“And they’d call it Super Mazinger X or something…”
Posted by: Mike on: February 4, 2008
That’s footage from the first Taekwon V movie back in 1978. It was recently announced that this ever popular Korean anime mecha hero would be getting a live action adaptation next year. Here’s some test footage.
Go Nagai called. He wants Mazinkaiser back.
With last week’s Friday ACE coupled with recent news that I’ll cover in a second, I’ve been meaning to do a quick rant about my feelings about the seemingly never-ending plagiarism claim war.
DISCLAIMER: No I’m not trying to trash talk about Korea by posting this so please don’t flip out or anything if you are from Korea and/or a fan of Taekwon V.
Taken from Anime News Service a few years ago:
In a September 22nd interview conducted by the Kuki News, Kim, now 65, addressed recent claims appearing on Japanese internet message boards, blogs and forums that the content was copied from similar Japanese animation works. “I grow melancholic every time the story of plagiarism is heard” he said……
….The creator uses the metaphor of a car in relation to the debate. “Imagine the way a car looks in your head. If seen from a long distance, all basically have 4 tires and a body.” “If seen up close, each design can appear unique.” “To tell the truth, people in Japan have mimicked German car designs.”
He adds that in the strictest sense the story contained in Mazinger Z was not of 100% original composition, when Mazinger first appeared in 1972 cartoons featuring giant robots had existed as many as 20 years beforehand.
Yeah, let’s look into that last claim shall we?
The first robot anime could be considered Tetsuwan Atom/Astro Boy but the credit for the anime that comes close to being mech related really goes to Mitsuteru Yokoyama’s classic, Tetsujin 28, brought out to the states as Gigantor back in 1963. This robot was controlled via remote by the young protagonist and didn’t display any advanced fighting techniques of the sort apart from GIGANTOR SMASH!! and the like.
Mazinger Z first came out in 1972, the anime following shortly right after the manga. This is the first ever instance of the protagonist actually piloting the robot as nobody had done so beforehand. Sure Astro Boy and Tetsujin were around but it was of his own design and concept. Don’t believe me? Check out this excerpt from a manga that explains how he came up with it here and here.
You could even go farther back than that into American science fiction and even then, robots always obeyed the will of their masters, had a will of their own like Astro Boy, or were controlled by remote.
Either way you look at, Mazinger Z’s impact on anime can never be measured as it set the stage for numerous classics to come. I mean come on, can you imagine the likes of Gundam 00 having their Mobile Suits controlled by wristwatches. That’s not to say that somebody else wouldn’t have come up with the idea sooner or later but to say that Mazinger wasn’t 100% original is a bit of a stretch.
The piece du resistance of this is according to the Wikipedia page (the information of which should probably be taken with a grain of salt):
The Japanese giant-robot anime Mazinger Z….was popular in South Korea at the time of Robot Taekwon V’s creation….
Right. And going on, the entry does state that the creator wanted to make a hero for Korean kids. No problems there but with that many striking design homages, you need to actually own up to it. What makes it worse is when you see the sequels and the plagiarism argument gets heated up three ways from Sunday.
So with all this info, let’s look at that timeline.
1952 – Astro Boy manga
1956 – Tetsujin 28 manga
1963 – Astro Boy and Tetsujin 28 anime
1972 – Mazinger Z manga and anime
1976 – Taekwon V
Let’s get this clear: Astro Boy is the first major robot manga back in the 50’s. Tetsujin 28 is the first non-piloted robot manga and anime and it comes on in the same time period. The concepts of Mazinger Z STARTED with Mazinger Z and went on to inspire nearly everthing afterwards. Just because Go Nagai wasn’t the first person to come up with the concept of robotics, he’s suddenly the one in fault?
Now I’m sure some of you are reading this wondering why I’m making such a big deal over an obvious small thing. I’d be willing to let this go if:
A.) Kim’s comments didn’t come off sounding like Marvel’s law suit against Cryptic Studios over the concept of Superheroes having claws…
B.) He didn’t just end that particular claim with a thinly disguised “JAPAN IS WRONG!” statement that’s the equivalent of throwing 9/11 into a conversation to get a point across or answer a question.
