Mazinger Z (robot)

Mazinger Z is a fictional mecha from the anime and manga series of the same name, created by Go Nagai. Within the story, Mazinger Z was created by Professor Juzou Kabuto and piloted by his grandson Kouji. Mazinger Z is often credited as the first piloted robot, making it the ancestor of the wildly popular mecha genre.

History

Professor Juzou Kabuto was a brilliant scientist in his own right; during a mining expedition on Mount Fuji, he discovered a new element which he dubbed Japanium. Later, while researching Mediterranean legends of metal giants, one of his colleagues went mad with power and decided to use the ancient Mechanical Beasts to dominate the world. Kabuto only barely survived the newly-renamed Doctor Hell's assassination attempt and hurried back to Japan. There, he devised a defense against the Mechanical Monsters: a giant battle robot that would combine a super-strong alloy of Japanium (dubbed Chogokin Z, or Super Alloy Z) with the Photonic Energy that his friend Professor Yumi had discovered. Since this machine would have power rivaling even a god or devil, Kabuto named it Mazinger Z (from the Japanese words "Ma" (魔), demon, and "Jin" (神), god). Unfortunately, shortly after Mazinger Z's completion, Kabuto was found and murdered by Doctor Hell's hit squad. However, he managed to get word to his grandson Kouji Kabuto, who learned of his grandfather's death and of Mazinger Z. Learning to pilot the giant machine, Kouji swore to defend the Earth in his grandfather's place. Though Mazinger Z would serve Kouji to battle the Mechanical Monsters, he found himself outclassed by the stronger battle beasts unleashed by the Mycene Empire, and Mazinger Z was badly damaged until it was rescued by the Great Mazinger and its pilot, Tetsuya Tsurugi.

Later, the Mycene Empire revived Doctor Hell and they began a last-ditch assault while the Great Mazinger and Tetsuya were recovering from their final fight with Ankoku Daishogun. Both Kouji and the Mazinger Z returned, stronger than before, to save the Photon Power Plant, but failed to save the Science Fortress. Together with the returned Great Mazinger, Boss Borot, Diana A and Venus A, the Mycene were destroyed.

Mazinger Z was last seen locked away in the Robot Museum with a Great Mazinger as the Great Mazinger was being taken away to be used against Grendizer.

Shin Mazinger

In the new anime Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen, Mazinger is not only created as a response to Dr. Hell's mechanical beasts, but is actually based on Zeus, the great god who had sealed the beasts away in Bardos Island. After escaping from Dr. Hell, Juuzo Kabuto apparently spent 10 years hiding in his mansion with his grandsons Kouji and Shiro, the former of whom got acquainted with the legends of Zeus by reading books in his grandfather's room. When Baron Ashura begins his attack on the Photon Power Labs and the Kabuto manor, Juuzo sends the Pilder to rescue Kouji and then instructs him on how to dock with Mazinger Z. In this series, Mazinger's resemblance to Zeus is such that Baron Ashura goes into a rage and attacks the robot bare handed, knocking it down before he is reminded by Dr. Hell of his mission to destroy the Photon Power Labs.

Statistics

• Power Source
  Photonic Energy
• Armor Materials
  Super-Alloy Z
• Dimensions
  • Height
    18 meters
  • Weight
    20 tons
  • Neck Circumference
    5.6 meters
  • Chest Circumference
    13.6 meters
  • Arm Circumference
    5.3 meters
  • Leg Circumference
    6.2 meters
  • Arm Length
    7 meters
  • Leg Length
    9 meters
• Performance
  • Walking Speed
    50 kilometers per hour
  • Running Speed
    360 kilometers per hour
  • Swimming Speed
    20 knots
  • Flight Speed
    Mach 3
  • Ceiling
    630 meters
  • Maximum Lift
    150 tons
  • Output
    65,000 horsepower

Weapons and Attacks

• Koushiryoku Beam
  Mazinger Z can channel pure Photonic Energy through its eyes, unleashing a pair of powerful lasers, which are said to be equal to 10 tons of explosives. This was originally considered Mazinger Z's weakest attack, however, in Shin Mazinger the power of this attack is greatly magnified to the point where it can now be considered the strongest.
• Missile Punch
  Mazinger Z mounts a missile launch bay in its belly, which can store several missiles.
• Rocket Punch
  Mazinger Z's signature attack; it fires off its forearm like a missile, punching straight through an enemy before returning and docking with the elbow again.
• Rust Hurricane
  The powerful turbines in Mazinger Z's head create gale-force winds, launching them through the mouth grill. The attack includes highly corrosive particles (thought to be ionized hydrogen), almost instantaneously causing an enemy to rust over and fall apart. This is the only weapon in Mazinger Z's arsenal which can damage Super-alloy Z, for example when and enemy (Rhine X1) reverse it against Mazinger with a blow of her giant fan. As requested by her pilot Sayaka Yumi, it has been also used as a funeral ceremony to destroy completely Aphrodite A, that has been reduced in pieces after have shielded Mazinger from a deadly attack.
• Breast Fire
  The large red fins on Mazinger Z's chest act as heat sinks for its Photonic Energy reactor. Mazinger Z can fire off this stored thermal energy as a powerful, 30,000 degree white-hot beam that melts almost anything. In the Super Robot Wars series, Kouji and Tetsuya Tsurugi can use the Breast Fire and Breast Burn respectively in the Double Burning Fire attack, which they use in the MX version of the Final Dynamic Special (also involving Grendizer and a Getter).
• Kyoukagata Rocket Punch
  Mazinger Z's Rocket Punch was later reinforced with stronger armor, giving it a more powerful punch. This attack first appears in episode 54.
• Iron Cutter
  An improved Rocket Punch in which each forearm sprouts a pair of axe-like blades, allowing it to cut and slash as well as bludgeon. This weapon first premiers in episode 59.
• Drill Missile
  A barrage of small, needle-like missiles fired from ports in Mazinger's upper arms. This attack was typically performed after the Rocket Punch but before the forearm had returned. This weapon first premiered in episode 60.
• Daisharin Rocket Punch
  Mazinger Z spins its arms rapidly, building up momentum before firing off both fists in standard Rocket Punch fashion. This weapon first premiered in episode 72.
• Reitou Beam
  Mazinger unleashes a blast of intense cold; this attack was alternately fired from the mouth grill or the spikes on the sides of Mazinger's head. It first premiered in episode 71.
• Finger Missile
  A rarely-used attack where Mazinger fires the last joint of its fingers as miniature missiles. First used in episode 6.

