The "Super Robot" genre of anime spawned from the popularity of television with shows such as Tetsujin-28 (Gigantor) and Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy). As the next decade began, manga creator Go Nagai defined the genre with his creation, Mazinger Z. As the 1970s continued, so did the tropes with super robot anime. Storylines were episodic in a monster-of-the-week style and the brightly rendered robots were designed to sell toys. Many of the characters represented an ancient or alien civilization as teenage protagonists piloted robots to defeat sinister antagonists with genocidal tendencies.
"Super Robot" anime would eventually give way to the "Real Robot" genre, defining the 1980s and beyond through realistic, emotional, and militaristic productions with popular series like Gundam and Macross. Below are the 1970 super robot series that defined a decade and contributed greatly to the mecha genre as we all know and love today.
10 Mazinger Z (1972)
In 1972, Go Nagai (Devilman, 1972 & Cutie Honey, 1973) created a manga called Mazinger Z. A few months later the same year, an anime adaptation was produced by Toei Animation and starred the protagonist Koji Kabuto as he pilots the titular Mazinger Z, created by his murdered grandfather.
With the help of his girlfriend and younger brother, Kabuto seeks revenge and sets out to fight the evil Dr. Hell and his "mechanical beasts". The series was and still is extremely successful and influential, spawning sequels, movies, and merchandise across the globe. Mazinger Z is credited as the first example of a robot being fully-functional with a pilot inside, much in the same way an automobile or plane would operate.
9 Getter Robo (1974)
Go Nagai, along with Ken Ishikawa, wrote the Getter Robo manga shortly after the success of Mazinger Z in 1974. Serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday, Getter Robo premiered as an anime simultaneously with the manga. The narrative involves the ancient underground Dino Kingdom and their plot to remove humans from the surface of Earth with a series of robot dinosaurs. To stop them, teenagers Ryouma Nagare, Hayato Jin, and Musashi Tomoe individually pilot three separate Getter.
Getter Robo is said to be the popular Gurren Lagann's (2007) greatest inspiration and is the first time the super robot genre introduced the concept of an ultimate robot created from separate but combining parts or smaller robots.
8 Brave Raideen (1975)
Directed by Yoshitaka Tomino (Mobile Suit Gundam, 1979) for the first season, Brave Raideen deals with the conflict between the Demon Empire and the Earth. The Demon Empire is an ancient civilization that awakens and plans for global domination.
Akira Hibiki, a descendent of the opposing ancient continent of Mu, is tasked to pilot Raideen, Mu's answer to the impending threat of the Demon Empire. The influence of this anime comes from the sheer magnitude and versatility of the mecha forces in the Demon Empire and their ability, as well as Raideen's, to mechanically transform.
7 Steel Jeeg (1975)
In 1975, along with Tatsuya Yasuda, Go Nagai created the Steel Jeeg manga just as quickly as Toei Animation brought it to life. The narrative focuses on a scientist, Professor Shiba, reanimating his mortally wounded son, Hiroshi, into a cyborg with an ancient bell from the underground Jamatai Kingdom.
Their Queen Himaki, however, awakens and needs the bell to take over Earth's surface. In an attempt to gain back the relic, Himaki kills Shiba, but not before Shiba can create a giant robot to save Earth from her overtaking. Guess who is the literal head and soul behind Steel Jeeg? None other than Hiroshi, who enlists his father's assistant, Miwa's, for help during battle. Steel Jeeg is an extremely popular franchise in Italy, allowing for the super robot series to gain global acclaim.
6 Gaiking (1976)
Directed by Tomoharu Katsumata of both Devilman (1972) and Cutie Honey (1973) directorial fame, Gaiking was influential to the super robot genre of anime due to the title robot having a mobile carrier. In the story, pilot of the Gaiking, Sanshiro Tsuwabuki, along with the members of the mobile carrier, Daikū Maryū, fight against the invading alien force of the Dark Horror Army.
