History MazingerZ / TropesSToU

* UnbuiltTrope: ''Anime/MazingerZ'', while not quite the UrExample, is definitely the TropeCodifier for the SuperRobot genre. However, to a modern reader, it seems to constantly slip between an over-the-top parody, and a brutal deconstruction. The BigBad is smart enough to send the [[{{Robeast}} "Mechanical Beasts"]] in groups to attack Mazinger; the mecha, though nearly indestructible, doesn't provide much safety for the pilot inside; and the main character nearly destroys the town while he's trying to figure out how to pilot the mecha. And that's before [[WhamEpisode the villains take over a Japanese village in a very Nazi-like manner, including a systematic slaughter of the civilians that they considered "useless" and usage of the women of the village as human shields for their latest Mechanical Beast]].

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The series is clearly set in TheSeventies given the hairstyles, clothes and technology.

* SmallNameBigEgo: Boss thinks he is the smartest and biggest badass ever, the best biker around and a real ladies man, and people would ''pay'' for the chance to attend his birthday party (not joke. In episode 20 He ''tried'' to have his classmates paying for tickets. And he was shocked when all girls ran away from him screaming). Everyone else knows he is the ButtMonkey. Hence, when Kouji showed up, showing he was a real {{Badass}}, and [[BadassBiker a better biker]] and [[TroubledButCute getting all girls -especially Sayaka- crazy over him right away]], Boss understandably was not happy, and he constantly tried to showing Kouji up with very little success. He went so far to build his own -goofy-looking- HumongousMecha using metal scraps and junk from a rubbish dump, and claimed it would replace Mazinger-Z itself. Tip: It did not.

* SmallNameBigEgo: Boss thinks he is the smartest and biggest {{Badass}} ever, the best biker around and a real ladies man, and people would ''pay'' for the chance to attend his birthday party (not joke. In episode 20 He ''tried'' to have his classmates paying for tickets. And he was shocked when all girls ran away from him screaming). Everyone else knows he is the ButtMonkey. Hence, when Kouji showed up, showing he was a real {{Badass}}, and [[BadassBiker a better biker]] and [[TroubledButCute getting all girls -especially Sayaka- crazy over him right away]], Boss understandably was not happy, and he constantly tried to showing Kouji up with very little success. He went so far to build his own -goofy-looking- HumongousMecha using metal scraps and junk from a rubbish dump, and claimed it would replace Mazinger-Z itself. Tip: It did not.

* SlidingScaleOfAnimeObscurity

** In the original myths Hades was the God of Underworld, his default shape was humanoid (but like all Greek deities he was a shape-shifter), and even though he was not exactly a nice guy, he was not worse than his relatives. In the Mazinverse he is a GodOfEvil whose (unchangeable) shape is that of a giant being of fire and wishes conquering the surface world.

** The original GoNagai ''Anime/MazingerZ'' manga had way more ShipTease between Kouji and Sayaka than the anime adaptation. Thus, when Sayaka told Kouji he was being transfered to her high-school (in the early chapters), he blushed and stated he "would look forward to it".

** Talking about Tetsuya, there was a healthy amount of teasing between Jun and him. Jun flirting with an ObliviousToLove Tetsuya, Jun pretending a sprained ankle just so Tetsuya rubbed her foot (unfortunately it did not work like she hoped), Tetsuya returning the unwanted gifts of a StalkerWithACrush in person and warning that Jun wanted being left alone, he getting jealousy and accusing her of wanting to replace him with Kouji (and being slapped for it. Seriously, it was stupid)... And in the GoNagai manga a [[{{Robeast}} War Beast]] got Jun hostage. Cue Great Mazinger beheading the Beast with [[ArmedLegs a brutal kick]] as Tetsuya yelled she was a very special person for him.

