Aoshima’s Shin Seiki Gokin Ankokou Daishogun/ General Dark – Shin Mazinger Z Version

Aoshima’s Shin Seiki Gokin Ankokou Daishogun / Great General of Darkness / General Dark – Shin Mazinger Z Version.

I think this is the proper scale for General Dark in the series? I think it’s also the scale for the Go Nagai MTV special featuring all his creations vs General Dark.

Of course, the General comes with his trusty sword.

With the SRC Shin Mazinger Z

Thankfully this set comes with both Ashura and Doctor Hell.

Comparison with Mazinkaiser Dr. Hell.(left)

It was nice of Aoshima to include both villains in one pack as it instantly completes the bad guy figurines (I forgot to include Gol from the Getter series in the pic but you get the idea. ). Gorgon comes from the TV colors General Dark set.

Comparison with the OVA version General Dark (Metallic)

TV Colors General Dark (China backdoor version, as evidenced by lack of chain accessory on his belt )

For those curious (or too young to remember), this is how the original TV General Dark met his fate in the classic Great Mazinger series.

-General Dark weighs roughly 1038 Grams (over a Kilo!)

Diecast parts include
-Torso
-Shoulders
-Biceps
-Forearms
-Thighs
-Legs
-Feet

-Everything’s wrapped to prevent Styrofoam from sticking to the toy’s surfaces. I think they used wax paper? Or is that acid free paper? I’m not sure.

-Not an entire repaint. I mean, Aoshima could’ve just taken the easy way out and just simply repainted the General, but they went for new tooling on the chest for Anime accuracy. I think that counts.

-Both Ashura and Doctor Hell are included.

The Bad
-Still the same plastic clip on for the shoulder pads as with the original General Dark. I don’t know how long these will last with wear and tear. The hinge is still a metal pin though.

-Lots of ratchet joints, however, it somehow feels… “off” for the shoulders for me. I don’t know if it’s just my unit, but the “click” doesn’t feel as solid as it should.

-Lol… ok, not really a problem with the toy itself, but I do need closure after watching Shin Mazinger Z, so after 26 loooong episodes.. the conclusion is.. Evil wins?

Sticky surfaces everywhere!! I think it’s from packing the toy too soon after paint application and not letting the paint dry enough? But the belt, horns, fists, all are very sticky (even the cape is a bit sticky) and you can easily leave fingerprints into the paint. Gross. I had to wipe the smudges off with a damp cloth after handling to toy for fear that the mark will become permanent if the paint truly dries.

Side note: I opened up my old Mazinkaiser OVA version General Dark and this is what greeted me :

The fists had eaten into the Styrofoam They were already halfway submerged through the flooring of their respective compartments.

Luckily, removing the styro from the pieces was a little easy, just try to scrape off enough edge to get a grip, then gently peel off the whole thing. I later spent the better part of the afternoon wrapping all of the fists of all of the Aoshima robots in Japanese paper.

Strangely, the Getters were ok, no Styrofoam deformities, the only major problems were really with the General Darks and the Black Neo Getter (Plasma Thunder accessory also ate through the stryo). So I really recommend fellow collectors to check their figures ASAP for this issue. It doesn’t really damage the toy, but it does leave pretty ugly chips in your stryo foam trays.

Not bad but I think at the end of the day I’d rather have the King of Hell that Dr Hell Piloted in the series Finale.

“Next!”

Gold