Mazinger Z versus Transformers

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	{{#if: マジンガーZ 対トランスフォーマー\| マジンガーZ 対トランスフォーマー {{#if: Mazinger Z tai Transformer\|; (Mazinger Z tai Transformer)}} {{#if:\|; ""}}}}
Publisher	Villagebooks}}
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First published	March 28, 2019}}
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Written by	Eugene Ishikawa (plot),; Naoto Tsushima (script)}}
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Art by	Yū Kinutani (Prologue and Epilogue),; Hayato Sakamoto (Chapter 1),; Hidetsugu Yoshioka (Chapter 2),; Kazumi Hoshi (Chapter 3),; Naoyuki Fujisawa (Chapter 4),; Naoto Tsushima (Chapter 5)}}
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{{#if: MZvTF Cover 1.jpg | {{#if: Villagebooks | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: March 28, 2019 | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Eugene Ishikawa (plot),
Naoto Tsushima (script) | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: Yū Kinutani (Prologue and Epilogue),
Hayato Sakamoto (Chapter 1),
Hidetsugu Yoshioka (Chapter 2),
Kazumi Hoshi (Chapter 3),
Naoyuki Fujisawa (Chapter 4),
Naoto Tsushima (Chapter 5) | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: | {{#if: |

{{#switch:{{#sub:xx|2|14}}|dark cybertron=}}

When a spacetime warp sends the Autobots and Decepticons to the Japan of another universe, they get involved in Mazinger Z's fight against Doctor Hell and Baron Ashura.

Synopsis

Prologue

Somewhere in the cosmos, a quartet of hooded figures observe various universes; focusing on two in particular, they wonder what would happen if they cross paths...

On one Earth, Kōji Kabuto pilots Mazinger Z in battle against Baron Ashura and Dian D0. Despite the Mechanical Beast blasting a wing of the Jet Scrander in half and even damaging one of Mazinger's chest plates, Kōji's quick thinking allows him to destroy it.

On another Earth, the Autobots fight the Decepticons near a space bridge. Starscream sneaks behind the Autobots and fires on Grimlock, only for the beam to reflect off the Dinobot and clip the Seeker's wing. Starscream loses control and crashes into the space bridge, setting off an explosion of energy that envelopes all Transformers present.

One of the observing figures seems to take advantage of the situation and creates a passageway between the universes, which leads one of his comrades to question what they would gain from this confluence of universes...

Chapter 1

On Mazinger Z's Earth, Shirō Kabuto is digging through Dian D0's remains with Boss (piloting his own robot), Mucha, and Nuke. They have been sent by Professor Yumi to investigate the enemy's new weapon, a beam cannon made from diamond. Motivated by the prospect of diamonds, Boss fervently digs through the rubble till he comes across a most unusual discovery—Grimlock! The dinosaur chomps on Boss Borot's head, and the two tussle, with Grimlock emerging as the victor. When Boss emerges from his robot, the impressed Grimlock declares friendship with the humans and all misunderstandings (the humans believing Grimlock to be a Mechanical Beast and Grimlock believing Boss Borot to be a robot lifeform) are dispelled. Bereft of energy, Grimlock comes down with hunger and Boss immediately offers the photon power at their lab, despite Shirō's protestations. Right as the humans leave with Grimlock, Optimus Prime arrives through a warp with the other Autobots, perplexed at the new scenery. They find Baron Ashura below some rubble. Not knowing of Baron Ashura's previous villany with Doctor Hell and the Iron Mask Army, the Autobots inform the cyborg of their extrauniversal origins and Baron Ashura takes the opportunity that their ignorance offers...

At the underwater fortress Salude, Baron Ashura weaves a tale of deception to the Autobots, claiming that Mazinger Z is an evil machine who rules Japan with an iron fist through its monopoly of photon power. Baron Ashura's leader, Doctor Hell, chiming in through a viewscreen, supports Ashura's lies and passes off his frightful appearance as the result of adopting demonic power to fight Mazinger Z. He goes on to elaborate on Mazinger Z's abilities and also speaks of Aphrodi A, another robot allied with Mazinger Z. The Autobots remark on their similarity to their enemies, the Decepticons, and Optimus Prime explains them to Doctor Hell, who gets a twinkle in his eye.

