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Grendizer

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UFO Robot Grendizer (UFOロボ グレンダイザーin Japanese, also known as Grandizer in America, Space Adventures in the Arab World , Goldorak in France and Québec, and Atlas Ufo Robot Goldrake in Italy and Malta) was a mecha anime show created by legendary Japanese anime artist Go Nagai. It was shown on Japanese TV in 1975 and lasted 74 episodes.

Grendizer is a fictional mecha from the anime and manga series of the same name, created by Go Nagai. Within the story, Grendizer was created by the Vegan Empire and stolen by the Prince of Planet Freed, who piloted it under the guise of the masked warrior Duke Freed.

Contents

Plot

[Spoiler warningSpoiler warning]: Plot and/or ending details follow.
"Johnny is the only survivor of the star civilization of Antares. His real name is Orion Quest. The Antareans were a very scientifically advanced people who knew neither war nor subjugation. Then one day Vega the Strong unleashed his merciless saucer squadrons against Antares. His goal was to destroy the Antarean paradise and make its rich natural resources his own. Orion was the only one who survived. Vega immediately confiscated the Antareans' comprehensive science logs and set about using the knowledge to create the ultimate battle robot. He called it Grandizer. Vega's plan was to use it to plunder the universe, but Orion was able to block his evil plot. He stole Grandizer from under Vega's nose and destroyed the computers that held the information of Grandizer's secrets. He fled across space to refuge here on earth, but not before giving the Vegans a taste of their own destruction. Orion chose earth from amongst all the other countless planets because its lush natural environment most reminded him of Antares. I learned of him as he neared earth. I arranged to hide his ship and safeguard his identity. It all happened about 2 years ago."

The Vega homeworld is becoming 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, a war robot able to combine with a saucer-ship, Spazer, and is equipped with the most powerful and advanced engine designed by the Vegan forces, which was used in spearheading the assault on Fleed.

Fleeing Vegan space by flying at faster than light speed, Duke enters the Solar system and switches course to Earth, making a rough landing in Japan. He is befriended by Dr. Umon, a noted scientist who oversees a research laboratory (called the Space Science Lab) and owns a small ranch. If some hints present in the French version are to be believed, it seems that Dr Umon owed part of his remarkable scientific achievements to regular contacts with Fleed scientists, and he may have been Duke Fleed's goal from the start of his escape. The kindly Umon takes in the young alien as his son, under the assumed name of Daisuke, and assists him in hiding Grendizer. A rough 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 Blackie and Gandal, are ready 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 launches.

The Vegans establish a base on the dark side of the moon and start to attack Earth from there. As the show progresses, Koji discovers Duke Fleed’s true identity and their bitter rivalry soon turns to friendship. The daughter of Danbi Makiba (the man who runs Umon’s ranch), 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 the planet Freed, 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 & Hikaru at the Space Science Lab, but the fight was short lived. Maria’s attacks brought Duke’s necklace (which is the same as the one she wore) into view and the truth was revealed. The lost siblings were reunited at last and Maria becomes the last addition to the team.

Near the 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 Freed was no longer polluted with Vegatron radiation and that her fiancee was alive and well, she rushed to Earth to bring him the good news. Unfortunately, one of King Vega’s generals used this opportunity to ambush Duke Fleed, and Rubina was killed when she took a shot aimed at Duke. This made Duke even more determined to wipe out the Vegan menace once and for all.

When the Vegans’ moon base was destroyed by Vegatron radiation, King Vega had no choice but to gather his remaining forces and make an all-out attack on Earth. Duke and co. went out to intercept them before they reached Earth in Grendizer and the newly designed space combat Spazers. After a fierce battle, they finally manage to destroy the Vegan mothership along with King Vega himself. Soon afterwards Duke and Maria bid a tearful farewell to Earth and return to help reconstruct planet Fleed.

Behind the Robot's Name

Unlike Mazinger Z (which was named after majin), Grendizer is named after the fictional metal "Gren", the hardest material available on Fleed and the main component of the Super Robot's nigh-unbreakable armor. While given a distinctive appearance, Grendizer shares the same basic color scheme (black, white, red, blue and gold) of its famous antecessors Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger.

