The Valkyrie fighters from the robot anime Macross, with their meticulously designed and cool three-stage transformation mechanisms, expanded people's imagination of space and future technology. In Mazinger Z, the Breast Fire erupting from its chest with a shout satisfied people's fantasies about surreal weaponry. Both Real Robot and Super Robot anime have profoundly influenced generations of viewers, serving as a foundation for contemporary mechanical designers and animation industry creators, leading to the development of diverse works for future generations. But have you ever wondered what these two classic works would look like if they were combined?
Mechanical designer Keichiro Katagiri (K16), who participated in the production of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and provided the original designs for the Strike Gundam and other initial five Gundams, recently posted on Twitter his imagined fusion of a Valkyrie and Mazinger Z. The illustration shows this Mazinger Z Valkyrie simultaneously possessing a three-stage transformation mechanism from fighter jet to robot, as well as structures like the Pilder, Breast Fire plates, and Jet Scrander. The Pilder is even designed as a support craft, and the shape of the arm's Iron Cutter is transformed into the Valkyrie's GUNPOD. The overall design is very interesting and offers even more room for imagination.
Soon after, Shoji Kawamori, who participated in the production of multiple Macross anime and designed the "Valkyrie" series of fighters, also appeared, retweeting and sharing his own fantasies. These included an unmanned Pilder that could detach and transform into a laser machine gun attack craft, and Breast Fire plates that could become canards by adding a dihedral angle. It's clear he thoroughly enjoyed the concept. Finally, he even called out to the official parties, asking if they could collaborate to release a VF-1 Valkyrie model in cooperation with Mazinger Z. Is Bandai-papa, who has close collaborations with the copyright holders of both works, listening?
無人のパイルダーは分離して、レーザー機銃ドローンになるのだろうか？
胸のブレストファイアーを翼断面形にして上反角を付ければカナード翼として機能するし、、、
などと観ていて妄想が膨らみます⭐️
どこか公式にマジンガーZとコラボしたVF-1を製品化出来ないものでしょうか⁉︎#マジンガーZ… https://t.co/R7KNMoIr9S— 河森正治 SHOJI KAWAMORI (@kawamoriexpo) August 1, 2023
It's not just Mazinger Z; Keichiro Katagiri also recently unveiled two works combining the Valkyrie with Getter-1 and Getter-2 from Getter Robo. He even plans to self-modify models to create three-dimensional versions, which has garnered significant attention. These classic robot works remain incredibly captivating even after 40 or 50 years. More collaborations and co-branded merchandise would undoubtedly generate more buzz, and perhaps inject more creativity and vitality into the industry at a time when Japanese robot anime frequently encounters challenges.