By the Photon Power Laboratory, Megatron has arrived...

Chapter 2

Observing the Photon Power Laboratory, Soundwave reports that thanks to Laserbeak he has detected a power source beneath the building with efficiency, purity and potency well beyond anything they had previously seen on Earth. Furthermore, the energy appears to be extremely stable and emits no harmful radiation that could pose a threat to the Decepticons. Intrigued, Megatron intends to march on the Laboratory but is interrupted by Starscream's protests that he's still damaged from the earlier battle with the Autobots. Megatron immediately rails at him, blaming him for accidentally destroying the Space Bridge and sending them who knows where. However, they are interrupted by the arrival of Baron Ashura and a group of Mechanical Beasts at the Laboratory. Intrigued by the sight of the gigantic robots as well as the black one that emerges from the Laboratory to confront them, Megatron decides to hang back and observe.

Kōji complains that Ashura must really enjoy their work if they've come around for another thrashing, pointing out the Mechanical Beasts they're brought along seem pretty run-down while Ashura counters that Mazinger isn't exactly tiptop either. After exchanging barbs, Ashura orders the Mechanical Beasts to attack before calling on the Autobots to join the fray. While the Autobots are much smaller than Mazinger, the towering super robot is much faster than it looks and manages to grab Bumblebee. Optimus calls a halt to the attack in order to think of a way to rescue their diminutive comrade, and Kōji is taken aback when he realizes that not only do the "mini-Mechanical Beasts" talk, but seem to be concerned for the yellow one he had managed to grab.

A blast from behind bring Mazinger Z to its knees, and Optimus demands to know if Ashura is behind it. Confirming the Autobot commander's suspicions, Ashura sics the Mechanical Beasts on both Mazinger and the Autobots. Caught flat-footed, the Autobots can only evade the Mechanical Beasts' attacks while Mazinger Z is unable to fight back due to trying to shield Bumblebee and the others. Even as Megatron and the other Decepticons are bemused that they may be watching the final stand of the Autobots, reinforcements arrive.

Grimlock, with Boss Borot on his back, joins the fray. Ashura is horrified when the Dinobot's flame breath manages to burn the Mechanical Beasts, and once he transforms Grimlock continues to manhandle the hapless Beasts. With the Mechanical Beasts now caught off-guard, the Autobots and Mazinger quickly counterattack and drive Ashura into retreat.

With the battle over, the Autobots and Kōji introduce themselves to each other and Optimus asks if the Autobots can join Kōji in his fight until they can figure out their next course of action. Meanwhile, Megatron plots...

Chapter 3

At Salude, the now-acquainted Megatron and Baron Ashura have concocted a plan to crush Mazinger Z and the Autobots!

Contrary to their enemies, the Autobots and the folks at the Photon Power Laboratory occupy their time by getting to know their new friends. Wheeljack and the laboratory's scientist trio are impressed by each other's science; Ironhide drools over Sayaka Yumi's Aphrodi A; and Jazz, Mirage, and Bumblebee play against Boss, Nuke, Mucha, and Kōji in a game of soccer with Optimus Prime overseeing the game and warning the participants not to cause injury (they're not successful). The sport continues till a siren blares, which can only mean one thing: A Mechanical Beast attack! Optimus is shocked to see the Beasts flanked by none other than the Decepticons!

Kōji immediately leaps into Mazinger Z and faces off against Starscream, but the Seeker strafes the robot's beam attacks. The Constructicons roll into battle, only to be met by a combination of the Laboratory's robots and the Autobots. Rumble attempts to break into Aphrodi A's cockpit, but is swatted away by the still-smitten Ironhide. The Constructicons quickly play their trump card, combining into Devastator, and the giant warrior grapples with Mazinger Z. With Devastator's powerful grip keeping Mazinger Z in place, Starscream flies in to directly strike at Kōji, but his wing is clipped at the last minute by... Optimus Prime on the Jet Scrander!

