Holy copyright infringement Batman! Today's entry will take us to the warm waters of 1960s Acapulco (Mexico) and the not so safe lands of blatantly stealing somebody else's idea.
La Mujer Murciélago, AKAThe Batwoman is a 1968 Mexican wrestling superhero film directed by Rene Cardona and starred by Mexican Italian bombshell Maura Muti. Yes, you read that right "Wrestling superhero" was a popular movie genre in Mexico. In a nutshell, most of these films would have a super powered wrestler aiding the police in solving the weirdest cases: Aliens, vampires, werewolves, mummies, gangsters, imposters, you name it!
Acapulco city is no longer a safe city for wrestlers and fit people. Some madman that goes by the name of Dr. Williams has been plotting murders of the best specimens available: Luchadores! Obviously, the police are too stupid to find out who's behind these surgical precise murders. The FBI sends one of their best agents to aid detectives Mario Robles & Tony Roca: The Batwoman!
A mad scientist that looks like an early Two-Face.
A sea creature! Call Aquaman!
Set to work undercover (because she dresses casual, like everybody else does) Our Batwoman is actually, Gloria, a rich woman who's champion of all martial art, wrestling and scuba diving. Everyone loves her, and everyone wants to befriend her or fuck her. Being so popular, no one will notice her undercover work at a local gym where the best wrestlers work out.
Why didn't DC Comics notice this movie?
Being so popular with the now classic show, Batman was the number one superhero in the late 60's. Toys, apparel, candy, records, stickers and even a movie and a strong influence over the actual comic book, guaranteed millions of dollars to the property owners. So why didn't DC Comics stopped the production of this rip-off? Perhaps they didn't think their comic books were sold south of the border. Be that as it may, we can't help but notice how shameless this rip-off is:
Like Bruce Wayne, Gloria is a rich loner, master of all martial arts. Check! She also wears a batsuit with the exact same color pattern as Bruce does! check! She has black car with red stripes that kinda looks like the magnificent Batmobile from the original show.
Fight crime with an ergonomic suit.
Look gorgeous at any situation.
So what's original in Batwoman's world?
Well, she's more like a hero wrestler. The likes of El Santo and his many imitators. Also, she fights evil scientists and sea creatures. Not that Batman didn't, but there are subtle differences here. In addition, she wears a skin tight bikini to fight crime. No nip slips, no pubes in broad daylight. On the other hand, Batgirl had a full body suit, or a skirt depending on the version. A lot less kinkier in the source material if I might add. Another aspect that would make therapy charlatans shit in their pants, is the fact that evil Dr. Williams was ahead of its time! The reason behind murdering perfect athletes is because they can be the best pineal gland donors! Yes, the bad guy is depleting the substance to create the ultimate man-fish warrior! And yet, here you are wasting your money on scam therapies to feel happier! Wait no more and call now! Dr. Williams can turn you into a perfect creature in no time! Oh, wait, you're neither a wrestler nor living in 1968. Oh well, whatever, nevermind!
¡Arriba las manos y abajo la verga!
It's not wise to upset a lady.
Believe it or not, the film did so well in Mexico that they sold it to France & Italy where it caused a big sensation. Sadly, you can't get an official copy of it in the U.S. because, DC Comics! However, it's on YouTube.
Now, what makes this film memorable, is the fact they got away with it, and of course Maura Muti's perfect body. A shame she never posed nude or worked in dirty movies. Plotwise, La Mujer Murciélago isn't an original story. As a matter of fact, it plays like a standard wrestler hero movie. The bad guys don't help either. Cloned from 50's horror films Dr. Williams is cliched as fuck. Same with the sea monster which looks to be taken straight from TheCreature from the Black Lagoon. On the other hand the action scenes cause a mildly better impression on the viewer. There's an excellent car chase sequence, and while there aren't a lot of fight scenes, they're well staged as well.
Hands up! panties off!
Sometimes we feel like fucking justice, don't we?
Overall, The Batwoman can be an odd addition to those looking for some entertainment during these pandemic times. Just don't expect too much, enjoy the visual spectacle Maura Muti is. Here's the movie trailer:
Hello fellow connoisseurs! No! I wasn't dead! (at least not yet) I was just too busy working from home 24/5. Now that I've adjusted to working through my computer from Monday to Friday, I feel healthy enough as to deliver a brand new post about another awesome Animé that everyone should watch based on its historical value alone.
