| UFO Robot Grendizer | |
| UFOロボ グレンダイザー (UFO Robo Gurendaizā) |
|
|---|---|
| Genre | Mecha |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Go Nagai |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | TV Magazine |
| Original run | October 1975 – May 1976 |
| Volumes | 2 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Go Nagai |
| Illustrated by | Gosaku Ota |
| Published by | Akita Shoten, Kodansha |
| Magazine | Boken Oh, Otomodachi |
| Original run | October 1975 – March 1977 |
| Volumes | 5 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Go Nagai |
| Illustrated by | Eiji Imamichi |
| Published by | Tokuma Shoten |
| Demographic | Children |
| Magazine | TV Land |
| Original run | October 1975 – March 1977 |
| Volumes | 1 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Tomoharu Katsumata |
| Studio | Toei Doga, Dynamic Planning |
| Network | Fuji TV |
| English network | Syndicated (Jim Terry Productions) TVA |
| Original run | October 5, 1975 – February 27, 1977 |
| Episodes | 74 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Go Nagai |
| Illustrated by | Yu Okazaki |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | TV Magazine |
| Original run | June 1976 – March 1977 |
| Anime film | |
| Directed by | Yoichi Kominato |
| Produced by | Masahisa Saeki |
| Written by | Shozo Uehara |
| Music by | Shunsuke Kikuchi |
| Studio | Toei Doga |
| Released | December 20, 1975 |
| Runtime | 24 minutes |
| Anime film | |
| UFO Robot Grendizer: Akai Yuuhi no Taiketsu | |
| Directed by | Tokiji Kaburagi |
| Produced by | Chiaki Imada |
| Written by | Tatsuo Tamura |
| Music by | Shunsuke Kikuchi |
| Studio | Toei Doga |
| Released | December 19, 1976 |
| Runtime | 24 minutes |
UFO Robot Grendizer (UFOロボ·グレンダイザー UFO Robo Gurendaizā, sometimes romanized as UFO Robo Grendizer) is a super robot TV anime and manga created by manga artist Go Nagai. It is the third entry in the Mazinger trilogy. It was broadcasted on Japanese television from October 5, 1975, to February 27, 1977, and lasted 74 episodes.[1][2] The robot's first appearance in the United States was as a part of the Shogun Warriors line of super robot toys imported in the late 1970s by Mattel, then in Jim Terry's Force Five series, both under the title Grandizer. It is still widely popular in the Middle East, and it was especially popular in France and Quebec, as well as among French speaking Canadians in the province of New Brunswick, where it was aired under the title Goldorak. In Italy, the series was known as Goldrake .
Contents |
The Vega homeworld has become unstable due to the exploiting of Vegatron, a powerful radioactive ore. Seeking to expand his militaristic empire and find a substitute planet to settle upon, the ruthless King Vega unleashes his armies — composed of flying saucers and giant robotic monsters — and turns first against neighbors such as Fleed, a highly advanced but peaceful world. In a tragically ironic twist, the invaders' blitzkrieg turns against them: the once verdant, idyllic Fleed is turned into a radioactive wasteland. Too late, the only known survivor of the royal family, Prince Duke Fleed, manages to steal the Grendizer, the robotic embodiment of the Fleedian God of War, from the Vegan invaders who plan to use it to spearhead their invasion fleet. Grendizer is a giant robot that interfaces with Spacer (Spaizer), a flying saucer that enables the robot to fly.
Fleeing Vegan space by flying at faster than light speed, Duke enters our solar system and switches course to Earth, making a rough landing in Japan, on the slopes of Mount Fuji. He is befriended by Doctor Umon, a noted scientist who oversees a research laboratory called the Space Science Lab near a small ranch. The kindly Umon takes in the young humanoid alien as his son, under the assumed name of Daisuke, and assists him in hiding Grendizer. Taking the name Daisuke Umon, Duke Fleed works at the ranch run by Danbei Makiba (based on Abashiri Daemon of Go Nagai's manga Abashiri Ikka).
