Boss Borot (ボスボロット | Bosu Borotto), also known as Boss Robot (ボスロボット), is a piloted giant robot debuting in the Mazinger Z TV series. It was created by the Three Scientists after Boss, Nuke and Mucha asked them to build them a giant robot that can compete with Mazinger Z. However, due to being made of scrap metal, it was unable to come anywhere close to the performance of Mazinger Z, and thus mainly serves as comic relief. The robot is initially piloted by Boss only, but later on Nuke and Mucha joined Boss as regular sub-pilots.
Out of the Mazinger Series hero robots, Boss Borot is the only one to participate in all 3 TV shows of the original trilogy, from Mazinger Z, through Great Mazinger, to UFO Robo Grendizer.
Technological Overview[]
Being constructed from scrap materials found in a landfill site, Boss Borot is extremely fragile, usually breaking apart very easily from an enemy attack. This is also why the Three Scientists weren't able to install any weapons similar to the ones on Mazinger Z, as Boss Borot itself would not be able to withstand the usage of those weapons. Despite being powered only by standard gasoline, Borot's raw power is in fact fairly commendable, capable of tearing apart Kasimov T7's arm after flinging the Mechanical Beast around and arm locking Mazinger Z from behind after Boss was hypnotized by Gambina M5. According to Nuke, Boss Borot is designed to run on any kind of fuel, even Photon Power Energy, which was seen when Nuke and Mucha stole some of the Jet Pilder's Photon Power Energy in liquid state for Boss Borot to use due to the increased price of gasoline in Episode 73.
In combat, Borot primarily uses a combination of basic physical attacks, its high amount of strength, and occasional use of impromptu weapons. Despite usually not faring well against enemy Mechanical Beasts, Boss Borot has been shown to be useful in numerous other tasks, such as intercepting foot soldiers, removing bombs, or even saving the Mazingers from a pinch, such as when Mazinger Z was struggling against underwater enemies in Episode 84.
With sheer guts and a bit of luck, Boss Borot has even managed to take down several enemy robots as well. In Mazinger Z, Borot managed to decapitate Serpenter Ι6 with Serpenter's own sword, destroying Blacky F2's head by falling onto it, and obliterating Dante in the movie by crashing Diana A's Koushiryoku Missiles that Borot was riding on into the Mycenae General. In Great Mazinger, Borot singlehandedly took down Domes using some sort of sleeping gas from Borot's magician cane, and destroyed a damaged Gulasos using the Borot Spin Kick.
Boss, Nuke and Mucha enter Boss Borot's cockpit through the the slits on Borot's mouth. Since the slits are glassless, Boss Borot's cockpit is neither waterproof nor windprood by any means, forcing Borot to wear a snorkel mask during underwater missions. The inside of Borot's head is rather hollow and wide, with a large assortment of household items, including a bench, tatami mat, a clock, a gas stove, a Japanese style toilet, a switchboard with a radar screen, a refrigerator door, and a TV where the pilots can communicate wirelessly with the Photon Lab. Unlike the more sophisticated robots in the series, Boss Borot is controlled through the use of a automobile-style steering wheel.
Equipment[]
Various makeshift equipment are often devised for Boss Borot's usage. Notably, lots of them were created in order to enable Boss Borot to fly, but most of the time they prove to be ineffective.
Armaments[]
Mazinger Z[]
Boss Borot can often be seen utilizing handheld melee weapons or rudimentary built-in weapons in combat.
- Slingshot
Used in Episode 73.
- Serpenter Ι6's Sword
Taken from Serpenter Ι6 in Episode 75. Boss Borot used this weapon to defeat Serpenter.
- Rocket Launcher
A rocket launcher built into Boss Borot's neck, seen in Episode 81. To fire the weapon, Borot bends down and moves its head out of the way to reveal the cannon barrel.
- Mace
Used in Episodes 82 and 83.
- Torpedo
Used in Episodes 86 (fired from the head) and 87 (fired from the feet).
Great Mazinger[]
- Hammer Punch (ハンマーパンチ)
A simple punch. Used in Episode 2.
- Rocket Punch
A Rocket Punch fired from Boss Borot's abdomen. Used in Episode 4.
- Borot Pressure Punch (ボロットプレッシャーパンチ)
A pair of forearms modeled after Great Mazinger's Drill Pressure Punch, also created by Dr. Tonda after Boss asked for his assistance in upgrading Boss Borot. They aren't very durable however, shattering as they are fired. Used in Episode 8.
- Fireworks
Fireworks launched from a cannon in Boss Borot's abdomen. They were also used to propel Boss Borot in the air through thruster ports on the feet. Used in Episode 25.
- Drill, Hammer, Sickle, Saw
Four of Boss Borot's "Seven Tools", seen in Episode 26. The tools are stored within an oil barrel carried on Boss Borot's back. Only the handheld drill, hammer and sickle were actually used, while the saw was only seen stored in the barrel. It isn't even known what are the other 3 remaining tools.
- Boroboro Kick (ボロボロキック | Battered Kick)
A simple flying kick. Used in Episodes 29, 38, 42, 45. Borot's leg got battered instead when the attack was used against Battlers in Episode 45.
