Mazinkaiser: Shitou! Ankoku Dai Shogun

Mazinkaiser: Deathmatch! General Dark is a semi remake of the original Mazinger Z vs the great General of Darkness Movie by Toei Animation from the 70'S , its a step up in Animation, and character designs, this is also a action pack movie for the Mazinger franchise, it's a shame we shouldn't get a sequel to get a Vs the Emperor of Darkness, pros the animation and Robot designs ( Again ) Cons The need of wanting more , and also this Mazinkaiser Movie doesn't really fit with the Mazinkaiser OVA all that well

It's a good watch ... , it's not the best with characters, but its is at the action

Almost exactly the opposite of the mazinkaiser Ova series
This final addition to the Mazinkaiser franchise has the much needed depth in drama, and gore, that the Mazinkaiser Ova lacked

I feel so bad having to post-pone this amazing movie thinking that it was just the same as the series, but boy have I wronged myself

Right off the bat you are greeted and spoiled with scenes you cannot imagine being incorporated into the Mazinger universe

As a long childhood fan, I loved this addition to the series, I could feel it expanded the audience's taste while at the same time maintaining that classic lustrous feel that all the ... mazinger fans came to apprecaite and love

Ps: Do watch the series before the movie, that way you don't miss out on some of the events :)

It's September 6th, and that means it's Go Nagai's birthday. Following the success of the Mazinkaiser OVA, this movie was produced to give the Mazinger franchise a proper climax until Shin Mazinger would be released six years later to reboot it. Taking inspiration from the Great General of Darkness plot of the Mazinger Z TV series, said villain launches a worldwide attack with the Mikene army. National landmarks are destroyed and multiple Mazinger characters die as they fail to combat the enemy army. Most of the movie is Kouji and Sayaka trying desperately to get back to Mazinkaiser as many people sacrifice themselves to ensure ... he gets there safely.

This is drastically different in tone from most Mazinger works. Though Mazinkaiser did get more serious in its finale, it never got as violent. In this movie, in addition to several long-time characters dying, many people are literally decapitated with blood galore. It feels similar to a recent Getter Robo anime in that respect, even with certain frames as they're filled with thick outlines and sharp, sketchy movement like some of Getter Robo Armageddon. It seems like it could'v been a direct inspiration. Anyway, if you want to see apocalyptic Mazinger this is about the closest you'll get, though I don't think it transcends the Mazinkaiser OVA. That one felt interesting as a modern Mazinger update in the spirit of the original TV series. Whereas Shin Mazinger was much more of a drama, Mazinkaiser still placed a large emphasis on (effectively funny) humor and a light tone that escalated properly during the finale. The Mazinkaiser movie storms right out of the gate with violence and plot, but that's all it is: an over-the-top fireworks show. The final battle with the Great General of Darkness is even a letdown, being extremely short and simple for how long it took to get to it. If you view this as an extension of the Mazinkaiser OVA it's easier to justify it, but as a stand-alone work it has less charm and diversity. JAM Project's music is great besides the opening song which is a rip-off of Europe's "The Final Countdown" even to the point of including the song's title during the chorus. This a must-watch for Mazinger fans anyway, especially now that it's properly subbed.