What I hate even more is that Taekwon V, which actually has something of a slick design, has been used in numerous indie political parody/propaganda comics as this avenging angel of the Korean people. I remember reading this really graphically violent one years ago that still gives me the chills thinking about it. It’s like any chance of me actually getting to sit down and enjoy anything to do with it is close to nil at this point, it’s like not being able to enjoy Superman because you know he’s being used as symbol for America in Iraq.
What makes this worse is that, yes, I will crack jokes about Taekwon on occasion but I know deep down that getting any further involved gets me to the core of the altercation which is still at its core Korea against Japan. I know anything said in this blog won’t make a lick of difference in that respect but honestly, you guys seriously need to figure out a way to sort this out and soon before the US gets involved and fucks it all up.
(Actually, for all of our sakes, how about just not doing anything too drastic until Bush is out of office.)
Yes, Japan did some nasty things to Korea during the war but it’s over and done with. Either try to make an attempt to shake hands, make up, move on and stop holding onto grudges while passing on the hatred to your kids or just shut up. Please.
Oh and don’t make anymore crap like this:
So in short: Yes, Taekwon V is a big homage ripoff of other shows and there are those that’ll say otherwise until the cows come home but please don’t use it as fuel for an actual war. And don’t try to kill me/hack into this site/send me death threats because of my opinion, okay? I’ll be your best friend?
Holy crap, I’ve gotten into slight political commentary over a war between two cartoon robots. I really need some sleep…
5 Responses to "“And they’d call it Super Mazinger X or something…”"
October 11, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Lady Dragon
First thanks for commenting and painting a clearer picture but I apologize if I did seem like an insensitive bastard. Suppose that’s what I get for just skating around the subject >_>
See, again, my problem just lies in the defense of Taekwon V and the animosity that it always tends to generate. I loved the CG representation of him in the commercial…but I kinda wished it hadn’t been used for that specific purpose. Most of that boils down to the pacifist in me hating to see this stuff going on and maybe it was dangerously optimistic of me to post my hope for a resolution. Honestly though, I feel that it’s got to happen someday, even if it’s just the fans. (I know, I’m a wishful thinker but that’s where most of the last paragraphs came from.)
At the same time, I’m not saying that Korea should forget the past; sure this sounds like I’m really pulling here but with me being black, that’s like me trying to turn a blind eye to everything that happened to my race…even the stuff that’s STILL going on now. Once more, it’s more of the wishfully thinking pacifist in me that just wants all conflicts end already…
I wish I could respond further but I’m actually at a convention right now and I’m on the way out. Hope this helped explain my logic.
-Mike
October 11, 2008 at 5:49 pm
That’s no problem. I was like that once until my mother and grandmother explained to me what had happen to them. As I said before I have no problem with Japanese people even though it’s not reciprocated. Actually I tend to get along with Japanese-Americans and open minded younger generation Japanese just fine. It’s the older generation than tend threat me bad when they find out I’m of Korean descent, even though I don’t claim Korea as my country.
I used to be a pacifist too but I realized that as long as there are different cultures there always will be conflicts and war. I know I shouldn’t really be able to talk about pacifism being a former US Marine. But that is a debate for another day.
Have you watch the Robot Tae Kwon V series at all? It’s actually pretty good and for that time the plot and the way the robot was piloted was actually original. Maybe growing up with Robot tae Kwon v has me a little biased but being a fan of the mecha anime (robotech/ macross series being my favorite) I think I can have room to talk.
I’m actually excited about the alive action movie. and I can wait to see it. Probably will have to download a screener since I can’t see it coming over the ocean to America.
But I understand about how certain people get over zealous. But then isn’t that fandom. The reason your get so much animosity for any remotely negative about Robot tae Kwon v is that it is the icon of the Koren people. Much in the way Superman and Batman are the icons of the American people. Can you imagine what kind of animosity it would create if someone said ,hypothetically, Superman wasn’t orginal and they hate how superman was used for stupid propaganda?
As for me I’ve always said don’t knock it till you try it. I do value other peoples opinons and I hope I’ve shone a light of understanding to this subject. I hope you didn’t take this as an attack but as a calm explanation to those who love tae kwon v.
