Mazinkaiser
Encyclopedia
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
.
An army of machines, led by Baron Ashura
, defeats Kouji's Mazinger Z
and Tetsuya's Great Mazinger. In the aftermath, Kouji stumbles upon a forgotten laboratory. Inside, he finds Mazinkaiser
, the most powerful robot ever built. The series chronicles Kouji's experience with the machine as he copes with Kaiser's power while defeating Dr. Hell's forces.
The OVA's design is inspired by the original Mazinger Z manga from 1972, rather than Toei Animation
's TV series. Mazinkaiser emulates Go Nagai's character designs, and its operatic plot is supported by a "tongue-in-cheek
" cynicism in regards to the gratuitous sex and violence. Some of the Episodes draw their plot elements from the Mazinger Z manga, "Episode 3: Kouji Assassination Order!" being a good example.
An English version was released by ADV Films in 2003.
Episode 1: A Fierce Fight! Double Mazingers: Baron Ashura
attacks Japan with an army of Mechanical Beasts
, but is met head on by Kouji Kabuto and Mazinger Z
. Ashura's forces manage to get the upper hand, and despite the arrival of Great Mazinger
, Boss Borot
and Aphrodite A
, Mazinger Z is disabled and Kouji hurled to parts unknown. Dr. Hell
quickly modifies Mazinger Z into the Ashura Mazinger and launches an attack on the Photon Power Lab. Despite Great being damaged, Tetsuya Tsurugi attempts a valiant defense but is overwhelmed. Before he can be killed by a gloating Ashura, a mystery robot wipes out the entire attacking Mechanical Beast army with one shot. Overpowering Ashura Mazinger easily, the mystery robot begins attacking the Lab and Great!
Episode 2: A Descending, Malevolent Deity: Great Mazinger attempts to battle the mystery robot, but is easily swept aside. Just as the machine begins to power up its heat sinks, Sayaka arrives and begs the pilot to stop. Kouji later awakens in bed, having little recollection of piloting Mazinkaiser to the rescue and attacking the lab himself. He describes how he was brought to a cave he found Mazinkaiser, the final creation of his grandfather. Unfortunately, Mazinkaiser taps into the pilot's mind and is so powerful Kouji is overwhelmed and unable to use its power effectively, or even safely. Because of this, when Ashura uses the aerial fortress Gool and to attack a nearby city Great Mazinger, Aphrodite A and Boss Borot are dispatched while Kouji helplessly fumes back in the lab. Predictably, the three heroes are no match for the Mechanical Beast onslaught. When Kouji arrives, Ashura captures Sayaka and threatens to kill her if he does not surrender Mazinkaiser. Kouji separates the Kaiser Pilder from Kaiser itself, but as it is being loaded onto the ship the Great Booster arrives and cuts the chains, sending Ashura's forces into disarray as it barrels through them. Taking advantage, Kouji quickly yells "Pilder ON!" and brings Mazinkaiser to life. After a short but sharp battle, Ashura is sent packing. Tetsuya decides to leave with Jun to give his wounds time to heal and entrust the safety of Japan to Kouji.
Episode 3: Kouji Assassination Order!: Enraged with the appearance of Mazinkaiser, Dr. Hell is furious with Baron Ashura. However, the wily henchman informs his master that he has already dispatched his three cute daughters to deal with Kouji, since without Kouji to pilot it Mazinkaiser is useless. Ashura's daughters attack Boss by mistake, prompting Dr. Yumi and Sayaka to forbid Kouji from leaving the Lab until the situation changes. Hot-headed as ever, Kouji sneaks out anyway and battles the three daughters of Ashura, who turn out to be killer androids. He defeats them just in time to rescue Sayaka and Boss from a Mechanical Beast. The episode finishes with the introduction of Lori and Loru, two busty American sisters who are Dr. Yumi's assistants. This episode introduces the Mazinkaiser version of Venus A
, piloted by Sayaka instead of Jun.
Episode 4: Sayaka Rescue Operation: On a day at the beach, Ashura kidnaps Sayaka and threatens to publicly humiliate her by cutting off her swimsuit if Kouji and Mazinkaiser do not surrender. Kouji is brought aboard the submarine Salude, but manages to escape and rescue Sayaka with Boss' help. Venus and Mazinkaiser make short work of the submarine. This episode is somewhat infamous for its crude sexual humour and fan service
nudity.
Episode 5: A Narrow Escape! The Photon Power Lab: Dr. Hell is fast losing patience with Ashura's failures, prompting the half-male, half-female villain to carry out a desperate plot. He attacks Dr. Yumi as he and Lori are travelling back to the Photon Power Lab and then disguises himself as the doctor. Unfortunately, he had no way of knowing it was the doctor's birthday and so was caught off-guard. Eventually losing patience, he attacks the Lab and is repelled. Dr. Hell angrily has him imprisoned and resolves to deal with Mazinkaiser himself. In the course of the episode Dr. Hell chances upon a group of more powerful, partly organic giants (Mykene Warrior Beasts
) which he utilizes in place of the previous mechanical monsters. This episode is notable for having a disturbing shower scene with Ashura.
