Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen
Encyclopedia
is a new Mazinger
anime series, directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa
(of G Gundam
and Giant Robo fame) 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. The series is a "retelling" of the basic story of Mazinger Z, featuring most of the same characters, mechanical beasts, and some general plots of the original series, plus some additional material. It keeps the original plot line of Mazinger Z, but makes references to other Go Nagai
works, such as Z Mazinger
, Violence Jack
, Mao Dante and others. Elements from other related Mazinger works appear in the series, such as the story of Kedora (based on an original Mazinger Z story by Ken Ishikawa
) and the appearance of Energer Z, the original concept before Mazinger Z.
Along with the TV series, a new manga, started on (cover date ) in the magazine Champion Red
. The pair responsible for the shōnen
manga Akumetsu
, Yoshiaki Tabata and Yuki Yogo, write and illustrate the Shin Mazinger Zero manga. In 2010 a game based on the series was released for the PC.
and his associate, Baron Ashura
attack his lab. Along with this, the mysterious "Kurogane House
" also has begun to become entwined with the affairs of these two parties. During all of this, Juzo's grandchildren, Kouji and Shiro, encounter one of Baron Ashura's robots on its way to attack Dr. Kabuto's mansion, where he has begun work on his greatest invention. Dr. Kabuto, seeing the danger at hand, sends out the Pilder to Kouji, allowing him to combine with the giant robot, Mazinger Z, to fight against Dr. Hell's forces.
of the story. After the death of his parents, Koji works hard as the 'Mother Hen' to the surviving members of his family - his brother Shiro, and his grandfather Juzo. Koji has a high regard for his grandfather, whose patented inventions were the source of the Kabuto family's income and shows zero tolerance to anyone who ever insults his grandfather. During the primary attack of Ashura Corps., Koji becomes the pilot of his grandfather's greatest invention - the Super Robot Mazinger Z
. Like previous incarnations, he is a hot-blooded young man who occasionally acts before he thinks.: Koji's younger brother.: Koji's grandfather and the creator of Mazinger Z. Known as a great robotics engineer in addition as the man who discovered the Japanium Ore, which lead to the creation of the Photon Energy and Super-Alloy Z (a metal alloy that is stronger than any other metal known to man). Along with Dr. Hell, he uncovered the Mechanical Beasts on Bardos Island but opposed him upon discovering the dangers of the Kedora.: The son of Juzo Kabuto and father of Koji and Shiro Kabuto. In the original series, Kenzo and his wife are believed to have been killed in an accident involving the construction of Mazinger Z. In reality, Kenzo survived and later built Great Mazinger in secret, without the knowledge of his sons. In Shin Mazinger, he is stated to have died previous to the series and a number of episodes are dedicated to Koji learning of the truth of his death. In the earlier Episodes, Kenzo was shown to be a traitor and followed Dr. Hell. Nishikiori Tsubasa was forced to kill Kenzo with the help and request of Tetsuya. But in Episode 26, it was shown that he is still alive having cut-off the infected body that Dr. Hell corrupted during the re-constructuring of his damaged hand. It was revealed that Dr. Hell implanted a Kedora in his hand that controlled his mind. He later reveals to Tsubasa that the Mycenae empire would come if Kouji defeats Dr. Hell.
, a female robot and later the much improved Venus A.: Sayaka's father, a renowned professor of mechanics, and head of the Photon Power Labs. His name in all previous Mazinger series was read as "Gennosuke", but in the second episode of this series he was called "Yanosuke".: Renowned leader of all the high-school delinquents in Japan. He comes to Atami because it is the only area in Japan without a gang leader. and : The two members of Boss's gang. They are skilled in minor combat techniques as shown in Episode 12.: , and , three professors who are colleagues of Prof. Yumi and close friends of Dr. Juzo. In the original series, they helped build the Diana A and Boss Borot. In Shin Mazinger, they were the designers of the robots for the Mazinger Army and as such serve as the superiors to the group. They also worked under Tsubasa and designed the first Jet Scrander for Mazinger Z to use for aerial combat. They show having a liking to Kikunosuke of the Kurogane Five. & : Female twins who are pilots of Million α (Alpha
) and later the improved version Shin Million α. The twins are supporting characters in Shin Mazinger as members of the Mazinger Army who are seen killed in battle in the pilot episode. In the Mazinkaiser
OVA series, the twins first appear as assistants to Prof. Yumi and the objects of affection by Koji, Shiro and Boss due to their bustier physiques, much to the annoyance of Sayaka. They survived the final battle after following the plan of Tsubasa and lead the Million Corps against Dr. Hell. They were defeated by the King of Hell but the twins survived in Episode 26.: Pilot of Baion β (Beta
), and later Shin Baion β. He survived the final battle after following the plan of Tsubasa and lead the Baion Corps against Dr. Hell. The Baion Corps were defeated by the King of Hell but Shun survived in Episode 26.: Pilot of Daion γ (Gamma
) and later Shin Daion γ. He survived the final battle after following the plan of Tsubasa and lead the Daion Corps against Dr. Hell. The Daion Corps were defeated by the King of Hell but Masao survived in Episode 26. Although defeated by the King of Hell in Episode 26, the 100 Rocket Punches were implanted in the bodies of the Million Corps, Baion Corps and Daion Corps which, Kouji successfully launched against the King of Hell.
