The journey among the souls who kept us company in the 80's continues with Il Great Mazinger. In previous appointments we have touched on sports topics, such as football Holly and Benji or volleyball with Mila and Shiro, later coming to wrestling with the Tiger Man. Now we enter the world of robots defending the earth. Great Mazinger is one of them.
The Great Mazinger, the plot
That of the Great Mazinger is certainly a complex and unique adventure of its kind. But what is the anime about? A serious threat weighs on the Earth: the planet is in check of the gods Mikenes, the ancient Greek people made up of the Mycenaeans. A cataclysm had forced them to take refuge in the bowels of the planet for millennia and their survival was tied to an artificial sun. When their bodies weaken, they are forced to transform into cyborgs in order to survive. To make matters worse are officers led by the perfidious General Black, who have transformed their bodies into those of gigantic automatons. These take over the kingdom, transforming the population in part into robot soldiers, including the prince monarch Kerubinus imprisoned, in other combat soldiers ready to unleash a war.
The Supreme Emperor of Darkness leading the Mikenes
At the head of the Mikenes there is the wicked Supreme Emperor of Darkness who decides to awaken his people who leave the underground and return to Earth. In the anime the Grand Duke Gorgon and Doctor Inferno return, the latter, saved by the Emperor of Darkness, has become a cyborg, and takes the name of Great Marshal of the Devil.
To counter i Mikenes the Large Mazinger. Born from the hand of Kenzo Kabuto, son of Juzo Kabuto (creator of Mazinger Z) and father of Shiro and Koji Kabuto, pilot of Mazinger Z. Great Mazinger is the evolution of Mazinger Z technology, equipped with a tank with a new super league called New Zeta or NZ. It also features new, more effective weapons. The new ground defense base is located in the Fortress of Sciences, a complex located on the Japanese shores of the Pacific Ocean that has the ability to dive and fly. To direct the Fortress is Kenzo Kabuto who raised and trained the Great Mazinger pilot, Tetsuya Tsurugi, for whom he feels a paternal affection.
Venus Alfa supports the Great Mazinger
Al Great Mazinger a robot with feminine features is placed side by side, Venus Alfa. He is equipped with powerful lasers positioned in his eyes as well as missiles that he carries on his chest and fingers. At the helm of Venus there is Jun Hono, a beautiful girl, daughter of a Japanese girl and a black man. Later the two will be joined by Boss Robot and the Junior Robot, a automaton built by Kenzo for his son Shiro. Both Tetsuya and Jun put themselves at the controls of the robots by exiting the base by secret passages and entering their heads with special spaceships. Tetsuya also has a special motorcycle armed with rocket fists.
Tetsuya - not an easy personality
The complex personality of Tetsuya, forged by the insecurity accumulated in his past as an orphan and by the maniacal physical preparation to which Doctor Kabuto has accustomed him, makes the relationship with the other robots complicated for the pilot. Although their help is often providential, Boss Robot's contribution is despised by Tetsuta. Additionally, Koji's return brings a stark contrast to Tetsuya.
Fights are generally engaged first Venus e Boss who almost never manage to bend the warrior monsters of Mikenes, and therefore the intervention of the Great Mazinger proves decisive. The Mikenes have an underwater base as well as a giant flying fortress. Orchestrating the attacks are seven generals representing seven classes of monsters. We are talking about Yuri Caesar for the human monsters, Lord Rygan for the other mammals, Drayato for the reptiles, Vardallah for the birds, Scarabeth for the insects, Anghoras for fish and amphibians and Hardias for the spirits of darkness. Finally, there is Minister Argos carrying out espionage missions.
Tetsuya vs Kerubinus
In one episode Tetsuya also faces the prince Kerubinus, the former ruler of the Mikenes overthrown by the Black General. Kerubinus is forced to struggle with deception when the Black General promises to restore his power. During the fight Kerubinus, who was also seriously injured by Tetsuya, realizes that his real enemy is the Emperor after discovering that the latter has connected him to an explosive device. Eventually he decides to commit suicide against the Mikeros fortress, causing massive damage.
