Mazinger Z is one of the most well-known Japanese animation series in Spain. Based on the manga by the renowned artist Go Nagai, it premiered in Spain on March 4, 1978, replacing Daniel the Naughty in the lineup of Televisión Española. Its story and animation immediately captivated the young audience, turning it into an instant phenomenon and a doorway to the mecha genre.
Such was its impact that it served as a claim to a very unusual place in the Spanish geography: the Mas del Plata urbanization in Cabra del Camp, a Catalan town located in the Alt Camp region, in Tarragona. There, since 1979, stands the largest statue of the robot currently existing in the world. A 10-meter high construction, raising its iconic fists to the sky of Tarragona.
Los trabajadores responsables de la construcción a finales de los años 70 del Mazinger Z de Tarragona posan orgullosos con la criatura ya finalizada. Pic.twitter.com/swng7b1Xzo
— CHEMA PONZE (@Chema_Ponze) June 22, 2022
The Mazinger of the urbanization has become a pilgrimage site for the most devout fans of the series and Japanese culture, whether they are Catalans, Spaniards, Europeans, or Japanese. The statue has the honor of being the first one dedicated to this work erected worldwide, months after its debut on Spanish screens. The reason for its construction can be traced back to the urban expansion of the time, as well as the growing interest in Asian animation.
Near Mas del Plata, there is another housing development called Mas Altaba where there were statues of Heidi, Clara, the dog, the grandfather, and Pedro. Upon seeing this, children almost forced their parents to buy a plot there. A real estate developer who wanted to sell plots in Mas del Plata decided to build a statue of Mazinger Z there, as it was the trend at that time," revealed José Luna, president of the Mazinger Z Friends Association, in an interview with Sensacine.
Visita cultural llargament anhelada. La mítica estàtua gegant de Mazinger Z que des de 1979 habita a l’urbanització Mas de Plata a Cabra del Camp (Tarragona). Lloc de peregrinació i de culte arreu del món. Fabulós! Pic.twitter.com/RfHYX2C5U1
— Toni Vall (@tonivall) November 12, 2023
Cult movie
“It is very well made, indeed, with concrete and fiberglass molds. Those who made it were experts in building ships and structures. The paint is what has been most affected, and in these 40 years they painted it but terribly. Black feet, blue legs... However they pleased. They also patched up some defects (...) In December 2016, we were able to paint it properly thanks to a crowdfunding campaign that we carried out,” he expanded.
Since then, the statue has received different care from the association and its members, after decades of neglect. Similarly, it has also gained prominence in various documentary pieces, such as Llum, Foc, Destrucció: a co-production of 3Cat and Abacus about the legacy of Dragon Ball in Catalonia, which also contributes its perspective to the phenomenon of anime and manga and their origins in the region.