. In later episodes, as the dark secrets of the Kabuto family was revealed, it was told that Tsubasa is the original assistant of Dr. Hell and a well skilled biochemist. She was revealed to be the mother of Kouji and Shiro and the wife of Kenzo Kabuto.: Staff members of the Kurogane House. They once lived violent lives (gangsters, assassins, etc.) until they met Tsubasa, who saved them from death (or near-death) as a result of their situations. Reborn again, they swore unwavering loyalty to Tsubasa and vowed to serve and protect her, as well as the Kabuto family, with their lives. Each member is also equipped with a Super Alloy-Z weapon created by Tsubasa and Juzo. The Kurogane Five are loosely based on characters who appear in other works of Go Nagai
, most notably Violence Jack and the Abashiri Family. The members of the Kurogane Five are:
}: Head clerk of the Kurogane House and Tsubasa's right-hand man. Cross provides vital information to Tsubasa regarding the incidents surrounding Atami. He is known to show incredible strength and resilience. His weapon is his own body, now made of Super Alloy-Z.
}: Described by Inspector Ankokuji as a "weird Mexican looking guy" (thanks to his appearance of wearing a poncho), Django's role is to bring tourists to the Kurogane House on the outskirts of Atami, as well as recruiting new members to the staff. He is an expert marksman, having an array of guns, rifles, and special ammunitions, and shooting down his targets with pinpoint accuracy. When opposing more powerful opponents, he unleashes his Super Alloy-Z bullets.
}: Head chef of the Kurogane House. Though he never speaks, his cooking skills are said to be the best in the world. He is a master swordsman who has shown extraordinary skills with a blade by slicing a fish into sashimi pieces in a moment and then letting the fish swim in the water still alive despite having its head and bones remaining. In battle, he fights using a Super Alloy-Z sword.
}: Working as the House's bath attendant, he is an expert in the use of bombs and grenades. If need be, Yasu can blow himself up using the photon power bomb planted in a Super Alloy-Z chamber in his own body to protect Tsubasa and the Kabutos.
}: The Head Waitress of the Kurogane House. Also called "Sister Kiku" by the staff and even Tsubasa herself. Despite her small stature and old age, she is the most feared member of all the Kurogane staff. In battle, she moves at superhuman speed that surpasses even Sensei's and fights with a thin Super Alloy-Z thread used to bond and/or slice apart her opponents. Her character and choice of weapon is loosely based on the characters from the Abashiri Family.
warrior with a series of bizarre physical abilities. He takes the form of Jim Mazinger, a character from Violence Jack
. Pygman has high regards towards Baron Ashura, and shows his support in Episode 8 when he rescued Ashura from the team of Koji and Tsubasa, and again in Episode 9 as Ashura was punished by Dr. Hell for failing to defeat Mazinger Z numerous times. Unlike his comrades, Pygman does not lead any Mechanical Beasts. Instead, he relies on his mystic powers and physical abilities to advance Dr. Hell's schemes.: A series of female robot dolls serving under Baron Ashura, who regards them as his/her 'daughters'. They were created for the sole purpose of assassinating Koji Kabuto and Tsubasa Nishikiori. Most of them were destroyed during an attack on the Kurogane house and another was defeated by Koji when he, Sayaka and Boss escaped the Saluud. A fairly intact Gamia (called Gamia Q3) was recovered and repaired, eventually fighting alongside Detective Ankokuji (who refers to her as 'My Honey').
, who appears in the Z Mazinger
manga. Zeus's appearance is used as a metaphor to describe Mazinger Z as a god if used to save the Earth. Zeus is also revealed to be one of the three gods that commands Mycenae, the other two being his rival, Hades, and Poseidon.: A Mycenaean soldier in the form of an alien creature. In the pilot, Kedora describes itself as a being made to destroy other civilizations and manages to take control of Mazinger Z. Kedora is based on a character taken from a Mazinger Z short story by the late Ken Ishikawa
.: In the original series, he leads the Mycenaeans against both Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger. In Shin Mazinger, Gorgon was a subordinate of Zeus who betrays him by offering the body of Tristran (in reality, Baron Ashura) in a manner similar to the Trojan Horse
. This caused Zeus to lower his guard to be attacked by Hades. and : The previous lives of the Baron Ashura. The names are probably inspired in the romantic narrative Tristan and Isolde
.: One of the three gods of the Mycenae along with Zeus. He's the ruler of Hell and originally appears in the Z Mazinger manga. Hades attempted to eliminate Zeus after the latter lowers his guard from Archduke Gorgon's offering of the body of Tristan (in truth, it was the body of Baron Ashura), but was defeated when Zeus fights back along with assistance from Koji and his Mazinger Z.: A being of flame, he immediately appears after Hades was defeated by Zeus and Mazinger Z, sinking Bardos Island into the sea. He originally appears in Great Mazinger as the true leader of the Mycenaean Empire.