Jet Scrander and Jet Scrander Weapons

• Jet Scrander
  First appearing in episode 34, the Jet Scrander, Mazinger Z is given the ability to fly, giving it a defense against aerial enemies. When needed, it is launched from a catapult in the Photonic Research Lab and flies to Mazinger's location. In some cases Mazinger Z will run and jump into the air to meet it, in other cases it will slow and approach a stationary Mazinger Z. The docking is accompanied by the command "Scrander Cross!"
  • Wingspan
    12.8 meters
  • Weight
    1 metric ton
  • Maximum Velocity
    Mach 3
  • Maximum Altitude
    20,000 meters

• Jet Scrander's Weapons
  • Scrander Cutter
    The wings of the Jet Scrander are strong and sharp enough to be used as blades.
  • Southern Cross Knife
    Contained Within the Jet Scrander's wings are shuriken which can be fired as missiles. This weapon first premiered in episode 73.

Hover Pileder

• Hover Pileder
  The control center of Mazinger Z, the Hover Pileder is a small, lightly armed flying hovercraft with outboard VTOL fans at the ends of its wings, that folds and lands inside the head of Mazinger Z (unfortunately, when Sayaka tried to control Mazinger Z in Episode 52, her unfamiliarity with the controls led to the wings being clipped). When it makes a link with the giant robot, its pilot yells, "Pileder On!" When the Hover Pileder is destroyed, it is replaced by the Jet Pileder, which had more normal wings and a single VTOL fan in the center of its underside, which allows it to dock with the Mazinger Z while the latter is on its back (Kouji would use this to his advantage in the finale of Great Mazinger, after two failed attempts to dock normally due to Warrior Beast interference).
  • Length
    5.6 meters
  • Width
    3.2 meters
  • Height
    3 meters
  • Weight
    260 kilograms
  • Maximum Altitude
    10,500 meters
  • Ascent Speed
    120 kilometers per hour
  • Maximum Speed
    Mach 3
  • Output
    20,000 horsepower

• Pileder Weapons and Equipment
  • Pileder Beam
    Both the Hover Pileder and the Jet Pileder were equipped with a laser beam weapon.
  • Pileder Missile
    The Hover and Jet Pileder could fire a pair of side recessed missiles.
  • Emergency raft
    The Hover Pileder had a hatch in the center of its underside that could drop a self-inflating life raft. The Jet Pileder's VTOL engine was in this position, and there was never indication that the Jet Pileder carried a raft in some other way.

God Scrander

• God Scrander
  Seen in the first episode of Shin Mazinger (which occurs in medias res), the God Scrander like all "Scranders" attaches to the back of Mazinger giving it the power of flight. In addition to this, it also has three giant fingers that, together with Mazinger Z's arms, form a fist when closed which forms the basis of the Big Bang Punch. After docking, the command "Open Wing!" makes the God Scrander open its wings and unfurl its fingers.
• God Scrander Weapons
  • Big Bang Punch
    Big Bang Punch is literally the fist of Zeus. It is a glowing gold fist formed by God Scrander's fingers curling around Mazinger Z which is then rammed into opponent. The true strength of this attack has yet to be revealed, although in the first episode, it is shown as strong enough to seriously cripple the Aerial Fortress Gool and even threatened the giant sized Ankoku Daishogun.

Alternate versions

• In the 2002 OVA Mazinkaiser, Mazinger Z received a redesign (courtesy of Keiichi Sato, the mechanical designer for The Big O) to resemble the original look of Mazinger in the Go Nagai's manga. This Mazinger lacks the Jet Scrander, but retains the original's most famous attacks. Unfortunately, Mazinger Z is no match for the onslaught of Doctor Hell's Mechanical Monster army, and is severely damaged in the very first episode. Captured by Baron Ashura, Mazinger Z is remade into the Ashura Mazinger and unleashed on the Photon Energy Labs. However, Mazinkaiser appears and readily dispatches the Ashura Mazinger.

• Toymaker Fewture has produced a series of toys called Mazinger 1901, which recast Mazinger Z, Aphrodite A and Garada K7 as turn-of-the-century steampunk designs. The 1901 Mazinger remains much the same as the original, but with bulkier proportions and large, visible screws on most of its surface. (See Mazinger Toy Lines)