Rokushin Gattai God Mars Collection Blu-ray

A Blu-ray collection brings together all 64 episodes of the television series that boldly adapted Mitsuteru Yokoyama's major science-fiction work Mars, along with the theatrical film and OVA! Every part of this legendary hit animation has been converted to HD. Its popularity became a social phenomenon, gaining many female fans as well as traditional robot-anime enthusiasts. A dramatic story depicts the adventures of a boy who fights to protect Earth from invasion from space. The enclosed commentary booklet features a special interview with producer Toru Horikoshi.

The anime gives Yokoyama's original Mars a bold arrangement unique to the medium, creating a work with a strong original identity. All 64 television episodes, the film and the OVA appear in improved HD picture quality in a compact Blu-ray release. Hideyuki Motohashi's beautiful character designs captured the hearts of female fans, particularly through the protagonist's older brother Marg, helping to drive an explosive success that expanded into a theatrical film and OVA. This was TMS's second giant-robot animation and its first combining-robot anime.

The television series first aired on Nippon Television's network from October 2, 1981 to December 24, 1982. Humanity's development of the solar system is being obstructed by Emperor Zuul of planet Gishin, who plans to invade Earth. Takeru Myojin, fighting as a member of the Crusher Unit that protects Earth, discovers during battle that he is Mars, a Gishin native sent to Earth seventeen years earlier. He challenges assassins with his psychic powers and God Mars, created by combining six robots. A tragic destiny involving his twin elder brother Marg awaits him.

God Mars: The Movie opened on December 18, 1982. Takeru Myojin, a member of the Earth Defense Force's elite Crusher Unit, hears an eerie voice during a mission: Mars, destroy Earth. He learns that he is a Gishin native sent to Earth by Emperor Zuul, who seeks to rule the universe, and that he is a living detonator. After Gishin assassins kill his adoptive father, Takeru pursues them with his psychic powers, but they corner him instead. At this desperate moment, the mysterious robot Gaia awakens and saves Takeru!

God Mars: Untold Legend of Seventeen, the OVA released on June 5, 1988, follows people on Gishin who rise as guerrillas against Emperor Zuul's dictatorship and misrule. Seventeen-year-old Marg uses psychic powers to fight Zuul's forces alongside guerrilla leader Uura and his daughter Ruru. But their struggle continues to unfold.

For the theatrical film, Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Mars is the original work; Keisuke Fujikawa writes, Tetsuo Imazawa directs and Hideyuki Motohashi directs animation. Hajime Kamegaki designs the mecha, Tsutomu Ishigaki handles art and Kei Wakakusa composes. Shigeru Akagawa produces. Tokyo Movie and Telecom Animation Film provide production cooperation, with Tokyo Movie Shinsha/TMS Entertainment producing.

For Untold Legend of Seventeen, Keisuke Fujikawa's work published by Kadokawa Bunko supplies the original story and script, based on Mitsuteru Yokoyama's God Mars. Masakatsu Iijima directs and Junji Nishimura storyboards. Hideyuki Motohashi handles animation direction and character designs, and Hajime Kamegaki handles hardware designs. Yukihiro Shibutani and Tsutomu Ishigaki handle art; Reijiro Koroku composes; and Tadahito Matsumoto produces. Toho and Tokyo Movie Shinsha/TMS Entertainment produce the OVA.

Video extras include the new-program trailer, creditless opening and ending sequences, and the overseas opening and ending sequences, which have no recorded audio. A commentary booklet featuring producer Toru Horikoshi's interview is enclosed.

Number 143 in the Omoide no Anime Library series, this set contains the 1981 television series, 1982 film and 1988 OVAming. Japanese audio is monaural for the television series and film, with stereo for the OVA. The manufacturer does not specify the audio codec. Best Field publishes and TC Entertainment distributes this edition.