Tetsuya Tsurugi (TV)

"Damn. Will I never pilot Great Mazinger again? What has all my hardship been for? Why did I go through all that harsh training, all those hard battles?"

- Tetsuya in "Great Mazinger Episode 32, Tetsuya, Solve It!! The Mystery of Your Heart!!"

Tetsuya Tsurugi (剣 鉄也 Tsurugi Tetsuya) is the main protagonist of Great Mazinger.  As the pilot of the eponymous robot, he plays a major role in the battle against the Mycenae Empire being supported by his adoptive sister alongside Boss and his gang.

Background
Tetsuya lost his parents at a young age in a undisclosed battle. . He lived in an orphanage until he was adopted by Kenzo Kabuto. Under Dr. Kabuto's care, he and Jun Hono were raised to be the pilots of Great Mazinger and Venus A respectively.

Appearance
Tetsuya is a tall young man with an athletic build. He has dark brown hair with a unique hairstyle that feature strands of hair curling upright including from the back of his head, thick eyebrows, and has sideburns. His usual clothing resembles a jet fighter pilot's standard uniform including a blue jacket, jeans, a light blue shirt, and a purple scarf. His pilot suit consists of a dark blue bodysuit with red padding, orange outlines, a light green pad near the neck area, and a helmet that vaguely resembles the head of Great Mazinger.

Personality
Tetsuya is hot-headed and reckless, much like his adoptive brother Koji Kabuto. He questions Kenzo's decisions fairly frequently, especially when he judges an enemy or task isn't worth his or Great's time. Even so, Tetsuya does have a great deal of respect towards him.

Despite acting aloof, Tetsuya cares deeply about the well being of others. He is shown struggling to deal with guilt during the series. When a dog was killed as a result of one of Great Mazinger's fights, Tetsuya was devastated by the grief he unwilling inflicted on the pet's owner. He also apologize profoundly to Kenzo after Great Mazinger was stolen. The most notable instance, however, happened in his childhood: when his decision to take a hawk as a pet resulted in his friend being blinded, Tetsuya contemplated taking his own life. He was only able to move on after his mind suppressed the memories of the incident. The bottled feelings would later resurface when he meet Haruna Shiratori's pet canary temporarily compromising his ability to fight.

Tetsuya takes pride in his skills as a pilot becoming upset whenever he's unable to deploy or is called back early after an unsatisfying performance. When working alongside the Getter Team and Koji, he was shown to also have a competitive streak.

Great Mazinger
Tetsuya shares a deep bond with his robot. He once went so far as to state Great means as much to him as the dog left for Kaori by her late father meant to her. When Great was stolen, Tetsuya was left heartbroken until the robot was retrieved. During one battle in which Great Mazinger was damaged, Tetsuya showed willingness to risk life in a potentially suicidal move to beat the Warrior Beast and prove his robot's power.

Jun Hono
Jun is Tetsuya's childhood friend. They spend most of their time together be it during training, on their day to day life or when visiting places between their fights against the Mycenaen Empire. Tetsuya and Jun act as confidants for one another and call each other out when one exhibits behavior the other disapproves of. They enjoy teasing one another, although Tetsuya doesn't seem to enjoy himself as much when he is on the receiving end of the friendly provocations.



Jun's overall poor performance compared to his own annoys him. She's mostly unbothered by Tetsuya's criticism, but it once caused an argument to break out between the two.

Although the two of them end up married by the time of Mazinger Z: Infinity, they aren't shown to have romantic feelings for each other during the original series. Kenzo - much like Tetsuya does in the manga - describes their relationship being more in line of one between siblings. However, their overall closeness and moments like the two of them playing on the beach and comforting each other by holding hands could be interpreted to suggest otherwise.

It's unclear when they first met as neither of them appears in any of the other one's childhood flashbacks.

Kenzo Kabuto
Tetsuya sees Kenzo as a father figure. This was first pointed out to him by Jun as a reprisal for claiming he grew up without a father even though they were raising by Dr. Kabuto. In a later episode, Tetsuya points out to Shiro that Kenzo is like his father and Shiro should try seeing him that way too. At the time, both of them didn't knew Dr. Kabuto was Shiro's biological father.