* ThirdPersonPerson: Dr. Hell occasionally refers to himself in third person when he is ranting, angry or uttering {{BadassBoast}}s. GoNagai's ''Anime/GreatMazinger'' manga offers a good example:

* TheUnfavorite: [[spoiler:Kenzo Kabuto]] had two biological sons [[spoiler:Kouji and Shiro]] and two adoptive children (''[[Anime/GreatMazinger Tetsuya and Jun]]''). Although Tetsuya was clearly his favorite, he still showed he cared for his two blood sons. However, he got Jun completely neglected, treating her like a soldier, not making anything about her feelings of abandoment and her inner tensions, and he seldom shown he cared for her. It went so far that, before [[spoiler:[[KilledOffForReal dying]]]] after his [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice]] he pleaded [[spoiler:Kouji]] that he treated Tetsuya like his brother and took care of [[spoiler:Shiro]]... but he did not mention Jun at all. Nonetheless, his attitude drove Jun to think she could not be dependant on someone else and to develop a very strong-willed and self-reliant personality.

* ShoutOut: See page for examples.

** Again in ''ShinMazinger'' Zeus shows up but he is way different of the myth -let's say his severed hand is used to build the God Scrander-, and Hades is again a flaming, humongous GodofEvil.

* TransformingMecha: In ''ShinMazinger'', Mazinger Z is able to transform into a ''giant fist''.

* VideoGame/SuperRobotWars: '''All''' of them. The only ones that may ''technically'' not count are the ones that do or will use the reimaginings: ''Anime/{{Mazinkaiser}}'', ''Anime/ShinMazinger'', or ''Anime/MazinkaiserSKL''. However, ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsUX UX]]'', in which the latter debuts, marks the first time Kouji himself has not appeared in a ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' game.
** In a number of ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' games you can convince Minerva X to join your team. At least [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars2 2, 2G]], [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsCompact Compact 1]], and [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAdvance Advance]], although in 2 she only joins temporarily and in Advance she 'dies' and you have to assign an actual pilot to the robot.

* StarcrossedLovers:
** Shiro and Lorelei. Lorelei was [[spoiler:a RobotGirl built by a scientist wanted to prove he was better than Dr. Kabuto, builder of Mazinger-Z. He built an HumongousMecha -Rhine X1-, and a RobotGirl -Lorelei- was meant to fuse with it to make it work. When her father got a fatal wound, he confessed the truth to her and pleaded her to defeat Mazinger. Determined to fullfil her father's last will, she merged with Rhine and challenged Mazinger to a death match. Kouji was forced to fight and kill her.]] Shiro was devastated after that.
** Minerva-X and Mazinger-Z itself also are an example. Minerva-X was a FemBot designed by Dr. Kabuto especifically to be Mazinger-Z's BattleCouple. Unlike Mazinger, though, she was a robot capable to think and feel emotions like an human being, and she was in love with Mazinger-Z. However, Dr. Kabuto never got around to build it. Unfortunately, Dr. Hell got his hands on the plans and built her to destroy Mazinger-Z. However, Minerva-X got rid from his control and refused fighting Mazinger-Z, so he decided to destroy her. Their condition of StarCrossedLovers not only comes from this but also it comes from Mazinger-Z IS a machine and it can not reciprocate her feelings.

* ThoseTwoGuys: Nuke and Mucha, best friends and tag-alongs of Boss long before the start of the series. Before meeting and befriending Kouji they were two average, ordinary high-school students, but after meeting him their daily life includes battles between {{Humongous Mecha}}s, fighting or fleeing from armies of {{Mook}}s, sneaking into enemy secret bases and basically surviving. Often they get -unwillingly- dragged -by Boss- in Kouji's adventures, and they provide with the rational counterpoint -and lampshading- to any stupid stunt Boss has come up with. Later in the series Boss got himself a Made Of Junk HumongousMecha and required that they helped him to pilot it -much to their chagrin-. In ''Anime/GreatMazinger'' their situation did not get more normal, that with the monsters from BeneathTheEarth invading the surface world bit and Boss demanding they help him to fight them like part of an absolutely helpless plan to woo {{Tsundere}} Jun Hono -LoveInterest of TheHero Tetsuya, whom Boss can not stand-. In other series (''Anime/{{Mazinkaiser}}'', ''Anime/ShinMazinger'', ''Manga/ShinMazingerZero'') of the ''{{Mazinger}}'' franchise they are given the same role.

