Name(s): Great Mazinger vs. Getter Robo / Great Mazinger tai Getter Robo / グレートマジンガー対ゲッターロボ / Great Mazinger et Getter Robot contre le Monstre Sidéral
Format: Movie
Release Date(s): March 21, 1975
Studio(s): Toei Animation
Related: Great Mazinger vs. Getter Robo G: The Great Space Encounter (1975) / UFO Robo Grendizer vs. Great Mazinger (1976) / Grendizer, Getter Robo G and Great Mazinger: Decisive Showdown! The Giant Sea Beast (1976)

Great Mazinger vs. Getter Robo Review

This is a very typical ’70s super robot anime. If you’re aware of this special’s existence, then you should know what that entails and how much you’ll enjoy this. You’ll either like the retro style and all its cliches or find it outdated and dull.

To be frank, I’m in the middle of that. I like the classic style every once in a while in the right dosages. Being a kids’ show, it can easily put a smile on any mecha fan’s face, and the Mazinger and Getter Robo franchises are the most beloved out of all super robot anime. Seeing these familiar faces and attacks is consoling until the effect wears off. Once it does, you realize how repetitive and predictable what you’re watching is. Since this special is only thirty minutes, that fortunately doesn’t have time to really kick in.

Well, anyway… A UFO drops a new monster called GilGilGan down on Japan, and both Great Mazinger and Getter Robo find him hard to deal with. A plan is devised for Great Mazinger and Getter Robo to work together and defeat this powerful new enemy. There’s a joy in seeing these icons on the same screen together. Other than that, though, their union doesn’t elevate the standard super robot formula. The same, signature attacks are used, and once the monster is beaten, things go back to normal.

A Wasted Collaboration?

That’s where I was expecting more from this special. The casts of each anime are already aware of each other’s existence so there aren’t any cool introductions to see between them, and since they’re busy fighting most of the time we don’t get to see the pilots’ personalities interact much. There aren’t any cool combination attacks like Thunder Getter Beam or anything like that, so this is pretty standard.

Great Mazinger vs. Getter Robo Verdict

That’s really all there is to it. If a half-hour of two iconic super robot series on the same screen at once taking down a typical monster of the week sounds good enough for you, then by all means, check Great Mazinger vs. Getter Robo out.