Mazinkaiser Vol-2: A Fire Blast From the Past (2001)
Animation Production: Dynamic Planning/Dentsu/Bandai Visual
Released by: ADV Films
Episodes: 5-7
By Jeffrey Couto

Introduction

Japan Hero Loves Mazinger-Z!!! It was the spark that brought this site into existence in a way and as such I hold it in the highest esteem as I've mentioned in my reviews of the original series and Mazinkaiser Volume 1.

Join us as we plunge into the Mazin World again and take a closer look at the 2nd and final volume of ADV’s Mazinkaiser. In the previous volume we were introduced to the new Mazinger world that Go Nagai has crafted to re-introduce his classic creation to a new generation of anime fans.

In this volume we reach the exciting conclusion of this awesome series and learn more about some of the mysteries surrounding Mazinkaiser and see a further evolution of his and Koji’s connection as mecha and pilot, a theme that has always been at the heart of the series.

The Story

"Kouji Kabuto may have met his match in his evil nemesis Dr. Hell. As fast as the young warrior and his team can defeat the onslaught of the evil mechanical horde, Dr. Hell is developing new weapons to take over the world! The whole Photon Team is at risk from being infected by the sinister hybrid parasite or just flung into the heart of Mount Fuji! Could it be the end of Mazinkaiser and Venus Ace? " -- ADV's Mazinkaiser Page

Review

This collection of episodes start on a somewhat lighter note with a Baron Ashler-focused story that relies heavily on the classic "fish out of water" theme to great effect and some amusing scenes as Ashler impersonates Dr.Yumi inside the photo power lab and is greeted with a surprise birthday party by everyone there.

The other two episodes go back to the basics as they build up and take the story to it’s very exciting conclusion. The last episode is particularly good as we get some additional background details on Mazinkaiser’s creation in addition to the powerful final showdown between Koji and the forces of Dr. Hell

So how does volume two fair against volume one? I’d say this one bests the previous effort due to a variety of factors, including the more dramatic final episodes, better choreographed action scenes, and for the nostalgic fans, the inclusion of more throwbacks and elements from the classic shows such as the redesigned enemy robots and the ending sequence that pays homage to the one from the Mazinger-Z TV series.

As with the previous release the video transfer in this DVD is impossibly sharp and colorful. The cels used to create the animation definitely benefit from this since they rely on simple drawings with strong outlines that make them stand out more so than what we're used to seeing in other anime. Outside of these aesthetics the animation is good and runs at a solid frame rate that’s on par with more recent OVA series.

The music while never reaching the levels set by the 1970's shows' soundtracks does a good job at conveying the on-screen action and drama for this new generation of Mazinger robots and heroes. The theme of Mazinkaiser is probably the best one in this collection and worth looking up on CD.

In volume two of Mazinkaiser we get the last 3 episodes from the OVA, these include:

Episode 5: A Narrow Escape! The Photon Power Lab
Episode 6: Kouji Kabuto Dies in Magma!
Episode 7: A Decisive Battle!! Flaming Hell Castle!

The DVD comes with some really neat extra features including machine specs for the mecha that appears in these three episodes, production sketches, a clean version or the closing animation, the Japanese opening, a gallery and original Japanese artwork. The DVD cover is also very nicely put together and features several of the mecha used in these episodes, with the evil Venus Ace being the focal point of the cover.

Conclusion

While this is an OVA that is best enjoyed by anime fans who were lucky enough to watch the original adventures of Koji Kabuto and Mazinger-Z, Mazinkaiser is an amazing OVA that stands alone and doesn't rely solely on the nostalgia factor.

From beginning to end this was a-must-watch OVA series that was just pure and simple fun. With clearly defined heroes and villain, who fight the timeless battle between good and evil, Mazinkaiser stands apart from other mecha shows that try to explore the grey areas of right and wrong using more layered and complex plots with realistic mecha and real world science that tries to explain how everything works.

Many thanks go to ADV for bringing my favorite robot series to the US market. Now if only they could bring out the original Mazinger-Z TV series (along with Great Mazinger and UFO Robot Grandizer.) in a re-mastered collectors DVD box all would be right with the world.

Jeff