** The ShipTease between Kouji and Sayaka got cranked up in ''ShinMazingerZero''. At the first arc they were a couple. In the next timeline/arc, Sayaka blushes when Kouji explains he can't tell why, but he is crying because he has seen she is fine. Sayaka gets jealousy when she sees girls getting too close to Kouji, Minerva states Sayaka is irreplaceable for Kouji...

* SmallReferencePools: This is one of the few HumongousMecha shows general anime fans have heard about, at least. And depending on the country, you can make references to it expecting people will quickly catch on (in Spain it is still the most popular Super Robot show. Mention MazingerZ and nearly everyone will know what you are talking about).

** ''ShinMazingerZero'':

* ThoseTwoGuys: Nuke and Mucha, best friends and tag-alongs of Boss long before the start of the series. Before meeting and befriending Kouji they were two average, ordinary high-school students, but after meeting him their daily life includes battles between {{Humongous Mecha}}s, fighting or fleeing from armies of {{Mook}}s, sneaking into enemy secret bases and basically surviving. Often they get -unwillingly- dragged -by Boss- in Kouji's adventures, and they provide with the rational counterpoint -and lampshading- to any stupid stunt Boss has come up with. Later in the series Boss got himself a Made Of Junk HumongousMecha and required that they helped him to pilot it -much to their chagrin-. In ''Anime/GreatMazinger'' their situation did not get more normal, that with the monsters from BeneathTheEarth invading the surface world bit and Boss demanding they help him to fight them like part of an absolutely helpless plan to woo {{Tsundere}} Jun Hono -LoveInterest of TheHero Tetsuya, whom Boss can not stand-. In other series (''Anime/{{Mazinkaiser}}'', ''Anime/ShinMazinger'', ''ShinMazingerZero'') of the ''{{Mazinger}}'' franchise they are given the same role.

** She seems to have gone back to Type A in the ''ShinMazingerZero'' manga, but when [[ClingyJealousGirl she sees Minerva X and Kouji together]]...

* UnbuiltTrope: ''MazingerZ'', while not quite the UrExample, is definitely the TropeCodifier for the SuperRobot genre. However, to a modern reader, it seems to constantly slip between an over-the-top parody, and a brutal deconstruction. The BigBad is smart enough to send the [[{{Robeast}} "Mechanical Beasts"]] in groups to attack Mazinger; the mecha, though nearly indestructible, doesn't provide much safety for the pilot inside; and the main character nearly destroys the town while he's trying to figure out how to pilot the mecha. And that's before [[WhamEpisode the villains take over a Japanese village in a very Nazi-like manner, including a systematic slaughter of the civilians that they considered "useless" and usage of the women of the village as human shields for their latest Mechanical Beast]].
* UncannyValleyGirl: In ''ShinMazingerZero'' three beautiful, tall, ponytailed, blonde triplet girls called Gamia Q1, Q2 and Q3 transferred to Kouji's high school. Given that they were gorgeous and friendly, even if they behaved in a strange fashion and looked a tad weird, all boys in class started to quickly slobber at them. In reality they were three androids (appeared for first time in the ''Anime/MazingerZ'' original manga and ''Anime/{{Mazinkaiser}}'') sent to assassin Kouji Kabuto. Seemingly Kouji bought their masquerade, but shortly after he suggested them dropping their act, and he revealed that he had suspected it all along.

* SuperPrototype: averted. Mazinger Z was lacking a lot of its special features at first and regularly had to be upgraded and re-outfitted with new equipment. As it turns out, the ''real'' SuperPrototype is [=MazinKaiser=]...

* VideoGame/SuperRobotWars: '''All''' of them. The only ones that may ''technically'' not count are the ones that do or will use the reimaginings: ''{{Mazinkaiser}}'', ''ShinMazinger'', or ''MazinkaiserSKL''. However, ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsUX UX]]'', in which the latter debuts, marks the first time Kouji himself has not appeared in a ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' game.

