King of Braves GaoGaiGar

King of Braves GaoGaiGar (勇者王ガオガイガー or Yuusha-Oh GaoGaiGar) is an anime series made in 1997, and was the eighth and final Yuusha or "Brave Saga" series funded by Takara during the lapse in Transformers popularity. The Yuusha shows were unrelated but all revolved around super robot life-forms who transformed and combined with each other.

The setting of GaoGaiGar is the fictional G-Island in the near future. A young boy named Mamoru experiences an odd reaction (hair turning green, visions of horrible grinning aliens) while on a class trip to Garbage Island. Soon, a monstrous Zonder alien appears, formed from the discarded appliances, and the cyborg Gai appears with the mechanical lion Galeon. As the battle intensifies, the approval is given from the secret organization GGG (Gutsy Geoid Guard) to merge with the Gao Machines and defeat the Zonder with the invincible 'King of Braves' GaoGaiGar with his killer move, "Hell and Heaven." Just as Gai prepares to obliterate the Zonder core, Mamoru turns into a winged fairy-like being and reveals the core was actually a civilian all along...

GaoGaiGar sets itself apart from the late nineties mecha crowd by being a genuine, and light-hearted action show in the midst of Evangelion's angsty backdraft. The overall theme is about self-betterment, with the Zonderians making monsters of discontent 'regular joe' types- a truck driver who hates traffic, a fat man who's tired of being picked on- and once Mamoru has purified them, they learn to be content with their lot in life.

The robots are excellent examples of Kunio Okawara's style of mecha design. GaoGaiGar itself is a powerfully-built machine formed from GaiGar (Guy fused with Galeon), and the bullet-train, stealth bomber, and drill tank known as Gao Machines. His right hand represents destruction (Broken Magnum!), his left protection (Protect Shade). The final attack Hell and Heaven combines these powers to rip the core out of Zonders without harming it. Later GaoGaiGar adds an even more powerful finishing blow in the form of the Goldion Hammer, a gravity-driven toy mallet larger than GaoGaiGar itself.

His supporting cast include Hyoryuu and Enryuu, a pair of 'twin brother' mecha, their Chinese counterparts Furyuu and Rairyuu, the ninja police car VolFogg, and Mic Sounders the 13th, an aggravating American-made robot who uses sound energy to power up other robots- or destroy the world if used improperly. There is also the stubborn GoldyMarg, who acts as the Hammer's transport device, and the massive, enigmatic J-Ark.

GaoGaiGar was a 49-episode TV series, followed by the 8-part OVA GaoGaiGar FINAL. The animation group Studio 7 later went on to create the unique horror anime Betterman.

Characters

Gutsy Geoid Guard

• Gai/Guy Shishiō:

2 years before the first Zondar attack, Gai was mortally wounded when Pasdar smashed through his shuttle craft. Thankfully he was saved by Galeon and returned to earth. He was then given a second chance when his father, Leo Shishiou, used the technology and the single G-Stone brought by Galeon to convert Gai into a cyborg bent on protecting everyone. Gai is involved romantically with fellow GGG member Utsugi Mikoto. He 'fuses' into Galeon so it could transform to Gaigar, who combines with the GaoMachines to form GaoGaiGar.

By the end of the series, Gai became a normal human again when he 'saved' Mikoto from the neo-Zonder enity she became. He become the pilot of the GaoFar robot, which combines with the GaoMachines to form GaoFighGar.

Gutsy Galaxy Guard

Zondar

• Pasdar

The Zondar that fell to Earth 2 years ago, classified as EI-01. When it struck Tokyo, it killed many, before it burrowed underground where it assimulated the various machinery. Now it works to complete its plan to erect "Zonder Metal Plants" which will take over the world, turning humanity into Zonder. It has the "Four Kings of the Machine World" to carry out his world.

Primevals/Z-Master

After the Zondar was removed, it turned out Pasdar was only a harbinger of the true terror, the origin of all Zondarians: The Zondar Masters, the 31 Primevals. Apparently led by their unseen guide, the doll-like Pagliaccio, the 31 Primevals seek out worlds to convert to Zondar. When Pasdar's core was re-absorbed by Pagliaccio, the Primevals immediately knew of their enemies weaknesses... and would then use this knowledge to its maximum potential.

Each of the 31 Primevals are based around a body part as they all were original one being, the Z-Master (the form of the 'Master Program' that the people of the Purple Planet created). A giant being of light and matter, creation and destruction. But the Z-Master splintered itself into its 31 components to spread the Zondar conversion. When a Primeval is 'cleansed' by either Alma or Latio they become a puzzle piece that fits together to reform the Master Program. While it was the J Forces ultimate goal to reconstruct the 'Master Program' so that it could be destroyed, Arm took advantage of their work and with 'The Power', the Z-Master was reformed.

• Pagliacco: The unseen leader of the Primevals, her true identity is the Genshu Heart (the source of Genshu).

• Arm: The leader of the Primeval Seven, and Pagliaccio's righthand man. He was the one who defeated Soldat J 002 during the subjugation of the Red Planet. From his single massive bicep he can loose a shockwave attack. During his teaming with his companions, he absorbed a New Jersey Class Battleship. He escapes to Eqypt where he fused with a Pyramid to make a Zondar Metal Plant with help from stomach. The GGG would face Arm again at Jupiter, where he fused into Europa. Despite these events, Arm survived and managed to steal the Master Program pieces from J-Ark and reform the Z-Master.

Bionet

11 Planetary Masters of Sol

• Cain
• Abel

Other

• Soldat-J 002/Pizza

He was one of the 31 cyborg soldiers created by Abel on the Red Planet to defend against the conversion of the Genshu. Only Soldat J survived, only to be converted into Pizza of the "Zondarian Big Four". He normally takes the disguise of a regular human with '70s attire. He often involves himself with airplanes and other flying vehicles—although unlike the others, he likes to get 'personal' once in a while.

But deep in his memories he always remembered his proud warrior heritage, and his role as defender. When he combined with a super-sonic jet, he first fought Gaogaigar. But he turned on Pazdar and was mortally wounded. Alma arrived after Pazdar's defeat and purified Pizza. Now Soldat J again, he helps the GGG fight the Genshu, with intentions of fulling his objective: To destroy the 31 Primevals, no matter what the cost. He can fuse with the J-Bird to form J-Der, who combines with the J-Ark to form King J-Der.

Soldat's character design, with his spiked, sweeping blonde hair and long, sharp nose, was an homage to Cyborg-002/Jet Link from the classic manga/anime series, Cyborg 009.