) he is shown to be partnered with the robot doll Gamia Q3, who he calls his "honey". His given name is Yamitaro.: Dr. Heinrich's daughter and Shiro's love interest. She is an android who can fuse with Schtroheim's other creation, the giant robot Donau α1 (Alpha 1), and battles Mazinger Z in order to fulfill her father's dream of surpassing Juzo's creation to become the greatest robot engineer of all. Her story and name seem to be inspired in the German poem Die Lorelei by Heinrich Heine
.: A cyborg and former collaborator of Doctor Hell, he is shown with his robot daughter Lorelai while talking to Tsubasa Nishikiori in the first episode. Schtroheim is one of the three great robot engineers in all of Japan (the other two being Juzo Kabuto and his son, Kenzo). Like Tsubasa, Heinrich too has knowledge about the legend of the Mycenaeans. In both Shin Mazinger and in the original series, Schtroheim is a direct rival of Juzo and is determined to surpass the creator of Mazinger Z by any means.: Previously known only as “Blade”, he's a shadowy figure who appears in the first episode killing Viscount Pygman. He is the pilot of Energer Z and is believed to be also the pilot of Great Mazinger
, as the silhouette of the said robot appeared behind him in the background in the first episode. In this series, he is an ace robot pilot who assisted the Kabutos, Dr. Hell, and Nishikori in exploring Bardos Island, and battled Dr. Hell when he made his first bid for World Domination. After his apparent death, Tsubasa learns that he is her lost brother.: General of the Mycenaean Army. He appears in front of a stunned Koji Kabuto at the very opening of the series. In the original Mazinger Z series, he successfully defeated Mazinger Z in battle as his own army is superior to Dr. Hell's, but was defeated later by Great Mazinger
. Great General of Darkness also appears in Mazinkaiser
as the main antagonist after the fall of Dr. Hell. His role in the series is not yet fully known. As shown in Episode 2, the damaged Mazinger Z lumbers away from the Dark General of Darkness giving a clue to the next Mazinger and Great Mazinger series.: The demon from the series of the same name. Though not directly involved in the story, Demon Lord Dante's form emerges enveloping Mazinger Z when it is controlled by a Kedora, emphasizing the metaphor of Mazinger Z becoming a devil when used to destroy because of its power.
broadcast, a web stream
that uses the mms protocol is available in the Bandai Channel
exclusively for Japanese users. The version available here, as with other anime, includes extended scenes not seen in the TV broadcast. The Bandai Channel logo of the series does not have the "on television" legend that the TV Tokyo logo has. After episode 15, the contents of both version are the same, with no extra scenes in the Bandai Channel version.
Source(s)
internet services that show the Bandai Channel stream freely in Japan, the series will be released in both DVD
and Blu-ray
formats. So far two DVDs and one Blu-ray box have been announced.
The Series is also scheduled for a release on DVD and Blu-ray in Spain
as Mazinger Edición Z Impacto!.
CDs. Also the soundtrack is available in CD, with one volume so far. All of them have been published by Lantis
.
Shin Mazinger Zero does not have any relationship with the story from the anime. It is an original production which takes elements from the Mazinger concept. The plot deals with Humanity being destroyed by an evil Mazinger Z. Koji Kabuto, the last man alive, is killed by a human-sized, human-looking Minerva X
so his spirit can travel back in time to prevent the disaster—but it takes several tries. Shin Mazinger Zero contains high-levels of gore and sexual content.
comedy done by Go Nagai and published in the magazine Champion Red on (cover date ).
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:...
anime series, directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa
Yasuhiro Imagawa
is a Japanese anime director and screenwriter.-Selected works:*Mister Ajikko *Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still *Gin Rei...