Episode 6: Kouji Kabuto Dies in Magma!: Dr. Hell launches a full scale assault on the Photon Power Lab, using the Ghost Mechanical Beast Drago Omega 1 to infect Venus A
and turn it against them. His attack is followed up by a ground assault that successfully captures Kouji and the others. Boss and Boss Borot distract the enemy long enough for Kouji to reach and activate Mazinkaiser, but shortly thereafter Kouji is taken by surprise by the Combined Mechanical Beast (Gattai Kikaijuu), Garadabura MK01. Unable to effectively combat the flight-capable Mechanical Beast, Kouji and Mazinkaiser are dumped into an active Mount Fuji.
Episode 7: A Decisive Battle!! Flaming Hell Castle!: After Mazinkaiser is dumped into Mount Fuji by the Combined Mechanical Beast, it pursues Boss, Sayaka and the other members of the Photon Power Lab. Before it can kill them it is struck by a massive lightning: the Great Hero, Great Mazinger has returned! While Great battles the Mechanical Beasts, Jun arrives and takes the group to the hidden fortress where Kouji discovered Mazinkaiser. She explains that she and Tetsuya discovered and explored the base, uncovering another Great Mazinger. This Great is far more powerful than the one Tetsuya piloted in the previous episodes and is described as Shin Great Mazinger (New Great Mazinger). The original Great Mazinger was the prototype version made by Dr. Kenzo Kabuto. At that time, Dr. Juzo Kabuto, thought to be dead, was secretly making the final version of Great Mazinger in his underground laboratory. He was also able to finish Mazinkaiser as his ultimate masterpiece. They also uncovered Kaiser Scrander, the wings of Mazinkaiser. Unknown to the unconscious Koji at Mt. Fuji, his Pilder has activated an automatic homing signal, which will activate the Kaiser Scrander. Diving into Mount Fuji, the Scrander docks with Mazinkaiser and the now complete Mazinkaiser emerges from the volcano. After briefly assisting Great, Kouji decides to attack Dr. Hell's base, which was uncovered when he launched his entire Mechanical Beast army. Great Mazinger faces the Mechanical Beast horde as Kouji arrives on Dr. Hell's island and is confronted by Baron Ashura, now rebuilt into a Mechanical Beast. After a long and difficult battle, Kouji emerges triumphant thanks to Mazinkaiser's Final Blade and thoughts of his friends and family. Dr. Hell attempts to win Kouji over to his side and when the hero refuses activates the island's self-destruct sequence. Unluckily for the villain, his escape craft is caught in the explosions as well, while Mazinkaiser emerges unharmed from the inferno.
of 1974's Mazinger Z Vs. The Great General of Darkness
. The new Mazinger Team is overwhelmed by the surprise assault of the subterranean Mykene empire resulting in many casualties, but Mazinkaiser ultimately defeats the forces of evil, ending with a bitter duel against the leader of Mykene, the Great General of Darkness
.
Trivia: In the movie Mazinkaiser: Death! Ankoku Daishogun, with the first appearance for the Great General of Darkness, we can see among the scared crowd a comic artist character portraying Go Nagai
, smiling at what he drew (Ankoku Daishogun), and in the background, we can also see UFO Robo Grendizer
in one of his drawings!
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....
OVA series, inspired by 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...
's 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. The OVA follows Kouji Kabuto, Tetsuya Tsurugi and the rest of the "Mazinger Team" as they fight against Dr. Hell
Dr. Hell
Dr. Hell is the main villain of the fictional robot anime Mazinger Z. He is a brilliant, cunning and evil scientist, obsessed with world domination through his creations, the armies of Mechanical Beasts.- History :He was a colleague of Dr...
's Mechanical Beasts
Mechanical Beasts
The Mechanical Beasts , also known as mechanical monsters or mechanical brutes, were the antagonist mecha from the Mazinger Z anime and manga series, created by Go Nagai. Almost all of them were created by Koji Kabuto's nemesis, Dr. Hell...
.
An army of machines, led by Baron Ashura
Baron Ashura
is a fictional character featuring in the works of Go Nagai. It is the main henchman of Dr. Hell, the antagonist of Super Robot series Mazinger Z. It plagues the hero Kouji Kabuto for much of the series' run, until finally being killed in one of the later episodes....