Roughly two years later, Koji Kabuto returns to Japan after studying abroad in a flying saucer he personally designed and built, called the TFO. He heads to the Space Science Lab after hearing of multiple sightings of "flying saucers". He plans to contact the aliens if possible and make peace with them. Daisuke, however, scoffs at the notion and fears that these aliens, the Vegans, led by generals Blaki and Gandal, are preparing to attack Earth. Koji ignores his warnings and flies out to meet the incoming saucers, only to discover the horrible truth. In order to save Koji and protect his adoptive homeworld from destruction, Daisuke is forced to return to his true identity as Duke Fleed. He unearths Grendizer from its hiding place under the lab and sets off to fight his enemies.
The Vegans establish a base on the far side of the Moon and start to attack Earth from there. Koji discovers Duke Fleed's true identity and their bitter rivalry soon turns to friendship. The daughter of Danbei Makiba, Hikaru, also discovers Daisuke's secret and becomes a pilot in order to assist him despite his objections. Later on, it is revealed that there were two more survivors from planet Fleed: Duke's younger sister Maria Grace Fleed and a man who had rescued her and fled to Earth, raising her under the guise of her grandfather. Caught in a crossfire between Grendizer and a Vegan beast, he reveals to Maria that she is the last survivor of the royal family of Fleed (under the belief that Duke was killed) before dying from his wounds. Maria swears revenge on Grendizer and its pilot. She tries to ambush Duke, Koji and Hikaru at the Space Science Lab, but the fight is short lived. Maria's attacks bring Duke's necklace (which is the same as the one she wore) into view and the truth is revealed. The lost siblings are reunited at last and Maria becomes the last addition to the team.
As the conflict nears its end, it is shown that Duke Fleed was engaged to King Vega's daughter, Princess Rubina, prior to the attack on Fleed. When Rubina discovers that planet Fleed is no longer polluted with Vegatron radiation and that her fiancé is alive and well, she rushes to Earth to bring him the good news. Unfortunately, one of King Vega's generals uses this opportunity to ambush Duke Fleed, and Rubina is killed when she takes a shot aimed at Duke. This makes Duke even more determined to wipe out the Vegan menace once and for all.
King Vega decides to gather his remaining forces and make an all-out attack on Earth, destroying the Moon Base to coax his troops into fighting to the end and finally succeed in invading Earth and taking it as their new home planet. Duke and company go out to intercept them in Grendizer and the newly-designed space combat Spazers. After a fierce battle, they finally manage to destroy the Vegan mother ship along with King Vega himself. Soon afterwards, Duke and Maria bid a tearful farewell to Earth and their friends and return to help reconstruct planet Fleed.
