Tetsujin 28-gou: Hakuchuu no Zangetsu
Synopsis
This theatrical version based on the manga by Yokoyama Mitsuteru, deals with the genius boy detective Kaneda Shotaro and his giant robot, Tetsujin 28, set in Tokyo ten years after the end of the Second World War. Shotaro's missing brother appears as a a new character who was trained as a pilot of the soldier robot Tetsujin which Japan had created for the Second World War. However, with the end of the war, there was nothing left for him but a peaceful Japan. In the meantime, "Destruction Bombs" are found in many places in Tokyo. The bombs were developed by Professor Kaneda, the creator of Tetsujin 28 and Shotaro's father, as the ultimate weapons to protect the mainland. If the bombs explode, Tokyo will be reduced to ashes.
Audience Consensus
Overall, the consensus is that this movie is a disappointing departure from the original series. Many viewers feel it doesn't live up to the established standards, with character inconsistencies and a trivialized plot being major drawbacks. While the animation and music maintain a certain quality, the film ultimately fails to capture the depth and impact of its predecessor.
Strengths
- Music and animation are as good as in the show.
- Visual presentation of the finale will be extremely familiar to you if you've seen Giant Robo.
Weaknesses
- Movie doesn't live up to the standard set by its predecessor.
- Characters are just completely out of character.
- Tetsujin itself was treated as a character with its own arc and themes in the series, and yet, it's just a plot device here.
- Antagonists' motivations range from shallow to a tad incomprehensible, and some of them are just trivialized versions of the same antagonists from the series.
- The short length prevents both the impact and depth it presented.