Mazinger Z: Infinity

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

Mazinger Z: Infinity
Japanese release poster
Directed byJunji Shimizu
Screenplay byTakahiro Ozawa
Based onMazinger Z
by Go Nagai
Starring
Music byToshiyuki Watanabe
Production
company
Distributed byViz Media
Release date
  • October 28, 2017 (2017-10-28)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Plot

Ten 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 henchmen 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 Goragon, the ability to exchange their 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 use a giant photonic energy 3D Printer to repair and upgrade the original Mazinger Z (which was hidden at the old Photon Research Institute). Koji and Lisa, in the refurbished 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 are seen walking with a child Lisa.

Voice cast
Character Japanese[4][5] English[6][7]
Koji Kabuto Showtaro Morikubo Wayne Grayson
Sayaka Yumi Ai Kayano Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld
Dr. Hell Unshō Ishizuka Mike Pollock
Dr. Nossori Bin Shimada Billy Regan
Nuke Masami Kikuchi Billy Bob Thompson
Count Brocken Keiji Fujiwara Bill Lobley (Credited as Colin A. Favor)
Lisa Sumire Uesaka Courtney Shaw
Tetsuya Tsurugi Toshihiko Seki Dan Green
Shiro Kabuto Natsuki Hanae Eddy Lee
Gennosuke Yumi Junpei Morita H.D. Quinn
Dr. Sewashi Kōzō Shioya Henry Carr
Mucha Kappei Yamaguchi Jason Griffith
Jun Hono Ami Koshimizu Kymberly Tuttle
Ashura Hiroyuki Miyasako Marc Thompson (male)
Romi Park Martha Harms (female)
Boss Wataru Takagi Michael Alston Baley
Yasohachi Yamagishi Ryōichi Tanaka Jake Paque
Takagi James Weaver Clark
Misato Kana Ueda Leigh Craig
Fukurokoji Masahiro Ogata Robb Moreira

Production and release

The movie was announced during AnimeJapan 2017, with the tentative title of Gekijōban Mazinger Z (Mazinger Z The Movie).[8] The final title, Gekijōban Mazinger Z / Infinity (Movie Version Mazinger Z / Infinity), was revealed in the official website in 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.[9]

A 30-second trailer debuted at Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France in June 2017.[9] 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.[10] It opened theatrically in Italy on October 31[11] and in France on November 22, 2017.[10] The Japanese premiere was on January 13, 2018,[3] and the film opened at #6 at the Japanese box office.[12] It premiered in Spain on January 19, 2018[13] It was released on DVD and Blu-Ray disc in Japan on August 18, 2018. [14][15]

In November 2017, Viz Media announced at Anime NYC that had licensed the movie, and will release it in the US in 2018.[16] The film had a limited English subbed theatrical screening theatrically in the United States from February 11 to February 12, 2018.[17] The film was distributed on Blu-ray and DVD in North America by Warner Home Entertainment on February 19, 2019.

References
  1. "Mazinger Z Anime Gets Film Adaptation For 45th Anniversary". Anime News Network. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  2. ""Mazinger Z Infinity" to world premiere at the 12th Rome Film Fest". Roma Cinema Fest. 15 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  3. "New Mazinger Z Film Reveals Title, Trailer". Anime News Network. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  4. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (19 August 2017). "New Mazinger Z Film Casts Sumire Uesaka, Natsuki Hanae, Unshō Ishizuka". Anime News Network. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  5. Loo, Egan (5 January 2018). "Mazinger Z: Infinity Anime Film Casts Ryouichi Tanaka, Kana Ueda, Kaede Hondo". Anime News Network. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  6. "Mazinger Z: Infinity ENGLISH CAST". Fandom Post Forums. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  7. "Viz Media Announces the Home Media Release of Mazinger z: Infinity". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  8. "New Mazinger Z Anime Film Stars Showtaro Morikubo, Ai Kayano". Anime News Network. 26 March 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  9. "New Mazinger Z Film's Trailer Previews Animation". Anime News Network. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  10. "Go Nagai, présent à l'avant-première parisienne de Mazinger Z Infinity". Manga News. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  11. "Toei: Mazinger Z: Infinity Anime Film to Premiere in Europe, No Confirmed Screenings in U.S., Latin America". Anime News Network. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  12. "Mazinger Z: Infinity Anime Film Opens at #6 at Japanese Box Office". Anime News Network. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  13. "Mazinger Z Infinity". Guia del Ocio. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  14. "Japan's Animation Blu-ray Disc Ranking, August 6–12". Anime News Network. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  15. "Japan's Animation DVD Ranking, August 6–12". Anime News Network. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  16. "Viz Media Licenses Mazinger Z: Infinity Anime Film". Anime News Network. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  17. "News Mazinger Z: Infinity Film Gets U.S. Theatrical Screenings on February 11–12". Anime News Network. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
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