History Anime / MashinHeroWataruSeries

The ''Mashin Hero Wataru Series'' (魔神英雄伝ワタル; ''Mashin Eiyūden Wataru'') is a [[GagSeries gag-filled]], whimsical fantasy adventure [[SuperRobot super robot]] [[{{Anime}} anime]] television series that stretched from the late [[TheEighties 80's]] to the end of [[TheNineties 90's]], co-created by Creator/{{Sunrise}} under their HousePseudonym, "Hajime Yatate", and ''VideoGame/SakuraWars'' creator Ouji Hiroi.

* AudienceSurrogate: Before ''Super'' was released, the series was produced as a family-friendly show in mind. Therefore, the main cast has one character to represent a specific age demographic to give the audience someone to see themselves and learn AnAesop from.

The ''Mashin Hero Wataru Series'' (魔神英雄伝ワタル; ''Mashin Eiyūden Wataru'') is a [[GagSeries gag-filling]], whimsical fantasy adventure [[SuperRobot super robot]] [[{{Anime}} anime]] television series that stretched from the late [[TheEighties 80's]] to the end of [[TheNineties 90's]], co-created by Creator/{{Sunrise}} under their HousePseudonym, "Hajime Yatate", and ''VideoGame/SakuraWars'' creator Ouji Hiroi.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ''Wataru'' series, Sunrise and BANDAI SPIRITS' Tamashii Nations toy brand kicked off a new WebAnimation titled ''[[Anime/MashinHeroWataruTheSevenSpiritsOfRyujinmaru Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru]]'' starting its release on April 10, 2020.

* ''[[Anime/MashinHeroWataruTheSevenSpiritsOfRyujinmaru Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru]]'' (2020; 30th Anniversary multimedia project.)

* StrictlyFormula: The format of most episodes are as follows - {{The Hero}}es arrive at their next destination, saving a OneShotCharacter from the villain-of-the-week's {{Mook}}s. Said character tells the party of the villain and his/her motives, which leads to the party confronting the former. HilarityEnsues via hijinx and {{Running Gag}}s on the protagonists and the villains as their attempt to defeat/outsmart the other. Inevitably, the villain summons their respective Mashin to do battle, as does the party, ending with Ryujinmaru performing its FinishingMove a la {{BFS}}, cleaving the villain's Mashin in two and blasting him/her [[ATwinkleInTheSky away into the sky]]. As the party prepares to leave, the OneShotCharacter provides some exposition on where {{The Hero}}es need to go and do to liberate the floor/province from the floor boss.

** [[GoroawaseNumber Senjinmaru's phone number]].

* AlternativeCalendar: ''Soukaizan'' and ''Seikaizan'' is stated in the [[AllThereInTheManual manual]] to have different terminologies for their calendars. The date and year counts are written universally in Chinese "upper case" [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_numerals numerical text]] [[note]]The upper case variant is used for contemporary financal documentation as per Wiki/{{Wikipedia}}’s example. The Japanese kanji system uses a form of simplified variety of the upper case.[[/note]], as for months, ancient ''Soukaizan'' goes by EasternZodiac for their months ("The Month of Rat" [鼠月] equals January, and so forth), however, contemporary ''Soukaizan'' advanced to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthly_Branches Earthly Branches]]. ''Seikaizan'' on the other hand, goes by the the first kanji / Chinese character naming based on the first represented zodiac of the month from the WesternZodiac (January is “The Month of Ma” [魔月], standing for Capricorn [魔羯]).[[note]]Sample listed is more of a general East Asian usage. China and Japan uses different renditions of “ma” for Capricorn, namely 摩 (Chinese usage) and 磨 (Japanese usage).[[/note]]

** This series revolves around the [[EverythingsBetterWithRainbows rainbow]], and the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dipper Big Dipper]] motifs, leading our heroes in need to [[DungeonCrawling go through]] seven AdventureTowns to save the worlds under the guidance of seven [[DragonsAreDivine dragon deities]] for each series.

* ThemeNaming: Allied characters have surnames that end with "be" (部)", while juxtaposed with a word that characterizes them[[labelnote:note]]"Ikusa" in Ikusabe means "battle", while "tsurugi" in Tsurugibe means "sword"[[/labelnote]]; meanwhile, allied Mashin names end with the word "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_ship-naming_conventions maru]]".

* ''Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru'' (1989, localized overseas as ''VideoGame/KeithCourageInAlphaZones'')

** The latest upcoming 30th anniversary anime has the theme of "Seven Spirits."

* ''[[Anime/MashinHeroWataruTheSevenSpiritsOfRyujinmaru Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru]]'' (2020; 30th Anniversary WebAnimation project.)

* NextTierPowerUp: All allied Mashins will go through a variety of this, ranging from {{Mid Season Upgrade}}s, [[SoLastSeason post-season upgrades]], and temporary {{Super Mode}}s to enhance their abilities. By just counting the canon trilogy, Ryujinmaru alone has a total of ''sixteen'' different forms.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ''Wataru'' series, Sunrise and BANDAI SPIRITS' Tamashii Nations toy brand kicked off a new WebAnimation titled "''[[Anime/MashinHeroWataruTheSevenSpiritsOfRyujinmaru Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru]]'' starting its release on April 10, 2020.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ''Wataru'' series, Sunrise and BANDAI SPIRITS' Tamashii Nations toy brand kicked off a new animation project titled "''Mashin Eiyūden Wataru Shichi Tamashii no Ryūjinmaru'' (Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru) starting its release on April 10, 2020.

* ''[[Anime/MashinHeroWataruTheSevenSpiritsOfRyujinmaru Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru]]'' (2020; 30th Anniversary animation project.)

* ''Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru'' (2020; 30th Anniversary animation project.)
** Planned 9 episodes total. Episodes 1~4 will air biweekly starting April 10, 2020, while episodes 5~9 is scheduled to air starting September 2020.

* ''Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru'' (9 Episodes total. Episodes 1~4 will air starting April 10, 2020, while episodes 5~9 is scheduled to air on September 2020.)

Athletically-gifted 9-year old Wataru Ikusabe brings his self-made clay robot sculpture from art class at school to life by unknowingly accessorizing the model with a couple of gemstones that he stumbles across, only to be transported to a magical kingdom called ''Soukaizan'' (創界山；”Creation Realm Mountain”). The townsfolk residing at the foot of the mountain [[TheChosenOne proclaim Wataru as the savior]]; to aid him in combating the evil that has taken over Soukaizan, the spirit of a dragon god resides within the clay robot, bringing it to life as a HumongousMecha called "Ryujinmaru".

In celebrating the 30th anniversary of the ''Wataru''series, Sunrise and BANDAI SPIRITS' Tamashii Nations toy brand kicked off a new animation project titled "''Mashin Eiyūden Wataru Shichi Tamashii no Ryūjinmaru'' (Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru) and is slated to release on April 10, 2020.

On October 16, 2019, Sunrise and BANDAI SPIRITS' Tamashii Nations toy brand have announced that a new animation project titled "''Mashin Eiyūden Wataru Shichi Tamashii no Ryūjinmaru'' (Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru)" is planned for release on Spring of 2020, and there will be an animated promo for it to be revealed at the Tamashii Nation 2019 event on October 25th.

* ''Mashin Hero Wataru: The Seven Spirits of Ryujinmaru'' (Spring 2020; TBA)

** Himiko [[spoiler:and Toraoh]]: Children ages 6 to 8.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:Almost all floor bosses and their subordinates are normal residents of ''Soukaizan'' and ''Seikaizan'' whom the BigBad turned into their minions. Upon clearing a floor level, those affect are turned back to normal]].