Fresh off the heels of Micriod’s UFO Grendizer: The Feast of Wolves video game and the looming presence of Studio GAINA’s Grendizer U comes the announcement (exclusively via Anime News Network) that Titan Comics (known for their release of Kamen Rider Kuuga and Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop manga) will be distributing Kana’s UFO Robot Grendizer in English starting September 2024.
The comic (released in 2021 in France under UFO Robo Goldorak) will consist of four issues, with the first issue comprising over 50 pages. Succeeding issues will be presented smaller, being 30 pages in length. Leading the comic is writer Xavier Dorison, a rising French writer, known for several successful series, such as Prophet & The Third Testament, and has written for films such as The Brigades of the Tiger (2006; Dir. Jérôme Cornuau). The comic serves as a continuation of Toei’s UFO Robot Grendizer anime that originally ran for 74 episodes from October 5, 1975, to February 27, 1977.
Titan Comics released the following description for the upcoming English release:
“The war between the forces of Vega and Grendizer is but a distant memory. But from the confines of space, the RUIN DIVISION emerges with the most powerful Saucer Beast: THE HYDRAGON.
Under siege, pilot DUKE FLEED has no choice but to join the fight and reawaken the MIGHTY ROBOT GRENDIZER or risk the world he once fought so hard to protect.”
For those that aren’t aware of the property, Grendizer is a series created by the legendary mangaka Go Nagai as the third installment of the Mazinger super robot franchise that started with Mazinger Z in 1972. The show proved quite successful in Japan and internationally, blowing up in regions such as the aforementioned Western Europe and the Arabian Peninsula. While not being a huge hit in the United States, it did continue to have a niche following on the East Coast for the limited episode count that was aired in the country. Grendizer has appeared in multiple video games in the crossover game series Super Robot Wars (starting with 2nd Super Robot Wars) as well as having an expansive toy line released by Popy that even made its way to the United States with the Mattel-Import Shogun Warriors line alongside Combattler V, Raideen, Danguard Ace, with Mattel producing original toys in the line based on Godzilla and Rodan. Grendizer, and in large part the Mazinger IP, have been a staple of Japanese pop culture since the first entry. In large parts of the world, the iconic robot has been referenced in other media across over 50 years of its existence, showing no sign of stopping in the years to come.
It is incredibly heartwarming to live in an era where series like Grendizer are getting such a colossal rollout of new media and merchandise, especially in countries where it is less prominently known, like the United States. It brings hope that maybe we can see the manga and its remake come to its shores and expose potential new fans to this series. Perhaps it may one day convince Toei and Go Nagai to bring the original 74-episode anime officially state-side. It would certainly help fill the gaps for new readers to the comic’s release, wouldn’t it?