| # | Date | Title | Saucer Beast/Vega Monster |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10/5/1975 | 兜甲児とデュークフリード (Koji Kabuto and Duke Fleed) | 円盤獣・ギルギル (Saucer Beast Girugiru) |
| 2 | 10/12/1975 | ああ! わが大地みどりなりき (Oh! How Green Was My Land) | 円盤獣・ガメガメ (Saucer Beast Gamegame) |
| 3 | 10/19/1975 | 危機迫る白樺牧場 (Danger Approaches Makiba Ranch) | 円盤獣・バルバル (Saucer Beast Barubaru) |
| 4 | 10/26/1975 | 若き血潮は紅に燃ゆ (Young Blood Burns Crimson) | 円盤獣・ゴルゴル (Saucer Beast Gorugoru) |
| 5 | 11/2/1975 | 炎の愛を夕陽に染めて (Flames of Love Dyed In The Setting Sun) | 円盤獣・ドムドム (Saucer Beast Domudomu) |
| 6 | 11/9/1975 | 大空を斬る闘魂 (Fighting Spirit Cut Down In The Sky) | 円盤獣・ダムダム (Saucer Beast Damudamu) |
| 7 | 11/16/1975 | たとえ我が命つきるとも (Even If It Costs My Life) | 円盤獣・ギンギン & 円盤獣・フイフイ (Saucer Beasts Gingin & Fuifui) |
| 8 | 11/23/1975 | 地球の緑はあたたかい (The Warm, Green Earth) | 円盤獣・ダルダル (Saucer Beast Darudaru) |
| 9 | 11/30/1975 | 許されざる怒りを越えて (Across Unforgiven Anger) | 円盤獣・ジルジル (Saucer Beast Jirujiru) |
| 10 | 12/7/1975 | あこがれは星の彼方に (Longing Beyond The Stars) | 円盤獣・グリグリ (Saucer Beast Guriguri) |
| 11 | 12/14/1975 | 黒い太陽の中の悪魔!! (Devil In The Black Sun!!) | 円盤獣・バリバリ (Saucer Beast Baribari) |
| 12 | 12/21/1975 | 虹の橋を渡る少女 (The Girl Over The Rainbow Bridge) | 円盤獣・ガニガニ (Saucer Beast Ganigani) |
| 13 | 12/28/1975 | 狙われたグレンダイザー (Grendizer In The Crosshairs) | 円盤獣・ゲルゲル (Saucer Beast Gerugeru) |
| 14 | 1/4/1976 | ボスボロットがやって来た!! (Bossborot Is Here!!) | 円盤獣・ドリドリ (Saucer Beast Doridori) |
| 15 | 1/11/1976 | 遥かなる母への手紙 (A Letter To My Mother, Far, Far Away) | 円盤獣・ガルガル (Saucer Beast Garugaru) |
| 16 | 1/18/1976 | こころにひびく愛の鐘 (Here, A Bell Resonates With Love) | 円盤獣・フルフル (Saucer Beast Furufuru) |
| 17 | 1/25/1976 | 小さな生命を救え! (Save A Tiny Life!) | 円盤獣・ギバギバ (Saucer Beast Gibagiba) |
| 18 | 2/1/1976 | 発進! 秘密ルート7 (Launch! Secret Route 7) | 円盤獣・ガデガデ (Saucer Beast Gadegade) |
| 19 | 2/8/1976 | 恐怖のエアロライト! (The Terrifying Aerolight!) | 円盤獣・ゴズゴズ (Saucer Beast Gozugozu) |
| 20 | 2/15/1976 | 決死の雪山脱出作戦 (The Desperate Snowbound Escape Operation) | 円盤獣・ベドベド (Saucer Beast Bedobedo) |
| 21 | 2/22/1976 | 決戦! オーロラの輝き (Decisive Battle! The Shining Aurora) | 円盤獣・ゲドゲド (Saucer Beast Gedogedo) |
| 22 | 2/23/1976 | 花一輪の勇気 (The Courage Of A Single Flower) | 円盤獣・ギロギロ (Saucer Beast Girogiro) |
| 23 | 3/5/1976 | 激流に叫ぶひかる (Hikaru's Screaming Torrent) | 円盤獣・ギスギス (Saucer Beast Gisugisu) |
| 24 | 3/12/1976 | 危うしデュークフリード! (Watch Out, Duke Fleed!) | 円盤獣・ドグドグ (Saucer Beast Dogudogu) |
| 25 | 3/19/1976 | 大空に輝く愛の花 (The Flower of Love Shines In Space) | 円盤獣・ダリダリ (Saucer Beast Daridari) |
| 26 | 3/26/1976 | スカルムーン総出撃! (Skullmoon: Full Mobilization!) | 円盤獣・ウルウル, ギドギド & ハドハド (Saucer Beasts Uruuru, Gidogido & Hadohado) |
| 27 | 4/4/1976 | 猛攻撃! グレンダイザー (Onslaught! Grendizer) | 円盤獣・ウルウル & ハドハド (Saucer Beasts Uruuru & Hadohado) |
