Getter Robo Armageddon

Getter Robo Armageddon
Japanese DVD cover art of the first volume
真（チェンジ!!）ゲッターロボ 世界最後の日 (Change!! Getter Robo: The Final Day of the World)
Genre	Mecha
Original video animation
Directed by	Yasuhiro Imagawa (ep 1-3) Jun Kawagoe (ep 4-13)
Produced by	Shigeru Watanabe Tatsuo Osawa
Music by	Yasunori Iwasaki
Studio	Dynamic Planning Bandai Visual Brain's Base
Licensed by	US A.D. Vision (former) Discotek Media (current)
Released	1998
Episodes	13

Getter Robo Armageddon ( 真(チェンジ!!)ゲッターロボ~世界最後の日, Shin (Chenji!!) Getta Robo~Sekai Saigo no Hi), often simply referred to as Change!! Getter Robo in Japan, is an original video animation released in 1998 by Bandai Visual, based on the manga and anime series Getter Robo, created by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa. The series, however, owes more to the manga than the 1970s animated adaptation, with designs closer to those of Ishikawa's original art, and a darker, more serious theme than the anime. It is a direct sequel to the audio drama 'Getter Robo: The Moon Wars', not the 1970s TV series (a common misconception).

Plot

The plot opens some time after the Moon Wars, where things for the original cast have taken a turn for the worse. the main character and pilot of Getter-1, Ryouma Nagare, has been framed for the murder of the Getter Machine builder Dr. Saotome after the death of Saotome's daughter, Michiru. However, he is released from jail and is reunited on Earth—unhappily—with his old allies, Hayato Jin (who set up then testified against Ryouma) and Musashi Tomoe, to fight none other than Dr. Saotome himself, who has seemingly risen from the grave to threaten humanity with his ultimate creation—and most dangerous weapon—Shin Getter Dragon, a massive weapon powered by the same cosmic Getter Rays which gave life to their old weapons. However, their efforts to stop Dr. Saotome, not to mention an overzealous Japanese Defense Force, are in vain, as nuclear weapons are used on Shin Dragon.

The resulting explosion and shock wave of Getter Rays wipes out 99% of the human population worldwide. Thirteen years after this catastrophe, as humanity clings desperately to life, the re-emerged extraterrestrial Invaders threaten Earth once more. The only safeguard against this alien threat is a giant robot that emerges from the wreckage of the nuclear blast—Shin Getter Robo—piloted by an artificially created human named Gou. With the help of Hayato's Super Robot Army and Gou's co-pilots Kei and Gai, Shin Getter fights to keep humanity's dreams alive.

Later, Ryouma returns piloting the Black Getter Robo to aid the new Getter team against Dr. Saotome who returns with Stinger and Corwen when Shin Getter Dragon re-activates and continues its evolution. It was also revealed that Kei was Dr. Saotome's younger daughter and Michiru's younger sister, who was adopted by Benkei. Soon the Invaders put their true plan into action by transforming Jupiter into a Getter Ray Sun and Ganymede one of its moons would soon go on a collision course with Earth, prompting both the old and new Getter teams to spring into action to save the planet.

Characters

Old Getter Team

• Ryouma Nagare – Former leader of the Getter team and pilot of Getter-1, he was framed some time before the events of the OVA for the death of Dr. Saotome. However, when Dr. Saotome seemingly returns from the dead and threatens to start the end of the world, he is released from jail to commit the very murder he was put in jail for, which he is all too happy to do. After the nuclear explosion he seems to be disappeared, but in reality he was transported 13 years into the future, and then returned from the moon piloting the Black Getter.

• Hayato Jin – Former member of the Getter team and pilot of Getter-2, Hayato is manipulative and seems to have ulterior motives. He was the one who framed Ryoma for murder and helped Dr. Saotome with his plan. He claims to regret helping Dr. Saotome and 13 years after the nuclear fallout, he reappears as the commander of a massive ground battleship called the Tower along with a small army of Super Robots to fight the resurfaced Invaders.