- Kousen-Gaeshi (光線返し | Beam Reflector)
A photography umbrella seen in Episode 29. Aside from being used to decelerate Boss Borot's descent, it is actually capable of reflecting Issacron's destructive rays. It is also used for its original purpose, attached onto Borot's back, when Boss Borot blinds Issacron with its handheld camera's flash.
- Camera
A handheld camera used in Episode 29. Boss Borot uses this to take pictures of Issacron up close, buying time by blinding the Battle Beast with the camera flashes. The camera was soon destroyed by Issacron however.
- Grenade
Grenades attached to a belt worn by Boss Borot, used in Episode 34. They aren't very effective against Mycenae mobile weapons.
- Magician attire
A magician attire worn by Boss Borot seen throughout the two-parter of Episodes 43 and 44.
- Bomb Hat (爆弾ハット)
The only named equipment of the magician attire. A top hat worn by Boss Borot, which is actually a bomb that can be thrown like a boomerang. Seen used in Episode 44, Borot unfortunately threw the hat straight back at itself, causing the hat to explode in its face.
- Cape
A cape worn by Boss Borot, it apparently gives Borot the capability to fly through some unknown method.
- Cane
A magician cane wielded by Boss Borot. It can release a sleeping gas from its tip, which is surprisingly effective against Battle Beasts, even managing to take down Domes with a single gas stream in Episode 43.
- Smokebomb
Bon festival lanterns modified into smokebombs, attached onto a belt worn by Boss Borot. Seen in Episode 45, they are used by Borot to distract Battlers.
- Naginata, Bident, Pitchfork, Hammer, Saw, Bat
Weapons equipped by Boss Borot in Episode 47. The naginata is handheld while the rest of the weapons are stored in a basket on Borot's back. Only the naginata was seen used however, as Borot was quickly taken care of by Tolcane.
- Morning star
A morning star-type mace wielded by Boss Borot in Episode 51. Used against Gulasos.
- Borot Spin Kick (ボロットスピンキック)
A flying kick unleashed by Boss Borot in Episode 51. It astonishingly managed to destroy Gulasos with a single hit.
- Borot's Powerful Blowgun (ボロットの強力吹き矢)
A blowgun emerging from Borot's abdomen section, with Boss having to manually blow out projectiles from it, seen in Episode 53. Boss' blowing speed is rather commendable, as projectiles can be seen being fired from the blowgun at rapid speed when Borot and Robot Junior attempted to intercept the Demonica's missiles.
- Borot Spazer: In his typical fashion, Boss was impressed by the Grendizer and sought to outdo Duke. To this end, he devised the Borot Spazer, an attempt to surpass the Spazer. However, like the Borot itself, Boss had limited resources and the Borot Spazer ended up a comical contraption held aloft by a helicopter-style rotor, falling to pieces by the end of the episode.
History[]
Mazinger Z[]
Jealous of Koji Kabuto always being the hero, Boss came up with a plan to make his own giant robot. He and his gang abducted the Three Scientists and forced them to build them a giant robot. Unfortunately, the scientists didn't have much to work with and the best they could do was make a giant robot made of scrap metal. Boss dubbed his new robot, "Boss Borot" after his own title and went in to save the day. But this would hardly ever happen, the robot was not all that strong and it had to be saved countless times by the Mazinger Z and its female companions. Nevertheless, Boss would continue to use Boss Borot despite its flaws and in a stroke of luck actually succeeded in destroying two Mechanical Beasts, Serpenter I6 and Blacker F2. However, Boss learns to respect Koji and the Mazinger and becomes a member of the team with Boss Borot on every occasion; despite usually being knocked away, captured, or badly damaged.
Boss and Boss Borot would appear in every series, assisting Tetsuya Tsurugi and Great Mazinger as much he did in Mazinger Z. For a while he even appeared to help Duke Fleed and Koji fight the Vegan Empire, while trying to imitate the flying saucers and show off.
Mazinger Z: Infinity[]
During Doctor Hell's returning invasion, Boss, Mucha and Nuke received a newly constructed Boss Borot using the Professors' new Photon 3D Printer. Boss Borot then participated in the final battle distracting several Mechanical Beasts with a game of Baseball in order to buy the Professors and Koji time to deploy the upgraded Mazinger Z for the final assault.
Etymology[]
Borot comes from the Japanese phrase for "crumbling" (ボロボロ boro-boro) in reference to its construction from scrap metal. It is also an anagram of "robot".
Trivia[]
- Similar to how Mazinger Z popularized internally piloted robots, Boss Borot is a pioneer in comic relief robots such as the short lived Asataro from Getter Robo. However, some earlier robot manga's from the 1960's also featured comic relief robots prior to Boss Borot .
- Boss Borot's face is visibly animated compared to the static faces of Mazinger-Z and other robots featured in the series. Due to this, its face always mimics the attitude of Boss whenever he is in action. This has often lead to a running gag where anything experienced by Boss Borot, such as being damaged or tickled, is audibly experienced by Boss as well, until the scene cuts to the cockpit and shows Boss is inexplicably imitating Boss Borot's responses.
- In the Tranzor Z adaptation, Boss Borot is renamed "Bobo-Bot". This is because Boss' was renamed "Bobo" in the dub, and his mecha's name had to be changed accordingly.