Super Robot Red Baron (1973-1974)
Production: Nihon Gendai Kikaku
Episodes: 39
By Jeffrey Couto

Introduction

My first run in with this series was in a New York City comic book shop, where I found a very nice model kit based on the title character of the program. At that time I thought Red Baron might have been related to the Mach Baron series, which featured a similarly-styled red robot. It would not be till some years later that I would discover that Mach Baron was in fact a follow up to Super Robot Red Baron.

The Story

From Jmaruyama'sJH encyclopedia entry for Red Baron:

"The world is in a technological boom. An exhibition opens in Japan celebrating the robotic achievements of the world. Massive Robots from around the world are showcased and displayed for all to see. Suddenly and without a warning, a mysterious army appears and steals all the robots. This army is under the command of President Devilar and mysterious despot who leads an evil faction called the Tetsumen Tou (Steel Mask Party). Their mission is the total conquest of earth through use of robots.

To this end President Devilar has also kidnapped various scientists to assist him in the “modifications” of these robots. One of those scientists being targeted is the brilliant Kurenai Kenichiro.

Kenichiro has been working on a secret project to build the most power robot the world has ever seen, here to named Red Baron. He entrusts this secret to only one person, his younger brother Ken, who just so happens to be a member of the elite special forces unit known as SSI (Super Science Institute).

Kenichiro is kidnapped by Tetsumen Tou and has a bomb implanted into his chest. They force him into revealing the location of Red Baron. Before Tetsumen Tou is able to steal Red Baron, Ken activates the robot and uses it to battle the Tetsumen Tou agents and their monster mecha Troy Horse. For his betrayal, President Devilar detonates the bomb impeded in Kenichiro and kills him before the horrified eyes of Ken. "

Review

If any show has ever come close to emulating classic super robot anime like Mazinger-Z or Grandizer in the real world, Super Robot Red Baron is it. The dramatic robot launch sequence and the different enemy robots that appear in each week's episode are in many ways similar to those featured in several of the more popular animated super robot shows of the times in which this program was filmed. It's interesting to note that despite many similarities to some of Go Nagai's robot programs (like the robot launch from an underground bunker, rocket punch weapons and scrander-like wings), Red Baron started its television run almost a year before Mazinger-Z revolutionized Japanese animation.

After watching Red Baron I ended up liking it a lot more than its successor, Super Robot Mach Baron, despite my being a long time fan of that program. Red Baron is a more interesting show, with a darker tone than Mach Baron and a better storyline that builds up all the way towards the end in which our hero travels to Mars and discovers a plot by Simp to have the Martian moon Phobos hurled at the Earth, which would result in the destruction of the planet.

The enemy robots that our heroes face every week are also another highlight of this program. Like many of its animated counterparts the robots of the week featured in this series, each have some kind of gimmick or special attack that make them unique from the rest. This makes for some interesting battles between the giant robots as the SSI must figure out a way to dispose of each new enemy machine that appears. The designs for each mecha is also noteworthy and stand as some of the best live action robot designs to be seen in a tokusatsu program, including those used in more modern works like Mikazuki or Gridman.

The other two aspects of this show that make it one of the best in the genre for me are the special effects and the action sequences. For the most part Super Robot Red Baron features amazing special effects and some of the best miniatures work to appear in a giant hero program. The only effects I had any sort of issue with were the scenes in which wire work was used to lift motorcycles and other vehicles in mid-air to make it seem as they were flying. These tend to end up just being silly looking and detract from an otherwise flawless special effects/action presentation.

The action scenes in the program are of particular interest because when combined with the giant robot action, they hint at what would eventually be the most popular Japanese hero genre, Super Sentai. These parts of the each episode feature the SSI aiding Ken (who's usually fighting some giant mechanized monster) by taking on the minions of the Testumen Tou with their land vehicles and using their fighting skills. These scenes are very well done and most of the fighting is done with punches and kicks, no lasers or special effects based weapons. When they vehicles are used many explosions ensue as they traverse enemy territory.

The biggest gripe I have with the Super Robot Red Baron show is the weak soundtrack. It never comes close to being as good as its follow-up (which had one of the greatest tokusatsu openings of all time) or any of the other programs of its day. Despite this, the show still stands out and has made a great impression on me.

Conclusion

Super Robot Red Baron is an older program with some dated special effects, so newer/younger fans might not care for it, but if you like old school tokusatsu or just enjoy a well done science fiction program, Red Baron will not disappoint. Great special effects, good action scenes and fun giant robot battles will make for a fun time with any fan.

Jeffrey Couto