Mazinkaiser

Director
Masahiko Murata
Production
Bandai, Dentsu, Dynamic Planning
Country of origin
Japan
Format
OVA
Running time
7 episodes
Year
2001

Mazinkaiser volume 2: A Fire Blast from the Past! (eps. 5-7)

By John Huxley
1st Nov 04

On paper Mazinkaiser appears to be nothing worth your time. Threadbare characters, overzealous voice acting, a wafer-thin plot, outdated mecha, a predictable narrative and an over reliance on nonsensical plot devices may well sound like a recipe for disaster. And while there's some truth to each and every one of those accusations, the end result is unexpectedly much, much greater than the sum of its parts. Mazinkaiser is a fantastic piece of popcorn entertainment for the anime afficionado and nostalgia junkie alike; a classic animation enhanced with modern-day production values that just radiates retro chic.

This volumes continues in much the same vein as the previous, with Koji Kabuto and the gang saving the day from Dr. Hell's diabolical mechanical monsters with the assistance of the legendary Mazinkaiser robot. But Dr. Hell is tired of his underling Baron Ashura and his incompetent attempts to thwart the Mazinkaiser, so he sets about devising a fiendishly evil plan to destroy this bothersome hero-type once and for all, paving the way for a stress-free world domination.

The first episode on this disc sets the scene for a two-part finale. With Dr. Hell absent hatching is evil plans, Baron Ashura takes it upon himself to infiltrate the Mazinkaiser headquarters under the guise of its intrepid leader, Professor Yumi. Yet the Baron's poorly planned disguise is only effective visually and aurally, leaving his rotten core on display for all to see. As ridiculous as that may sound, it's actually a great little idea, one that gives us a chance to familiarise ourselves with perhaps the most interesting character of the entire Mazinkaiser cast - the half man, half woman Baron Ashura. Filmed as if he/she were a schizophrenic, talking in both a female and male voice depending on his/her position to the camera, Baron Ashura may be an Arkham Asylum reject but his/her evil grimacing is undoubtedly effective. Without such a striking villain(ess?) to oppose the sickly heroism of Koji and the gang Mazinkaiser would be a much less tolerable experience.

That's not to say that Koji and his comrades are entirely insufferable, they're merely far too squeaky clean to carry a series like Mazinkaiser on their own. In the wake of Evangelion's troubled teenage angst, Mazinkaiser's self-inflicted dated approach to characterisation appears tame in comparison. However, the simplistic joys of several secondary characters such as the easily excited ‘boss' and his lackeys do succeed in keeping you distracted during the show's quieter moments. But there will be scant opportunity to relax and enjoy the company as the last two episodes take Mazinkaiser into overdrive...

As the story nears its finale Mazinkaiser orchestrates a brilliant crescendo of non-stop action, gradually building momentum until the suitably climactic final battle brings the series to a satisfying close. Fans of Go Nagai's previous work will revel in the pure stylish exuberance of these lengthy action scenes as the Mazinkaiser and his allies dispatch wave after wave of imaginatively designed mechanical monsters. There's perhaps a little too much reliance upon stock trademark moves (the louder the scream, the more powerful the attack), but every effort has been made to make sure that each encounter feels refreshingly different to the last, something that prevents the formula from becoming too stale too quick. Indeed, the sizeable budget of this impressive production lends the animation a certain filmic quality that helps to create a fantastic atmosphere. The animation may not be the smoothest around, but the widescreen ratio, rich colour pallette and distinctive art direction lift Mazinkaiser above the standard fare. If you're looking for an animation to stir those memories of early morning Sunday cartoons without spoiling the illusion, Mazinkaiser may just be the perfect solution.

Mazinkasier won't appeal to everyone - it's a million miles away from the thought-provoking complexity of today's mecha animations - but what it lacks in subtlety it more than makes up for with plenty of stylish and enthralling action. The only real disappointment comes when Mazinkaiser ends just seven episodes young. Perhaps its formula would have outstayed its welcome had it been much lengthier, yet I for one would love to see more Mazinger titles on UK shelves. Still, with only two volumes to collect, Mazinkaiser is a fantastic little series that should be great fun even if you're not a fan of Go Nagai's work. Highly recommended.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English 5.1 & Japanese 2.0 audio, English subtitles, enemy specs, original Japanese artwork, production sketches, original Japanese opening, clean closing

Release information: UK: 15th November 2004, ADV

Notes: Again the box is presented in a comic book style with bold, upper-case lettering, plenty of exclamation marks and a panel layout for the screenshots on the back. It may not be the most subtle of designs yet it suits the tone of the series perfectly. Pop the case open and you'll find a single sheet leaflet on the inside with a fresh piece of full colour artwork and an advert on the reverse. The extras are fairly skimpy and probably won't hold your interest for long; only the original Japanese DVD covers (there were six volumes!) and production sketches catching the eye. Considering the illustrious history surrounding this series and its creator I would liked to have seen some form of chronology or background information. Unfortunately this never materialised, although it's a solid enough disc in its absence.

-- John Huxley 1st Nov 04

Mazinkaiser Images