Baron Ashura (Shin)

Baron Ashura (あしゅら男爵 Ashura Danshaku) is a major character in Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact!. Originally a pair of priests affiliated with the Mycenae Empire, named Tristan and Isolde, they were brought back to life as one being by Dr. Hell and his then assistant Tsubasa Nishikiori. He/she served as the right-hand of Dr. Hell, commanding the Ashura Corps.

Background
Prior to becoming its current form, Baron Ashura was once a couple of Mycenae priests named Tristan and Isolde. They along with Archduke Gorgon plotted to have Zeus killed for cutting ties with Uranus, which caused a collapse within the empire. In an attempt to make Zeus lower his guard, Tristan was offered as a sacrifice before Tristan and Isolde's future self becomes the sacrifice instead when he/she as well as Koji Kabuto, Tsubasa, and the Kurogane group entered the past. However, with the failure to kill Zeus caused from interference of Koji and the Mazinger Z, Tristan and Isolde were placed in stasis from within the island of Bardos.

Millinea later, the bodies of Tristan and Isolde were discovered by Dr. Hell and his colleagues. Planning to make a guide of the bodies but noticing the decaying halves of each of them, Dr. Hell, Tsubasa, and Kenzo Kabuto, used a mysterious formula that caused the decaying halves to melt away while stitching the bodies together. Thus Baron Ashura was born. What wasn't well known however was that it was Dr. Hell who caused the decaying halves on both bodies in the first place as he was able to find out about the ritual that Tristan and Isolde needed to perform to bring back the Mycenae Empire.

Ashura upon awakening attacked the party before being sedated and operated with a command that prevents him/her from attacking Dr. Hell, Tsubasa, or anyone within their group. Since then, Ashura became Dr. Hell's first servant and worked with Dr. Hell to get the hand of Zeus. Ultimately they failed and were thought to be killed by the explosives set off by Tsubasa. However, Hell and Ashura survived and built up their army of Mechanical Beasts.

Appearance
Baron Ashura's appearance is based off his/her design from previous series such as the black and purple robe on the left and right sides respectively. The male side has darker skin than the female side with a black eye and a thicker eyebrow. The female side has a much lighter skin tone and wears makeup such as eyeliner and lipstick. When the hood is removed, it reveals short black hair.

As Tristan, he had lighter skin than his current form and has black hair. His usual clothing consisted of a black outfit with a brown belt, red chest armor with gold linings and sandals. As Isolde, she did not wear makeup and had long red hair. Her clothing consisted of a violet dress and sandals. Both of them wore gold necklaces depicting a moon-shaped emblem facing downward.

Personality
Baron Ashura is loyal to Dr. Hell and the Mycenae Empire, a trait inherited from its past lives Tristan and Isolde. He/she will strike down any enemy or obstacle to whom it is affiliated with, whether the obstacle be Zeus (or anything that looks like him) or anyone who threatens Dr. Hell like Juzo Kabuto. Against these enemies Ashura demonstrates cruel and underhanded tactics like taking hostages and torturing them. Ashura is rather sensitive about his/her appearance, particularly when brought up on how someone was responsible for its state.

As Tristan and Isolde they served their lord Hades and his lieutenant Archduke Gorgon faithfully, following their examples and goals. Tristan and Isolde seemed to have been very close as they were never very far apart and were even buried together.

Upon realizing that he/she had actually been working against the Empire, Baron Ashura decided to turn his/her back on Dr. Hell. However, due to the brain control placed on by Tsubasa and Dr. Hell, he/she had to turn to Koji for help until betraying him and his allies to the Empire.

Dr. Hell
After the brain surgery placed on it by Tsubasa, Baron Ashura became the first of Dr. Hell's servants. For the first part of the series, Ashura showed total loyalty to Dr. Hell, following every order he gave him/her. Unfortunately, with Ashura's failures came harsh punishments and distrust from Dr. Hell. In order to regain the mad scientist's faith, it was sent after the rogue Kedora and managed to destroy it, albeit with reluctance as it was from the Mycenae Empire. Upon realizing that Dr. Hell meant to take full control over the technology of the Empire rather than rebuild it, Ashura decided to rebel but was unable to due to the brainwashing on him/her and had to make an uneasy alliance with his enemy Koji Kabuto.

Co-workers
Ashura is a respected leader among the Ashura Corps. He/she has a rivalry with Count Brocken and is not afraid to knock his head away from his body to humiliate him. Ashura is also highly regarded by Viscount Pygman, saving him/her from Koji and Tsubasa and comforting him/her after Dr. Hell's punishments.

