The appeal and reviews of "Kishin Taisen Gigantic Formula": A must-see robot anime masterpiece

Machine God Wars Gigantic Formula - Battle of the Abyss and the Light of Hope

The TV anime series "Kishin Taisen Gigantic Formula," broadcast in 2007, attracted attention as the latest work by director Keiji Goto. Although it was an original story for the anime, 14 mecha designers participated in the work, depicting a spectacular robot duel that put the fate of each country on the line, and it left a strong impression on viewers. In this article, we will delve deeper into the appeal and details of this work, and provide an evaluation and recommendation.

■ Story

The Earth is covered by a thin electromagnetic cloud called the EM-cloud. Blue skies and the sun are rare, and at night, a thin aurora hangs over the sky. The electromagnetic turbulence that envelops the world has cut off communication with artificial satellites, and aircraft are not even allowed to fly unless they are crawling along the ground. The Internet and GPS no longer function, and people and nations have become suspicious of each other. ...The year is 2035.

In the mid-1980s, a series of "discoveries of archaeological sculptures (heads)" were discovered around the world, starting with the recovery from the seabed off the coast of Greece. What was discovered was a giant 3m-tall head sculpture made of an unanalyzable stone. The discovery was kept secret and was not made known to the general public.

In 2012, an abnormal weather phenomenon called the "Equatorial Winter" occurred for several years. Various explanations have been given for its cause, but the details remain unknown to this day. Strong magnetic dark clouds circled the equator, and eventually an electromagnetic cloud covered the entire world. Eventually, an energy crisis and conflicts flared up all over the world.

The "Giant God Head Statue" supplied an inexhaustible supply of energy, which determined the outcome of conflicts. --An era of upheaval. Countries were repeatedly gathered and dispersed, and the world was reorganized.

And then there are 12 robots built around the world based on the "Giant Head Statue." They are called "Gigantic Figures."

"WWW (Wisest World War)" The most intelligent war in the history of mankind. Autumn 2035 A.D. Under the leadership of the UN, a world war has begun with G.F. vying for dominance over the entire Earth.

■Explanation

The latest work from director Keiji Goto! Robots created by 14 mecha designers come together! The duel that will decide the fate of the nation begins!

Having survived the threat of extinction known as the "Equatorial Winter," humanity begins a duel between robots to establish a new world order. The robot representing Japan is controlled by a 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl. Now begins the battle between the two people and one robot!

■Cast

・Shingo Shuwa/Tsubasa Tainaga/Manami Kamishiro/Rina Sato/Katomi Ohmi/Yuko Sasaki/Chikara Kouda/Mitsusuke Meguro/Utomi Amano/Sayuri Yahagi/Ungi Li/Tomokazu Seki/Soei Li/Suzuka Yuzuki/Makio Makabe/Kazunori Chiba/Michiru Mizoguchi/Rio Natsuki/Yanagisawa Yashiro/Kenji Hamada/Yumika Yukamiya/Kazusa Murai/Yoichi Yoshino/Junji Majima/Raizo Rakuichi/Hisao Egawa/Ryuji Ryuji/Tarusuke Araki/Sergei/Sachi Kunitachi/Tatiana/Rei Sakuma/Zion/Tetsuaki Genda/Rei/Maya Okamoto/Elena/Rie Kugimiya/Mikhail/Yuki Kaida

■ Main staff

・Original work: GF
・Director / Goto Keiji・Original concept, script / Kimura Hidefumi・Original character concept / Kadonozono Emi・Character design / Yabuno Koji・Gigantic design / Aramaki Shinji, Ishigaki Junya, Izubuchi Yutaka, Ebikawa Kanetake, Okawara Kunio, Kawamori Shoji, Takakura Takeshi, Takehan Shingo, Fujita Kazumi, Miyatake Kazutaka, Murakami Katsuji, Moriki Yasuyasu, Yamashita Ikuto, Yamane Kimitoshi・Design works / Ebikawa Kanetake, Moriki Yasukane・Near-future military concept / Kio Seiji・3DCG supervision / Kawahara Tomohiro・Art director / Hariu Katsufumi・Director of photography / Sato Masato・Color setting / Suzuki Eri・Editing / Seki Kazuhiko・Music / Sawano Hiroyuki・Sound director / Takadera Takeshi・Sound production / HALF H.P. STUDIO
Music Production: Lantis Producers: Nobuhiko Fujisawa, Akiko Odawara, Tokko Ozawa Animation Production: Brain's Base Production: Bandai Visual, TV Tokyo