Chapter 4

Optimus Prime informs Kōji that the Scrander isn't entirely fixed, as its guidance systems are still inoperative, so Kōji will have to time the docking carefully. Undeterred, Kōji sends Devastator sprawling into his component robots with a Rocket Punch, then he and Prime charge the combined Decepticon-Mechanical Beast army. Megatron responds by ripping a diamond-tipped laser from one Beast and using it to boost his fusion cannon's power, but Kōji manages to dodge Megatron's shots and successfully docks with the Jet Scrander. Now with the power of flight and some cover fire from Optimus, Mazinger Z fends off attacks from Thundercracker and Skywarp. Now backed into a corner, Baron Ashura orders the remaining Mechanical Beasts to attack indiscriminately.

Just then, however, a series of blasts rips through the Beasts, and a strange giant jet reveals itself, which begins to transform…

Chapter 5

The jet reveals itself to be a freshly upgraded Starscream, having used photon energy and spare Mazinger Z parts to become "Mazinscream"!

The new arrival blasts through Optimus and Mazinger Z. The Autobots and Mazinger Z launch a counterattack. At first, Mazinscream is unharmed, but the photon energy begins to leak from his body, and Megatron admonishes his treacherous lieutenant for letting his ambition get the better of him. Ashura then orders the Mechanical Beasts to restrain Mazinscream, vowing to take him back to Dr. Hell and rebuild him into a new vanguard of Mechanical Beast.

The Autobots and Kōji decide to capitalize on their enemies' infighting and attack, only for Mazinscream to unleash a "Null Fire" blast that melts away the Beasts and threatens to do the same to all the other combatants and the Photon Power Laboratory. Optimus Prime comes up with a last-minute stratagem and Mazinger Z uses a double Rocket Punch to grab the Autobot Commander and launch him into the air so he can attack Mazinscream from above. Unfortunately, Mazinscream blocks him with a photon barrier.

Luckily, it's then that Megatron intervenes, smashing the barrier with his energon mace. Megatron calls upon Optimus Prime's assistance, and Optimus and Mazinger finish off Mazinscream with a shot of Megatron's gun mode from the former and a Photon Beam from the latter. However, Mazinscream's destruction causes another energy explosion that sucks in all the Transformers, and Optimus is forced to say goodbye.

With his new friends gone, Kōji looks on in dismay until Ashura decides to resume the battle, and Kōji Kabuto and Mazinger Z's fight against evil continues. Likewise, as soon as the Autobots and Decepticons realize they've returned to their world, Optimus and Megatron decide now's a good enough time to pick up where they left off.

Epilogue

The mysterious quartet watches on as the universes separate and follow their normal paths. They question how the dimensional gate was opened so easily, with one suggesting it came about because of the combination of photon power and energon. The green-robed one takes a different tack and attributes it to the power of dreams—the infinity of imagination, its entrances, and the different weaving paths that dreams may take. As he promises that dreams come true as long as you believe in their power, he takes off his hood and reveals himself to be... Go Nagai!

Featured characters

{{#if:* Optimus Prime (5)

Bumblebee (22)
Wheeljack (23)
Ironhide (24)
Grimlock (25)
Jazz (26)
Ratchet (27)
Prowl (33)
Hound (34)
Mirage (35)
Trailbreaker (36)
Hot Rod (64)|

{{#if:* Optimus Prime (5)

Bumblebee (22)
Wheeljack (23)
Ironhide (24)
Grimlock (25)
Jazz (26)
Ratchet (27)
Prowl (33)
Hound (34)
Mirage (35)
Trailbreaker (36)
Hot Rod (64)|| style="background:#ffdddd;" valign="top" |
Optimus Prime (5)
Bumblebee (22)
Wheeljack (23)
Ironhide (24)
Grimlock (25)
Jazz (26)
Ratchet (27)
Prowl (33)
Hound (34)
Mirage (35)
Trailbreaker (36)
Hot Rod (64) }}{{#if:* Hook (10)
Thundercracker (11)
Bonecrusher (12)
Mixmaster (13)
Starscream/Mazinscream (14)
Soundwave (15)
Long Haul (16)
Megatron (17)
Scrapper (18)
Scavenger (19)
Skywarp (20)
Laserbeak (21)
Rumble (46)
Ravage (47)
Reflector (48)
Devastator (55)|

Autobots }}{{#if:* Hook (10)

Thundercracker (11)
Bonecrusher (12)
Mixmaster (13)
Starscream/Mazinscream (14)
Soundwave (15)
Long Haul (16)
Megatron (17)
Scrapper (18)
Scavenger (19)
Skywarp (20)
Laserbeak (21)
Rumble (46)
Ravage (47)
Reflector (48)
Devastator (55)|

