Mazinger Z: Infinity

Mazinger Z: Infinity (劇場版 マジンガーZ ／ INFINITY, Gekijōban Mazinger Z / Infinity) is a 2018 Japanese animated super robot action adventure film directed by Junji Shimizu. It is a feature film sequel to the Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger manga and anime series. The film was produced to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the original Mazinger Z.^[1] It premiered worldwide on October 28, 2017 at 12th Rome Film Fest^[2] and premiered in Japan in January 13, 2018.^[3]

Plot

10 years after the end of the war against Dr. Hell and his Mechanical Beasts, the world lives in an era of peace thanks to the development of photonic energy for peaceful purposes. Mazinger Z's pilot Koji Kabuto has become a distinguished scientist, after his father and grandfather, while Sayaka Yumi is now the director of the Photon Research Institute, after her father, Dr. Yumi, became the Prime Minister of Japan. Great Mazinger's pilot Tetsuya Tsurugi is still in the military and married to Jun Hono, who's expecting their first child. Koji's younger brother Shiro is also a military mecha pilot.

While constructing the Institute's new building, they find an enormous robot buried beneath Mt. Fuji, which they codename Infinity. When Koji comes to investigate, a girl emerges from the inside. LISA is the robot's main control unit, a 91% organic AI with feelings. Shortly before, the presumed dead Dr. Hell attacks the Institute with new Mechanical Beasts, as well as his henchemen Baron Ashura and Count Brocken, and steals the Infinity, using a captured Tetsuya and Great Mazinger as improvised activation key, since he was unable to get LISA. LISA reveals that the final power of the Infinity is the Goragora, the ability to exchange an universe with another, by causing a forced quantum overlapping. Dr. Hell plans to use it, as he believes this world is not worth existing.

Dr. Nossori and Dr. Sewashi build a new Mazinger Z using a giant photonic energy 3D Printer. Koji and Lisa in the new Mazinger Z infiltrate the invaded Photon Institute, battling the Mechanical Beasts inside. After defeating Baron Ashura and Count Brocken, Mazinger Z confronts Dr. Hell's robot, but is gravely damaged. Shiro rescues Great Mazinger, and they stop the Goragon countdown but Dr. Hell has a backup of Great Mazinger's activation code on his Bardos sceptre and takes control of Infinity, activating Goragon.

In the adjacent dimension, Koji sees an alternate universe where Lisa is his and Sayaka's daughter. Lisa uses herself as key to give Mazinger a power equivalent to Infinity's, by transmuting photonic energy into matter. Everyone in the planet gives their photonic energy to Mazinger Z, and Koji punches Infinity with Dr. Hell out the planet, where it explodes. Lisa disappears, assuring Koji they'll see each other again. Meanwhile, Jun gives birth to her and Tetsuya's child.

Afterwards, Koji and Sayaka marry and they're seen walking with a child Lisa.

Voice cast

• Showtaro Morikubo as Koji Kabuto, former pilot of Mazinger Z, now a researcher.
• Ai Kayano as Sayaka Yumi, former pilot of Aphodite A, now director of the Photon Research Institute.
• Sumire Uesaka as LiSA
• Natsuki Hanae as Shiro Kabuto, Koji's younger brother and a military mecha pilot.
• Wataru Takagi as Boss, Koji's old comrade, who now owns a ramen restaurant.
• Kappei Yamaguchi as Mucha, one of Boss' henchmen.
• Masami Kikuchi as Nuke, one of Boss' henchmen.
• Junpei Morita as Dr. Yumi, Japan's prime minister, and Sayaka's father.
• Toshihiko Seki as Tetsuya Tsurugi, the pilot of Great Mazinger, still serving as a mecha pilot in the military.
• Ami Koshimizu as Jun Honoo, a former mecha pilot now married to Tetsuya and pregnant with his child.
• Bin Shimada as Dr. Nossori
• Kōzō Shioya as Dr. Sewashi
• Unshō Ishizuka as Dr. Hell, a brilliant but evil scientist
• Hiroyuki Miyasako as Baron Ashura (Male)
• Romi Park as Baron Ashura (Female)
• Keiji Fujiwara as Count Brocken

Production and release

The movie was announced during AnimeJapan 2017, with the tentative title of Gekijōban Mazinger Z (Mazinger Z The Movie).^[4] The final title, Gekijōban Mazinger Z / Infinity (Movie Version Mazinger Z / Infinity), was revealed in the official website on August 2018, alongside the film's trailer.^[3]

The film was produced by Toei Animation and distributed by its parent company, Toei.^[3] It was directed by Junji Shimizu, based on a script by Takahiro Ozawa, with Hiroya Iijima as character designer and Takayuki Yanase as mecha designer.^[3] Toshiyuki Watanabe composed the music. He's the son of Michiaki Watanabe, the composer for the original Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger series.^[3] Ichiro Mizuki performed a new version of the classical theme song. He was the performer of the song for the original Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger anime series, as well as several films of the franchise.^[5]

A 30-second trailer debuted at Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France in June 2017.^[5] The film's world premiere was at the 12th Rome Film Festival on October 28, 2017, presented by author Go Nagai,^[2] who was also present at the French premiere in Paris on October 30, 2017^[6] It opened theatrically in Italy on October 31^[7] and in France on November 22, 2017.^[6] The Japan premiere was on January 13, 2018,^[3] and the film opened at #6 at Japanese Box Office.^[8] It premiered in Spain on January 19, 2018^[9] It was released on DVD and Blu-Ray disc in Japan on August 18, 2018. ^[10][11]

On November 2017, Viz Media announced at Anime NYC that had licensed the movie, and will release it in the US in 2018.^[12] The film had a limited theatrical screening theatrically in the United States in February 11 and 12 2018, in a subtitled version.^[13]

References

External links

• Official Toei page (in Japanese)