The name Grendizer may be a reminder of the creature Grendel from the Scandinavian Beowulf story, and the robot has a similarly demonic appearance. The demonic appearance is also a reflection of the weapons original purpose as a tool to dominate civilizations through force. In this audiences can find a metaphor for fate, destiny and will. Grendizer was born to enslave the world. His name, his face, his body all were built to fullfill this purpose, however, he ends up as the only obstacle against this end.

Additional details about the series

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 = 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.

A lot of speculation has been made about the two half-turns executed when the pilot passes from the ship mode to the robot mode. Once asked about it, Go Nagai answered that "Duke being suspicious, he always checks that no one is following him", but it can be assumed that he was joking, leaving the mystery unsolved.

The Grendizer robot and Daisuke have been included in two short Go Nagai cross-over features: UFO Robo Grendizer vs. Great Mazinger, and Great Mazinger, Grendizer, Getter Robo G: Decisive Showdown! Great Sea Beast..

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 (known as Goldorak), Italy and Malta (known as Goldrake), where it holds a strong following even today. Grandizer was also one of the most popular anime series ever shown in Arabic countries. (All the episodes were shown in these countries. It is interesting to note that the Arabic version was identical to the Japanese one, the names remained the same.)

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 then changed his name to 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).

Trivia

While not created on Earth, Grendizer is considered to be part of the Mazinger canon mostly due to the fact of Koji Kabuto co-starring in the show. This is especially noticeable in the Super Robot Wars series, which gives them a Triple Mazinger attack whenever the three of them appear together. The Triple Mazinger Blade, Triple Mazinger Punch and Triple Mazinger Fire are some examples.

Despite the hopes of many fans, Koji Kabuto never piloted Mazinger Z during the series. However, in the Grendizer VS Great Mazinger special, he pilots the Great Mazinger and helps Duke Fleed defeat one of the Vegan Empire's most dangerous officers. On a few occasions, Koji reminisces about his time with Mazinger.

Boss Borot makes a guest appearnce in two episodes.

Duke Fleed has a younger sister named Maria Fleed, who he thought was dead (and likewise believed the same of him). She reappears later in the story, becomes the pilot of the Drill Spazer unit and incidentally develops a crush on Koji. In the Super Robot Wars series, it has become something of a running gag to have Maria clash over an oblivious Koji with his girlfriend of sorts since the Mazinger times, Sayaka Yumi.

Oddly enough, while Grendizer has fought alongside Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger, Getter Robo, Getter Robo G and even Shin Getter Robo in the Super Robot Wars, it has never appeared in the same game as the ultimate Mazinger: Mazinkaiser. Some fans believe that this is because Go Nagai does not want to see either prove stronger but when either is in the game they are usually the most powerful Super Robots in the game.

Although all Go Nagai Super Robots vary in size due to "tech specs" in games like Super Robot Wars (ie. Mazinger is 18 meters tall while Getter Robo G is 50 meters tall), they have usually been shown in their own series and crossovers to be roughly the same size.

Statistics

Weapons and Attacks

Related Machines

Spazer

The original support craft for Grendizer, the Spazer is a saucer-shaped craft that allows Grendizer to fly and travel through space. Prince Fleed stole it from the Vegans along with Grendizer before heading to Earth.

Double Spazer

A newly designed Spazer, the Double Spazer functions as a fighter craft as well as an atmospheric flight system for Grendizer. It features a Photonic Energy reactor and VTOL fans and is piloted by Kouji Kabuto, the former pilot of Mazinger Z.

Drill Spazer

A Spazer designed to give Grendizer underground combat abilities, it is piloted by Duke's sister Maria Grace Fleed.

Marine Spazer

A Spazer designed to allow Grendizer to fight effectively underwater, it is piloted by Hikaru Makiba, a young woman who learned Daisuke's secret and wanted to help him instead of just watching him fight from the sidelines.

UFO Submarine

Seen in only one episode the UFO Submarine is basically a giant Jet-Ski that Grendizer could sit in and pilot. It also had a separate cockpit for humans to pilot it plus it could also fly.

Cosmo Spazer

Three ships that could combine into one ship for space travel. Did not combine with Grendizer but was more of a support vehicle. Piloted by Koji, Maria, and Hikaru.

External links

 

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