by This work can be called the origin of “Mobile Suit Gundam.”
The anime “Brave Reideen,” which aired on TV from 1975 to 1976, is one of the titles that cannot be left out when talking about the history of robot anime. It was the first work to bring occult elements such as “mystery” and “legend” into the world of robots. It is also worth noting that it was the first robot anime directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino (now Yoshiyuki Tomino), who later created “Mobile Suit Gundam” (Tadao Nagahama replaced him from episode 27 onwards).
This is the heroine “Mari Sakurano,” who was full of service as usual. If Director Tomino had not had the experience he gained from “Reideen,” it is possible that “Gundam” would not have been born. It can be said that “Brave Reideen” is the origin of “Gundam,” which is currently famous worldwide. Also, like Tomino, “Reideen” was the first character designer for Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, who served as animation director and character designer for “Gundam.”
The protagonist Hibiki Akira, who has a fragile side, and the handsome villain Prince Shakin were extremely popular, especially among women. When Shakin was killed in battle in episode 27, a letter containing a razor was delivered to Director Nagahama. Writing a razor letter to an anime creator is a delicate craft, and it can sometimes be fatal, so it should never be done.
This episode shows how popular Shakin was. However, according to Director Tomino’s recollections, the production site was in a state of considerable confusion. At the planning stage, the plan included supernatural phenomena such as psychic powers, which were popular at the time, and occult elements.
However, Asahi Shimbun, the parent company of the production company NET, was critical of the occult. When the story for the first season (episode 13) was solidified, the company ordered eliminating the occult elements. Director Tomino was caught between a rock and a hard place, faced with differing requests and demands from the production staff and other people involved. This ultimately led to his resignation.
However, Tomino stayed on the scene after his resignation, and while greatly influenced by Director Nagahama, he gained experience and later produced some masterpieces.
