Great Mazinger

Great Mazinger from anime TV series

From wikipedia:

Great Mazinger (グレートマジンガー, Gurēto Majingā) is a Japanese manga comic book and anime television series by manga artist Go Nagai. The story is a sequel and direct continuation of Mazinger Z series after its initial success. The series was aired on Japanese television in 1974, immediately following the end of the first Mazinger series. It ran for 56 episodes.  

The story centers on Tetsuya Tsurugi (剣 鉄也, Tsurugi Tetsuya), an orphan raised by Kenzo Kabuto (兜 剣造, Kabuto Kenzō), who is the once thought dead father of Mazinger Z pilot Kouji Kabuto. Kenzo Kabuto is the creator of the new and improved version of Mazinger, which was based on his father's "Chogokin Z" (Super Alloy Z). The new version was designed with a stronger form to fight against humanity's new enemy, the Mycenae Empire, led by the Great General of Darkness and his army of Battle Beasts. Kabuto, then, gives the Great Mazinger to Tetsuya for him to use. Accompanying him is his female companion, Jun Hono, an orphaned half Japanese, half African-American girl, in her feminine robot, "Venus A (Venus Ace)".

Tetsuya's training with Great Mazinger is completed just in time to come to Kabuto's aid as the Mycenae Battle Beasts overwhelm Mazinger Z. With the original Mazinger destroyed, Kabuto went to America to study space travel and left Japan's defense in the hands of Tetsuya and the Fortress of Science. Nevertheless, Tetsuya won against his fight with the Mycenae Battle Beasts, led by their military leader, Ankoku Daishogun (Great General of Darkness) after the Great General of Darkness' defeat, Doctor Hell of Mazinger Z went into disguise as the Great Marshall of Hell and leads the Mycenae forces. 

John's Notes

I've always thought of the Shogun Warrior Mazinga as the centerpiece of the Shogun Warriors line in the US - he's very recognizable and has a commanding presence. Both Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger were extremely popular in Japan with the release of many toys and collectable paraphernalia.

Popy and Mattel

As with other popular anime and tokusatsu series, Popy and other manufacturers produced a plethora of toys related to Great Mazinger, eventually leading to a Mattel licensing deal as Shogun Warrior toys.

• Popy Great Mazinger Jumbo Machinder - Mattel #9860 Mazinga
  
• Popy Great Mazinger Jumbo Machinder - Mattel #9860 Great Mazinga (1978 Name Change)
• Popy Great Mazinger Jumbo Machinder - Mattel #9860 Mazinga "Z (European)
   
• Popy GA-05 Great Mazinger - Mattel #2103 Die-Cast Metal Mazinga
• Popy (unknown) Great Mazinger - Mattel Shogun Collector's #2516 Great Mazinga

As one of the flagship Shogun Warriors toys most of the miscellaneous items made by companies other than Mattel, like by Western Publishing, feature Mazinga or Great Mazinga. Take a peek under the Misc Items menu.

All Mattel images and captions are copyright Mattel, all Popy, Banpresto, Unifive or Yutaka images and captions are copyright Popy/Bandai, images captured from various video segments are copyright Toei or other parties and used without permission. All other content, including images and editorial, is Copyright © 1997-2023 John Eaton and/or contributors unless otherwise stated. If there are any comments or objections, please contact John Eaton, by clicking here.