(of G Gundam
Mobile Fighter G Gundam
Mobile Fighter G Gundam, known in Japan as , is a Japanese animated television series directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa . Created to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the franchise in 1994, it is the first of the Gundam series to be set in an alternate continuity from the original "Universal Century"...
and Giant Robo fame) 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
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...
remake. The series is a "retelling" of the basic story of Mazinger Z, featuring most of the same characters, mechanical beasts, and some general plots of the original series, plus some additional material. It keeps the original plot line of Mazinger Z, but makes references to other 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...
works, such as Z Mazinger
Z Mazinger
is a retelling of the Mazinger Z story by Go Nagai, mixing it with ancient Greek mythology. Here, Greek myths are the human testimony of the epic battles between robots piloted by extraterrestrials...
, Violence Jack
Violence Jack
is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Go Nagai in 1973. It has had several serializations and one-shot stories which have run in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s...
, Mao Dante and others. Elements from other related Mazinger works appear in the series, such as the story of Kedora (based on an original Mazinger Z story by Ken Ishikawa
Ken Ishikawa
was a Japanese manga artist. He is renowned as the co-creator with Go Nagai, of the Getter Robo anime series, as well as four of their subsequent manga continuations...
) and the appearance of Energer Z, the original concept before Mazinger Z.
Along with the TV series, a new manga, started on (cover date ) in the magazine Champion Red
Champion Red
is a monthly Japanese shōnen manga magazine published on the 19th each month by Akita Shoten since . is a special edition of Champion Red.-Current serializations:*Chaotic Rune Es*Domina No Do!*Desperado*Franken Fran...
. The pair responsible for the shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
manga Akumetsu
Akumetsu
is a Japanese shōnen manga series written by Yoshiaki Tabata and illustrated by Yuki Yugo. Akumetsu was serialized in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shōnen Champion from 2002 to 2006.-Plot:...
, Yoshiaki Tabata and Yuki Yogo, write and illustrate the Shin Mazinger Zero manga. In 2010 a game based on the series was released for the PC.
Plot
In the near future, a mineral known as "Japanium" is discovered under Mt. Fuji. This ore is discovered to produce a powerful energy source known as "Photon Energy". Dr. Juzo Kabuto and his associates have begun researching Photon Energy, planning to use it as a solution to the energy crisis plaguing the earth, when the nefarious Dr. HellDr. 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...
and his associate, 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....
attack his lab. Along with this, the mysterious "Kurogane House
Violence Jack
is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Go Nagai in 1973. It has had several serializations and one-shot stories which have run in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s...
" also has begun to become entwined with the affairs of these two parties. During all of this, Juzo's grandchildren, Kouji and Shiro, encounter one of Baron Ashura's robots on its way to attack Dr. Kabuto's mansion, where he has begun work on his greatest invention. Dr. Kabuto, seeing the danger at hand, sends out the Pilder to Kouji, allowing him to combine with the giant robot, Mazinger Z, to fight against Dr. Hell's forces.
Kabuto family
: The protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the story. After the death of his parents, Koji works hard as the 'Mother Hen' to the surviving members of his family - his brother Shiro, and his grandfather Juzo. Koji has a high regard for his grandfather, whose patented inventions were the source of the Kabuto family's income and shows zero tolerance to anyone who ever insults his grandfather. During the primary attack of Ashura Corps., Koji becomes the pilot of his grandfather's greatest invention - the Super Robot 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...
. Like previous incarnations, he is a hot-blooded young man who occasionally acts before he thinks.: Koji's younger brother.: Koji's grandfather and the creator of Mazinger Z. Known as a great robotics engineer in addition as the man who discovered the Japanium Ore, which lead to the creation of the Photon Energy and Super-Alloy Z (a metal alloy that is stronger than any other metal known to man). Along with Dr. Hell, he uncovered the Mechanical Beasts on Bardos Island but opposed him upon discovering the dangers of the Kedora.: The son of Juzo Kabuto and father of Koji and Shiro Kabuto. In the original series, Kenzo and his wife are believed to have been killed in an accident involving the construction of Mazinger Z. In reality, Kenzo survived and later built Great Mazinger in secret, without the knowledge of his sons. In Shin Mazinger, he is stated to have died previous to the series and a number of episodes are dedicated to Koji learning of the truth of his death. In the earlier Episodes, Kenzo was shown to be a traitor and followed Dr. Hell. Nishikiori Tsubasa was forced to kill Kenzo with the help and request of Tetsuya. But in Episode 26, it was shown that he is still alive having cut-off the infected body that Dr. Hell corrupted during the re-constructuring of his damaged hand. It was revealed that Dr. Hell implanted a Kedora in his hand that controlled his mind. He later reveals to Tsubasa that the Mycenae empire would come if Kouji defeats Dr. Hell.
Photon Power Laboratory
: The daughter of Professor Yumi. She pilots Aphrodite AAphrodite 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....
