Dec 9, 2025
This is a difficult review to write for a variety of reasons. I will disclose information about Arc/Getter in general for the uninitiated. The Getter Robo series revolves around the trials and tribulations of the Getter Team - a rag-tag group of pilots purposefully selected for their insanity to take command of 3 combining ships that merge into 1 of 3 different forms, as they fight to defend Japan, and the Earth, from invaders of the past and future. Initially conceived by industry legend Go Nagai, the series is written and illustrated by one of his assistants/proteges, Ken Ishikawa. Ishikawa's, and by extension Getter's, influence
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on the mecha genre cannot be understated, as it would go on to inspire Zeta Gundam, Macross, Transformers, Beast King GoLion (Voltron) and Gurren Lagann.
Arc picks up more than a decade after the events of its predecessor, Go, and re-introduces the world to us with a fresh face of characters. Takuma Nagare (son of former Getter pilot Ryoma), Kamui Sho (son of Emperor Gore, heir to the Dinosaur Empire) and Baku Yamagishi (brother of Messiah Tahir) pilot the all-new Getter Robo Arc, developed by former Getter pilot Hayato Jin. From its premise, cast and author, the themes of legacy and succession ring strong - each pilot being related to a character from a previous part, with motivations to avenge, rescue or carry-on their relatives. This is the kind of work that you can tell is very personal to its creator, as in the eyes of many contemporaries, Ishikawa would remain in the shadow of Nagai. Even the design of Getter Arc incorporates elements from Devilman, with it being more demonic in appearance than the previous mechs of the series, further cementing a connection to the work of what came before. With that being said - does Getter Robo Arc succeed in blazing its own trail, with the blessings of its predecessors?
Yes and no.
With the 2 previous series entries, Go and Shin, Ishikawa had broken out artistically and carved out his own style. The pages are a delight to look at. Thick black lines, deep etched shadows, elastic movements, space corridors and more - there's hardly ever a dull visual moment, with the exception of a gag scene, which adds its own charm by virtue.
As this manga covers the first part of a much wider intended narrative, we see our characters thrust though time, being shown future events of humanity and Getter's unchecked conquest of space. On a surface level, this has garnered a reputation for being an endorsement of fascism (the titular giant super robot evolves to colonize other worlds under its awesome power!), though I would argue that the experiences of our main cast and its following chapters would be the first steps in diverting this chain of events, and thus taking a stand against this ideology. Yes! Getter is political! A coup is initiated by Kamui to overthrow the dinosaur empire, as the alliance between itself and humans grows. As this first part focuses the conflict on Kamui, he is by far the most developed and best character of this new part (as is true for all Getter 2 pilots!)
Takuma and Baku are offered much less in terms of development and progression, though this is likely intentional to spotlight Kamui. Unfortunately, they would not be given their chance to shine, as Futabasha, the publisher of Super Robot Magazine, would cease producing the magazine and all associated series in 2003. Getter Robo Arc would be dormant since and ultimately never conclude, as Ishikawa would pass away in 2006. An endless number of questions would go unanswered in their purest form, though an attempt would be made in its 2021 anime adaptation. As a result, you may find yourself unsatisfied with this read, knowing everything going forward just won't be the same (not unlike Berserk's continuation after Miura's passing).
If you've only seen Getter Robo Armageddon, or know of Getter from Super Robot Wars, make sure this is your last stop after consulting the previous manga parts. If you can't bear to go on, knowing that this is where it ends, I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to read this entry. I personally struggled to read this entry after having rapid-fired all other Getter media until this point, but thanks to a change in perspective from Shin Mazinger Zero, I found myself smiling, gasping, cheering and laughing all the same. If you're a Getter fan, you owe it to yourself to see how bright he shined before his flame was extinguished.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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