Mazinger robots
| Mazinger robots | |
|---|---|
 Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger. | |
| First reference: | One Giant Leap |
(マジンガーＺ, Majingā Zetto?) is a manga series by Go Nagai, serialized in Shueisha Shonen Jump from October 1972. December of the same year, an anime adaptation premiered on Fuji Television. The TV series ended September 1, 1974, outliving its manga counterpart.
Great Mazinger (グレートマジンガー, Gurēto Majingā?) is the name of 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 Japan in 1974, immediately following the end of the first Mazinger series. It lasted for 56 episodes.
About
Mazinger Z is a gigantic Super Robot, constructed with a fictitious metal called Chogokin Z (literally Super-Alloy Z), which is forged from a new element mined from a reservoir found only in the sediment of Japan's Mt. Fuji. The mecha was built by Professor Juzo Kabuto as a secret weapon against the forces of evil, represented in the series by the Mechanical Beasts (mecha used for evil purposes) of Dr. Hell. The latter was the German member of a Japanese archeological team, which discovered ruins of a lost pre-Grecian civilization on an island named Bardos; the civilization was loosely based on the ancient Mycenae, and was called the Mycene Empire in the series. One of their findings was that the Mycene used an army of steel titans about 20 m in height (compare with the Greek legend of Talos). Finding prototypes of those titans underground which could be remote-controlled and realizing their immense power on the battlefield, Dr. Hell goes insane and has all the other scientists of his research team killed. Except for Professor Kabuto; the lone survivor manages to escape back to Japan, and attempts to warn the world of its imminent danger. Meanwhile, Dr. Hell establishes his headquarters on a mobile island which he sails around on, and plans to use the Mechanical Beasts to become the new ruler of the world. To counter this, Kabuto constructs Mazinger Z and manages to finish it just before being killed by a bomb planted by Hell’s right-hand man, Baron Ashura. As he is dying, he manages to inform his grandson Kouji Kabuto about the robot and its use. Kouji becomes the robot’s pilot, and from that point on battles both the continuous mechanical monsters, and the sinister henchmen sent by Doctor Hell in every episode.
The direct sequel is Great Mazinger. The story centers on Tetsuya Tsurugi, an orphan raised by none other than Kenzo Kabuto, 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 Mikenese Empire, led by the Great General of Darkness and his army of Warrior Beasts. Kenzo gives the Great Mazinger to Tetsuya to pilot, who is accompanied by a new token girl, Jun Hono (an orphaned half Japanese, half black girl), in her female robot Venus A.
References
One Giant Leap
Just as Hiro rescues the japanese schoolgirl, a Mazinger Z toy is seen in the background.
One Giant Leap
From another angle, a Great Mazinger Toy is seen.
Better Halves
As Niki speaks to Micah, a Mazinger Z toy can be seen on top of the dresser.
Gallery
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Mazinger Z toy can be seen in the background. -
Great Mazinger toy is seen in the background. -
Another Mazinger toy can be seen on the right.
