Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen - Episode 13 Review

Episode 13, "First Love? The Beautiful Lorelei!"


*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: While Tsubasa is away in Germany, a young girl named Lorelei appears at the Kurogane House. Shiro falls head over heels for her, but Kouji has his suspicions when he discovers she's the daughter of Doctor Stroheim, a scientist thought to be dead. Shiro takes off with Lorelei to Germany, where Stroheim lives, and Kouji and Akokuji follow in Mazinger. However, they encounter Count Brocken, and Mazinger is shot out of the sky, landing in a booby-trapped forest outside of Stroheim's estate, where Akokuji is taken by robots and Kouji is saved by Cross, who came with Tsubasa. Shiro meets Stroheim, who says Shiro's mother is there, too. To Shiro's surprise, he finds Tsubasa in a dress.

Not as good as the previous episode, this episode nevertheless takes an interesting approach by letting Shiro get some face time and development, not normal for a little brother character. They're also, apparently, doing this story as a flashback to the scene that happens at the very beginning of the episode, which sort of confuses me. I mean, the series is already taking place as a flashback from the first episode, why another flashback story within it? Not to mention Kouji's mention of what Juuzo said about Stroheim is a flashback in itself. So we have a flashback to a flashback in a flashback. All right, that's enough with the flashbacks.

Lorelei is insanely adorable, as is her interaction with the trusting Shiro. My favorite scene in the episode is Shiro standing with a sword in front of the lady's bath to prevent any potential perverts. Of course, there aren't any lolicons at the Kurogane House. Akokuji is more interested in murder androids and Kouji is a robosexual, but it's pretty cool anyway. I really don't see this ending well for Lorelei, though.

What I found odd about this episode is what Doctor Stroheim said at the end of the episode. What did he mean that Shiro's mother is there at his place? The only person there besides him was Tsubasa. Is he implying that Shiro's mother (and therefore Kouji's) is none other than Tsubasa? I have a feeling, though, that Stroheim is a little batty, though. I think Kouji would recognize his own damn mother, unless he can't remember her, but why would Tsubasa keep that from him? Also, what is with Brocken and Ashura? Is Brocken hiding Ashura? Aren't they rivals? I guess I'll have to wait until the next episode to clear up these mysteries.

A decent episode. I chuckled at Brocken's body having to chase after his head.



Overall Score:

3 out of 5


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