, a female robot and later the much improved Venus A.: Sayaka's father, a renowned professor of mechanics, and head of the Photon Power Labs. His name in all previous Mazinger series was read as "Gennosuke", but in the second episode of this series he was called "Yanosuke".: Renowned leader of all the high-school delinquents in Japan. He comes to Atami because it is the only area in Japan without a gang leader. and : The two members of Boss's gang. They are skilled in minor combat techniques as shown in Episode 12.: , and , three professors who are colleagues of Prof. Yumi and close friends of Dr. Juzo. In the original series, they helped build the Diana A and Boss Borot. In Shin Mazinger, they were the designers of the robots for the Mazinger Army and as such serve as the superiors to the group. They also worked under Tsubasa and designed the first Jet Scrander for Mazinger Z to use for aerial combat. They show having a liking to Kikunosuke of the Kurogane Five. & : Female twins who are pilots of Million α (Alpha
Alpha (letter)
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 1. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Aleph...
) and later the improved version Shin Million α. The twins are supporting characters in Shin Mazinger as members of the Mazinger Army who are seen killed in battle in the pilot episode. 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 series, the twins first appear as assistants to Prof. Yumi and the objects of affection by Koji, Shiro and Boss due to their bustier physiques, much to the annoyance of Sayaka. They survived the final battle after following the plan of Tsubasa and lead the Million Corps against Dr. Hell. They were defeated by the King of Hell but the twins survived in Episode 26.: Pilot of Baion β (Beta
Beta (letter)
Beta is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In Ancient Greek, beta represented the voiced bilabial plosive . In Modern Greek, it represents the voiced labiodental fricative ....
), and later Shin Baion β. He survived the final battle after following the plan of Tsubasa and lead the Baion Corps against Dr. Hell. The Baion Corps were defeated by the King of Hell but Shun survived in Episode 26.: Pilot of Daion γ (Gamma
Gamma
Gamma is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 3. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Gimel . Letters that arose from Gamma include the Roman C and G and the Cyrillic letters Ge Г and Ghe Ґ.-Greek:In Ancient Greek, gamma represented a...
) and later Shin Daion γ. He survived the final battle after following the plan of Tsubasa and lead the Daion Corps against Dr. Hell. The Daion Corps were defeated by the King of Hell but Masao survived in Episode 26. Although defeated by the King of Hell in Episode 26, the 100 Rocket Punches were implanted in the bodies of the Million Corps, Baion Corps and Daion Corps which, Kouji successfully launched against the King of Hell.
Kurogane house
: Head Mistress of the Kurogane House, a spa in Atami. She and her staff have a mysterious connection with the Kabuto family as well as vast knowledge about Dr. Hell and the Mycenaeans. Tsubasa originally appears in Violence JackViolence Jack
is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Go Nagai in 1973. It has had several serializations and one-shot stories which have run in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s...
. In later episodes, as the dark secrets of the Kabuto family was revealed, it was told that Tsubasa is the original assistant of Dr. Hell and a well skilled biochemist. She was revealed to be the mother of Kouji and Shiro and the wife of Kenzo Kabuto.: Staff members of the Kurogane House. They once lived violent lives (gangsters, assassins, etc.) until they met Tsubasa, who saved them from death (or near-death) as a result of their situations. Reborn again, they swore unwavering loyalty to Tsubasa and vowed to serve and protect her, as well as the Kabuto family, with their lives. Each member is also equipped with a Super Alloy-Z weapon created by Tsubasa and Juzo. The Kurogane Five are loosely based on characters who appear in other works of 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...
, most notably Violence Jack and the Abashiri Family. The members of the Kurogane Five are:
}: Head clerk of the Kurogane House and Tsubasa's right-hand man. Cross provides vital information to Tsubasa regarding the incidents surrounding Atami. He is known to show incredible strength and resilience. His weapon is his own body, now made of Super Alloy-Z.
}: Described by Inspector Ankokuji as a "weird Mexican looking guy" (thanks to his appearance of wearing a poncho), Django's role is to bring tourists to the Kurogane House on the outskirts of Atami, as well as recruiting new members to the staff. He is an expert marksman, having an array of guns, rifles, and special ammunitions, and shooting down his targets with pinpoint accuracy. When opposing more powerful opponents, he unleashes his Super Alloy-Z bullets.
}: Head chef of the Kurogane House. Though he never speaks, his cooking skills are said to be the best in the world. He is a master swordsman who has shown extraordinary skills with a blade by slicing a fish into sashimi pieces in a moment and then letting the fish swim in the water still alive despite having its head and bones remaining. In battle, he fights using a Super Alloy-Z sword.
}: Working as the House's bath attendant, he is an expert in the use of bombs and grenades. If need be, Yasu can blow himself up using the photon power bomb planted in a Super Alloy-Z chamber in his own body to protect Tsubasa and the Kabutos.
