— IDENTITY —
Original Name
勇者ライディーン (Yūsha Raidīn)
English Title
Reideen the Brave (also known as Brave Raideen or Heroic Rydeen)
Debut
April 4, 1975
Studio
Sunrise (then known as Soeisha), produced by Tohokushinsha
Network
NET (now TV Asahi)
Directors
Yoshiyuki Tomino (episodes 1–25), Tadao Nagahama (episodes 26–50)
Classification
Super Robot — Mystical/Ancient Origin type
— DEVELOPMENT HISTORY —
Origin
Built roughly 12,000 years ago by the ancient Mu Kingdom, by order of King Ra Mu, to defend against the newly formed Demon Empire led by Barao. Constructed using Mutronium, a supernatural metal capable of self-healing
Industry Context
Reideen was created partly to capitalize on the success of Mazinger Z, and marked director Yoshiyuki Tomino's first mecha anime work — years before he would go on to create Mobile Suit Gundam
Reideen is historically significant as one of the first giant robots in anime with a mystical, rather than scientific, origin — a sentient machine rather than an engineered vehicle. The 1975 die-cast toy version, released by Popy (a division of Bandai), is credited as the first true transforming robot toy ever produced
— CONTROL SYSTEM —
Pilot
Akira Hibiki, a descendant of the ancient Mu people and grandson of King Ra Mu
Boarding Method
Akira accelerates his motorcycle to high speed and leaps upward; a beam from Reideen pulls him into the robot's head and into its internal cockpit
— PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS —
Height
50 meters
Weight
520 tons
Power Source
Pyramid Power, emitted from the Star of Ra Mu
Reideen transforming into God Bird for high-speed flight
— COMBAT CHARACTERISTICS —
God Missiles
Bird-shaped bladed missiles fired from the abdomen, later upgraded with homing capability
God Block / God Breaker
A retractable shield built into the right arm, later upgraded into a spinning buzzsaw (God Block Spin), with a sword (God Breaker) hidden inside it
God Boomerang
A red, bird-shaped bladed boomerang stored in the right arm, later upgraded with rocket jets for greater speed and impact
God Gorgon
Harpoon-like energy arrows fired from a bow on the left wrist, later upgraded into the bladed Gorgon Sword
Aura Shock
Electric shocks discharged from Reideen's fingers
God Alpha
A powerful energy field surrounding Reideen's body that deteriorates anything it strikes
God Voice
Amplifies Akira's voice through satellite dishes in Reideen's chest, unleashing sonic rings powerful enough to tear enemies apart at a molecular level — at the cost of severe physical strain on its pilot
God Bird
Reideen's transformation into an eagle-like jet form, used for high-speed flight and finishing attacks, including the spinning Titan Drill ramming maneuver
Esper Burn / God Thunder / Head Cutter
Additional attacks: heat/X-ray-like beams from the eyes, lightning summoned from the sky, and a detachable head used as a piercing battering ram
— ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS —
Kingdom of Mu
The ancient, lost civilization that built Reideen millennia ago to protect the world from the Demon Empire
Demon Empire
A demonic force led by Emperor Barao, dormant for 12,000 years before reawakening to conquer the Earth
Citizen's Patrol
The 201st Platoon of Japan's Self-Defense Force, a military garrison that assists Reideen against the Demon Empire's Colossal Beast Machines
— TV SERIES INFORMATION —
Broadcast
NET (now TV Asahi), April 4, 1975 – March 26, 1976
Episodes
50 episodes
— MAIN CHARACTERS —
Akira Hibiki
Protagonist and pilot of Reideen. A descendant of the ancient Mu people, called upon to defend the Earth once the Demon Empire reawakens
Mari Sakurano
Daughter of a prominent scientist, and one of Akira's closest allies throughout the series
Emperor Barao
Main antagonist and ruler of the Demon Empire. His true form is later revealed to be a monstrous, eldritch being
Prince Sharkin
A recurring antagonist in the first half of the series — reportedly a design and characterization influence on Char Aznable, the iconic rival from Mobile Suit Gundam
— LEGACY —
Directorial Legacy
Reideen was Yoshiyuki Tomino's first work directing a mecha anime, four years before he created Mobile Suit Gundam. Its second half, directed by Tadao Nagahama, is considered a forerunner to his later "Romantic Trilogy" — Combattler V, Voltes V, and Daimos
Toy Industry Impact
The 1975 Popy die-cast toy is regarded as the first true transforming robot toy ever released, a direct ancestor to the entire concept later popularized worldwide by Transformers
International Legacy
Released in the US as "Raydeen" as part of Mattel's Shogun Warriors toy line, with an accompanying Marvel Comics tie-in. Reideen also received two spiritual sequel series: Reideen the Superior (1996–97) and Reideen (2007, animated by Production I.G.)
— OPENING THEME —
— COLLECTIBLES —
Bandai Tamashii Nations — SOUL OF CHOGOKIN
GX-41S Reideen
DX Fade in Set, Die-Cast Metal Figure
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