When Go Nagai invented the Super Robot Genre even he was surprised with just how game-changing his piloted giant mecha series would be. To the west he might be more known for Devilman or Cutey Honey from the anime surge of the 90s although he did release Tranzor Z (Americanized version of Mazinger) in the late 70s to early 80s.

2017 marked the 50th year of Go Nagai bringing his dynamic manga style to the masses. In Asia this came with numerous fan events, toy releases and at its center was the announcement and release of the new animated feature film Mazinger Z: Infinity.

Due to mankind’s wasteful use of natural resources, the world now relies on photon energy for pretty much everything in their daily lives.  As with everything that is good in anime, there is always a catch…

Without spoilers, the plot involves a threat unlike anyone on earth has ever seen before. A few minutes into the movie the title is pretty much explained and the usual themes around politics, the ecosystem, power and responsibility are meshed into several grand scale robot fights that would make any fan of the genre just giddy with glee!

Set 10 years after the original series, our lead character Koji Kabuto is no longer the angst-filled, short-tempered teenager. He traded in his flight suit for a lab coat and became one the of the worlds most prominent researchers on photon energy. Sayaka Yumi, Koji’s lover interest became Photon Lab’s new Director and her father Professor Yumi became Japan’s Prime Minister. If you followed the series, there are other pleasant surprises with some characters returning – and with the same awesome quirks they’ve had. It certainly was nostalgic to see them all on screen after decades.

The movie is truly made for the fans and as one I absolutely loved it. The character designs were done so well to show the aging of the characters but retaining the classic Go Nagai feel to it. If you get a chance, do not miss the chance to see it at a theater near you!