}: The Head Waitress of the Kurogane House. Also called "Sister Kiku" by the staff and even Tsubasa herself. Despite her small stature and old age, she is the most feared member of all the Kurogane staff. In battle, she moves at superhuman speed that surpasses even Sensei's and fights with a thin Super Alloy-Z thread used to bond and/or slice apart her opponents. Her character and choice of weapon is loosely based on the characters from the Abashiri Family.
Bardos Island
: Koji's archnemesis. He, along with Juzo Kabuto, discovered Bardos Island, home of the ancient Mycenaeans. Uncovering the Mechanical Beasts, Dr. Hell uses the technology of the Mycenaeans to build his army of giant robots in a campaign for world domination. He seeks the technology being developed at the Photon Power Lab (and more importantly the Japanium ore) to make his armies truly unstoppable. Described by Juzo as a genius biochemist, he is even able to revive the dead.: Dr. Hell's right hand, Baron Ashura is a half-man, half-woman combination. He/she commands the undersea fortress Saluud and the Ashura Corps, one of the divisions of Dr. Hell's army. A number of episodes are dedicated to revealing Ashura's story (including the events of his/her rebirth and the lives his previous halves lived prior to their combination).: Another loyal servant of Dr. Hell. Brocken is a German cyborg whose head is completely separated from his body. He commands the Ghoul and the Air Division of Dr. Hell's army. Compared to Pygman and Ashura, he is occasionally comic relief (e.g. in one episode his head is taken by Koji and Boss's group and kicked around like a football).: Third servant of Dr. Hell, a pygmyPygmy
Pygmy is a term used for various ethnic groups worldwide whose average height is unusually short; anthropologists define pygmy as any group whose adult men grow to less than 150 cm in average height. A member of a slightly taller group is termed "pygmoid." The best known pygmies are the Aka,...
warrior with a series of bizarre physical abilities. He takes the form of Jim Mazinger, a character from Violence Jack
Violence Jack
is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Go Nagai in 1973. It has had several serializations and one-shot stories which have run in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s...
. Pygman has high regards towards Baron Ashura, and shows his support in Episode 8 when he rescued Ashura from the team of Koji and Tsubasa, and again in Episode 9 as Ashura was punished by Dr. Hell for failing to defeat Mazinger Z numerous times. Unlike his comrades, Pygman does not lead any Mechanical Beasts. Instead, he relies on his mystic powers and physical abilities to advance Dr. Hell's schemes.: A series of female robot dolls serving under Baron Ashura, who regards them as his/her 'daughters'. They were created for the sole purpose of assassinating Koji Kabuto and Tsubasa Nishikiori. Most of them were destroyed during an attack on the Kurogane house and another was defeated by Koji when he, Sayaka and Boss escaped the Saluud. A fairly intact Gamia (called Gamia Q3) was recovered and repaired, eventually fighting alongside Detective Ankokuji (who refers to her as 'My Honey').
Mycenae
: The legendary Greek God. In Shin Mazinger, he is revealed to be a commanding officer of an extraterrestrial army using the Earth as a strategic point in battle against an unknown enemy. He is said to be the cause of the fall of the Mycenaean Civilization when he defied the order of his superior, Uranus, and battled his own men to defend the Mycenaean people. He is also called "Z Mazinger", a name Juzo later used as the inspiration for the creation and naming of his robot, Mazinger Z. He is based on the character ZeusZeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
, who appears in the Z Mazinger
Z Mazinger
is a retelling of the Mazinger Z story by Go Nagai, mixing it with ancient Greek mythology. Here, Greek myths are the human testimony of the epic battles between robots piloted by extraterrestrials...
manga. Zeus's appearance is used as a metaphor to describe Mazinger Z as a god if used to save the Earth. Zeus is also revealed to be one of the three gods that commands Mycenae, the other two being his rival, Hades, and Poseidon.: A Mycenaean soldier in the form of an alien creature. In the pilot, Kedora describes itself as a being made to destroy other civilizations and manages to take control of Mazinger Z. Kedora is based on a character taken from a Mazinger Z short story by the late Ken Ishikawa
Ken Ishikawa
was a Japanese manga artist. He is renowned as the co-creator with Go Nagai, of the Getter Robo anime series, as well as four of their subsequent manga continuations...
.: In the original series, he leads the Mycenaeans against both Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger. In Shin Mazinger, Gorgon was a subordinate of Zeus who betrays him by offering the body of Tristran (in reality, Baron Ashura) in a manner similar to the Trojan Horse
Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War about the stratagem that allowed the Greeks finally to enter the city of Troy and end the conflict. In the canonical version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse, and hid a select force of men inside...
. This caused Zeus to lower his guard to be attacked by Hades. and : The previous lives of the Baron Ashura. The names are probably inspired in the romantic narrative Tristan and Isolde
Tristan and Iseult
The legend of Tristan and Iseult is an influential romance and tragedy, retold in numerous sources with as many variations. The tragic story is of the adulterous love between the Cornish knight Tristan and the Irish princess Iseult...