• Musashi Tomoe – Former member of the Getter team and pilot of Getter-3. After Saotome's supposed death, he took care of Genki, Saotome's daughter. However circumstances forced him back in a Getter, where he was killed by Invaders early in the story.

• Benkei Kuruma – In the Armageddon story Musashi and Benkei have met and are friends, he raises Genki as his own daughter (giving her the name Kei) to protect her identity after the fallout. He plays the mentor role during most of the series but eventually returns to pilot Shin Getter.

New Getter Team

• Go Saotome – Pilot of Shin Getter-1, he is an artificial human created by Dr. Saotome in order to control Shin Dragon. After the nuclear fallout he realizes Kei is Dr. Saotome's daughter and devotes himself to protect her. He does not seem to age, as he stays exactly the same after 13 years. Although based on the character of Go Ichimonji from Ken Ishikawa's Getter Robo Go manga, the two characters bare little similarity.

• Genki Saotome – The younger daughter of Dr. Saotome, she becomes traumatized after witnessing what truly happened to her older sister. When the nuclear bomb exploded, the trauma of everything caused her to go amnesiac, where she began life fresh as "Kei Kuruma", Benkei's tomboyish daughter. As Kei, she pilots Shin Getter-2. Genki's character is a departure from the TV series, as Genki is a boy in that series as the tag-along happy-go-lucky character. Kei is based on the character of Kei Minamikaze from the Getter Robo Go manga, but aside from their appearance and involvement with the Getter Team, they are otherwise unrelated.

• Gai Daido – A large but good-natured guy, he was part of Benkei's group when they ventured to the outside world after 13 years. After Benkei is injured by Invaders, he becomes pilot of Shin Getter-3. He is friends with Kei and seems to have a small crush on her.

Antagonists

• Professor Saotome – The father of Getter technology, he was supposedly killed by Hayato but mysteriously returned from the dead. He takes a departure from the traditional role by being the antagonist throughout most of the story. He holds a grudge against Ryoma and Hayato because of the death of Michiru, his daughter, and it is this grudge that starts his plans for the end of the world.

• Mr. Stinger and Mr. Cowen – Two mysterious scientists who worked with Dr. Saotome on Getter Energy in the past. However, because of their desire for evolution they have allowed Invaders into their bodies and believe the Invaders are the only ones for the Earth, and therefore the Getter Energy. Along with Dr. Saotome, they are the antagonists of the story. Stinger and Cowen are both based on two characters from Ken Ishikawa's Majuu Sensen. Stinger is based on Dr. Barbia, and Cowen is based on Dr. Shot.

• Invaders – The amorphous creatures which were eradicated in the Moon Wars. However they seem to have resurfaced on Earth, with the intention of reaching Shin Dragon. After the nuclear explosion the Invaders have thrived and spread rapidly across the surface. Invaders have the power to possess humans, mutating them into hideous creatures, as well as survive even if reduced to tiny pieces. They can also assume any shape they want, as they are amorphous in nature. However their one weakness lies in the fact that Getter Rays cause their overevolution, destroying them with enough exposure. Their most distinctive features are their many eyeballs and protruding spikes.

Other

• Michiru Saotome – Dr. Saotome's oldest daughter who was killed in a Getter combining accident involving Ryouma and Hayato. Dr. Saotome believes it was on purpose and holds an intense grudge against them, which starts the events of Armageddon.

• Professor Shikishima – A creepy and odd scientist with a deformed face, he is always beside Hayato and is extremely interested in Shin Dragon's evolution and Go.

• Schwartz – An American Super Robot pilot in Hayato's army, he usually leads the attacks. It is implied his girlfriend was killed by Invaders in the past. He also has a hatred for the Japanese due to their hiding from the outside world, this causes him to dislike the new Getter Team. However he learns to respect the team after they save his life. He pilots the Stilva, which is a black humanoid robot capable of changing into a stealth fighter.

