto
Banpresto
is a Japanese toy company, best known in America for game development, headquartered in the Shinagawa Seaside West Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for...
's Super Robot Wars
Super Robot Wars
is a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Banpresto, which is now a Japanese division of Namco Bandai. The main feature of the franchise is having a story that crosses over several popular mecha anime, manga and video games, allowing characters and mecha from different titles to...
, a popular battle-simulation/RPG series of video games based on many anime mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
shows, including the original Mazinger Z and many others like Getter Robo
Getter Robo
is a Super Robot manga series created by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa, as well as an anime series produced by Toei Animation. The series was broadcast on Fuji TV from April 4, 1974 to May 8, 1975, with a total of 51 episodes.- Plot :...
, the Gundam
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
series, and Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise
The franchise is an umbrella of Japanese media properties generally owned by the anime studio Gainax. It has grossed over 150 billion yen since 1995. The central works of the franchise feature an apocalyptic mecha action story which revolves around the efforts by the paramilitary organization...
among others. Tetsuya also appears in Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen
Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen
is a new Mazinger anime series, directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa which premiered in Japan on April 4, 2009. According to the production staff, it has no relation to the 1970s show and should not be described as a Mazinger Z remake...
. Tetsuya also pilots an earlier version of Mazinger Z called Energer Z.
Modern version
In the 2002 OVA MazinkaiserMazinkaiser
is an anime OVA series, inspired by Go Nagai's Mazinger series. The OVA follows Kouji Kabuto, Tetsuya Tsurugi and the rest of the "Mazinger Team" as they fight against Dr. Hell's Mechanical Beasts....
: Tetsuya again fights alongside Kouji against Doctor Hell's forces. The OVA version of Great Mazinger is physically identical to the original, but with black coloring on the arms and legs instead of blue. Great is seriously damaged during the initial battle in the series, and later, when the captured Mazinger Z
Mazinger Z
, known briefly as Tranzor Z in United States, is a Super Robot manga and anime series created by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. In...
attacks the Photon Power Labs, Tetsuya does his best to defend the lab against Mazinger Z and later the rampaging Mazinkaiser
Mazinkaiser
is an anime OVA series, inspired by Go Nagai's Mazinger series. The OVA follows Kouji Kabuto, Tetsuya Tsurugi and the rest of the "Mazinger Team" as they fight against Dr. Hell's Mechanical Beasts....
, leaving him badly injured and Great Mazinger a complete wreck. Afterwards, he leaves together with Jun for treatment for his injuries.
Near the end of the OVA, Tetsuya returns with a new, much more powerful Great, discovered in Doctor Juzo Kabuto's laboratory; this is said to be the real Great Mazinger (or "Shin Great Mazinger"). The "true" Great is structurally the same as the earlier version, but the color scheme for the forearms and legs is blue, as in the original 70's version. It is explained that the Great Mazinger made by Doctor Kenzo Kabuto (Kouji's father) is the prototype version, seen in the early episodes, whereas Doctor Juzo Kabuto (Kouji's grandfather), secretly working in an underground laboratory, managed to finish the final version of Great Mazinger. It has tremendous power compared to the prototype version, and its armor is almost identical to the new Z Alpha armor used by Mazinkaiser. This Shin Great Mazinger was able to defeat an entire army of Doctor Hell's super robots single-handedly, including the possessed Venus Ace (although most of the battle was not shown). It suffered no damage and after the battle, Great Mazinger decided to find and help Kouji in the Floating Fortress of Dr. Hell. The concept of Shin Great Mazinger is to bring Great to the ranks of modern and more powerful robots such as Mazinkaiser and Shin Getter Robo.
Great also returns in the 2003 movie Mazinkaiser: Deathmatch! Ankoku Daishogun, where Tetsuya once more fights the Mycenae Empire (using the prototype Great Mazinger for unknown reasons). This time, however, Great is incapacitated rather quickly, surviving battle but unable to continue fighting. However, the battle did display Tetsuya's skill, as he was the only member of the Mazinger Army
Mazinger Army
Million Alpha, Baion Beta, and Daion Gamma are fictional mecha associated with the anime/manga universe of Mazinger Z by Go Nagai. Within the story, they are mass-produced versions of the original Mazinger Z and are intended to go into battle when Mazinger itself was unavailable.They are...
(made up of Great, Venus A and three mass-produced and significantly weaker versions of Mazinger Z) to defeat his attackers and survive.
In 2009 Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen
Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen
is a new Mazinger anime series, directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa which premiered in Japan on April 4, 2009. According to the production staff, it has no relation to the 1970s show and should not be described as a Mazinger Z remake...
series Tetsuya is an ace pilot, noted for incredibly easy mastering control over Mazinger Z prototype, Energer Z. He has assisted Kabuto Kenzo and Juzo, Dr. Hell and Tsubasa Nishikiori in exploring Bardos Island. When Dr. Hell makes his first attempts for world domination, Tetsuya sacrifices his life, allowing Tsubasa to shoot Kenzo, who has been possessed by alien Kedora, killing them both. He is later revealed to be Tsubasa's lost brother and his ghost is summoned by Viscount Pygman to haunt her. In the first episode, mysterious figure bearing striking resemblance to Tetsuya in his pilot costume, with its face unseen, referred to as "Blade", kills Pygman. A silhouette of Great Mazinger is seen behind Blade but before the narrator can introduce it, Detective Ankokuji interrupts him, saying it's "another story", with Blade and Great Mazinger disappearing meanwhile. Great General Of Darkness also appears in the first and last episodes of the series.
See also
- Mazinger Z Vs. The Great General of DarknessMazinger Z Vs. The Great General of Darknessis a Japanese animated film from 1974 that served as an alternative link between the Mazinger Z series and the Great Mazinger series. It basically introduces Great Mazinger to the audience, as well as his enemies from the Mikene Empire, showing the defeat of Mazinger Z.The final episode of the...
- UFO Robot Grendizer tai Great MazingerUFO Robot Grendizer tai Great Mazingeris a 1976 animated short film that crosses over Go Nagai's super robots Grendizer and Great Mazinger. The movie features alternate versions of events from both series, and, as with the rest of the Vs. films, is not canonical to either one...
- Grendizer, Getter Robot G, Great Mazinger: Kessen! DaikaijuuGrendizer, Getter Robot G, Great Mazinger: Kessen! Daikaijuuis an animated film produced by Toei which premiered originally in in Japan. It is a crossover of three super robot anime created by Go Nagai: Grendizer, Getter Robot G and Great Mazinger. Like the rest of the Vs. animated films of Toei, the movie features alternate versions of events from the...