.: One of the three gods of the Mycenae along with Zeus. He's the ruler of Hell and originally appears in the Z Mazinger manga. Hades attempted to eliminate Zeus after the latter lowers his guard from Archduke Gorgon's offering of the body of Tristan (in truth, it was the body of Baron Ashura), but was defeated when Zeus fights back along with assistance from Koji and his Mazinger Z.: A being of flame, he immediately appears after Hades was defeated by Zeus and Mazinger Z, sinking Bardos Island into the sea. He originally appears in Great Mazinger as the true leader of the Mycenaean Empire.
Other Characters
: A detective who serves to investigate the Kabuto family and later is given orders to protect them. He also serves as a comic relief to the series, having originally appeared in the original 1970's Mazinger Z manga. In the first episodes (which occurs in medias resIn medias res
In medias res or medias in res is a Latin phrase denoting the literary and artistic narrative technique wherein the relation of a story begins either at the mid-point or at the conclusion, rather than at the beginning In medias res or medias in res (into the middle of things) is a Latin phrase...
) he is shown to be partnered with the robot doll Gamia Q3, who he calls his "honey". His given name is Yamitaro.: Dr. Heinrich's daughter and Shiro's love interest. She is an android who can fuse with Schtroheim's other creation, the giant robot Donau α1 (Alpha 1), and battles Mazinger Z in order to fulfill her father's dream of surpassing Juzo's creation to become the greatest robot engineer of all. Her story and name seem to be inspired in the German poem Die Lorelei by Heinrich Heine
Heinrich Heine
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine was one of the most significant German poets of the 19th century. He was also a journalist, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of Lieder by composers such as Robert Schumann...
.: A cyborg and former collaborator of Doctor Hell, he is shown with his robot daughter Lorelai while talking to Tsubasa Nishikiori in the first episode. Schtroheim is one of the three great robot engineers in all of Japan (the other two being Juzo Kabuto and his son, Kenzo). Like Tsubasa, Heinrich too has knowledge about the legend of the Mycenaeans. In both Shin Mazinger and in the original series, Schtroheim is a direct rival of Juzo and is determined to surpass the creator of Mazinger Z by any means.: Previously known only as “Blade”, he's a shadowy figure who appears in the first episode killing Viscount Pygman. He is the pilot of Energer Z and is believed to be also the pilot 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...
, as the silhouette of the said robot appeared behind him in the background in the first episode. In this series, he is an ace robot pilot who assisted the Kabutos, Dr. Hell, and Nishikori in exploring Bardos Island, and battled Dr. Hell when he made his first bid for World Domination. After his apparent death, Tsubasa learns that he is her lost brother.: General of the Mycenaean Army. He appears in front of a stunned Koji Kabuto at the very opening of the series. In the original Mazinger Z series, he successfully defeated Mazinger Z in battle as his own army is superior to Dr. Hell's, but was defeated later by 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...
. Great General of Darkness also appears in 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....
as the main antagonist after the fall of Dr. Hell. His role in the series is not yet fully known. As shown in Episode 2, the damaged Mazinger Z lumbers away from the Dark General of Darkness giving a clue to the next Mazinger and Great Mazinger series.: The demon from the series of the same name. Though not directly involved in the story, Demon Lord Dante's form emerges enveloping Mazinger Z when it is controlled by a Kedora, emphasizing the metaphor of Mazinger Z becoming a devil when used to destroy because of its power.
Anime Versions
Along with the TV TokyoTV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
broadcast, a web stream
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
that uses the mms protocol is available in the Bandai Channel
Bandai Channel
Bandai Channel Co., Ltd. is a distributor and broadcaster of anime by broadband access. It was established on March 1, 2002 by Bandai in coordination with Sunrise Inc., Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. and Bandai Networks Co., Ltd...
exclusively for Japanese users. The version available here, as with other anime, includes extended scenes not seen in the TV broadcast. The Bandai Channel logo of the series does not have the "on television" legend that the TV Tokyo logo has. After episode 15, the contents of both version are the same, with no extra scenes in the Bandai Channel version.
Episodes
| # | Title | | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
Staff
- Original work: Go NagaiGo 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...
- Direction/Scenario: Yasuhiro ImagawaYasuhiro Imagawais a Japanese anime director and screenwriter.-Selected works:*Mister Ajikko *Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still *Gin Rei...
- Music: Akira Miyagawa
- Opening 1 theme song: performed by ULTIMATE LAZY for MAZINGER
- Ending 1 theme song: Brand New World performed by Natsuko AsoNatsuko Asois a Japanese actress and singer.- Biography :Aso began her career playing the role of Chisame in the Negima drama and as a member of the band pRythme. Later, she has appeared in a number of TV dramas and began a solo music career. Her single "Perfect Area Complete" was chosen as the opening song...
