Sengoku Majin GoShogun: The appeal and reputation of the passionate robot anime

Sengoku Majin GoShogun: A tale of battle and friendship in the near future

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

July 3, 1981 - December 28, 1981

■Broadcasting station

TV Tokyo Broadcasting

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

Production Lead

■ Director

Directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, Junji Nishimura, Jutaro Oba, Kuniyoshi Inui, Masamune Hidaka, Hiroshi Kuzuoka, and Suguru Nagao

■ Production

Produced by: Yomiko Advertising, Ashi Productions

■Works

©PRODUCTION REED 1981

■ Story

The story is set on Earth in the near future. Dr. Sanada, a doctor of physics, succeeds in developing the super energy Bimlar. However, he is killed by Dokuga, an evil secret organization that is after Bimlar. Dr. Sanada had predicted this before, and set his son Kenta's brainwaves to synchronize with a computer three years from now, hiding the secret of Bimlar there. His best friend, Savalas, gathers three pilots of the super robot GoShogun left behind by the doctor, Hojo Shingo, Remy Shimada, and Killy Gagley, and forms the Good Thunder Team, and they go to battle Dokuga, who is after the secret of Kenta and Bimlar!

■Cast

・Kenta Sanada/Yoko Matsuoka・Shingo Hojo/Hirotaka Suzuoki・Remy Shimada/Mami Koyama・Killie Gagley/Hideyuki Tanaka・Savalas/Osamu Kobayashi・OVA/Mother/Satomi Mashima・Emperor Neoneros, Father/Yozu Fujimoto・Leonardo Medici Bundle/Kaneto Shiozawa・Sugni Cutnar/Shojiro Kihara・Yatter La Kernaghur/Yoshio Nagahori・Professor Sanada/Mikio Terashima・Isabelle Cronkite/Yoshiko Matsuo

■ Main staff

・Planning/Toshihiko Sato ・Composition/Toshiyuki Shuto ・Character design/Studio Z5
・Mechanical design / Hajime Kamegaki ・Art director / Geki Katsumata ・Color setting / Yuri Nagae ・Sound director / Noriyoshi Matsuura ・Director of photography / Takeshi Fukuda ・Editors / Toshio Henmi, Shozo Yamazaki ・Music / Tachio Akano ・Producers / Yoshiaki Aihara, Hiroshi Kato ・Production / Yomiuri Advertising, Ashi Productions

■ Main Characters

・Kenta Sanada/
The only son of Dr. Sanada, a renowned scientist. He is a kind-hearted man who considers machines to be his friends, which causes him trouble in battle. However, it is this kind-heartedness that is important for the future of the Earth.
・Hojo Shingo/
A member of the Good Thunder team, he is the main pilot of King Arrow and GoShogun. He was a saboteur for the United Nations Peace Corps, but after losing his fiance in a retaliatory terrorist attack by New Neros, a subordinate organization of Dokuga, he accepted Savalas' invitation. He has a genuine interest in the Japanese style, and even had a cypress bath built inside Good Thunder. In all things, he is just clumsy in his approach to life.
・Remy Shimada/
The only female member of the Good Thunder team, she is the main pilot of Queen Rose and TRY3. She was an EIC secret agent, but after failing a mission and being imprisoned, she was scouted by Savalas. She was the child of a Japanese trading company employee and a French prostitute, but her mother died at a young age. She was raised by the prostitutes. The locket on her chest contains a photo of her former lover, Frances.
・Killie Gagley/
A member of the Buddha Thunder team and a pilot for Jack Knight. He was feared in the New York underworld as the "Bronx Wolf." He met Savalas while on the run after taking the blame for the crimes of his friends in the Swan family, who had looked after him. He hates cats because of the influence of Japanese monster cat movies. His hobby is writing his autobiography, but he seems to be particular about it and has difficulty getting past the first chapter.
・Savalas／
The commander who personally scouted Remy and the others to form the Good Thunder Team. His birth and other background are completely unknown, but due to his friendship with Professor Sanada, he was entrusted with the team and protected Bimler and Kenta.
・Leonardo Medici Bundle／
One of Dokuga's top executives, he is the head of the Intelligence Bureau. He is the eldest son of a prestigious French aristocrat, and has such a unique aesthetic that he later established the theory of "cosmic aesthetics." He was accepted at the top of his class to the International University of the Arts in Paris, but voluntarily dropped out due to differences in aesthetic perspective. He is also deeply devoted to Eastern aesthetics, but is often mistaken about this. He seems to feel that Remy exudes the greatest beauty of any human being.
・Sugni Katnar/
A general and one of Dokuga's top executives. He was the son of the president of the country of Amelia, but after his father was assassinated, his mother ran off to a new man and abandoned him at a young age. This caused him to become emotionally unstable and he is constantly taking tranquilizers.
・Yattara Kernagur／
He is one of Dokuga's top executives and a commander. He comes from a poor family in Africa, but becomes the world heavyweight boxing champion. After retiring, he marries promoter Yoko, and with her financial backing, he joins Dokuga and rules with the power of violence and money.
・Isabel Cronkite/
A journalist whose father was assassinated by Dokuga. Following his father's last wishes, he tries to report on the true nature of Dokuga.

