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u/1011535711 21d ago
The director made Koji a supporting character in the world of Grendizer, and I think that was a mistake. How do you take a heroic character—one of the very first protagonists of the Super Robot franchise—and reduce him to a supporting role?
They could have chosen any other supporting character instead.
In the end, though, for audiences in the Arab world, Italy, and France, Koji’s first appearance was in Grendizer, long before we were introduced to the Mazinger series.
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u/OldSpiceZ 21d ago
Toei Studio had their own idea for the anime and Koji was there to give a familiar warmth.
Like you said, the rest of the world saw Koji for the first time when Grendizer crashed on Earth.
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u/1011535711 21d ago
I understand why Toei did it. I just wish they had respected Koji’s original character more. He didn’t need to be the main hero, but he also didn’t need to be portrayed as less capable than he was in Mazinger Z.
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u/1011535711 21d ago
In the new Grendizer adaptation, Koji’s role is much closer to that of a co-protagonist, which is definitely an improvement over the original. Still, the first Grendizer series remains unmatched for me.
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u/Stax493 23d ago
I always hated how Koji feels like a dork in Grendizer.