Although he disobeys Dr. Kabuto's orders fairly often, Tetsuya seems to have a great deal of respect towards him. For his part, Kenzo is shown to be kind and patient with Tetsuya. Dr. Kabuto is willing to overlook his mistakes and overall insubordination. To protect Tetsuya, Kenzo even offers to pilot Great Mazinger in his place two times: first when he was too injured to rescue Shiro himself and later when Tetsuya's fighting spirit was broken after a crushing defeats at the hands of Warrior Beast Sorgos. In the former instance, Kenzo does pilot Great for a short while before handing him back to Tetsuya.

Despite being in good terms with each other during the series, a flashback depicting their early relationship paints a different picture. Back when Tetsuya was still a child, Dr. Kabuto was much harsher with him. While telling about the hardships he endured during his training to become Great Mazinger's pilot, Tetsuya states he used to hate Kenzo for being too harsh with him. Even so, after everything he went through, Tetsuya seems grateful for how things turned out as he enjoys being Great's pilot.

When Koji began bonding with Kenzo, Tetsuya became jealous due to the fact Koji was Kenzo's biological son. The animosity between them hit its peak when Dr. Kabuto choose to change their approach to the Mycenae Empire following Koji's request instead of keeping their tactics as they were like Tetsuya wanted. As a result, he refused to work alongside Koji in the final battle against Demonika. Although Shiro and Kenzo were able to convince him to join the fight, his lateness allowed Vulcania to move in to ambush him as soon as he left the base. Dr. Kabuto ended up having to sacrifice his own life to save Tetsuya's proving once for all he also loved him like his own son.

For his part in Kenzo's death, Tetsuya ends up deeply saddened and wonders if he will ever be able to recover.

Shiro Kabuto
He became close to Shiro Kabuto ever since the start of the series. Shiro even felt jealousy when Tetsuya developed a friendship with Yoichi. Tetsuya does his best to cheer him up whenever he feels upset. When Kenzo couldn't show up to Shiro's school during parents' day, Tetsuya went in his place although the boy was too angry with his father to appreciate the effort. At the time, Shiro wonders if the reason Kenzo doesn't pay much attention to him is because he isn't Dr. Kabuto son. As both of them were still unaware of the fact Shiro is Kenzo's biological child, Tetsuya argues Shiro can still see Kenzo as his father, much like he does, besides the lack of blood ties. During the final battle, a similar interaction occurs, but with Shiro reassuring Tetsuya instead of the other way around. Tetsuya also offered emotional support and stood by Shiro's side when the boy felt betrayed after learning his father hide the fact he was still alive from him for so long.

As he dreams of one day becoming a pilot, Shiro pesters Tetsuya about giving him training which usually ends with Tetsuya brushing him off.

Koji Kabuto
Shortly after Koji returns to Japan, he and Tetsuya are in friendly terms and have no problem working together. Even when Tetsuya first showed signs of jealously, he didn't seem to resent Koji for being close to their father although he felt left out. . However, this quickly changed as Kenzo's perceived favoritism towards his biological son pushed Tetsuya to antagonize him. Although is not explicitly shown during the meeting to discuss their strategy moving forward, it's implied that Dr. Kabuto decided after the fact to follow Koji's suggestion to start actively seeking out the enemy base instead of listening to Tetsuya's arguments. This incident seems to have been the breaking point of their relationship.

As a result of their fall out, Tetsuya becomes determined to show Koji up to reaffirm his own value. He antagonizes Koji by messing with him during a patrol and later by actively sabotaging the plan to chase a damaged Warrior Beast back to its base by destroying the damaged enemy.

Kenzo's sacrifice initially appears to make Koji angry with Tetsuya. However, before his father succumbs to his injuries, he tells Koji he also loves Tetsuya as a son and ask Koji to be kind to him, Following that, the two put their differences aside and join forces to avenge Kenzo alongside Jun and Sayaka.

Boss
Boss sees Tetsuya as rival to be surpassed. Early on, Tetsuya doesn't take him seriously seeing him as mostly as a nuisance. Later, he comes to see Boss and and his gang as friends.

