Mazinger Z (mecha)

Mazinger Z (マジンガーZ, Majingā Zetto) is a fictional mecha from the anime and manga series Mazinger Z, 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.

God Scrander

God Scrander is 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, a glowing fist formed by the God Scrander's fingers around Mazinger Z later revealed to be the fist of Zeus. After docking, the command "Open Wing!" makes the God Scrander open its wings and unfurl its fingers.

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.

Abilities

Attacks

Koushiryoku Beam(Photon Beam): Mazinger Z can fire photons in a the form of a laser through its eyes. In Shin Mazinger, this move is stronger than Breast Fire because Koji sets it to its highest setting.
Reitou Beam: Mazinger Z fires a laser of pure frost from the spikes on the sides of its head or from its mouth grill.
Rocket Punch: Mazinger Z' fires its arm through the air powered by rockets crushing everything in it's path. Its direction can be changed to return it, or do more damage.
Daisharin Rocket Punch: Mazinger Z spins its arms rapidly and builds up momentum before firing off both fists in standard Rocket Punch fashion.
Rust Hurricane: Acid/corrosive material mixed with air flows from his mouth rusting enemy metals in an instant.
Scrander Cutter: Mazinger Z uses the Jet Scrander as a blade and tries to cut its opponent.
Southern Cross Knives: Mazinger Z launches the Shuriken hidden within the Jet Scrander.
Breast Fire: Firing a heated beam from the chest panel, Mazinger Z can burn up enemies. Its power can be focused for more intense heat. It also melts off the paint job.
Iron Cutter: Mazinger Z sprouts a pair of blades from its arm before launching it at its foe. The blades cut into the foe, doing extra damage once the fist makes contact.
Reinforced Rocket Punch: It's basically the Rocket Punch, but it's reinforced with stronger armor.
Big Bang Punch (Shin Mazinger only): Mazinger Z, with the God Scrander, turns into a gigantic fist and punches its opponent.
100 Rocket Punches (Shin Mazinger only): Mazinger Z summons a barrage of 100 Rocket Punches at its foe to hold its foe in place and combines them into a gigantic Rocket Punch. Mazinger Z rides on the Rocket Punch and steers it into the foe. After doing so, Mazinger Z turns into its Big Bang Punch form and finishes off the foe.
Mazin Power (Mazinger ZERO only): Mazinger Z can activate the black boxes in its system and turn into a demonic version of itself, enhancing its strength manyfold. If all boxes are activated, Mazinger turns berserk and attempts to destroy everything in its path.
Final Breast Nova (Mazinger ZERO only): Mazinger Z covers the area in a veil of light and speeds off towards the opponent. Mazinger Z grabs its foe with a Photon Energy-covered hand and fires off a point-blank full power Breast Fire at its foe. If this move were to get a Dynamic Kill, Mazinger Z tosses the remains of the foe into the air and fires off a Rust Hurricane to finish them off once and for all.

Combinations

Double/Triple Mazinger Punch: Mazinger Z fires its Rocket Punch in tandem with Great Mazinger and/or Grendizer.
Double Burning Fire: Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger fire a Breast Fire and a Breast Burn, respectively, at the same time. In some games, this causes the foe to melt into scrap.
Triple Mazinger Blade
Final Dynamic Special
Dynamic Combination: Mazinger Z turns into its Big Bang Punch form and Mazinkaiser SKL mounts it. The gigantic fist collides with its foe and Mazinkaiser SKL follows up with a Thor Hammer Breaker, knocking the hapless foe into the sky. Mazinger Z turns into its regular form and fires a full-power Koshiryoku Beam, while Mazinkaiser SKL fires off an Inferno Blaster, causing a massive explosion visible from space. At the end, Kouji, Kaido and Magami yell, "We are Hell!"

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Mazinger Z (robot). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Super Robot Wars Wiki, the text of Wikipedia this page uses is covered by the Creative Commons License.