The invincible Mazinger and the end of the war
Il Great Mazinger comes out the winner of every battle, on the other hand Tetsuya causes heavy losses to each of his enemies. The first to pay is Gorgon, then General Nero himself. The emperor decides to awaken dr. Hell naming him Great Marshal of the Devil. His monsters turn out to be stronger than the previous ones and often come one step away from victory but fall on the decisive moment.
Using the new flying base, Demonica, built to replace the now destroyed Mikeros, the enemies become the protagonists of a harsh attack on the Fortress of Sciences, in the course of which Kabuto is wounded. Doctor Yumi comes to the rescue, the director of the Photoatomic Research Institute where Mazinger Z is still located. Yumi recalls Koji Kabuto from the United States to take over the commands of Mazinger Z. This is enhanced and armored thanks to the help of Kenzo. Mikenes' staff then takes the field for the final battle. Doctor Kabuto decides to hurl his fortress in a suicide attack on Demonica, a decisive move for the battle. Despite Koji's bewilderment at his father's gesture, the two robots react and besiege the fortress. Venus and Diana A also come to their rescue. The powerful explosion of Demonica kills its occupants and marks the end of the war, even if the fate of the emperor remains shrouded in mystery.
All weapons of Great Mazinger
In his battles, Tetsuya has numerous weapons he can draw.
We start from Double Lightning: Mazinger is able to convey the electrostatic energy of the atmosphere through the antennas on the head. It will then be necessary to point the finger at the enemy to unleash a very powerful electric discharge to the cry of "Laser Beam!".
Disruptive thunder: as before, here too he conveys the energy to discharge it, however, with his sword.
Evil Sword: placed in the slot on the side of the robot, it is almost always used in lunge. Actually Tetsuya has two available but hardly uses Double Sword.
Big Boomerang: Mazinger can detach the "V" shaped plate from his chest and throw it at the enemy like a deadly boomerang.
Gamma ray: it is a ray of heat of over 40 thousand degrees launched by the “V” shaped plate placed on the chest.
Atomic Punch: is fired from the arm to hit the enemy then hooks up to the robot's limb. (It can also be Rotating and equipped with blades)
Central missile: comes out of the buckle of the Great Mazinger.
Great Typhoon: from the mouth of the robot a powerful typhoon is released which lifts even the heaviest of enemies into the air.
The Manga
The manga da Gosaku Ota which better develops the character of some characters as well as making itself partially autonomous from the events of the anime. In Italy it was published for the first time by the Fabbri Editori publishing house and, subsequently, in the nineties by the Granata Press publishing house and then by d / visual and by J-Pop.
Curiosities about the initials
The Italian theme song for Great Mazinger presents the lyrics of Franco Migliacci, music and arrangement by Massimo Cantini, and is sung by the Superobots. It is the same Migliacci who exclaims in the initials the various “Maaaazinga!”, Attributed for years to a young Piero Pelù, a legend denied by the same.
The main characters of Great Mazinger
Tetsuya Tsurugi
Jun Hono
Professor Kenzo Kabuto
Shiro Kabuto
Boss
Nod
fly
Professor Yumi
Haruna, Shiro's little friend
Emperor of Darkness
General Nero (also called Great Lord of Darkness or Great Lord of Darkness)
Minister Argos
Great Marshal of the Devil, l’ex Dottor Inferno (Doctor Hell)
Grand Duke Gorgon
Marchesa Yanus
Yuri Caesar, general of anthropomorphic robots
Lord Rygan, general of mammalian robots
Vardallah, general of the robot birds
Drayato, general of reptile robots
Forgiveness, general of aquatic robots
Scarabeth, general of insect robots
Hardias, general of the demonic robots
Koji Kabuto
Sayaka Yumi
Prof. Tonda
Miss Mary Ann
Agent X
Principe Kerubinus
The Great Mazinger- Volume 1 (Collectors Edition) (7 DVD)
- Go Nagai (Actor)
