Mazinger Z Anime Film teaser, details revealed

The granddaddy of all super robots is celebrating his big anniversary with a bang, as Anime News Network reports that the upcoming Mazinger Z animated film finally has stars attached to it. 

Rockman X/ Megaman X seiyuu voice actor Showtaro Morikubo has been cast as the voice of Mazinger lead and pilot Koji Kabuto, while Ai Kayano will provide her voice for Aphrodite A pilot and love interest Sayaka Yumi.

The announcement was made on Sunday at the AnimeJapan2017 convention where a special presentation was held for the film that’s tentatively titled as Gekij?ban Mazinger Z (Mazinger Z The Movie).

It will be directed by Junji Shimizu based on a script by Takahiro Ozawa.

Gundam 00 and Ghost in the Shell mechanic designer Takayuki Yanase is also onboard the project, Makoto Ujiie of Green will work on background art, and Yo Nakano is booked as assistant director.

Based on manga artist Go Nagai’s seminal work of the same name, Mazinger Z debuted in 1972 on Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. An anime series premiered on the same year and ran for 92 episodes until 1974. 

Considered “the grandfather” of the super robot genre, Mazinger Z was the first mechanical hero to have a human pilot inside the cockpit of the robot – thereby making “man and machine” fight together as one. Mazinger’s popularity has made it evolve into a franchise, with successors like Great Mazinger and Mazinkaiser following in the robot’s heroic footsteps.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the franchise, and creator Go Nagai announced in a special video message at AnimeJapan2017 that the Mazinger Z Movie would be making its world premiere somewhere outside of Japan at a date that would be announced later. He also thanked the fans for their continued support, celebrating 50 years of being a manga artist this year.

In addition to the announcement, a teaser poster and trailer were released for the film, which has no release date at the time. — TJD, GMA News