• Gore and Burai – The Armageddon continuity's versions of Emperor Gore and Emperor Burai, the main antagonists from the original Getter Robo and Getter Robo G, respectively. In this setting they're cloned humans, made from Ryouma and Hayato's DNA and infused with Getter Rays, in order to control Shin Dragon. However, for unknown reasons became horrible monsters that rampage once awakened, eventually fusing into a giant monster (resembling Burai's Combined Hundred Oni Robot).

Episodes

1. From Beyond the Grave (復活!!悪の要塞 早乙女研究所!, Fukkatsu!! Aku no Yōsai Saotome Kenkyūsho, Reborn!! Saotome Laboratory, the Stronghold of Evil!)
2. Shin Dragon: God or Devil? (脅威!! 神か悪魔か真ドラゴン!, Kyūi!! Kami ka Akuma ka Shin Doragon, Menace!! Shin Dragon, God or Devil?!)
3. Goodbye, Getters! (日本壊滅!!さらばゲッター!, Nihon Kaimetsu!! Saraba Gettā!, Japan Annihilated!! Farewell Getter!)
4. After the Blast (激震!!荒れ狂う大地!, Gekishin!! Arekuruu Daichi!, Earthquake!! The Raging Land!)
5. The New Generation (出撃!!新たなる戦士たち!, Shutsugeki!! Aratanaru Senshi-tachi!, Sortie!! New Warriors!)
6. The Awful Truth (悪夢!!暴かれた真実!, Akumu!! Abakareta Shinjitsu, Nightmare!! The Truth Revealed!)
7. Into the Dragon (決戦!!スーパーロボット軍団!, Kessen!! Sūpā Robotto Gundan!, Decisive Battle!! Super Robot Army!)
8. Blood and Ice (死闘!!血に染まる氷原!, Shitō!! Ketsu ni Somaru Hyōgen!, Struggle to the Death!! Blood Dyed Ice Fields!)
9. Battleground: Manhattan (謀略!!摩天楼の決闘!, Hōryaku!! Matenrō no Kettō, Stratagem!! Skyscraper Duel!)
10. War in the Pacific (降臨!!南海を断つ邪神!, Kōrin!! Nankai o Tatsu Jashin!, Advent!! The Evil God that Cleaves the Southern Sea!)
11. Overload! (襲来!!甦る亡者たち!, Shōrai!! Yomigaeru Mōja-tachi!, Invasion!! Resurrection of the Dead!)
12. Help from the Stars (戦慄!!砕け散る魂!, Senritsu!! Kudakechiru Tamashii!, Tremble!! Smashed Spirits!)
13. Evolution's End (閃光!!進化の果て!, Senkō!! Shinka no Hate!, Flash!! Evolution's End!)

Controversy

Yasuhiro Imagawa was originally put in charge of the project. Due to an unknown disagreement with the staff, he left the project and took all the story notes with him, leaving the show hanging from episode 3 and onward.

Reception

As a whole, the response to this OVA was positive, thanks in large part to its distinctly retro character designs combined with high-quality animation. The effects of the OVA were long-lasting, as it led to the creation of two other Getter OVA's (Shin Getter Robo vs Neo Getter Robo and New Getter Robo), as well as the revival of the Mazinger Z franchise with Mazinkaiser in 2001.

Unlike other series produced by Dynamic Planning, as Getter Robo Armageddon's setting departs with the standard setting of the Getter world (especially towards manga version) too far, Armageddon's appearance in Super Robot Wars Series is very little as other Getter Robo and Mazinger series counterparts do (Only Destiny involved its storyline, until the 2011 announcement of 2nd Super Robot Wars Z, and a Black Getter, modified to room 3 pilots, has been placed as a hidden mech in Alpha Series). However, it participated in robot action game Another Century's Episode 3: The Final instead, which differs from other Dynamic Planning's production that mostly involved in strategy, or shooting games.

External links

• Japanese Official Website
• Getter Robo Armageddon (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia