An Intercontinuity Crossover between Mazinger Z and the Transformers, Mazinger Z Versus Transformers (マジンガーZ対トランスフォーマー Majingaa Zetto tai Toransufoomaa) was a one-shot manga released by the publisher Villagebooks on March 28, 2019. The plot was by Yūjin Ishikawa and the script by Naoto Tsushima. Notably, each chapter was drawn by a different artist (all of whom have links to the Transformers).
A quartet of mysterious hooded figures are observing various universes, with particular attention drawn to a world where Kouji Kabuto defends the Photon Power Laboratory against Baron Ashura and the Mechanical Beasts of Dr. Hell, as well as another world where the heroic Cybertrons battle the evil Destrons.
During a battle nearby the Destron Space Bridge, Starscream is accidentally sent careening into the active Space Bridge, resulting in a blinding explosion that envelopes both Cybertrons and Destrons in a wave of energy. One of the observers uses the opportunity to open a passageway to another universe, sending the Transformers to the world of Mazinger Z.
First contact is made by Boss, Kouji's younger brother Shiro, and Boss's lackeys, who encounter Grimlock while rooting through the wreckage of the latest Mechanical Beast attack. After Grimlock feels weak due to running low on Energon, Boss and co take him to the Photon Power Lab, just as the remaining Cybertrons (Convoy, Meister, Prowl, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Hound, Trailbreaker, Ligier, Ironhide, and Bumble) materialise as well. Finding the injured Baron Ashura in the wreckage, Ashura manages to convince the Cybertrons to return to the underwater fortress Salude, spinning a tale of how Dr. Hell and Ashura wage a never-ending battle against the evil Super Robot Mazinger Z and its monopoly of Photonic Energy.
After the deception is revealed and the heroes join forces, the Destrons likewise join Dr Hell in an alliance in an effort to destroy all their enemies in one fell swoop... at which point their alliance will be at an end. However, during their assault the ever-scheming Starscream is able to upgrade himself into the mighty MazinScream and immediately goes on a rampage, intent on destroying all who oppose him. A combination attack by Mazinger, Convoy and Megatron takes him down, with MazinScream's destruction releasing a wave of energy that sends the Transformers back to their own universe, leaving Mazinger Z to face Baron Ashura and the remaining Mechanical Beasts. Meanwhile, as the Transformers rematerialize, Megatron and Convoy immediately throw down, intent on finishing their fight once and for all...
Meanwhile, the observers comment on what they've witnessed, and wonder what power allowed the passage between worlds to open not once but twice. The lead observer explains that it was the power of dreams, and that as long as dreams exist such miracles can happen. After all, he'd know... as Go Nagai has had plenty of experience creating worlds and universes!
Tropes:
- Adaptational Name Change: For the Transformers, since the Generation One cast had different names in Japan than they did in the west.
- Cybertrons = Autobots
- Destrons = Decepticons
- Bumble = Bumblebee
- Convoy = Optimus Prime
- Meister = Jazz
- Ligier = Mirage
- Condor = Laserbeak
- Buildtrons = Constructicons
- Devastar = Devastator
- An Arm and a Leg: Thundercracker has his lower right leg sliced off by Mazinger Z's Scrander Cutter in Chapter 4.
- And the Adventure Continues: As the Transformers return to their own world, Ashura and Kouji immediately continue fighting. Meanwhile, Megatron and Convoy likewise resolve to end their fight once and for all.
- Applied Phlebotinum:
- Photonic Energy. Soundwave's analysis from afar identifies it as being extremely pure, potent and (most importantly) stable. This naturally gets Megatron's attention, since in their own series there were several occasions where the Destrons got their hands on amazing power sources that turned out to be so unstable they were a risk to them as well.
- A throwaway line during the final battle implies that part of the reason Starscream somehow managed to absorb Mazinger's spare parts and the Photon Power Lab's barrier system is Photonic Energy somehow reacting to Energon.
- Attack Its Weak Point:
- When the Decepticons attack the Photon Power Lab alongside Ashura's Mechanical Beasts, Starscream deliberately targets Mazinger's cockpit, realising that if he simply kills Kouji Mazinger is just a hunk of junk.
- Frenzy likewise tries to use his piledrivers to smash in Aphrodi A's cockpit to get at Sayaka, though he's quickly foiled by Ironhide.
- While it goes unmentioned during the story, when the heroes are fighting MazinScream they likewise aim for where the cockpit would be if he was actually Mazinger. The design sketches some sort of reactor (the sketch merely refers to it as "the brain") is located there.
- Bad Boss: Unsurprisingly, Megatron. In Chapter 4, when he sees Mazinger Z has felled Devastar he tears the arm off of one of the Mechanical Beasts (his nominal ally) and mounts it on his fusion cannon to increase its power. He then fires a massive beam at Mazinger, completely ignoring and just barely missing his own minions the Buildtrons, who scramble to get out of the way.
- Bait-and-Switch: In Chapter 3, Sayaka is overseeing Mazinger Z's maintainance when she overhears someone exclaim, "Beautiful!" She turns, flattered, until she realises Ironhide was referring to Aphrodi A.
- Big Damn Heroes:
- In Chapter 2, Mazinger Z and the Cybertrons are caught flat-footed by Ashura and almost destroyed when Boss Borot and Grimlock arrive, turning the tide.
- In Chapter 3, Convoy enters the fray standing atop the repaired Jet Scrander.
- Birds of a Feather: Wheeljack, Ratchet and the three professors of the Photon Power Lab hit it off right away, the two Cybertrons gushing over the fantastic technology while the humans are astounded by the concept of living robotic lifeforms.
- Blood Knight: Megatron's response to Ashura ordering the Mechanical Beasts to indiscriminately attack everyone on the field is to chide Soundwave for suggesting retreat, retorting that "there's still fun to be had."
- The Cameo: The epilogue includes cameos by Great Mazinger, Hot Rod and Star Convoy (Convoy's future form from decades in his future).
- Canon Discontinuity: While at first glance this crossover looks like it can slot smoothly into the Japanese Generation One continuity note , the fact that the story ends with Starscream getting killed and his ghost spirited away by the observers long before he's supposed to die in Transformers: The Movie means it's actually an alternate universe. Of course, there's nothing that suggests the observers won't simply dump Starscream back in his own universe...
- Catchphrase: Convoy gets to use his "I have an idea" (私はいい考えるがある Watashi wa ii kanageru ga aru lit. I have a good idea) line during the final battle.
- Chest Blaster: Naturally, as Mazinger Z is the Trope Codifier thanks to Breast Fire. MazinScream twist on it is named NullFire, which is so powerful it instantly melts attacking Mechanical Beasts into molten slag.
- Combination Attack: During the final battle, Mazinger Z uses Rocket Punch to boost Convoy high into the sky to strike at MazinScream. When Convoy's axe strike is deflected by MazinScream's Photon Barrier, Megatron follows up by smashing it with his Energon mace and then transforming into gun mode so Convoy can use him deliver the finishing blow.
- Combining Mecha: The Buildtrons form Devastar, whose strength is great enough that he's able to hold back Mazinger.
- Cool Versus Awesome: It's Mazinger Z versus the Transformers. In-story, it's literally the reason the crossover happens: it was such a cool idea that Go Nagai decides to just open a portal and send the Transformers to Mazinger's world.
- Crazy Enough to Work: Convoy. Among other things, he counters Starscream's aerial attack in Chapter 3 by riding Jet Scrander, and in the final battle he suggests Kouji use Mazinger's Rocket Punch to send him flying into the sky, using them as boosters to deliver a boosted Energon axe strike at MazinScream.
- Crossover Combo Villain: MazinScream, Starscream upgraded with Mazinger spare parts and Photonic Energy.
- David Versus Goliath:
- At 18 metres tall, Mazinger Z towers over the Transformers (Bumblee comfortably fits in Mazinger's hand). Only Devastar matches Mazinger in size.
- Mazinger Z becomes the David when MazinScream appears.
- Deflector Shield: The Photon Power Lab's Photonic Barrier, which buys the heroes time to mobilise when the combined might of the Destrons and Mechanical Beasts attack. When Starscream becomes MazinScream, he also gains the ability to emit a Photonic Barrier of his own.
- Didn't See That Coming: Everyone on the battlefield is understandably surprised when Starscream (last seen crashing into Mazinger's hangar) reemerges as a gigantic fighter plane and reveals that he managed to fuse with Mazinger's spare parts and Photonic Energy.
- Dirty Old Man: Ironhide leers over Aphrodi A.
- Enemy Mine: Megatron and Convoy work together to bring down MazinScream.
- Eye Beams: Befitting the Trope Codifier, Mazinger Z's Photonic Beam. Starscream also gains them as MazinScream.
- Flat Character: Unfortunately, due to how short the crossover is several of the Cybertrons and Destrons don't even get spoken lines.
- It Amused Me: The whole crossover essentially happens because of the in-universe Go Nagai decided it'd be totally awesome to have the Transformers interact with Mazinger Z's cast, and takes advantage of the Space Bridge's explosion to carry it out.
- Let's You and Him Fight: Naturally, the Cybertrons and Mazinger Z get into a fight. Justified in that Ashura tricked them into thinking Mazinger Z and the Photon Power Lab were villains, and Ashura quickly tries to kill the Cybertrons alongside Mazinger anyway.
- Meaningful Background Event: Thanks to Convoy's dramatic entrance riding the Jet Scrander, readers might not notice that the trail of smoke showing Starscream's crash landing ends inside the pool that acts as the entrance to Mazinger's hangar...
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Convoy's arrival atop the Jet Scrander allows him to save Kouji by blasting Starscream's wing and sending him in a flaming spiral out of the sky. Unfortunately, no one notices Starscream manage to steer himself into Mazinger Z's hangar before the doors can close...
- Obvious Crossover Method: While the Space Bridge is generally a stable method of travel in The Transformers, in the episode "Child's Play" a malfunction sent a group of Transformers to a completely different planet. For this crossover, the lead observer takes advantage of the Space Bridge's explosion to deliberately send the Transformers to Mazinger Z's world.
- Obviously Evil: The Cybertrons observe that Dr Hell, Baron Ashura and the Mechanical Beasts certainly don't look like heroes, but Convoy is determined not to let himself be blinded by mere appearance and accepts the explanation they were deformed in their desperate battles against Mazinger Z. Unfortunately, in this case judging the book by the cover was the right choice...
- Pass the Popcorn: In Chapter 2, Megatron is considering an attack on the Photon Power Lab when Ashura leads a force of Mechanical Beasts on an attack. Deciding to hang back and observe the giant black robot that emerges from the Lab to challenge the Mechanical Beasts, Megatron and his Destrons are further amused by the sight of their mortal enemies the Cybertrons fighting alongside the Mechanical Beasts until Bumble is captured, at which point Ashura orders the Mechanical Beasts to just destroy Mazinger and the Cybertrons alike. Hook even snaps pictures using Reflector's camera mode.
- Power Incontinence: MazinScream proves unable to contain the Photonic Energy he absorbed, resulting in his destruction.
- Rocket Punch: Mazinger Z is the Trope Namer. Naturally it gets used a few times. MazinScream, incorporating Mazinger's spare parts, also gains the ability to launch his forearms at his enemies.
- Rule of Cool: Admittedly, MazinScream just showing up is kind of an
Ass Pull to give the crossover a Final Boss note . Even though Starscream does have a background as a scientist as well as technical know-how (like how he managed to grant the Combaticons a combined mode as Bruticus in The Transformers), the way it's depicted implies that he simply absorbed Mazinger's parts along with Photonic Energy to recreate himself as MazinScream. But who cares? It's Starscream fused with Mazinger Z's parts and power versus the combined might of the Transformers and Mazinger Z!- Additionally, in a case of Fridge Brilliance that's exactly how Go Nagai handled Mazinger Z (specifically the design of the Mechanical Beasts): whether or not it's "realistic" is much less important than "is it cool?"
- Sizeshifter:
- As MazinScream, Starscream grows so huge that the 18 metre tall Mazinger Z barely reaches his knee, while Convoy only reaches mid-calf.
- As in their own series, Megatron shrinks when he transforms into his gun mode for Convoy to use against MazinScream.
- The Starscream: The Trope Namer himself tries to take control of the Photonic Energy but it fails.
- That's No Moon: Baron Ashura's mobile base, Deep Sea Fortress Salude, has a false island to act as an above water exit.
- Underwater Base: Baron Ashura's mobile base of operations is aptly named "Deep Sea Fortress Salude."
- Versus Title: Mazinger Z VERSUS Transformers. Notably, Mazinger Z does indeed fight the Transformers: the Cybertrons as part of a Let's You and Him Fight scenario that's quickly cleared up and the Destrons when they ally with Dr Hell.
- Villain Team-Up: The Destrons inevitably join forces with Dr Hell's Underground Empire. Both sides are very aware said alliance is temporary.
- Weaponised Teleportation: Skywarp's whole shtick. He attempts to teleport behind Mazinger Z to attack the cockpit from behind, but Convoy (still riding the Jet Scrander even after it docked with Mazinger) blows him out of the sky.
