Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Tranzor Z

Similar in vein to my Gobots posts from last week, I have here another Japanese robot franchise, this one perhaps not quite as remembered as the Gobots--Tranzor Z, originally known as Mazinger Z in the rest of the world.

When I was very young (before school, late 70s), I had a Tranzor Z action figure, complete with ejectable forearms.  I even went out as Z on Halloween one year; it was one of those cheap Ben Cooper costumes made of vinyl and were as poorly made as the boxes they came in.  Years later in the mid-80s, a point in which I hadn't thought of Tranzor Z in years, I came home from school one afternoon, turned on the TV in my bedroom, and there he was, broadcasting into my home.  I was shocked and amazed!  "Oh my God, it's the robot I had years ago!"  I never missed an episode the entire year (or two?) it was on.

I present an episode of that series to you now.  Here is Tranzor Z in "The Devistator."  Enjoy!






Here is the original Japanese version of the show's opening. I love how the difference in theme music and language can make the same footage seem so different.

4 comments:

Bill D. said...

I used to watch this every morning before school in 3rd or 4th grade. I don't remember a whole lot about it, though, besides Tranzor/Mazinger itself, Aphrodite A's boob missles, and the BubbaBot's steering wheel. I'll definitely have to check back for the videos at a point when I'm not at work.

Phillyradiogeek said...

Once you see boob missiles, it's difficult to remember much else.

Anonymous said...

Is this the one where the villian has 1/2 man/1/2 woman's face? I remember that, the boob missiles, and the main robot, who is apparently Tranzor. I really liked this as a kid, and no one ever knew what I was talking about when i mentioned boob missiles.

"Voltron?" They would reply.

This one was right there with Voltron.

Phillyradiogeek said...

You are correct! The villain was indeed half man, half woman, and there was a female robot with boob missiles; its name was Aphrodite A.