| 28 | 4/11/1976 | 闇夜に響く悪魔のベル (The Devil's Bell Tolls At Midnight) | 円盤獣・ベルベル (Saucer Beast Beruberu) |
| 29 | 4/18/1976 | さらば 宇宙の友よ! (Farewell, My Friend In Space!) | 円盤獣・デラデラ (Saucer Beast Deradera) |
| 30 | 4/25/1976 | 赤い傷跡のバラード (The Ballad Of A Red Scar) | 円盤獣・ゴダゴダ (Saucer Beast Godagoda) |
| 31 | 5/2/1976 | 空に花咲け! ボスの友情 (A Flower Blooms In The Sky! Boss' Friendship) | 円盤獣・ライライ (Saucer Beast Rairai) |
| 32 | 5/9/1976 | 母に向って撃て! (Shoot At Your Mother!) | 円盤獣・ザウザウ (Saucer Beast Zauzau) |
| 33 | 5/16/1976 | 必殺! ミュータントの最後 (Sure Kill! The Mutant's End) | 円盤獣・ザリザリ (Saucer Beast Zarizari) |
| 34 | 5/23/1976 | 狼の涙は流れ星 (The Wolf's Tears Are Falling Stars) | 円盤獣・ゴメゴメ & ゴンゴン (Saucer Beasts Gomegome & Gongon) |
| 35 | 5/30/1976 | 飛べ! ダブルスペイザー (Fly! Double Spazer) | 円盤獣・ブンブン (Saucer Beast Bunbun) |
| 36 | 6/6/1976 | 燃える大空の誓い! (An Oath To The Blazing Skies!) | 円盤獣・ジラジラ (Saucer Beast Jirajira) |
| 37 | 6/13/1976 | 翼にいのちをかけろ! (Bet Everything On The Wings Of Life!) | 円盤獣・ガンガン (Saucer Beast Gangan) |
| 38 | 6/20/1976 | Doidoi | |
| 39 | 6/27/1976 | Ullaulla | |
| 40 | 7/4/1976 | Buibui | |
| 41 | 7/11/1976 | Gamogamo | |
| 42 | 7/18/1976 | Gaugau | |
| 43 | 7/25/1976 | Gumegume | |
| 44 | 8/1/1976 | Dozudozu | |
| 45 | 8/8/1976 | Godogodo | |
| 46 | 8/15/1976 | Garigari | |
| 47 | 8/22/1976 | Gadogado | |
| 48 | 8/29/1976 | Dakudaku | |
| 49 | 9/5/1976 | Dekideki | |
| 50 | 9/12/1976 | Fubifubi | |
| 51 | 9/19/1976 | Garegare | |
| 52 | 9/26/1976 | Guruguru/Domodomo/King Gori | |
| 53 | 10/3/1976 | King Gori | |
| 54 | 10/10/1976 | Banibani | |
| 55 | 10/17/1976 | Guregure | |
| 56 | 10/24/1976 | Daidai/Zamizami | |
| 57 | 10/31/1976 | Budobudo | |
| 58 | 11/17/1976 | Benibeni/False Grendizer | |
| 59 | 11/14/1976 | Dakidaki | |
| 60 | 11/21/1976 | Zunezune | |
| 61 | 11/28/1976 | Guwaguwa | |
| 62 | 12/5/1976 | Goegoe | |
| 63 | 12/12/1976 | Zumezume | |
| 64 | 12/19/1976 | Gudogudo | |
| 65 | 12/26/1976 | Zasuzasu | |
| 66 | 1/2/1977 | Waguwagu | |
| 67 | 1/9/1977 | Eveeve | |
| 68 | 1/16/1977 | Raguragu | |
| 69 | 1/23/1977 | Buebue | |
| 70 | 1/30/1977 | Gabigabi | |
| 71 | 2/6/1977 | Jigajiga | |
| 72 | 2/13/1977 | None | |
| 73 | 2/20/1977 | Gragra | |
| 74 | 2/27/1977 | Gragra |
The original concept was shown in a 1975 30-minute pilot movie War of the Flying Saucers. The movie had the same basic plot, with a few changes: Daisuke appears as the Professor's biological son, the enemy was Princess Teronna from Planet Yarban, and the robot's original name was Gattaiger (gattai is Japanese for "combine"). The series, which started later the same year, is considered another sequel to the Mazinger series, partly because of the inclusion of Mazinger Z's pilot Koji Kabuto, and having giant robots, which made it a "Super Robot" mecha anime.
