Raideen

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Brave Raideen (Yūsha Raidīn) is a Super Robot anime series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise, it aired on NET (now TV Asahi) from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, with a total of 50 episodes. The official name being Raideen the Brave, it is mainly known as "Brave Raideen," or "Heroic Rydeen"

After a slumber of 12 millennia, the Demon Empire awakens to seize control of the Earth. Raideen, the giant robot-like protector of the lost continent of Mu, senses the evil presence and awakens within its golden pyramid. A young Japanese boy, Akira Hibiki, is alerted about the Demon Empire by a mysterious voice and rushes to the pyramid. It is soon revealed that Akira is a descendant of the ancient people of Mu who must help Raideen save the Earth.

In typical anime style, Akira is aided by Mari Sakurano, who happens to be the daughter of a prominent scientist, and his friends from the soccer club.

The Brave Raideen series is renowned in Japan as the first to include a giant robot whose origins are mystical rather than scientific; Raideen itself is in fact portrayed as a sentient being. Raideen is also historically noteworthy for being one of the first transforming giant robots (the eponymous hero of Ambassador Magma was an earlier character, although his transformation from robot to rocket ship was not a detailed mechanical transformation). The diecast toy version of Raideen, released in Japan in 1975 by Popy, was the first true transforming robot toy. Brave Raideen was the first anime mecha work of anime director and writer Yoshiyuki Tomino, better known as the creator of Gundam. The latter half was directed by Tadao Nagahama, and may be seen as a predecessor to his famous Romantic Trilogy, consisting of Combattler V , Voltes V and Daimos.

This series was the second collaboration between writer/director Yoshiyuki Tomino and artist Yasuhiko Yoshikazu. The first work to feature both men was Wandering Sun (Sasurai no Taiyō) (1971). The two would later team up again for both Mobile Suit Gundam and Gundam F-91.

There were followup series in the 90s (Chousha Raideen, or Raideen the Superior) and 2000s (simply titled REIDEEN). Chousha Raideen was a Genre Shift (to Henshin Hero) featuring a Five Man Boy Band chosen to guard the secret of Reideen from the Chouma, a race of demons who seek to use the Super Robot to their own evil ends. REIDEEN is the story of Junki Saiga, a teenager whose family has come out into the country to identify the remains of his archaeologist father when he finds himself standing in the way of the powerful Reideen and a group of aliens to wish to steal it. REIDEEN is noted for a seemingly slow style of movement and combat that more realistically depicts the sheer size and mass of the mecha and robeasts.

Despite the word "Yuusha" in the title, it has nothing to do with the later "Yuusha" series produced by Sunrise.

Not to be confused with Raiden, the Shoot'Em Up video game series, or Raiden the Mortal Kombat character.

Tropes used in Raideen include:
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