* TechnicianVersusPerformer: Koji and Tetsuya have distinct ways to pilot their respective HumongousMecha. Kouji is the Technician, who uses his weapons in a normal way -such as Mazinger's Photon-powered EyeBeam as a long range weapon-, combining them with pure brute force and CombatPragmatism. Tetsuya is the performer who combines his own CombatPragmatism by using Great's wide arsenal of weapons in an unorthodox way -such as shooting Thunder Break with both weapons or using it to turning his swords into Lightning rods, his surprisingly weird way of handling swords, or covering Great with [[ChestBlaster Breast Burn]] heat energy (a movement which later would be adapted in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAlpha'' and turned into ''{{Mazinkaiser}}s'' Kaiser Nova).

* ThisIsUnforgivable: Whenever Kouji said this sentence you knew he was REAL angry, and someone was going to be summarily trashed in the near future. A good example was in the manga, after he learnt Dr. Hell had created a weapon was able to nullify gravity... and had used one whole city like subject test. Another two memorable instances happened in the ''{{Mazinkaiser}}'' movie (Mazinkaiser vs Great General of Darkness: at the beginning, after Lori and Loru's [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice]], and at the end, right before he [[spoiler:absolutely destroys the Mykene empire army]]:

* SnipingTheCockpit: In the Mazinger trilogy aiming for the cockpit (clearly visible in Mazinger-Z and Great Mazinger) is a common tactic constantly employed by GenreSavvy villains... and the army when the Government turns on the heroes (which also is an alarmingly common occurrence). In fact, it happened in the first Mazinger-Z manga chapter (Mazinger went on a rampage due to Kouji thinking FallingIntoTheCockpit was a good idea. Several tanks attacked Mazinger, deliberately aiming for the cockpit). And in a GreatMazinger manga episode, a Warbeast is holding Great Mazinger still as Marquis Janus orders to snipe the cockpit. However, the likewise GenreSavvy HumongousMecha builders had the cockpits specially reinforced to protect the pilot.

* SpeechImpairedAnimal: Bakarasu was a raven ("Bakarasu" roughly means "Dumb crow") Boss and his gang used as a lookout or a messenger. In return, Bakarasu mocked Boss, annoyed him and drove him mad. Bakarasu strangely could talk -and laugh, usually at Boss-, and theoretically it worked alongside Boss, Nuke and Mucha, but in reality it did whatever it pleased. It only had one appearance in ''MazingerZ'' (episode 69), but he showed up in several ''GreatMazinger'' episodes.

* ThirdPersonPerson: Dr. Hell occasionally refers to himself in third person when he is ranting, angry or uttering {{BadassBoast}}s. GoNagai's ''GreatMazinger'' manga offers a good example:

** TropeMaker: [[{{Gigantor}} Tetsujin #28]] may have been the UrExample, but there were very few imitators after ''Mazinger'' rolls around. All the SuperRobot standbys are from this show: a HotBlooded IdiotHero, the [[RocketPunch ROCKETTO PAUNCH]], CallingYourAttacks in {{Engrish}}, EyeBeams, a ChestBlaster, and many more.

** Hell ShounenJump heroes probably wouldn't be so HotBlooded nor would they be [[CallingYourAttacks calling their attacks]] if it wasn't for this show.

* TheUnfought: The Emperor of Darkness was BiggerBad from ''Anime/MazingerZ'' and BigBad from ''Anime/GreatMazinger''. The second series ended up with the heroes [[spoiler:killing his CoDragons and annihilating a large part of his army,]] but they never fought him. Outside of an episode of one of the manga versions of ''Anime/UFORoboGrendizer'' and the ''Videogame/SuperRobotWarsAlpha'' he has never been fought (and in ''Anime/{{Mazinkaiser}}'' he is not even mentioned).

* StarcrossedLovers: Shiro and Lorelei. Lorelei was [[spoiler:a RobotGirl built by a scientist wanted to prove he was better than Dr. Kabuto, builder of Mazinger-Z. He built an HumongousMecha -Rhine X1-, and a RobotGirl -Lorelei- was meant to fuse with it to make it work. When her father got a fatal wound, he confessed the truth to her and pleaded her to defeat Mazinger. Determined to fullfil her father's last will, she merged with Rhine and challenged Mazinger to a death match. Kouji was forced to fight and kill her.]] Shiro was devastated after that.