- Opening 2 theme song: performed by JAM ProjectJAM ProjectJAM Project is an anime music genre "supergroup" based in Japan, originally founded on July 19, 2000 by famous 1970s theme song artist Ichirou Mizuki...
- Ending 2 theme song: performed by SKE48SKE48SKE48 is an all-female Japanese theater/idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. The audition was held during the summer and debuted in October 2008. SKE48 performs in the newly built studio in the renovated Sunshine Sakae in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, every Saturday...
- Sound direction: Tetsu Motoyama
- Character design: Shinji Takeuchi
- Mazinger & mechanical beast design: Tsuyoshi Nonaka
- Art direction: Masatoshi Muto
- Director of photography: Yoshito Kuwa
- Animation production: BEE·MEDIA, Code
- Producer(s): Hasshu Tokuhara, Ichiko Nagai, Satsuki Mizuno, Yoshinaga Minami, Katsumi Koike, Koji Morimoto, Daiki Hasebe
- Planning: Takashi Nagai, Shunji Inoe, Kazumi Kawashiro
- Series organization: Yasuhiro Imagawa
- Narrator: Tessho GendaTessho Gendais a Japanese voice actor. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce. When he debuted, he used his real name, . as artist name. Because he had experience with ballet, he was known by the nickname "Pirouette Genda."...
Source(s)
Home video
Besides the several video on demandVideo on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
internet services that show the Bandai Channel stream freely in Japan, the series will be released in both DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
formats. So far two DVDs and one Blu-ray box have been announced.
The Series is also scheduled for a release on DVD and Blu-ray in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
as Mazinger Edición Z Impacto!.
Music
Each one of the opening and ending themes have been released as EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
CDs. Also the soundtrack is available in CD, with one volume so far. All of them have been published by Lantis
Lantis
Lantis may refer to:* Lantis, a character in Magic Knight Rayearth* Mazda Lantis, a car made by Mazda* Lantis , a Japanese recording company...
.
| Title | Type | Tracks | Artist | Standard number | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanjite Knight | EP (OP1) | 4 | ULTIMATE LAZY for MAZINGER | LACM-4601 | |
| Brand new world | EP (ED1) | 4 | Natsuko Aso Natsuko Aso is a Japanese actress and singer.- Biography :Aso began her career playing the role of Chisame in the Negima drama and as a member of the band pRythme. Later, she has appeared in a number of TV dramas and began a solo music career. Her single "Perfect Area Complete" was chosen as the opening song... |
LACM-4612 | |
| TV anime Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen Original Soundtrack Vol.1 | Soundtrack album Soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in... |
31 | Akira Miyagawa | LACA-5919 | |
| Shugojin - The guardian | EP (OP2) | 4 | JAM Project JAM Project JAM Project is an anime music genre "supergroup" based in Japan, originally founded on July 19, 2000 by famous 1970s theme song artist Ichirou Mizuki... |
LACM-4632 | |
| Tsuyokimono yo | EP (ED2) | 4 | SKE48 SKE48 SKE48 is an all-female Japanese theater/idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. The audition was held during the summer and debuted in October 2008. SKE48 performs in the newly built studio in the renovated Sunshine Sakae in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, every Saturday... |
LACM-4638 | |
| TV anime Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen Original Soundtrack Vol.2 | Soundtrack album | 30 | Akira Miyagawa | LACA-5966 |
Shin Mazinger Zero
Although published along the anime series, the mangaManga
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...
Shin Mazinger Zero does not have any relationship with the story from the anime. It is an original production which takes elements from the Mazinger concept. The plot deals with Humanity being destroyed by an evil Mazinger Z. Koji Kabuto, the last man alive, is killed by a human-sized, human-looking Minerva X
Minerva X
Minerva X is a fictional mecha from the anime and manga series Mazinger Z, created by Go Nagai. Within the story, Minerva X was designed by Professor Juzou Kabuto, but its plans were stolen and it was built by Doctor Hell...
so his spirit can travel back in time to prevent the disaster—but it takes several tries. Shin Mazinger Zero contains high-levels of gore and sexual content.
Shin Mazinger Shogeki! H Hen
is a special one-shot sexy gagVisual gag
In comedy, a visual gag or sight gag is anything which conveys its humor visually, often without words being used at all.There are numerous examples in cinema history of directors who based most of the humour in their films on visual gags, even to the point of using no or minimal dialogue...
comedy done by Go Nagai and published in the magazine Champion Red on (cover date ).
External links
- Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen official website
- Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen at TV Tokyo
- Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen at Bandai Channel
- Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen at allcinema
- Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen - Bandai Collectors Division website