Before Mobile Suit Gundam and Evangelion, there was Mazinger Z. The classic anime series aired in the 70s, featuring the adventures of a boy and his giant robot. The series would run for decades and will have several spin-offs. In 2024, there was a new spin-off title of Mazinger airing called Grendizer U, produced by Gaina studio. Grendizer U has collaborated with the Nadaya Fujisan Distillery manufacturer to create a special gin. The gin is reportedly made with pure spring water from Mt. Fuji and comes with a new beautiful black painted brush artwork of the Grendizer.
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The art piece has a simple layout, with the Grendizer standing next to Mount Fuji in breathtaking black ink. The fresh brush artwork was created by renowned artist Usui Mokyu, inventing the piece for the collaboration. Pre-orders for the gin began on December 28, 2024, with shipment scheduled to start sometime in April 2025. People can purchase the gin itself for 8,800 yen or can buy the premium set, which includes the gin, a unique glass, and a coster with the brush artwork for 14,800 yen. Sellers are also offering the purchase of a canvas of Mokyu’s artwork of the Grendizer for 4,800 yen.
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Mazinger and Grendizer Are the Grandfathers of the Giant Robot Genre
Grendizer U is a remake of the original Grendizer show from the 1970s. Grendizer and Mazinger were based on the manga by Go Nagai, an influential mangaka who also created well-known Japanese properties like Cutie Honey and Devilman. Nagai would inspire future Japanese properties, including Gundam. The original Mobile Suit Gundam anime was made to deconstruct the giant robot cliches that Nagai established with Grendizer and Mazinger. Nagai’s robots were fantastical in contrast to the more ground realism of Gundam.
Other Japanese animations have collaborated with manufacturers to create their own alcoholic beverages. Spice and Wolf has recently created their own mead that uses apples and honey as a reference to the main character’s love of apples. These special drinks serve to entice fans and are often marketed as collector’s items. When you buy the Grendizer U gin, you don’t just get the alcohol, you also get this one-of-a-kind special brush artwork of the mecha itself. If you’re willing to indulge a little more, you can even get yourself an exclusive painting and coaster. Fans don’t need to like alcohol to enjoy these collaborations.
H/T: Oricon