■ Main robot items

・GoShogun/
A super robot developed by Professor Sanada. It is operated by three small mechas that Shingo and his friends pilot. They fight with a variety of weapons that are teleported from Good Thunder, but their true power is revealed as the mysterious energy of Bimlar grows. The special move Go-Flasher can be used in Bimlar's second stage, but in the third stage, it has the ability to make the mecha self-aware.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1 / GoShogun Launch ・Episode 2 / Fierce Fighting TRY3 ・Episode 3 / Little Fighter GO
Episode 4: A Dangerous PrankEpisode 5: Fantasy Land in HellEpisode 6: The Demon with the Shining EyesEpisode 7: Friends of the Hidden FortressEpisode 8: GoShogun Does Not ReturnEpisode 9: The Diamond Burns OutEpisode 10: The Mystery of the Fearsome BimlerEpisode 11: A Bouquet for YouEpisode 12: Farewell to MontmartreEpisode 13: A Fierce Battle in the UnderworldEpisode 14: A Lonely OVA
Episode 15: Queen of the Desert Episode 16: Farewell to Days of Youth Episode 17: Good Thunder in Danger Episode 18: Kenta Rides the GoShogun Episode 19: Hit It! London's Secret Base Episode 20: Space Broadcast This is Dokuga Episode 21: The Emperor's Conspiracy Episode 22: Emergence: Mystery from the Underground Episode 23: Runaway Good Thunder Episode 24: Hit the Enemy of the Sea Episode 25: Countdown to the Final Battle Episode 26: Endless Journey

■ Related works

"GoShogun: Sengoku Majin" (Theatrical Performance) <65 mins>
"Goshogun In: Stranger in Time" <90 min>

Sengoku Majin GoShogun: Review and Recommendation

"Sengoku Majin GoShogun," which aired in 1981, is a robot anime set on Earth in the near future, and its unique story and character settings have captivated many fans. This work depicts the exploits of the Good Thunder Team as they fight against the evil organization Dokuga, and the exploits of the super robot GoShogun are particularly noteworthy.

The story centers on the super-energy Bimlar, developed by Dr. Sanada, and the Good Thunder team, who stand up to protect its secret. The setting in which the brainwaves of Dr. Sanada's son Kenta are synchronized with a computer symbolizes the connection between science and the human heart, and a deep theme is felt throughout the work.

The characters' personalities are also very appealing. The protagonist, Hojo Shingo, has purely Japanese hobbies, but is also impressive for his clumsy way of life. Each character's backstory is also deeply drawn, such as Remy Shimada's complicated background and Killy Gagley's past in the underworld of New York, and has the power to draw the viewer in. Savalas's mysterious presence in particular adds depth to the story.

The mechanical design is also not to be missed. GoShogun has a unique setting in which three small mechas combine to be piloted, and its diverse weapons and special move, the Go-Flasher, make a visual impact. In addition, the fact that GoShogun's powers increase as Bimlar grows adds tension to the story's progression.

The music is also an element that enhances the appeal of the work. Akano Tachio's music skillfully expresses the tension of the battle scenes and the feelings of the characters, stirring the emotions of the viewers. The opening and ending themes in particular further enhance the atmosphere of the work.

Although "Sengoku Majin GoShogun" was only broadcast for a short period of 26 episodes, it is packed with a deep story, attractive characters, and innovative mechanical designs, making it a work well worth watching. It is especially recommended for those who like robot anime and stories set in the near future. There are also related works such as the movie version "Sengoku Majin GoShogun" and "Goshogun In: A Stranger in Time," which allow you to enjoy an even deeper worldview.

This work can be said to be a monumental achievement in robot anime of the 1980s, and its influence can still be seen in many works today.