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Grendizer U Anime Reveals Trailer, New Cast, Theme Song Artists
posted on by Joanna Cayanan
The staff for Grendizer U, the 2024 television anime series in Go Nagai's UFO Robo Grendizer franchise, revealed during a livestream on Sunday the anime's official trailer. The trailer previewed the opening theme song "Kaishin no Ichigeki" (Critical Hit) by the band Glay, and the ending theme song titled "Protect You" by BAND-MAID.
The staff also announced new cast for the anime:
Previously revealed cast includes:
- Miyu Irino as Duke Fleed
- Hiro Shimono as Koji Kabuto
- Sumire Uesaka as Sayaka Yumi
- Nao Tōyama as Hikaru Makiba
- Minami Tanaka as Grace Maria Fleed
- Haruka Tomatsu as Teronna Aqua Vega and Rubina Beryl Vega
Shun Kudō (Kimi dake ni Motetainda) is directing the anime. Tatsuto Higuchi (Shine Post) is writing the script. Arakimari is the sub-character designer. Kō Inaba, AF_KURO, and Junichi Akutsu (Astrays) are in charge of mechanical design.
The new anime is described as a reboot of the original 1975-1977 anime.
Mitsuo Fukuda (Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, Gear Fighter Dendoh, Future GPX Cyber Formula) is the anime's chief director at GAINA, and Go Nagai is the executive producer on the project. Ichiro Okouchi (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury) is writing and overseeing the series composition. Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Wolf Children, Gunbuster 2: Diebuster) is designing the characters, and Kohei Tanaka (One Piece, Sakura Wars, Dirty Pair) is composing the music.
The Mazinger franchise had teased a new project for UFO Robo Grendizer in August 2022, stating that the project would be announced in 2023.
UFO Robo Grendizer was the third installment of Nagai's Mazinger giant robot franchise (after Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger). The original Grendizer anime and manga launched in 1975, and the anime was later imported to the United States as part of Jim Terry's Force Five project. The anime and manga would also inspire three anime films.
In France, the anime was titled Goldorak when it premiered in 1978. The series helped to boost the impact and popularity of anime in the country.
Nagai launched the Grendizer Giga manga in Akita Shoten's Champion RED magazine in September 2014, and ended it in July 2015. The story is a full reboot of Nagai's UFO Robo Grendizer story. When a great fleet of flying saucers invades Earth, it awakens the true power of Daisuke Uryū. (The main lead of UFO Robo Grendizer was named Daisuke Umon.)
The manga received an animated promotional video in April 2015 to commemorate the launch of the first compiled manga volume, as well as Grendizer's 40th anniversary.
Sources: Grendizer U anime's livestream, website, and Twitter account
