The granddaddy of piloted giant robots that started an entire genre of mecha madness.
8.025 minSeason 1 • Episode 92
LatestMazinger Z, known briefly as Tranzor Z in the United States, is a Japanese super robot manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. It was adapted into an anime television series which aired on Fuji TV from December 1972 to September 1974. A second manga series was released alongside the TV show, this one drawn by Gosaku Ota, which started and ended almost at the same time of the TV show. Mazinger Z has spawned several sequels and spinoff series, among them UFO Robot Grendizer and Mazinkaiser. It was a very popular cartoon in Mexico during the 1980s, where it was dubbed into Spanish directly from the Japanese version, keeping the Japanese character names and broadcasting all 92 episodes, unlike the version aired in the U.S.
Practical Effects
Iconic rocket punch that launched a thousand toy sales.
Direction
Go Nagai's visual language still defines mecha anime today.
Production
That gloriously cheesy 70s synth score hits different.
Creator
Go Nagai
Joji Yanami
Professor Gennosuke Yumi
Minori Matsushima
Sayaka Yumi
Hiroya Ishimaru
Kouji Kabuto
Haruko Kitahama
Baron Ashura
Hidekatsu Shibata
Baron Ashura
Hiroshi Otake
Boss / Dr. Sewashi
Kosei Tomita
Dr. Hell / Nuke
Isamu Tanonaka
Mucha
Junpei Takiguchi
Count Blocken
Koji Yada
Dr. Morimori / Piguman
Nana Yamaguchi
Misato
Osamu Kato
Archduke Gorgon
Yonehiko Kitagawa
Dr. Nossori
Kotoe Taichi
Sayaka Yumi
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Mazinger Z essentially invented the 'pilot climbs into giant robot' trope that dominates anime from Evangelion to Pacific Rim.
The infamous Tranzor Z American dub butchered the names and cut episodes, which is why Mexican fans who got the uncensored version became the true global guardians of Mazinger lore.
JP
