The Super Robots

When I was a boy I spent a lot of time watching the “Super Robots” animated series, such as Mazinger Z, Daitarn 3 and Goldrake (also known as Ufo Robot Grendizer, my favorite one), as well as playing with my Lego bricks…this is why I decided to merge these two passions of my childhood in one.

The “Super Robots” category is part of the Mecha anime and manga genre, known in Japan as robot anime, anime and manga featuring giant robots (mecha) in battle.

The Mecha series, starting from the 70s, cover a wide variety of genres, from action to comedy to drama, and the genre has expanded into other media, such as video game adaptations, also contributing to the popularity of scale models and toys, inspired by the characters and robots of the series.

The Super Robot success was defined by Go Nagai, a Japanese manga creator, which launched Mazinger Z in 1972. He had the revolutionary idea to create a Mecha that people could control like a car, a concept which became "explosively popular", making the manga and anime into a global success all over the world.

I clearly remember a lot of animated series of the genre, which were very popular when I was young. What I really appreciated was their very exciting stories, technological and imaginary at the same time; but they were always driven by human and true feelings, such as love, friendship and freedom, for which they were much appreciated by adults and children.

My project is a Lego Art tribute to three Mechas animated series: Mazinger Z, Daitarn 3 and Goldrake.

The parts I used are chosen to create a “random" appearance, while showing the characters; I used many plates, wedges and tiles, but also with many bricks, cones and slopes of different shapes.

The picture is divided in three separated sub-pictures, each of them showing the character in action.

For the black external frame I used different pieces out of their main scope, to create a “grunge-metal” effect, such as electric guitars, engines, levers, radios and racks.

The dimensions of the picture are 48x32 studs while, including the frame, the total dimensions are 54x38 studs.

The bottom side of the picture hosts two pin connector blocks, in order to hang it on the wall.

I used about 1400 parts totally.

With this project I hope to catch the attention of all my peers, which as myself remember with great affection the Super Robots animated series of our childhood, as well as of our children, to whom we told or showed them.

A Lego set dedicated to the Super Robots anime is missing in our Lego collections!