Kabuto Family
After Bardos Island, Baron Ashura became enemies with several members of the Kabuto family including Tsubasa, the woman who brought him/her back to life. While not able to physically harm Tsubasa, Ashura takes every chance to bad mouth her for what happened on Bardos. Ashura had a murderous intention towards Juzo Kabuto since the day he kidnapped Dr. Hell and this intent grew stronger with the revelation of the Mazinger Z which reminded Ashura of Zeus. His/her relationship with Juzo's grandson Koji, was almost entirely antagonistic ever since Ashura's troops mortally wounded Juzo that later killed him and Koji took every chance to try and kill Ashura. After Ashura was actually saved by Koji when they were in the past, he grew a loathing respect for Koji. Eventually Ashura even teamed up with Koji to defeat Dr. Hell until betraying Koji and his allies in awakening the Mycenae Empire.

Mycenae Empire
Baron Ashura's loyalty to the Mycenae Empire came first. As Tristan and Isolde, they believed the Empire was going to collapse because of Zeus and plotted to kill him. Even as Baron Ashura, these ties to the empire did not fade, wishing to reconstruct the empire from its ashes through Dr. Hell. After Dr. Hell's death in battle, Baron Ashura offered itself in sacrifice to awaken the underground empire to attack the surface.

Abilities
As commander of the Saluud and the Ashura Corps Baron Ashura has total control of the Iron Masks and an assortment of Mechanical Beasts. He/she is capable of wearing convincing disguises such as Ankokuji, but his/her personality is more or less obvious. Baron Ashura has demonstrated superhuman feats such as being able to run on the surface of water and even knock down the Mazinger Z with his/her bare hands in a fit of rage.

Baron Ashura's main weakness is the brainwashing planted on him/her by Tsubasa which prevents Ashura from attacking Tsubasa, Dr. Hell, or anyone else in their group during the expedition of Bardos. After Dr. Hell was killed, this barrier was removed allowing Ashura to perform a ritual by tearing him/herself in half to awaken the dormant Mycenae Empire.

History
10 years after the expedition of Bardos, Baron Ashura was ordered by Dr. Hell to keep an eye on Juzo Kabuto, causing an assortment of disappearances around the Kabuto household. Upon finding the Mazinger Z, Ashura noticed the similarities between it and Zeus and started its attack to destroy the robot. Ashura was stopped by Juzo and Inspector Ankokuji. However, Baron Ashura sent his/her Iron Masks to attack them. Juzo sent the Hover Pileder to Koji before escaping.

With the Mazinger Z activated and controlled by Koji, Baron Ashura was in fear and anger of being reminded of Zeus and sent the Garada K7 and Doublas M2 to fight the Z. In a hard battle, the Z eventually overpowers the Mechanical beasts when Juzo shows Koji how to use the Rust Hurricane and Breast Fire. Unfortunately, Juzo dies from his wounds from an injury caused by the Ashura Corps. and Koji gives chase to Baron Ashura in the Mazinger all the while destroying parts of Atami until he was stopped by Sayaka Yumi and the Aphrodite A. Ashura managed to escape while looking back on powerful and dangerous the Mazinger Z.

Disgusing himself as Ankokuji and his/her troops of police officers, Ashura attempts to locate the Hover Pilder so that the Z does not activate holding Koji and Shiro in for questioning. Koji however did not know where the Pilder went and when Shiro tried to break him out, Ankokuji attacked Shiro before Koji ripped his face off revealing Ashura's disguise. Ashura gave chase to Shiro cornering him to the roof of the building they were in until he/she was electrocuted by Tsubasa Nishikiori. As Baron Ashura badmouths Tsubasa, she attempts to kill her creation before Koji came to try and kill it himself. However, Ashura regained his/her strength and summoned the Nonakargo H2. Showing that it had captured Aphrodite A, Ashura commands the Nonakargo to capture the Mazinger Z. However, Tsubasa commands her subordinate Yasu to give the signal to reveal the Hover Pilder. Pursuing Ashura with Koji, Tsubasa tried to kill Ashura with a missile but was saved by another creation of Tsubasa, Viscount Pygman who helped Ashura escape as the Mazinger destroyed he Nonakargo.