Decepticons }}{{#if:* Mazinger Z (6)

Photon Power Laboratory }}{{#if:* Dian D0 (7)

and some unnamed Mechanical Beasts.|

Underground Empire }}{{#if:* Purple-robed figure (1)

Yellow-robed figure (2)
Go Nagai (3)
Red-robed figure (4)
Great Mazinger (63)|

Others }}{{#if:|

Misc }}

Hook (10)
Thundercracker (11)
Bonecrusher (12)
Mixmaster (13)
Starscream/Mazinscream (14)
Soundwave (15)
Long Haul (16)
Megatron (17)
Scrapper (18)
Scavenger (19)
Skywarp (20)
Laserbeak (21)
Rumble (46)
Ravage (47)
Reflector (48)
Devastator (55) }}{{#if:* Mazinger Z (6)
Kōji Kabuto (9)
Boss Borot (28)
Boss (29)
Nuke (30)
Mucha (31)
Shirō Kabuto (32)
Aphrodi A (44)
Doctor Morimori (49)
Doctor Nossori (50)
Doctor Sewashi (51)
Sayaka Yumi (52)
Professor Yumi (53)|

Mazinger Z (6)
Kōji Kabuto (9)
Boss Borot (28)
Boss (29)
Nuke (30)
Mucha (31)
Shirō Kabuto (32)
Aphrodi A (44)
Doctor Morimori (49)
Doctor Nossori (50)
Doctor Sewashi (51)
Sayaka Yumi (52)
Professor Yumi (53) }}{{#if:* Dian D0 (7)
Baron Ashura (8)
Dagia D0 (37)
Daieye D7 (38)
Spinner D9 (39)
Stinger D8 (40)
Doctor Hell (41)
Garada K7 (42)
Doublas M2 (43)
Dogura Magura (45)
Frynidler D11 (54)
Stealth Stinger D11 (56)
Dagia D1 (57)
Shielder D5 (58)
Queen D9 (59)
Dinokiva (60)
Skullwave D4 (61)
Poisongama (62)

and some unnamed Mechanical Beasts.|

and some unnamed Mechanical Beasts. }}{{#if:* Purple-robed figure (1)

Yellow-robed figure (2)
Go Nagai (3)
Red-robed figure (4)
Great Mazinger (63)|

Purple-robed figure (1)
Yellow-robed figure (2)
Go Nagai (3)
Red-robed figure (4)
Great Mazinger (63) }}{{#if:|

}}

Quotes

Notes

Transformers references

The Autobots and Decepticons hail from a very Generation 1 cartoon-esque universe. The space bridge here is clearly based on the cartoon design and the Transformers characters who appear are mostly the season 1 cast (barring Hot Rod's cameo in the epilogue). Just about the only thing that prevents this series from being in-continuity with the actual cartoon is how Starscream is outright killed at the climax of the story and his ghost is spirited away by the hooded observers.

Mazinger Z references

This version of Mazinger Z appears to be the anime version, lacking the lines around the eyes and missing an arrow-like piece of armour on the belly seen in the manga version. The manga design was used in the Mazinkaiser OVA series.
Doctor Hell's description of Mazinger Z being "An iron fortress that soars through the skies" is taken from the very first line of the Mazinger Z anime's famous theme song. The literal translation of Mazinger Z's nickname is "Castle of Black Iron", but it's often translated into "Iron Fortress".
Two of the Mechanical Beasts that appear in the video Doctor Hell shows to trick the Autobots are Garada K7 and Doublas M2, the first two Mechanical Beasts Mazinger Z fought and the most well-known among all the Mechanical Beasts. In numerous remakes, reboots or adaptations, they're often again the first Mechanical Beasts fought by whatever incarnation of Mazinger Z is present. They're also almost assured to appear whenever Mazinger Z is included in the [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Super Robot Wars|{{#if:||Super Robot Wars}}]] series of video games.
Soundwave's description of photon power being extremely pure and efficient is precisely why Doctor Hell was so adamant to get his hands on it—powered by photon power, his Mechanical Beasts would be virtually unstoppable. In-universe, photon power was originally developed by Kōji's grandfather, Jūzō Kabuto, as a potent and clean new form of energy.
The idea of both Doctor Hell and the Photon Power Laboratory eagerly sharing knowledge with the Transformers in order to improve their technology can be seen as a reference to how the Mazinger Z anime essentially became an arms race: as more of Mazinger's limits became known, Doctor Hell would come up with new Mechanical Beasts to take advantage of them, and while Kōji would have to think on the fly to counter these new threats at first, Mazinger would often be upgraded in order to remove those weaknesses. The Jet Scrander is easily the best example of this; it was built because both sides realized one of Mazinger's biggest weak points was the fact that it was comparatively vulnerable to an aerial attack.
The appearance of Great Mazinger in the epilogue could be seen as a reference to how [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Great Mazinger|{{#if:||Great Mazinger}}]] was the direct sequel to Mazinger Z. In fact, Great Mazinger was one of the first anime series to be a direct sequel to a prior one.

