The appeal and reviews of "Daikuu Maryu Gaiking": A must-see robot anime masterpiece

Gaiking - The charm and full story of the nostalgic robot anime

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

April 1, 1976 - January 26, 1977 Every Thursday 19:00-19:30

■Broadcasting station

CX

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 44

■Original Story

Original story by Kunio Nakatani, Akio Sugino, and Dan Kobayashi

■ Director

・Direction: Katsumata Guji

■ Production

Produced by CX, Toei (animation), Asahi Tsushinsha

■ Story

Professional baseball player Tsuwabuki Sanshiro loses his right arm in an attack by a monster from the Zera Planet's Dark Horror Army, and loses his career as a professional baseball player. Invited by Dr. Omonji, Sanshiro is greeted by the members of the Combat Force, who are protecting the Earth, and the gigantic attack ship Daiku Maryu. Possessing latent psychic powers, Sanshiro becomes a member of the Combat Force and fights the Zera Planet's dark monsters as the pilot of the giant robot Gaiking.

■Explanation

Toei Animation's first original robot anime. The story was created by Kunio Nakatani, the characters by Akio Sugino, and the mecha by Dan Kobayashi. In a sense, the work placed more importance on the exploits of the gigantic attack ship Daikuu Maryu than on the main character Robo Gaiking.

■Cast

・Tswabuki Sanshiro/Akira Kamiya・Midori Fujiyama/Mami Koyama・Pete Richardson/Makio Inoue・Yamagatake/Osamu Kato・Dr. Oomonji/Hidekatsu Shibata・Hachiro/Noriko Tsukase・Fan Lee/Kan Tokumaru・Bunta Hayami/Kenichi Ogata・Gen Sakon/Shunji Yamada

■ Main staff

・Original story: Kunio Nakatani, Akio Sugino, Dan Kobayashi ・Planning: Koji Bessho, Azuma Kasuga, Takeshi Tamiya ・Production: Yoshiro Sugawara ・Series composition: Masao Maruyama ・Screenplay: Susumu Takakuwa, Shozo Uehara, Haruya Yamazaki, and others ・Direction: Guji Katsumata, Akinori Namase, Yoichi Kominato, and others ・Character design: Takeshi Shirato ・Art setting: Fumihiro Uchikawa ・Music: Shunsuke Kikuchi

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・Gaiking, the Great Sky Dragon ・Lyrics by Yasutomi Yasugo ・Music by Kikuchi Shunsuke ・Singer by Sasaki Isao

・ED
・Gaiking of the Starry Sky ・Lyrics by Yasutomi Yasugo ・Music by Kikuchi Shunsuke ・Singer by Sasaki Isao

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ Background and history of the work

The 1970s was a time when robot anime was booming, and among them, "Daiku Maryu Gaiking" attracted attention as the first original robot anime produced by Toei Animation. This work was broadcast on CX (now Fuji TV) from April 1, 1976 to January 26, 1977, for 30 minutes every Thursday from 7 pm. It was a long-running series consisting of 44 episodes, and its content had a major impact on children at the time.

■ The appeal of the story

The story of "Daikyuu Maryu Gaiking" is about Tsuwabuki Sanshiro, a former professional baseball player whose baseball career is cut short by a monster attack, and who fights as a member of the Combat Force to protect the Earth. This premise was very relatable to children at the time. In particular, the premise that Sanshiro has latent supernatural powers gave viewers dreams and hope. Also, the battles with the Zera Alien's dark horror army were thrilling and kept viewers hooked.

■Charm of the characters

The main character, Tsuwabuki Sanshiro, was impressive with his powerful voice acting by Kamiya Akira, who left a deep impression on viewers. The companions who support Sanshiro are also unique and charming. In particular, the performances of Koyama Mami, who plays Fujiyama Midori, and Inoue Makio, who plays Pete Richardson, are superb, and the relationships and growth of the characters enrich the story. Furthermore, the calm voice of Shibata Hidekatsu, who plays Professor Omonji, adds depth to the work.

■ The appeal of mechanics

One of the biggest attractions of "Daiku Maryu Gaiking" is the design and action of the super-giant attack ship Daiku Maryu and the giant robot Gaiking. Daiku Maryu overwhelms viewers with its size and power, and Gaiking's battle scenes are always worth watching. In particular, Kobayashi Dan's mechanical design was extremely sophisticated, and had a quality that stood out among the robot anime of the time. Gaiking's transformation and attack scenes also captured the hearts of children, creating many fans.

■ The appeal of music

The theme song "Daikyuu Maryu Gaiking" and the ending song "Hoshizora no Gaiking" further enhanced the worldview of the work with Isao Sasaki's powerful singing voice and Shunsuke Kikuchi's composition. The opening song in particular gives courage and hope to viewers and is memorable to many people. Shunsuke Kikuchi's talent also shines in the music during the film, helping to liven up the battle scenes and other moving scenes.

■ Achievements of the production staff

The production staff for "Daikuu Maryu Gaiking" were the cream of the crop at Toei Animation at the time. Kunio Nakatani, Akio Sugino, and Dan Kobayashi, who were in charge of the original story, were in charge of story setting, character setting, and mecha setting, respectively, and created the framework for the work. Director Guji Katsumata and series composer Masao Maruyama also played a major role. Furthermore, the beautiful visuals of character designer Takeshi Shirato and art designer Fumihiro Uchikawa also enhanced the appeal of the work.

■Influence and evaluation of the work

"Daikyuu Maryu Gaiking" had a huge impact on the robot anime boom of the 1970s. In particular, the presence of the gigantic attack ship Daikyuu Maryu influenced subsequent robot anime, with similar settings appearing in many works. Gaiking's design and battle scenes also left a strong impression on viewers, and it continues to be loved by many fans. Furthermore, this work gave dreams and hope to children at the time, and has remained in the hearts of many people.

■ Recommendation points

"Daikuu Maryu Gaiking" is a monumental robot anime of the 1970s, and its appeal has not faded even today. In particular, the following points are recommended:

• Depth of story : The story of the protagonist's growth from a professional baseball player to a protector of the Earth will move viewers.
• Appealing characters : Unique and attractive characters enrich the story and draw the audience in.
• Impressive Mechanics : The designs and battle scenes of Daikuu Maryu and Gaiking are so impressive they overwhelm the viewer.
• The power of music : The theme song and music in the film enhance the world view of the work and give courage and hope to the audience.
• Talent of the Production Staff : This film brings together the talents of Toei Animation's elite staff, and its quality has been highly praised.

■ How to watch and related products

"Daikuu Maryu Gaiking" can still be viewed on DVD and Blu-ray. It is also available on streaming services, so you can enjoy it easily. In addition, related products such as figures, models, and books are also sold, so fans can enjoy collecting them.

■ Summary

"Daikuu Maryu Gaiking" is a work that led the robot anime boom of the 1970s, and its appeal is still loved by many people today. This work, which combines various elements such as the depth of the story, the charm of the characters, the power of the mechanics, the power of the music, and the talent of the production staff, continues to give dreams and hope to viewers. Please watch it at least once and experience its appeal for yourself.