Great General of Darkness
The Great General of Darkness, being the leader of the Mycenae Empire's military forces is Tetsuya's primary adversary. Fans have pointed out how similar they are to each other but acknowledged that both characters act like foils. Tetsuya fights the empire because of what his adopted father wished him to do so and to have a place he belonged to while feeling threatened by anyone who could take his position. In contrast, the Great General fights against the Science Fortress lab purely out of loyalty to his emperor and the empire as a whole, never once believing anyone can take his position. During their battle, the Great General actually acknowledged Tetsuya and the Great Mazinger as equals to him.

Abilities and Skills
Tetsuya has been trained in martial arts and marksmanship from an early age. As result, he's a skilled fighter capable of fighting multiple enemies at the same time. He's also a skilled pilot capable of using Great Mazinger to its utmost potential. Despite his skills, Tetsuya's recklessness can sometimes get the better of him. His physical prowess is one of the main reasons he's able to use Great Mazinger to its full potential. He's able to withstand a sharp turn aboard Great Mazinger after a nose dive from 50,000 feet height. During the series, he exhibits impressives feats of strenght and reflexes.

Tetsuya's also very skilled with his motorcycle, the Jet Bai, Using it, he is able to pull off impressive maneuvers and even fight Archduke Gorgon to a standstill.

Mazinger Z
After Mazinger Z is defeated by Warrior Beasts, Kenzo Kabuto sends Tetsuya to save the Photon Power Laboratory. Using Great Mazinger, he's able to defeat Pilanias and Gratonios. Tetsuya then takes an unconscious Koji back to the Science Fortress Laboratory to receive medical treatment for his injuries. Later, he guides Dr. Yumi and Koji's friends to his hospital bed.

With Mazinger Z badly damaged and undergoing lengthy repairs, Koji and Sayaka travel to America to study leaving Japan's safety in Tetsuya's hands.

Great Mazinger
Over the course of the series, Tetsuya and Great Mazinger fought against several Mycenae's Warrior Beasts. Although the vast majority of those enemies were ultimately disposed by Great Mazinger, Venus A and Boss Borot fought by his side providing essential support.

Tetsuya would come to develop a close friendship with Shiro as he started living in Science Fortress Laboratory in the beginning of the series. The boy showed interest in becoming a pilot and would ask Tetsuya for training from time to time. In one such occasion, Tetsuya took him to the island in which he first began being training by Kenzo. There, he tells Shiro about his childhood.

Later, Great Mazinger ends up mortally injuring Archduke Gorgon accidently and defeating the Great General of Darkness in a long and exhausting battle.

However even though the Great General was slain, the Mycenae Empire was not beaten. It was given a new leader, Great Marshall of Hell, whose true identity was of Dr. Hell resurrected. During one of the battles following battles, Koji was asked to return to Japan to help. After joining forces, Tetsuya and Koji manage to win the battle. Later, Koji would reunite with his father, Kenzo.

Koji and Kenzo grow closer making Tetsuya jealous. Upset, he refuses to work alongside Koji. Kenzo and Shiro assure Tetsuya, that, even though they aren't blood related, he's part of their family. Tetsuya deploys, but Vulcania had already moved to ambush him. The battle ends with the Warrior Beast destroyed and Tetsuya unconscious. Hell seizes the opportunity to try to finish him off, but is stopped when Kenzo sacrifices his life by ramming the Science Fortress Laboratory's control tower against Demonika.

Tetsuya decides to work with Koji in a final assault against Hell. After a massive battle, Tetsuya, Koji, Jun and Sayaka combine their attacks to destroy Demonika destroying Hell and the remaining Mycenae officers for good.

Mazinger Z: Infinity
Ten years after, Tetsuya and Jun are married and waiting for a baby. While in Texas, Tetsuya goes to respond to an unknown threat targeting a photon power plant. There, he discovered an army of Mechanical Beasts being lead by Baron Ashura. Great Mazinger manages to put a good fight, but ends up being overwhelmed as the army doesn't authorize the use of his strongest weapon, the Great Booster, for fear of collateral damage. As a result of the battle, Tetsuya and Great are taken hostage.