Other trivia

Optimus Prime's amazement at the technology represented by Mazinger Z and exclamation that such technology would be inconceivable on their Earth is understandable: Mazinger Z is generally accepted to be the very first so-called Super Robot anime, i.e. robots with such fantastic powers, technology or power sources that they're science fantasy rather than science fiction. Real Robots (e.g. the Gundam series, Macross, Patlabor) are somewhat more rooted in realism in comparison, hence why those series often have the main characters be part of the military or police force (as generally it would be the military or similarly well-funded government agency that would have the resources to field giant robots). Where the Transformers franchise fits on the Super/Real Robot spectrum seems to vary from continuity to continuity. The Brave series would fall under Super Robots.
It's hard to overstate Mazinger Z's impact on anime and manga. Many tropes now commonplace, especially in regards to shows with giant robots, were either first introduced or popularized by Go Nagai when he created Mazinger Z. Most relevant to Transformers are the command or activation codes (e.g. "Mazin Go!" to have Mazinger Z emerge from its hangar, "Pilder On!" when Kōji Kabuto docks the Pilder craft into Mazinger's head to activate it) and the calling out of attack names (e.g. "Breast Fire!" to emit melting beams from the red plates on Mazinger's chest). Basically if you wonder why the Japanese dubs have Transformers yell out "Transform!" or have all sorts of goofy attack names, you can thank/blame Mazinger Z.
Similarly, Mazinger Z was also the first giant robot manga/anime to have the robot piloted from within the machine. Previous giant robots were either remote controlled (e.g. Tetsujin-28), or autonomous but given vocal commands over the radio by the human main character (e.g. Giant Robo). This concept of "a human piloting a robot" would eventually give rise to Diaclone, which in turn gave us the Transformers.
The reveal that Go Nagai (the author of Mazinger Z) is the mastermind behind the crossover and did it for no other reason that entertainment value is not completely surprising: he is well known to value entertainment over realism in his works. His thought processes behind the Mechanical Beast designs was almost never "does this make sense?" but instead "what would make the most exciting battle?"
When Ratchet scans Baron Ashura in Chapter 1, most of Ashura's body is covered up by a speech bubble. This is due to the fact that Ashura is literally half-male and half-female (thanks to Doctor Hell creating Ashura by sewing together two corpses he'd found, Ashura's right side is female and left side is male) and the bubble helped to cover up Ashura's naughty bits.
Tesshō Genda, voice of Optimus Prime/Convoy in Japanese G1 media, was narrator for the anime series Mazinger Edition Z: The Impact!

Covers (4)

Normal Cover: Art by Go Nagai.
Shop exclusive cover A: Art by Shinobu Kaze. Produced exclusively for Mamegyorai and Shosen Book Tower.
Shop exclusive cover B: Art by Yuki Ohshima. Produced exclusively for verse COMICS and BLISTER comics.
Amazon exclusive cover: Art by Tsuyoshi Nonaka. Produced exclusively for Amazon Japan.

Mazinger Z versus Transformers

Contents

Synopsis

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Epilogue

Featured characters

Quotes

Notes

Transformers references

Mazinger Z references

Other trivia

Covers (4)

Navigation menu

Mazinger Z versus Transformers

Synopsis

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Epilogue

Featured characters

Quotes

Notes

Transformers references

Mazinger Z references

Other trivia

Covers (4)

Navigation menu

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