| “ | 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 during an undisclosed battle.[1] He lived in an orphanage until the age of 7,[2] when he was adopted by Kenzo Kabuto and taken to an island to begin his training as the pilot of Great Mazinger.[3] Five years later, Kenzo adopted Jun to be trained as Tetsuya's partner and pilot of Venus A.
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, reckless and proud, possessing many talents to bolster his claims. He defies Kenzo's orders whenever he judges an enemy or task to not be worth his or Great's time, and is prone to jumping into action to prove his strength.[4][5][6] As a result of his pride, he sees failure to perform properly or being called back to base early as a blow to his image as a pilot. [5] While working alongside Koji or the Getter Team, he was shown to have a competitive streak.
While Tetsuya can be somewhat cold, not showing much concern or even annoyance whenever Jun and Boss end up in a position in which they require his aid to defeat a Warrior Beast, he deeply cares about the well-being of others. Whenever his actions inadvertently bring harm to others, Tetsuya is shown struggling to deal with remorse. [7][8][4]
Moreover, Tetsuya tries to hide his fondness of Boss and Shiro by often excusing his acts of kindness with annoyed remarks.
Relationships[]
Great Mazinger[]
Tetsuya shares a deep bond with Great Mazinger. 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.[7] After Great was stolen, Tetsuya was left heartbroken until the robot was retrieved.[8] 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. [9]
Jun Hono[]
Tetsuya and Jun playing on the beach
Jun and Tetsuya share a dynamic reminiscent of an upperclassman and an underclassman, though Jun doesn’t place much importance on their difference in experience. She often speaks to him as an equal, showing little concern for his brash personality and has no reservations about calling Tetsuya out on poor behavior when necessary. They also share a playful side, frequently teasing each other, though Tetsuya handles being on the receiving end far less gracefully than Jun.
Tetsuya, however, fully embraces the role of a superior, often pointing out Jun’s perceived shortcomings and insisting on the skills he believes she should master, becoming frustrated when she fails to meet his expectations. Her overall performance, which he deems subpar compared to his own, frequently annoys him. While Jun is generally unfazed by his criticism, it once escalated into an argument between the two.[10] He is also quick to delegate tasks he finds beneath — such as sorting to dig out a fossil or fighting a weak Warrior Beast — leaving them for Jun to handle.
The dynamic between Tetsuya and Jun may stem from their originally envisioned backstory. Tetsuya was initially conceived as being five years older than Jun, having been adopted and trained much earlier. While the age gap was later reduced to just one year—with no confirmation that Jun’s age was similarly adjusted—their dynamic might still reflect this original intent.
Jun comforts Tetsuya
Although the two are shown to be married by the time of Mazinger Z: Infinity, no romantic feelings are depicted between them during the original series. Kenzo, and Tetsuya in the manga, describes their relationship as more akin to that of siblings.[7] However, their closeness and moments, such as playing on the beach or comforting each other by holding hands, could be reasonably be interpreted to suggest differently.
It's never outright confirmed in the series when the two first met, as neither appears in the other’s childhood flashbacks. However, it seems fair to assume they grew up in different orphanages, only meeting one another after Kenzo adopted Jun after already having started training Tetsuya.
Kenzo Kabuto[]
Tetsuya begs Kenzo for forgiveness after failling to prevent Great Mazinger from being stolen
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. [11] 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.[12]
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, being willing to overlook his mistakes and overall insubordination. To protect Tetsuya, Kenzo even offers to pilot Great Mazinger in his place on two different occasions: first, when Tetsuya was too injured to rescue Shiro himself and later on, when Tetsuya's fighting spirit was broken after a crushing defeats at the hands of Warrior Beast Sorgos[13]. In the former instance, Kenzo does pilot Great for a short while before handing him back to Tetsuya.[14]
Kenzo trains 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.[3]
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.[15] 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.[16]
For his part in Kenzo's death, Tetsuya ends up deeply saddened and wonders if he will ever be able to recover. [16]
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.[13]
Shiro and Tetsuya
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. [12] During the final battle, a similar interaction occurs, but with Shiro reassuring Tetsuya instead of the other way around.[15] 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. [17]
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[]
After Kenzo dies, Koji offers to fight in Tetsuya's place who's injured at the time
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. [16]. 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.[15]
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. [16]
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 shows his skills during a training session
Tetsuya fightning Mycenaes
Tetsuya has been trained in martial arts and marksmanship from an early age. He is also shown to enjoying bullfighting and is a skilled Matador. 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.
Tetsuya uses the backspin kick
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. [18] 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. [19]
History[]
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.[20]
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.
The house in which Kenzo raised Tetsuya
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.[3]
Later, Great Mazinger ends up mortally injuring Archduke Gorgon accidently [21] 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.
Jun and Tetsuya with their 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.
Other Continuities[]
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.
OVAs[]
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.
Gallery[]
References[]
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