After Baron Ashura is harshly punished by Dr. Hell for failing to capture the Mazinger and allowing powerful Mechanical Beasts to be destroyed, he/she sends more Mechanical Beasts on Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya while sending its "daughters" the Gamia Q to assassinate Koji in order to regain Dr. Hell's trust. As Koji attempts to connect to the Z after escaping the Gamia, Ashura used the Belgas V5 to capture the mech. Koji gave chase regaining Mazinger Z and destroying several Mechanical Beasts until the KingDan X10 shows Sayaka Yumi being held hostage. With his Ashura takes the Mazinger Z and Koji into the Saluud.

However, Boss and his gang snuck aboard and freed Koji and Sayaka. To make matters worse, Count Brocken arrived bombing the Saluud to make sure he doesn't lose his place next to Dr. Hell. As Koji and co. defeat the final Gamia sister and recover the Hover Pileder and Z, Ashura decides to have the Saluud self-destruct before getting into an escape pod.

Baron Ashura went to Germany to get a special Mechanical Beast from Schtroheim Heinrich for Dr. Hell, the Danube α1. However, Heinrich insisted it wasn't finished and has Ashura chased out. Not wanting to leave empty-handed, Baron Ashura has the Ashura Corps storm Heinrich's castle while Ashura takes control of the Danube; knocking Heinrich out of the cockpit when the doctor tried to stop him/her. However, Heinrich's daughter Lorelai was revealed to be the core component for the Danube and integrated with Ashura forcing him/her off. Ashura retreated as the conscious giant robot attacked.

As more Mechanical Beasts are destroyed Dr. Hell sends a recent find, the Kedora to the Photon Power Laboratory. However, as the Kedora is destroyed, Dr. Hell, Ashura, and Pygman are met by Archduke Gorgon. As Gorgon took control of the Talos giants, Baron Ashura departed recognizing his former colleague and to deal with a rogue Kedora. He/she chased the biomechanical monster into a pillar of Mycenae technology which caused him/her to be transported into the past along with Koji and Tsubasa. There he/she finds his/her past lives Tristan and Isolde with Archduke Gorgon plotting to overthrow Zeus.

Ashura was mentally overwhelmed seeing Tristan and Isolde which caused them to be noticed by Gorgon. Trying to flee Ashura is caught by the Garadoubla and held prisoner. As Tristan and Isolde are put into stasis within a cocoon structure Baron Ashura is offered as a sacrifice to Zeus to please him. As Zeus removed the armor of his forearm, he is attacked by Hades. Before Ashura was sacrificed, he/she is actually saved by Koji, since Koji wanted to kill Ashura himself. Convinced for a temporary truce by Tsubasa, Ashura opens the gate in the tower to bring everyone back home to destroy the last Kedora (albeit regretfully destroying a Mycenae weapon). With this, Ashura regains Dr. Hell's trust but there are some troubling memories flowing through its head. During this time, Ashura had been captured by Archduke Gorgon as it started to regain its memories as priests for the Mycenae Empire. It went back to Bardos after a while but now held Dr. Hell in scorn for using Mycenae technology for his own benefit as well as being responsible for Ashura's appearance.

Regardless Ashura piloted the Baron Ashura Mechanical Beast as it struck down the Mazinger Army and Venus A. Dr. Hell challenges Koji to a one-on-one fight with Baron Ashura. However, this was a lure for the Mazinger Z as Ashura launched a missile at Atami but it is stopped with Boss Borot redirecting the missile up into the atmosphere. During the battle, Ashura tried to find a way to get back at Dr. Hell but due to the operation was unable to. As the Gool crashed into the Bood, appearing to destroy both Brocken and Ashura. Baron Ashura however survived and lead Koji to the photon absorber inside the Hell King Gordon to destroy it. As Koji and Ashura escaped, Ashura fell off the Pilder, telling Koji to finish Dr. Hell. After Dr. Hell was killed in a final blow, Baron Ashura having survived the fall was free from Dr. Hell's influence and with Archduke Gorgon did a ritual that involved ripping itself in half to bring back the Mycenae Empire from underground.

Etymology
Ashura comes from the Hindu myths as power-seeking entities in constant battle with the Devas. Tristan and Isolde come from the romantic narrative Tristan and Isolde.

Trivia

 * Baron Ashura is Gynandromorphic
 * In SRW Z2, while still being called his/her name by both Koji and Sayaka, Baron Ashura is referred to by other mecha anime protagonists as either a man or a woman. This nickname is never used in the original series, manga, OVAs or the Mazinger Z: Infinity movie.
 * The title originated from two catchphrases by both Ryoma Nagare from Getter Robo Armageddon and Kamina from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: "男だろうと女だろうと" (Whether it's a man or a woman) and "男なのか女なのか" (Is it a man or a woman?).