Much controversy surrounds the actual writer of the show, with later credit being given to Go Nagai. In the early 1980s in North America, Gaiking saw its premiere on Fridays as part of American Way's Force Five series that included four other entries from the super robot era.
5 Super Electromagnetic Robot Combattler V (1976)
Super Electromagnetic Robot Combattler V or Chōdenji Robo Combattler V is the first on this list of what is known as the Robot Romance Trilogy, a series of three super robot anime directed by Tadao Nagahama. This time, the Earth is met by the menacing forces of Campbell and the super electromagnetic Combattler V is the planet's only defense.
Lead by Hyouma Aoi, the Battle Team is seen throughout the series in conflict with the antagonist robots created by the scientist and leader of Campbell, Oreana. Super Electromagnetic Robot Combattler V was introduced to American audiences through the name Shogun Warriors, as a series of Mattel-licensed toys and Marvel-licensed comics that reused assets from this and other super robot anime of this time.
4 Planetary Robot Danguard Ace (1977)
Also directed by Tomoharu Katsumata but created by the legendary Leiji Matsumoto as his first and only mecha-based narrative, Planetary Robot Danguard Ace is a futuristic tale where the Earth has been deemed inhabitable. Earthlings decide to resettle on planet Promete but a traitor named Doppler takes the planet for himself utilizing Promete's resources to create an army and threatening retaliation on Earth with this power. Eventually, Doppler destroys Earth's robots in development to overtake him, all except one: Danguard Ace.
Conveniently enough, the super robot is piloted by none other than Doppler's sixteen-year-old son, Takuma Ichimonji, and a man named Captain Dan. Planetary Robot Danguard Ace was presented to American audiences as part of the Shogun Warriors line as well as being released, alongside Gaiking, as part of the Force Five series.
3 Voltes V (1977)
Voltes V, or fully known as Chōdenji Machine Voltes V, is the second part of the aforementioned Robot Romance Trilogy. Voltes V is a mechanical robot creation of former but exiled Boazan heir-to-the-throne Professor Kentaro Go. Along with his wife Mitsuyo, Professor Hamaguchi, and General Oka, Kentaro can create Voltes V as Earth's defense from the impending Boazan invasion.
When Boazan draws near years later, Professor Hamaguchi enlists the help of Kentaro's three sons, Kenichi, Daijiro, and Hiyoshi, as well as Ippei Mine and Meguma Oka to pilot the five parts that create Voltes V and save Earth from disaster. The series has a huge following in the Philippines, possibly due in part to the fervor towards a revolution that the show glorified during its airing.
2 Invincible Super Man Zambot 3 (1977)
Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (both of Gundam fame), Zambot 3 followed the same formula as its predecessors, involving an alien force summoned to take over planet Earth. Earth becomes populated by the Jin Family, a collection of three separate families from the planet Bael, (which was wiped out by Gaizok). To defend themselves from another inevitable attack on Earth, the collective Jin Family creates a three-part robot called Zambot 3, piloted by teens Kappei Jin, Uchūta Kamie, and Keiko Kamikita.
Zambot 3 is the first of its kind to explain the many tropes super robot anime deployed and contains a particularly intense narrative for children, especially considering the fate of its characters.
1 Tōshō Daimos (1978)
As the third and last installment of the Robot Romance Trilogy, Tōshō Daimos is yet another story on the surface of a relocated civilization heading towards Earth to make roots. To emigrate to Earth, the people of the former planet Baam, begin negotiations with Earth when their leader, Leon, is betrayed and murdered.
War breaks out and the Earth creates a super robot called Daimos, piloted by Kazuya Ryūzaki, to defend against Baam. The story unfolds very similarly to a Shakespearean tragedy, as the characters learn the truth behind what makes an enemy. In the 1980s, Toushuo Daimos was eventually released in America as an edited movie titled Starbirds.