■ Main Characters

A boy who was chosen to pilot the Susanoo Type 10. He will be transferring to Class 2B at Okutama Elementary and Junior High School. He grew up in the countryside and is extremely innocent. He has a habit of saying what he thinks straight away.
A translator chosen by the Susanoo Juushiki, a mana for the ages of the gods. A third-year middle school student at Okutama First Elementary and Middle School. To Shingo, she is like a senior (older sister) who guides him both in his private and public life.
・Omi Katomi, commander of the Practical Base. She is in charge of the overall operational management of the Republic of Japan's Gigantic Susanoo Type 10 from the Integrated Defense Headquarters. She is calmer than her age and is a reliable presence for everyone.
・Kouta Chikara Vice Commander of the Practical Base. He is an old acquaintance of Commander Ohmi, and is a serious and honest person who supports her from behind the scenes. As an elder, he also keeps a warm eye on the Susanoo Juushiki and Shingo and the others.
Amano Utomi is a genius girl who serves as the technical team leader at the Practical Base. She goes by the nickname Ucchi. She is responsible for the maintenance of the Susanoo Type 10 and the development of strengthened equipment on her small shoulders.
Li Yunyi: Pilot of the Central People's Republic's Xuanwu Shen No. 3. His rank is Major. As a martial artist who has trained his mind and body, he has excellent physical and judgmental abilities. He is a man of honor and faces battles fairly.
Li: Translator for the Runaway Shadow God No. 3. Her rank is captain. A strong-willed and independent woman, she is also the wife of Unyi, who was raised in the same facility as an orphan. Like Unyi, she is skilled in martial arts.

■ Main robot items

●Glossary: ​​WWW (Wise World War)
WWW is a one-on-one duel using a gigantic statue called a Gigantic Figure, which is built by each nation to represent it. A nation that wishes to declare war on another nation declares this to the UN. The UN is responsible for informing and coordinating with the opposing nation. Only one Gigantic Figure and its escorting forces can participate. Combat is strictly conducted according to regulations. Duels are only conducted within the designated combat area. Diffusion of combat, attacks on civilian facilities, and civilians are strictly prohibited. Unnecessary acts of killing are also prohibited. Therefore, in peacetime, it is the duty of nations to prepare evacuation facilities such as shelters for civilians. The condition for victory in a war is the destruction of the OX II carried by the opposing Gigantic Figure. The defeated nation will quickly come under the rule of the victorious nation. WWW is the path to the establishment of a world government. It is hereby stipulated that in the post-WWW world, a one-world government will be established centered on the last remaining victorious nation, and that all nations will work together to achieve lasting world peace.
-October 7, 2015, at the UN Headquarters in New York. Excerpt from the UN Presidential Oath, Manhattan Convention.
Around the time of the Manhattan Treaty, countries around the world that possessed the rare OXⅡ began constructing the Gigantic Figures, gigantic humanoid weapons that were just under 30 meters tall and powered by OXⅡ. At the time of the outbreak of the WWW War, there were 12 Gigantic Figures registered with the UN. It was reported that the Gigantic Figures were difficult to destroy with conventional weapons due to a phenomenon called the Immortal Effect (IE) generated by OXⅡ. The current prevailing view is that only Gigantic can defeat Gigantic. With the fate of the nation at stake, a fierce duel between Gigantic Figures is about to begin.
・Gigantic Figures Gigantic Figures representing each country are piloted by a pair of people called a translator and a pilot. The translator is a so-called dedicated agent who performs the procedure to extract energy from OXⅡ, and is considered indispensable for controlling the hidden power of OXⅡ. The pilot is the one who directly controls the body of the Gigantic Figure. It is said that the higher the compatibility rate between the pilot and the Gigantic Figure, the more the Gigantic Figure will be able to demonstrate its abilities. It seems that age, experience, skill, and ability do not determine the compatibility rate. The characteristics of OXⅡ and the Gigantic Figure select the rider. As a result, the fate of the whole world is entrusted to young boys and girls and young people who are not yet old enough...