October 12, 2008 at 7:41 am
I did actually manage to see the movie about two years ago without subtitles and from what I could understand, I did think it was kinda cool. I know there was the recent restoration of the film from like…last year? Maybe two years ago? Either way, I think I may check out the new live-action as it’s the closest thing I’m getting to a Mazinger movie.
Like I said, I do love TK’s design but it just bothers me when it gets used for stuff like the commercial. Maybe it’s that and the really graphically violent Anti-American comic that came out around the same time that just sort of turned me off to him.
It reminds me of your Superman comment: In America during the 1940’s, Captain America and other Marvel and DC superheroes were depicted fighting against stereotypical Japanese and German villains. Hell there were even Disney and Warner Bros/ cartoons that played into the stereotypes and propaganda. Sure you can say it was because of “the times” but it still doesn’t make it right. I feel like I can’t do the description of the way it makes me feel seeing stuff like that justice…It’s like it sort of cheapens them, like whatever impact they had on your life is suddenly reversed after watching a childhood hero being used as propaganda tool.
As for the negativity, I know I barely touched upon it in the entry but I feel the same way that it’s more because it’s Korea’s icon that it gets a lot of flack. With this post, I was just attacking it from a logistical standpoint. It just wasn’t that much of a solid defense and that’s why I looked into it…me just being me I guess ^^
One day if it can get fully subbed, I’ll give Taekwon V a proper shot and maybe you’ll get lucky with a R1 of the live action as I’m sure there’s got to be somebody that’ll want to pick it up. In the meantime, my ride for my flight leaves around noon so I need to get some sleep but I still wanted to respond right away. Again, thanks for responding and putting some perspective on it.
October 12, 2008 at 7:10 pm
thought I share two new RTKV cgi demos with you pretty cool first one is RTKV actually doing tae known do and the other is its specs hoep you enjoy.
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October 11, 2008 at 6:41 am
You do have some good points but I think you’re missing the spirit of Robot tae kwon v. I grew up with the cartoon and actually other than the look it really didn’t copy other robot anime/ mangas. Even within the look there where some differences like the helmet was actually designed after the last great Korean general’s helmet.
The only thing I disagree with you is that you have no idea how big the japanese/ korean conflict is. It started when Japan sent assassins to Korea’s royal palace and killed our empress, decerated her body and burned it in the courtyard. They stripped the Emperor of his power and married the prince to a lesser japanese princess to eliminate the bloodline. And for what? So they can use Korea as a land bridge to take over China during world war II.
The tragedies did not end there. They made the Korean people foreigner in their own lands. The made the korean people give up their yields from the fields to feed the Japanese people. When the Koreans wanted to eat, they were made to march around in formation an recite the decoration of loyal to the their god the Japanese Emperor. If they could not perform this weekly humiliation their families starved. The Japanese also did other atrocities as taking all the young women in the ages of thirteen to eighteen from their villages to serve as “comfort women” to the Japanese soldiers. In other words they forced to have sex with Japanese men. I know this because my Grandmother live through this.
Korea has made attemps to resolve these issues peacefully but everytime Japan basically kicked them in the nuts. I know Korean desended people living in japan unable to get citizenship even though they’ve lived there for five generations. That stupid propaganda cartoon have shown in your blog is actually a response to Japan yet again claiming a island off the coast of Korea as their own, even though there are archeological evidence that the Korean people have lived there for centuries.
I actually find it funny that Japan have produced anime like Code Geasse where their people are oppressed by a foreign power and have no rights at all. I’ve hmmmm didn’t they do that to Korea once.
Being American born I don’t have any animosities against Japan. I actually like the Japanese culture more than the Korean one. But to ask the Korean people to get over what Japan have done to them is like asking the Jewish nation to forget about the Holocaust.
In a way the World War II era was the Korean Holocaust and when the Japanese where finally defeated they left Korea in shambles. The lack of ruling class lead to the Korean War. Many people were killed during that war including many members of my family, my father was born in what is now North Korea.
So knowing these facts do you still feel that the Korean people should forget about the past?
So in short be more sensitive too the Korean plight.