Enter Mazinger Z, the archetype of giant robots Animé!
Background.
マジンガーZ, AKA Mazinger Z, (known briefly as Tranzor Z in the United States) is a Japanese super robot manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later continued in Kodansha TV Magazine from October 1973 to September 1974. It was adapted into an anime television series which aired on Fuji TV
from December 1972 to September 1974. A second manga series was
released alongside the TV show, this one drawn by Gosaku Ota, which
started and ended almost at the same time as the TV show. Mazinger Z has spawned several sequels and spinoff series, among them being Great Mazinger, UFO Robot Grendizer and Mazinkaiser.
Mazinger Z: Infinity, a theatrical film sequel, taking place 10 years after the original series, was animated by Toei Animation and released in theaters on January 13, 2018.
Synopsis.
The villainous Dr. Hell has amassed an army
of mechanical beasts in his secret hideaway, the island of Bardos
located in the Aegean Sea. He is capable of controlling mechanized
beasts with his cane, and instructs them to unleash devastating attacks.
However, Dr. Hell doesn't do all the dirty work by himself; he has his
loyal henchman Baron Ashura to carry out his devilish plans.
There are also those that will see to it that evil does not prevail.
Kouji Kabuto is the young and feisty teenager with a score to settle:
his goal is avenging the murder of his grandfather by Dr. Hell. And he
might just be able to pull it off, as he is the pilot of Mazinger Z, a
mighty giant robot made out of an indestructible metal known as
Super-Alloy Z.
Mazinger Z boasts several powerful special attacks. By channeling
Photonic Energy through its eyes, and unleashing the Koushiryoku Beam,
it can cause great destruction. But things get really cool when Mazinger
Z launches its Rocket Punch attack. Dr. Hell and his minions might have
just found their match!
The magnificent blu-ray box artwork.
How many characters can you spot?
Review.
It’s hard to think of a clearer Japanese contribution to
animation and science fiction than the creation of the giant robot genre. For the millions of
kids that grew up outside Japan in the 80s and 90s, and were lucky enough to witness some classic Animé on the tele, big robot shows were an introduction to a whole new style of "cartoon". Although there were American cartoons featuring robots, the storytelling was nothing like what kids had seen before. Moreover, a lot of fans, experts and forums across the internet (they can't be wrong) agree the origin of the genre can be traced to a single comic — Go Nagai’s Mazinger Z. By the time the series debuted in 1972, readers had already been dazzled by incredible robots like the remote-controlled Tetsujin 28 (another true legend) and especially the sentient Astroboy (Tetsu-Wan Atom). But those robots’ strength was always just out of the reader’s grasp. Mazinger Z was
the first series to put a kid protagonist inside the cockpit of a
giant robot, and Toei’s 1973 animated series became a huge hit
domestically, both in terms of ratings and in merchandising revenue. Such hit would later come to Europe, South and North America.
But what made it so interesting? what makes it relevant today? The 48 year old series followed the adventures of Kouji Kabuto, the hot-headed,
motorcycle-riding 16 year-old and pilot of the series’ namesake super
robot. Mazinger Z is forged out of Super Alloy Z (whose
critical component, Japanium, can only be found at the base of Mt. Fuji)
by Kouji’s grandfather, Juuzou. The story more or less revolves around
Kouji fighting off the evil Dr. Hell’s weekly mechanical beasts —
ancient robot monsters from a pre-Grecian civilization. However, is not like the traditional "enemy of the week" type of show. Mazinger Z did have an ending and few surprises to keep viewers craving for more.
Blu ray matters.
A very young Go Nagai.
Design wise, the art style is cartoonish by today's Anime standards. If you compare it to other classic shows from around the same time like Mobile Suit Gundam (Gundam 0079 for the uninitiated) or later entries like Super Dimension Fortress Macross or Armored Trooper V.O.T.O.M.S. you'll see the animation style moved on to a more industrially detailed mechanical design which still remains as the standard for Mecha/Robot animation. However, this is by no means a critique stating Mr. Go Nagai's designs were lacking. As a matter of fact, this particular "cartoonish" style was very prominent during the 70's, and you can see it in most of the other Giant Robot shows made in the same decade, and speaking of unique, Mazinger Z featured two female robots, whose main weapon was missiles coming out of their breast, AKA the "boob missiles". An insult by today's politically correct standards, or an oddity from another time. Moreover, the show had a particular set of characteristics never seen before by an audience outside Japan: In the first episode, Kouji’s
mother and grandfather are both killed in front of the viewer at the
hand of Baron Ashura, a half-man half-woman character never seen before by the western crybabies. But, wait! there's more death!