Gigantic Figure Susanoo Type 10 Gigantic of the Republic of Japan. A versatile, all-purpose type based on close-combat. Shingo Shuwa is the pilot (the entity that directly controls the body), and Mana Kamishiro is the translator (the entity that draws energy from the head statue "OX II").
・Vulcan 1
Gigantic of the Italian Roman Republic. With a huge flight unit on its waist, it has excellent mobility. The cockpit in its head, like that of a fighter jet, is extremely uncomfortable to live in. Leon is the pilot and Lucrezia is the translator.
Jupiter 2
Gigantic of the North American Empire. The stealth-coated body hides all weapons. Rumored to be the strongest, its details are not made public. Zion is the pilot and Ray is the translator.
・Gigantic of the Central People's Republic of Xuanwu God No. 3. It is pronounced "Gwen Wu Shen". With an archaic smile, it moves at high speed at low altitudes using the ground effect of its tortoise shell shield. Li Yunyi is the pilot and Li Zouying is the translator.
Ceres 4
Gigantic of the Caribbean Republic of Venezuela. The stealthy body is equipped with a huge combat arm. Nerve cables can be extended from each fin. Evita is the pilot and Amalia is the translator.
・Gigantic of Orthodox Greek King Chiron V. Boasts invincible performance in underwater combat. Moves underwater at high speed with super vibration fins. Generates a field effect that deflects optical and solid bullet weapons. Muhammad is the pilot and Hasan is the translator.
Griffin 6
Gigantic of the Great British Empire. Although it has the ability to fly thanks to its feathered wings, BPW (Bird of Prey Wings), it is not good at ground combat due to its low agility. Cynthia is the pilot and Daniel serves as the translator.
・Diane 7
Gigantic of the French Union. The arrow spears, called Frecce Lances, fired by the light crossbow Arc Lumiere, allow for long-range attacks. On the other hand, their defensive capabilities are somewhat inferior. Olivier is the pilot and Sylvia serves as the translator.
・Eunowa VIII
Gigantic from Eastern Europe, Russia. The "Argos Hundred-Eyed Unit" that is equipped on the back is a fearsome weapon that directly attacks the minds of the opponent's pilot and translator. Sergei is the pilot and Tatiana is the translator.
Nephthys IX
Gigantic of the Egyptian-African-Arab Union. Generates super-hot plasma flames. This is a weapon with immense destructive power. However, it has the disadvantage of taking time to charge. Mariam is the pilot and Aesar is the translator.
Minervas XI
Gigantic of the Germanic German Federation. Its large body boasts high power and defensive capabilities and can transform from a humanoid form (Immortal Mode) to a turret form (Cannone Mode). Elena is the pilot and Mikhail is the translator.
・Ishtar 12
Gigantic is from India, a technological powerhouse. Its delicate-looking frame is packed with cutting-edge equipment such as EM shakers. It is rumored to have immeasurable abilities. Lily is the pilot and Lavina is the translator.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: Awakening -Adrupt×Awakening- (2007/04/04)
・Episode 2: Battle -Bold×Battle- (2007/04/11)
・Episode 3/Friction -Conflict×Cause-(2007/04/18)
・Episode 4/Dazzle -Deep×Daze-(2007/04/25)
・Episode 5: Trust -Entrusting×Experts- (2007/05/02)
・Episode 6: Fate -Future×Fates- (2007/05/09)
・Episode 7/Flash -Glittering×Goddess-(2007/05/16)
・Episode 8/Hesitant×Honor-(2007/05/23)
・Episode 9: Innocent×Immortal (2007/05/30)
Episode 10: Hunter -Jager×Juggernaut- (2007/06/06)
・Episode 11/Shikon -Kindred×Knights-(2007/06/13)
・Episode 12/Lost×Legacies-(2007/06/20)
・Episode 13/Motivations -Maverick×Motivations-(2007/06/27)
・Episode 14/Naive×Nobility-(2007/07/04)
・Episode 15/Omnipotence -Ominous×Omnipotence-(2007/07/11)
・Episode 16: Unrest -Past×Peril- (2007/07/18)
・Episode 17/Departure -Quarrelsome×Quest-(2007/07/25)
・Episode 18: Remaining × Roars (2007/08/01)
・Episode 19/Savage×Specter-(2007/08/08)
・Episode 20/True×Trial(2007/08/15)
・Episode 21/Impulse -Unstable×Urges-(2007/08/22)
・Episode 22/Vow -Vile×Vow-(2007/08/29)
・Episode 23: Wicked × Wisdom (2007/09/05)
Episode 24: Showdown -X×X- (2007/09/12)
・Episode 25/Takuha -Ye×Youthful-(2007/09/19)
・Episode 26/Final -Zemithal×Zygote-(2007/09/26)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・United Force
Lyrics: Minami Kuribayashi Composition: Minami Kuribayashi Arrangement: Masaaki Iizuka Vocals: Minami Kuribayashi

・ED1
・TSUBASA
Lyrics: Sena Composition: Sena Arrangement: Ryosuke Nakanishi Vocals: Sena

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Gigantic Formula" is a work that features director Keiji Goto's unique worldview and the diverse robot designs created by 14 mecha designers. The story depicts a duel between Gigantic Figures that takes place in a world where the Earth is covered by an electromagnetic cloud and tensions between nations are rising. This setting provides viewers with fresh surprises and excitement.

Of particular note are the designs of the Gigantic Figures from each country and the battle scenes. The unique abilities and tactics of each robot are visually very appealing, making each battle scene a highlight. In addition, the setting in which boys and girls fight for the fate of their nations encourages strong emotional empathy in the viewers and adds depth to the story.

The character development and relationships are also not to be missed. In particular, the relationship between the protagonists, Shingo Shuwa and Mana Kamishiro, deepens as the story progresses, moving the viewer. In addition, the pilots and translators from each country have rich personalities, and their backgrounds and thoughts add depth to the story.

The music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of this work. Both the opening theme "United Force" and the ending theme "TSUBASA" are powerful songs that enhance the atmosphere of the work and capture the hearts of viewers. Hiroyuki Sawano's music further enhances the tension and dramatic development of the battle scenes.

This work is recommended not only for mecha anime fans, but also for viewers who want to enjoy a deep story and character development. In particular, it is a must-see for fans of director Keiji Goto and those interested in mecha design. Another highlight is the use of advanced 3DCG for an anime from 2007, and it is worthy of praise from a technical standpoint.

"Gigantic Formula" is a work filled with a magnificent world view, detailed settings, and a moving story. Please watch it once and experience its charm.