Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact!

Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact!, known in Japan as '''Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen (真マジンガー 衝撃! Z編 Shin Majingā Shōgeki! Zetto Hen lit. Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact!), often simply referred to as Shin Mazinger Z (真マジンガーZ Shin Majingā Zetto) or Shin Mazinger' (真マジンガー Shin Majingā''), is a reboot anime series directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa premiering April 4, 2009. It retells the original story of Mazinger Z using elements from the original manga by Go Nagai as well as his other series like Z Mazinger and Violence Jack. Other elements included the Kedora, a creature originally from Ken Ishikawa's one-shot Mazinger manga and the Energer Z.

Synopsis
Dr. Juzo Kabuto, renowned physicist has uncovered Japanium and the process of creating Photonic Energy beneath Mt. Fuji. He and his associates then start the process of using this to solve the energy crisis while aware of the threat of the nefarious Dr. Hell and his lieutenants in their attempts to use it along with an army of giant robots. Soon Hell begins his attack on the Photon Power Laboratory while Dr. Kabuto works on a countermeasure against Hell. Sending the Pilder to his grandson, Koji Kabuto Dr. Kabuto just stands confident that Koji will prevail with his greatest creation Mazinger Z. Soon the mysterious Kurogane House comes into focus as well as the mystery between the relationship between the mistress Tsubasa Nishikiori and the Kabuto family.

Characters

 * Koji Kabuto (Shin)
 * Shiro Kabuto (Shin)
 * Sayaka Yumi (Shin)
 * Boss (Shin)
 * Nuke (Shin)
 * Mucha (Shin)
 * Juzo Kabuto (Shin)
 * Yamitaro Ankokuji (Shin)
 * Gamia Q3 (Shin)

Photon Power Laboratory

 * Yanosuke Yumi
 * Dr. Nossori (Shin)
 * Dr. Sewashi (Shin)
 * Dr. Morimori (Shin)

Mazinger Army

 * Lori & Loru (Shin)
 * Masao Oide (Shin)
 * Shun Azuma (Shin)

Kurogane House

 * Tsubasa Nishikiori
 * Cross
 * Django
 * Yasu
 * Kikunosuke (Shin)
 * Sensei

Bardos

 * Dr. Hell (Shin)
 * Baron Ashura (Shin)
 * Count Brocken (Shin)
 * Viscount Pygman (Shin)
 * Gamia Q (Shin)

Mycenae Empire

 * Archduke Gorgon
 * Great General of Darkness (Shin)

Mythological World

 * Zeus
 * Hades
 * Uranus (Shin)
 * Poseidon (Shin)
 * Garadoubla MK01 (Shin)

Others

 * Kenzo Kabuto (Shin)
 * Tetsuya Tsurugi (Shin)
 * Juzu
 * Schtroheim Heinrich (Shin)
 * Lorelai Heinrich (Shin)
 * Daemon Abashiri (Shin)
 * Goemon Abashiri (Shin)

Designer's Notes
2/25/2009 (Wed.) Hi! This is my first post on the Tamashii website. My name is Tsuyoshi Nonaka, and I work for Bandai's Boy's Toy Department. I am credited as the very important-sounding "Mazinger and Ro-Beast Designer" on the new "Shin Mazinger Impact Z!" series, but this is kind of unprecedented for me and it's a burden I am both nervous and excited about shouldering. As a trailblazer of sorts I'm looking forward to giving it my best shot.

In this section of the site, I'm going to share some behind-the-scenes stories about the mechanical designs of the series.

Glancing over the materials at hand I see that the project kicked off in January of 2006. It's hard to believe that was more than three years ago. At the time I was still assigned to the toy design company Plex. Upon learning of the decision to revitalize the Mazinger animated and Chogokin Tamashii series, I submitted a lot of idea sketches (in addition to all of my normal duties.)

I'll be able to talk about this in more detail someday, but the fact is that the series started off as something totally different. How much could we re-design Mazinger Z? Would Koji Kabuto make an appearance? How would we work in Great Mazinger and Getta Robo? These early days represented a period where our daydreams spiraled out of control.

Once Yasuhiro Imagawa came aboard as director and things officially started moving forward, we started to realize that it worked better as something closer to the original comic book version, and we started exploring the idea that perhaps Mazinger Z looked pretty much the same as he always had, but with all new attacks and weapons.

The design that Imagawa-san picked as representing most what he'd like to see was a Mazinger Z the late Ken Ishikawa had drawn for a short story called "The Legacy of the Mikene," which appeared in a comic book called "Super Robot Wars Comic Anthology."

I could see what he was getting at. The design was powerful and heavy-looking. Its face resembled the old animated version, but the body looked more like the original manga; all in all it was very nicely done. We had found our Mazinger Z. You can see the illustration I created based on it at right (Figure 1). Although a different person ended up drawing the final design of the animated version, it was decided to use my illustration as the basis for the Chogokin toy.

And that's how the latest Chogokin Tamashii, the GX-45 Mazinger Z, came to be. I re-drew all of my illustrations, including the Hover Pilder and Jet Scrander, with respect for Ishikawa's approach.

About those "all new attacks and weapons," they're still under wraps so I can't say anything just yet. I will share this: Takenobu Terada, producer of the Super Robot Wars game series, always said to me "Mazinger needs a full-screen clearing weapon of his own!" The time has come for his dream to become a reality.

Releases
Shin Mazinger was put on several video on demand services during its release on television by Bandai Channel in Japan. Two DVD boxes and a Blu-Ray box were released later. Shin Mazinger would later be released in a few countries on DVD including Spain and Mexico as Mazinger Edición Z Impacto!, Italy as Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact! by Yamato Video, and in America as Shin Mazinger Z Impact! by Discotek Media.

Related Media
The show's first theme song Kanjite Knight was performed by JAM Project and Lazy under their name Ultimate Lazy for Mazinger while modifying some of the song lyrics from one of Lazy's old songs. A typing video game called Mazin Da: Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z-Hen was released as part of the merchandise featuring scenes of the anime.