'Mazinger Z Movie' Opens in Italian Theaters in October, Ahead of Japan

by arsonal
Jul 25, 2017 10:55 AM | 11 Comments

Italian film distributor Lucky Red has announced that the upcoming Mazinger Z Movie will open in theaters in the country in October 2017. This release date is three months ahead of Japan's, which is scheduled for January 13, 2018.

In recent years, Lucky Red has become the primary distributor of anime movies in Italy. It is also the primary distributor of productions by Studio Ghibli. Producers had already indicated at the announcement of Mazinger Z Movie at AnimeJapan 2017 that the movie would open in theaters overseas first before opening domestically.

Lucky Red looks to capitalize on the success of Toei Animation's full CG movie Captain Herlock (2013), which earned the equivalent of more than 700 million yen in box office revenues in Italy. In comparison, Captain Herlock earned 500 million yen in Japan. It went on to earn a total of 2 billion yen in box offices worldwide, with Italy and France making up two-thirds of the total revenue.

Mazinger Z mangaka Go Nagai, whose works also include UFO Robo Grendizer, Devilman, and Getter Robo, is tremendously popular in several European markets. In addition to Mazinger Z Movie's Italian release, the premiere of teaser footage at France's Annecy International Animated Film Festival indicates a European emphasis in its overseas marketing, according to Animation Business Journal's Tadashi Sudo.

Lucky Red official site: http://www.luckyred.it/movie/mazinga-z/

Source: Animation Business Journal

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11 Comments Recent Comments

Hoppy said:
Wait, most of the people nostalgic about that over there are in their 40's and 50's, that aired in Europe long ago like in the mid 70's.

Trust me, anime such as Lupin, Mazinger Z, Devilman, UFO robo etc...were extremely popular here in Italy, especially the first two. There's no one who doesn't know what they are
My parents for example were big fans

Jul 26, 2017 7:18 AM by Xenocrisi

Grandissimi come sempre!
andrò al cinema!
I will be there , Mazinga!

Jul 26, 2017 1:11 AM by CorvoBianco

The poster looks so sick I would never haven imagined Toei is behind this project.

Jul 26, 2017 12:45 AM by Robiiii

Italy with the movie box office power.

Jul 25, 2017 8:48 PM by ichii_1

Anny said:
Wow, it's incredible! But I think it's just going to be an isolated case. Anime market is far from doing good in Italy (even if it looks like it's getting better..? I'm not well-informed about this), but when it comes to this kind of nostalgic events... I mean, Captain Herlock is incredibly popular in Italy and everybody from the older generations have watched that anime. That's why when I watched the Toei movie at the cinema, my parents went together with me. Then the italian movie "They Call me Jeeg" came out in 2015, a tribute to Nagai's Koutetsu Jeeg, and it had quite the success. Now, everybody also knows about "Mazinga", as we call it here. So I guess they're aiming for people in their 40s and some nostalgics and try to get the same nice results. I think this is less popular than Herlock and Jeeg, but still it's quite the achievement for our anime industry!

I write in a couple of private anime forum (where the main user are in their 30) everybody (expect me and some other user) is excited about this movie (like they was for Harlock). When you actually stop to watch anime for real and you only see 3-4 series every year, every nostalgic news hype you

Btw, che 4 comic store that i know here are doing great, in the last 4 years they got much more sales that in the past

Jul 25, 2017 4:44 PM by Acheron

Wait, most of the people nostalgic about that over there are in their 40's and 50's, that aired in Europe long ago like in the mid 70's.

Jul 25, 2017 3:44 PM by Hoppy

Italia has such good taste. Lupin, now Mazinger.

Jul 25, 2017 2:45 PM by Nickienator

makes sense for a business point, you got to give better treatment to those that buy your product more

Jul 25, 2017 12:57 PM by deg

This doesn't sound like a bad idea actually! Although I really hope that the Mazinger Movie comes around in Puerto Rico (a reason why I said this is because back then it was released on TV in Spanish dub for our end, and its a big series in Puerto Rico as far as I'm concerned). Though will see if they do or not but I do wish for that.

Jul 25, 2017 12:20 PM by removed-user

Wow, it's incredible! But I think it's just going to be an isolated case. Anime market is far from doing good in Italy (even if it looks like it's getting better..? I'm not well-informed about this), but when it comes to this kind of nostalgic events... I mean, Captain Herlock is incredibly popular in Italy and everybody from the older generations have watched that anime. That's why when I watched the Toei movie at the cinema, my parents went together with me. Then the italian movie "They Call me Jeeg" came out in 2015, a tribute to Nagai's Koutetsu Jeeg, and it had quite the success. Now, everybody also knows about "Mazinga", as we call it here. So I guess they're aiming for people in their 40s and some nostalgics and try to get the same nice results. I think this is less popular than Herlock and Jeeg, but still it's quite the achievement for our anime industry!

Jul 25, 2017 11:59 AM by Anny

I can't believe that the France doesn't get an anticipated screening too. o_O

@Robiiii Check tge trailer if you want to see how it really looks.

About TOEI, I présumé that you didn't watch their Harlock revival movie (a very expensive "blockbuster")? It might be CGI but it's really pretty and technically well done.
The main problem is that they simply used the name as a brand to sell it, rather than doing justice to the eponymous character. There is nothing apart from the use of familiar faces and a few points dropped in that only fans could understand that ties the movie to the Harlock saga.

Jul 25, 2017 11:29 AM by Rei_III