Great Mazinger, Go !

Great Mazinger, Popy, Japan,
1970's

Go Nagai was, no doubt about it, the father of all Super Robots in Japan. He got us Grandizer (aka Grendizer, Goldorak or Goldrake) Getter Robot, Jeeg, Groizer X, Gaiking etc.

But it is definitely with Mazinger and later Great Mazinger that he got it started. Strangely enough, while this robot was well known in Spain and Italy, where the series aired with astounding succes, in France it came as late second, after "Goldorak" - and was seen there as a pale imitation.

Outside of Europe, it hit a big following in lots of Spanish countries of Central and South America (where it was shown uncut / uncensored). In the States, it aired under the name TRANZOR Z but heavily modified to be "acceptable" by US standarts. (Go Nagai's work was regarded, even in Japan, as controversial / erotic to some point).