Soldiers of the Gran Knights, Combine!Chōjūshin (Super-Heavy God) Gravion is a 13-episode Super Robot series directed by Masami Obari and released in 2002 by Gonzo (the animation studio, not the Muppet). Think GaoGaiGar loaded with maids instead of Hot BloodedAutobotExpies.The Earth's about to come under attack by an alien race called the Zeravire. However, a mysterious billionaire named Klein Sandman has prepared for the invasion with God Gravion, a Super Robot that uses the power of gravity to fight. The protagonist is Eiji Shigure, a young man who infiltrates Sandman's St. Germain Castle in search of his missing older sister Ayaka, and is recruited as part of the Gran Knights. The story is given a different slant: although Eiji is the main character, he's effectively The Lancer of this particular Six Man Band, piloting the G-Attacker, the God Gravion's right leg, rather than being the main pilot.The series seems to come to an abrupt end, but is concluded in the 12-episode sequel Gravion Zwei, which answers many of the series' major mysteries and finally promotes Eiji to the actual lancer seat of the Sol Gravion.Some of the characters make cameos in Dancougar Nova, the remake/sequel to Dancougar, and some viewers consider it to be the unoffical "third season" of the show.Most definitely not to be confused with Gravitation.This series provides examples of:
Achilles in His Tent: Okay, being pissed at Touga for attempting to kill Cecile along with that Zeravire is understandable. But leaving the team to fight a more powerful Zeravire by themselves? What The Hell, Eiji?
Alex Smith, recurring Mauve Shirt: He eats natto while dressed like Terry Bogard and fanboys Gravion. Then he turns out to be a Gran Trooper (who is absolutely thrilled to shake Gravion's hand).
Brother-Sister Incest: Hugi towards Lufira, his younger sister. The fact that it's a robot does not change the fact that he still made out with a fawning robot he created and programmed who looks exactly like his younger sister.
Boobs of Steel: The bustiest maid in the series is cookie, who is shown to have super strength and is head of the security division. The bustiest female member of the grand knights, by a wide margin is Mizuki, who is the only female grand knight shown to be proficient in any hand to hand combat. Justified that she is a spy, used with sneaking around and knocking out guards to get her job done, as shown in her attempts to rescue Luna once she feels like she belongs more to the Gran Knights
Also parodied in the Hot Spring episode: Sandman calls out the names of his ping-pong serves/smashes. And it is awesome.
Chaste Hero: Touga, justified because his training didn't include socialization; the closest he gets to romantic intent is obliviously asking Eiji to "marry him."
Chest Blaster: God Gravion's Graviton Arc and Sol Gravion's Sol Graviton Nova.
Expy: Compatible Kaiser and G Compatible Kaiser of the Original Generation sub-series bears striking similarities and attacks to the God Gravion and Sol Gravion respectively. It helps that Masami Obari, Gravion's director and character/mecha designer, was tasked by Banpresto to redesign the Kaiser.
Just to give you an idea: The cover for the DVD release features the main female cast at the beach, with Faye and Luna taking each other's bikini tops off. God Gravion is faintly in the background, as if to assure you that this show is about giant robot fights.
Form-Fitting Wardrobe: Ayaka as Raven, whose breasts are hidden by the top she wears as Raven.
Hoist by His Own Petard: Hugi manages to get multiple hoistings in the same scene: The failsafe device that shuts down the Genocidron System, upon seeing Leele, causes the core of Goma to stop functioning and get destroyed. His Ridiculously Human Robot clone of his dead sister stops him from killing Sandman due to Instant A.I., Just Add Water, and since he was also plugged into Goma's core it weakens him enough for Sandman to cut him down. Add in the fact he revealed himself the Big Bad just to lure Sandman out to fight...
Human Aliens: Sandman, Leele and Hugi, as well as the population of Selias and Llambias.
Idiot Ball: Gravion episode 10. Hey, Eiji, you don't want to the captured Cecile to be killed when Gravion is forced to make it's attack? How about running in and getting her out of there instead of standing around and yelling for Touga not to attack? Okay, good, you've reached and freed her. Now it's time to run away as fast as—why the hell are you pointing a gun at Gravion?! Move! Get off the giant monster!
JAM Project: Both openings - Nageki no Rosario and Kurenai no Kiba - and both insert songs, appropriately named Gasshin! God Gravion and Enkou Gasshin! Sol Gravion. They also sing Dangai no Tsurugi from the pachislot game.
Shout Out: Gravion is losing badly against an enemy, when a new robot piloted by a mysterious person comes out of nowhere and saves the day. Mecha fanboy Alex immediately nicknames the newcomer "Great Gravion", effectively pointing out the reference to the last episode of Mazinger Z.
Super Prototype: .Gran Sigma, though the God Gravion itself is a prototype.
Super Robot Wars: Both seasons debut in Super Robot Wars Z, with Zwei returning for the sequel. Also, Obari did the redesign for the Compatible Kaiser in the Original Generation sub-series, and one of the Bridge Bunnies makes a cameo in the anime adaptation of the second Original Generation game (also directed by Obari).
Victory Is Boring: Once Mizuki finished her spying job for her government, she retired to her own private resort island... and it takes about one episode to bore her with her luxury and decides to get back in action... this time on the side she was spying.
Soldiers of the Gran Knights, Combine!Chōjūshin (Super-Heavy God) Gravion is a 13-episode Super Robot series directed by Masami Obari and released in 2002 by Gonzo (the animation studio, not the Muppet). Think GaoGaiGar loaded with maids instead of Hot Blooded Autobot Expies.The Earth's about to come under attack by an alien race called the Zeravire. However, a mysterious billionaire named Klein Sandman has prepared for the invasion with God Gravion, a Super Robot that uses the power of gravity to fight. The protagonist is Eiji Shigure, a young man who infiltrates Sandman's St. Germain Castle in search of his missing older sister Ayaka, and is recruited as part of the Gran Knights. The story is given a different slant: although Eiji is the main character, he's effectively The Lancer of this particular Six Man Band, piloting the G-Attacker, the God Gravion's right leg, rather than being the main pilot.The series seems to come to an abrupt end, but is concluded in the 12-episode sequel Gravion Zwei, which answers many of the series' major mysteries and finally promotes Eiji to the actual lancer seat of the Sol Gravion.Some of the characters make cameos in Dancougar Nova, the remake/sequel to Dancougar, and some viewers consider it to be the unoffical "third season" of the show.Most definitely not to be confused with Gravitation.
0 reviews 
