Juzo Kabuto (ZERO)

Dr. Juzo Kabuto is the robotist that made the invincible Mazinger Z and founder of the Photon Power Laboratory. In the first chapters of the manga he serves a more villainous role than his other counterparts, but in later chapters taking place in a different timeline he becomes more of a neutral character.

Appearance
Juzo Kabuto resembles his counterparts based on the original manga having the scar in place of his left eye. In the initial chapters of the manga, he has metal tentacles possibly from a robotic implant, but no longer has this in the new timeline.

Personality
Juzo has the attitude of a stereotypical mad scientist, with a megalomaniacal view of his creations. In the early chapters, he is obsessed with keeping his family bloodline strong and tests to see if his grandson Koji Kabuto was worthy as the next heir, possibly to toughen Koji up after Shiro died in that timeline. But he went to extremes of killing his own son and Sayaka Yumi to put Koji to his limits.

In the new timeline, while Juzo still does questionable acts and sees humanity as beneath him but he does not go to the same extremes as his earlier counterpart. Unlike before he willingly gave Mazinger Z to Koji compared to other times where it had to be stolen.

Unfortunately this was only because Juzo did not need to. Later chapters reveal that Juzo's obsessive tendencies however still remain. He was frustrated with his old age and being unable to complete Mazinger Z. To compensate, he devised a way to travel back in time through photonic energy and his other creation Minerva X. His psychopathic traits were shown to be the result of retaining his memories of previous timelines growing more insane and burdened with each time taken.

Abilities
Dr. Kabuto is a renowned scientist known for his discovery and creating applicable means for the Japanium element and Photonic Energy he discovered. In robotics, he built several machines including a helper robot and the giant mecha, Mazinger Z (in a couple timelines he included an artificial brain in the designs). In a few timelines he used robotic tentacles protruding from his back to restrain and impale adversaries.

Juzo had also a clear understanding of particle physics and the effects of time, enough to devise a way to send information back through time. A trait shared with Koji is Juzo's ability to recall and reuse his knowledge and skills from previous timelines.

Background
Juzo Kabuto was brilliant scientist known for his work in robotics, Juzo's main plan however was to construct a robot with the power of a god and devil. Devising several prototypes including Energer Z and Iron Z, Juzo's old age left him unable to proceed any further. Frustrated, Juzo used his robot helper Minerva X to devise a way to send information back in time through the Photon Connect network. Dr. Kabuto's plan was successful with Juzo able to build Mazinger Z in a single night.

However Juzo strived to perfect Mazinger Z with his sanity waning with each passing timeline. At times, Dr. Kabuto would use Mazinger Z to conquer the world with Juzo continuing to send Minerva back in time to further his research. The process would improve both Minerva and Z with greater power and capability, Minerva had even been given a human sized android body instead of her gigantic one.

Eventually, Juzo clashed with Dr. Hell beginning a rivalry that would last throughout time. In one timeline, Juzo had made Mazinger Z into a sentient machine that could not be controlled and was given the perfected Mazin Power system. Unfortunately, Z turned on his creator, crushing him and turning into a demon of destruction, Mazinger ZERO. ZERO had destroyed the entire planet to Minerva's horror afterwards.

With each new timeline, despite his own death and Earth's destruction, Juzo saw ZERO as his ultimate and greatest creation and had begun to clash with Minerva.

Intro Timeline
In the early chapters of the manga, Juzo was working tirelessly on a secret project below the Photon Power Laboratory, letting no one disturb him and activating the lab's defense system and guard robots to make sure no but Koji and Sayaka came in. After Koji deals with Juzo's helper robot, Dr. Kabuto is impressed with Koji's feat of superhuman strength showing Kenzo's head before revealing himself. Koji was shocked to see what his grandfather had done. Juzo went on with how he created Mazinger Z before capturing Sayaka and examining her. Juzo asked if he planned on doing anything personal with Sayaka, but Koji replied that their relationship wasn't that serious. Dissatisfied, Juzo impaled Sayaka with his tentacles and attacked Koji, severing one of his arms. Koji, enraged threw his disembodied arm at his grandfather, causing Dr. Kabuto to fall to his death.

Present Timeline
Juzo Kabuto was once a co-worker of Dr. Hell but they later had a fallout which gave Juzo his scar. For years after the encounter, Dr. Kabuto had worked on Mazinger Z and after its completion, his body was starting to give out and passed Mazinger Z to Koji as Dr. Hell began his attack on Earth.

Trivia

 * His role is similar to the Getter Robo Armageddon incarnation of Dr. Saotome as both change to an antagonistic role and are builders of the title mechs.
 * The metal tentacles could be seen as a homage to both Doctor Octopus of Spider-Man fame and Getter 3 of Getter Robo fame.