Getter Robo Armageddon
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| Getter Robo Armageddon | |
|---|---|
| 真（チェンジ!!）ゲッターロボ 世界最後の日 (True (Change!) Getter Robo: The Final Days of Earth) |
|
| Genre | Mecha, OVA |
| OVA | |
| Directed by | Yutaka Sato (ep 1,3)
Yasuhiro Geshi (ep 2, 6-13) Jun Kawagoe (ep 4,5) |
| Studio | Dynamic Planning and Bandai Visual |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Released |
|
Getter Robo Armageddon (Japanese title 真（チェンジ!!）ゲッターロボ 世界最後の日, Shin (Change!) Getta Robo "Sekai Saigo no Hi") is an original video animation released in 1998 by Bandai Visual, based on the manga and anime series Getter Robo, created by Go Nagai. The series, however, owes more to the manga than the 1970's animated adaptation, with designs closer to those of Nagai's original art, and a darker, more serious theme than the anime. It is a direct sequel to the audio drama 'Getter Robo: The Moon Wars', not the TV 1970's TV series (a common misconception).
[edit] Story
The plot opens some time after the Moon Wars, where things for the original cast have taken a turn for the worse. the main character and pilot of Getter-1, Ryouma Nagare, has been framed for the murder of the Getter Machine builder Dr. Saotome after the death of Saotome's daughter, Michiru. However, he is released from jail and is reunited on Earth -- unhappily -- with his old allies, Hayato Jin (who set up then testified against Ryouma) and Musashi Tomoe, to fight none other than Dr. Saotome himself, who has seemingly risen from the grave to threaten humanity with his ultimate creation -- and most dangerous weapon -- Shin Getter Dragon, a massive weapon powered by the same cosmic Getter Rays which gave life to their old weapons. However, their efforts to stop Dr. Saotome, not to mention an overzealous Japanese Defense Force, are in vain, as nuclear weapons are used on Shin Dragon.
The resulting explosion and shockwave of Getter Rays wipes out 99% of the human population worldwide. Thirteen years after this catastrophe, as humanity clings desperately to life, the re-emerged extraterrestrial Invaders threaten Earth once more. The only safeguard against this alien threat is a giant robot that emerges from the wreckage of the nuclear blast -- Shin Getter Robo -- piloted by an artificially enhanced human named Gou. With the help of the Japanese army and his co-pilots Kei and Gai, Shin Getter fights to keep humanity's dreams alive...
[edit] Response and criticism
As a whole, the response to this OVA was positive, thanks in large part to its distinctly retro character designs combined with high-quality animation; however, there are those fans who felt that the plot was convoluted and strayed too far from the original TV series' characters. However, the effects of the OVA were long-lasting, as it led to the creation of two other Getter OVA's (Shin Getter Robo vs Neo Getter Robo and New Getter Robo), as well as the revival of the Mazinger Z franchise with Mazinkaiser in 2001. Criticism also arose due to the voice actors' abandonment of the trademark 'Ku' normally added to the end of 'Shine Spark'.
[edit] In Other Media
While many of the Getter Robo characters had been appearing in many video games, more particularly Banpresto's Super Robot Taisen series, where the series' titular mecha first appeared in, this series in particular got center stage in 2003's Game Boy Advance game Super Robot Taisen Destiny, with all the related characters' theme being the anime's second theme song, "Heats".
As for the machines themselves, two of them have made appearances in other video games. The Shin Dragon was split into two machines for the stratagy RPG Getter Robo Daikessin, the Dragon part becoming a boss character and the Getter part becoming the Shin Getter Dragon, which was the upgrade to the Getter Robo G. The Black Getter would also appear in Getter Robo Daikessin in a completely new form, though the original form would appear in two installments of the Super Robot Taisen Alpha series.