The Grendizer robot and Daisuke have been included in two short Go Nagai cross-over features: UFO Robot Grendizer vs. Great Mazinger, and Great Mazinger, Grendizer, Getter Robot G: Decisive Showdown! Great Sea Beast., in which the various super-robots combine forces to take on the seemingly indestructible Dragonsaurus which emerges from the sea and proceeds to destroy Tokyo; even Boss Borot makes an appearance.
Grendizer is best remembered as one of the first anime shows to have a huge success in Europe and Canada, particularly in France and Quebec (titled Goldorak), Italy and Malta (titled Goldrake), where it holds a strong following even today. Grendizer was also one of the most popular anime series ever shown in Arabic countries. Grendizer is also popular in Russia and Greece.
The French version of the show has the characters named after stars, planets and galaxies: Duke Fleed becomes Actarus (from the star Arcturus), as both his alien and Earth name; Kouji Kabuto is Alcor, Doctor Umon is Professeur Procyon etc. The Italian version, which uses the French adaptation, uses almost all the same names.
Although set in Japan, which can be seen from the air on several occasion, the series was given an American Western feel by including a ranch where Duke Fleed and Kouji Kabuto would work in their spare time. The ranch owner, Danbei Makiba, and his children would dress in cowboy/girl outfits (though they also appeared in traditional Japanese clothes on occasion) and even had a neighbour who wore a Mexican sombrero. In spite of this the series was not a success in the US. Only twenty-six episodes of Grendizer were shown on American TV as part of the multi-mecha show Force Five, out of the total of 74 in the original series. Many character's names were changed: Grendizer spelling was changed to Grandizer; Duke Fleed was Orion Quest, and his alias was Johnny Bryant; Planet Fleed's name was changed to Antares, and so on. This corresponds to the first season and story arc (ending with the death of one of the main villains, who is replaced afterwards). Although Mazinger Z was later imported to the United States, Kouji's character appearing in both Tranzor Z and Grandizer was not acknowledged.
The licensed dubbed version for some French-speaking countries was officially announced in 2006. In 2005, a major crisis led Toei to take legal actions against DVD customers, all French megastores, and two major French anime publishers in France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg. The crisis started with the official release of unlicensed Goldorak DVD by Manga Distribution and Déclic Image websites and on Ebay. By November 28, 2005 the Manga Distribution and Déclic Images publishers were sentenced to pay €7,200,000 to Toei and Dynamic Planning for selling unlicensed DVD boxset.[3][4]
UFO Robot Grendizer returns in 2002 in the 6th chapter of "Dynamic Superobot Wars" and in 2004 in Dynamic Heroes (ダイナミックヒーローズ, Dainamikku Hi^ro^zu) — also known as Nagai Go Manga Gaiden - Dynamic Heroes (永井豪まんが外伝 ダイナミックヒーローズ, Nagai Gou Manga Gaiden Dainamikku Hi^ro^zu) and as Go Nagai Manga Heroes Crossover Collection - Dynamic Heroes —, a Japanese manga based in several works of Go Nagai, including most of his most famous robots, such as Mazinger Z, Getter Robot and Great Mazinger. It was originally published as a monthly manga magazine e-manga from Kodansha, from June 2004 to July 2007.
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