Tetsuya wakes up to find out Dr. Hell returned as is using him to control the mysterious Infinity.

After being rescued by Shiro and his Ichinana, Tetsuya briefly joins the fight against Dr. Hell. When the battle escalates, he sends Great's power to help Mazinger Z defeat Infinity.

At the end of the movie, after meeting his newly born child, he reunites with his friends at Koji's hospital bed to check out on his adoptive brother.

Manga
Much like in the anime, Tetsuya rescues Koji from the Warrior Beasts and keeps protecting Japan in his place. He would later go on to defeat a few Warrior Beasts as well as the Great General of Darkness. The General ends up succeed by a resurrected Dr. Hell.

Later, Hell demands Great Mazinger and his weapons in exchange for the life of captured hostages. Eventually, Tetsuya and Jun set up a plot as Hell tried to capture the Great. Instead they end up getting counter-duped and fight against General Hadias destroying him. Later, Koji joins the fight with a repaired Mazinger Z. Together, they defeated Hell after Kenzo sacrifices his life to give them the upper hand.

In the Grendizer manga, he is controlled by the Vegan Empire and is used to attack the city and the Grendizer along with Koji and Mazinger Z. Boss Borot manages to find the ship where the army general is at and break the device controlling them. The Mazingers then pair up with Grendizer to fight the Vegan ship destroying it.

Mazinger Z vs Great General of Darkness
Much like in the end of Mazinger Z, Tetsuya appears to fight against the Warrior Beasts. However, in this version Kenzo sends him to fight before Koji and Mazinger Z are defeated. As a result, the two of them join forces to dispatch the attacking Warrior Beasts.

Great Mazinger vs. Getter Robo
(...)

Great Mazinger vs. Getter Robo G: Kuchu Daigekitotsu
(...)

Grendizer, Getter Robo G, Great Mazinger: Kessen! Daikaiju
Tetsuya and Great Mazinger assists Duke Fleed, Jun, Sayaka, Koji, Boss as well as the Getter Robo G team in defeating the gargantuan Dragonsaurus from destroying Tokyo.

Etymology
Tsurugi means 'sword' specifically double-edged swords, fitting as many of the Great Mazinger's attacks involve blades including the main Mazinger Blade. The kanji also matches one of the character in Kenzo Kabuto's given name, bridging a connection between Tetsuya and Dr. Kabuto.

Trivia

 * Tetsuya is stated to be 180 cm tall.
 * Tetsuya was originally supposed to be 22 years old, but for various reasons, his age was reduced to 18. This also might be explained why he looks really older than 18. His Infinity appearance is almost identical after the 10-year time skip though.
 * In both the Taiwan produced Chinese dub of Great Mazinger and the Latin Spanish dubs of both Great Mazinger vs Getter Robo and Great Mazinger vs Getter Robo G, Tetsuya and Koji were merged into one character, the former instance lead to a severe continuity problems when Koji returned in the final episodes of that show.
 * Similarly, stock footage of Tetsuya in the series finale of Mazinger Z was repurposed to represent Koji in the Tranzor Z re-edit whenever the censors needed to remove explicit scenes of violence.
 * In the Latin Spanish Dub, Tetsuya was renamed as "Tatsu".
 * This version of Tetsuya is depicted referring to himself and being referred by others as a combat professional in the Super Robot Wars franchise. This nickname is never used in the original series, manga, OVAs or the Mazinger Z: Infinity movie.
 * The title originated from Super Robot Wars Impact. After Koji asks him if he's ready to execute their combined attack, the Double Burning Fire, Tetsuya answers feigning offense "俺は戦闘のプロだぜ、外しはしない！" (Did you forget I'm a combat pro? I won't miss!/Have you forgotten? I'm a combat professional! I won't miss the mark!) seemingly bragging about receiving superior training.
 * Tetsuya Tsurugi (ZERO) - which debuted after the nickname had already became associated with the character - does use "I'm a combat professional!" as a catchphrase.