Dr. Hell burns to a crisp the rest of Kouji's father research team
alive in full detail. This idea of showing real death in
kids’ cartoons may be old news today, but in the 70's (and 80's outside Japan) it was a groundbreaking concept. Have you ever heard someone call Animé "Dark & Gritty" or "Not kids stuff"? Well, there you have it! The concept of death & graphic violence in Japanese animation has been around for longer than you think. Despite this, Nagai’s creations became a hit in Europe and
South America, because kids from all over the world wanted to see graphic violence, death and weaponized breasts!
The good guys.
The bad guys.
Nagai reportedly got his idea for piloting a robot from watching
frustrated drivers in a traffic jam, imagining a car that could sprout
arms and legs and walk over the other vehicles. “What I had in common
with the children that were seeing robots was that I wanted to have this
incredible power,”he told Web R25
in 2009. “I didn’t equate giant robots with weapons, I wanted to give a
teenaged character a suit of armor that would turn him into a hero,” he
added.
After the massive success Mazinger Z had (and still has) in Japan Go Nagai would continue to provide the world with more original stories. Although he did make more Giant Robot Manga (Getter Robo, Steel Jeeg, Grandizer, and a lot more) He didn't shy away from exploring other genres. As a matter of fact, Devilman, Devilman Lady, Violence Jack & Cutie Honey, some of his most popular creations, are not part of the robot genre he helped create. In addition, he even made one of the earliest Ecchi mangas! Harenchi Gakuen (Shameless School) in 1968. This dirty manga would later be adapted into Animé, live action film (4) & a television drama. This man has pretty much done everything there is to be done in the industry!
The action figure!
The statue!
By the way, did you know that Go Nagai is nothing but a pen name? The actual name behind this wonderful universe is Kiyoshi Nagai. If Osamu Tezuka is the father of manga, Go Nagai is the cool
uncle who lets the kids sneak sips of his beer and always tells the
funniest dirty stories. The Roger Corman of manga and anime active since 1967, he has had a great influence on the world of Manga and Anime, as he effectively pioneered many of their most representative genres.
Nagai
began his career after he fell sick in college and believed he had
colon cancer, as he wished to leave something to be remembered for. By
the time he found out he did not have cancer, he was set on his career.
Ironically his first efforts at getting published were sabotaged by his own mother! Fortunately, he caught the attention of Shotaro Ishinomori, (creator of Cyborg 009) who helped him get started. Nagai eventually funded his own company called Dynamic Productions.
Nagai is known for intentionally breaking taboos. Even his milder material
has a humorously deranged quality to it. His early works got him in
trouble with the PTA, and even today some of them can contain
controversial material. Nevertheless, most of his TV work is technically
safe in the interest of placating censors even in Latin America and
Europe (though not the US).
Vintage poster. Awesome!
Girl power.
Over the past 40 years, the author’s works have grown and multiplied. Mazinger Z was the jumping-off point for a raft of related material, including Great Mazinger, Z Mazinger, UFO Robo Grendizer, Getter Robo, Psycho Armor Govarian, and God Mazinger. Later, other series like Mobile Suit Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangelion
were able to refine the giant robot formula by making their robots more
realistic; having a limited supply of ammunition, and needing onscreen
repairs after tough battles. In contrast, realism was never high on
Nagai’s list of priorities. He tried to make his characters as
outlandish as possible, and shunned writing long story arcs in advance,
preferring to make things up as he went along. “Nowadays, the trend is
for the characters to have complex personal relationships, but I think
things should feel straighter. That’s why my robots are more fun than
what they have now,” said Nagai in an interview with the Sankei Shinbun.
It was never Nagai’s intention to teach the youth, just to give them
the feeling of being big and powerful. “Kids want to turn into adults
fast,” said Nagai. “I just wanted to take that feeling and turn it into a
human riding inside a robot.”
