Classic mecha madness returns to the small screen as hordes of Doctor Hell's evil robot monsters try to annihilate the Photon Power Labs and all of Japan. Again. Super robot Mazinger Z returns to the small screen 35 years after the original series ended in 1974 with the new series Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen.
Mazinger introduced a number of ground-breaking elements such as the mecha cockpit and the combining action sequence of the mecha and a separate vehicle. All mecha shows that followed contain elements that originated from the series, from Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangelion to the Power Ranger series.
While not directly related to Mazinger, Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen also includes these classic ingredients. The first episode opens with Kabuto Kouji posing a question: what would you do with superhuman powers? Would you become a villain and try to destroy the world, or would you become a hero and protect it from evil?
But after this interesting start, the anime falls apart, with a 20-minute action sequence that will leave the uninitiated with no idea of what is going on. To seriously enjoy this anime series, you need to be a hardcore otaku, or at least have watched some of the shorter direct-to-video series.
The new show is slated for 26 episodes and will be available on DVD in a couple months. If you're really into the show, don't miss the chance to buy the new die-cast metal action figure due for release on May 30.