, defeats Kouji's 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...
and Tetsuya's Great Mazinger. In the aftermath, Kouji stumbles upon a forgotten laboratory. Inside, he finds Mazinkaiser
Mazinkaiser (robot)
Mazinkaiser is a fictional robot from the anime and manga series of the same name, based on Go Nagai's Mazinger Z and featured in the 2001-2003 OVA series, Mazinkaiser and animated movie, Mazinkaiser: Deathmatch! Ankoku Daishogun. Within the story, Mazinkaiser was created by Professor Juzō Kabuto...
, the most powerful robot ever built. The series chronicles Kouji's experience with the machine as he copes with Kaiser's power while defeating Dr. Hell's forces.
The OVA's design is inspired by the original Mazinger Z manga from 1972, rather than Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
's TV series. Mazinkaiser emulates Go Nagai's character designs, and its operatic plot is supported by a "tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
" cynicism in regards to the gratuitous sex and violence. Some of the Episodes draw their plot elements from the Mazinger Z manga, "Episode 3: Kouji Assassination Order!" being a good example.
An English version was released by ADV Films in 2003.
OVA series
Baron Ashura
is a fictional character featuring in the works of Go Nagai. It is the main henchman of Dr. Hell, the antagonist of Super Robot series Mazinger Z. It plagues the hero Kouji Kabuto for much of the series' run, until finally being killed in one of the later episodes....
attacks Japan with an army of Mechanical Beasts
Mechanical Beasts
The Mechanical Beasts , also known as mechanical monsters or mechanical brutes, were the antagonist mecha from the Mazinger Z anime and manga series, created by Go Nagai. Almost all of them were created by Koji Kabuto's nemesis, Dr. Hell...
, but is met head on by Kouji Kabuto and 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...
. Ashura's forces manage to get the upper hand, and despite the arrival of 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...
, 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...
and Aphrodite A
Aphrodite A
is a female mecha from the Mazinger Z anime and manga series, created by Go Nagai. It was the first giant robot in the genre to resemble the female anatomy.She was named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty....
, Mazinger Z is disabled and Kouji hurled to parts unknown. Dr. Hell
Dr. Hell
Dr. Hell is the main villain of the fictional robot anime Mazinger Z. He is a brilliant, cunning and evil scientist, obsessed with world domination through his creations, the armies of Mechanical Beasts.- History :He was a colleague of Dr...
quickly modifies Mazinger Z into the Ashura Mazinger and launches an attack on the Photon Power Lab. Despite Great being damaged, Tetsuya Tsurugi attempts a valiant defense but is overwhelmed. Before he can be killed by a gloating Ashura, a mystery robot wipes out the entire attacking Mechanical Beast army with one shot. Overpowering Ashura Mazinger easily, the mystery robot begins attacking the Lab and Great!
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 :...
, piloted by Sayaka instead of Jun.
Fan service
, fanservice, or , is a term originating from anime and manga fandom for material in a series which is intentionally added to please the audience. It is about "servicing" the fan - giving the fans "exactly what they want"...
nudity.
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...
) which he utilizes in place of the previous mechanical monsters. This episode is notable for having a disturbing shower scene with Ashura.
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 :...
and turn it against them. His attack is followed up by a ground assault that successfully captures Kouji and the others. Boss and Boss Borot distract the enemy long enough for Kouji to reach and activate Mazinkaiser, but shortly thereafter Kouji is taken by surprise by the Combined Mechanical Beast (Gattai Kikaijuu), Garadabura MK01. Unable to effectively combat the flight-capable Mechanical Beast, Kouji and Mazinkaiser are dumped into an active Mount Fuji.
Mazinkaiser vs the Great General of Darkness
The OVA's success prompted the studio to release Mazinkaiser vs the Great General of Darkness (Mazinkaiser: Death! Ankoku Daishogun), a remakeRemake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
of 1974's Mazinger Z Vs. The Great General of Darkness
Mazinger Z Vs. The Great General of Darkness
is 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...
. The new Mazinger Team is overwhelmed by the surprise assault of the subterranean Mykene empire resulting in many casualties, but Mazinkaiser ultimately defeats the forces of evil, ending with a bitter duel against the leader of Mykene, the Great General of Darkness
Great 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...
.
Trivia: In the movie Mazinkaiser: Death! Ankoku Daishogun, with the first appearance for the Great General of Darkness, we can see among the scared crowd a comic artist character portraying 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...
, smiling at what he drew (Ankoku Daishogun), and in the background, we can also see UFO Robo Grendizer
Grendizer (mecha)
Grendizer is a fictional robot created by Go Nagai. Grendizer is the titular mecha of UFO Robo Grendizer, which debued in 1975.Grendizer is named after the fictional metal "Space Alloy Gren", a metal with similar properties to Super Alloy Z and its derivatives, the hardest material available on...
in one of his drawings!
External links
- The official website of Mazinkaizer (in Japanese)