Retrospective: 50 Years of Grendizer at Japan Expo
2025 was a landmark year for France’s most beloved mecha. First broadcast in 1975 on Fuji TV, Grendizer celebrated its 50th anniversary half a century later at the Paris-Villepinte exhibition center with a grand celebration at Japan Expo! A look back at half a century of legend.
Grendizer: Half a Century of Legend!
In France, no robot rivals its fame.
The steel titan from the far reaches of space has just blown out its 50th candle, and to mark the occasion, Japan Expo went all out to celebrate this mythical jubilee. Whether longtime fans or the new generation carrying on the passion, everyone is invited to join the festivities!
Paris served as the landing pad for Duke Fleed’s interstellar ship:
- A special exhibition at Japan Expo Paris
- A second one in the heart of Châtelet station
- Several performances by Enriqué on the Villepinte stages
- Exclusive programming and collector goodies dedicated to Grendizer!
enriqué's concert
~Accours vers nous, prince de l'espace~
Yes, you heard that right: Enriqué, the legendary voice behind the very first French opening theme of Grendizer, was there in person, body and voice! Fifty years after his debut, he took to the stage to bring Duke Fleed’s iconic refrain back to life in a wave of nostalgia, with every bit of the energy he had back then!
Carried by the enthusiasm of a crowd singing in unison, Enriqué surprised everyone by also performing a cover of the original Japanese version: Tobe! Grendizer.
A powerful moment, filled with emotion and shared passion.
grendizer gooo!! - the exhibition
The exhibition was as impressive as the iconic mecha itself. Spread over more than 300 m², visitors could rediscover the origins and journey of Grendizer, from the Japanese studios all the way to its conquest of France.
From behind-the-scenes materials on the production of the anime series to original manga pages, from a collection of goodies and statues to an exclusive interview with Go Nagai - everything was gathered to offer total immersion. It was impossible not to feel a sense of grandeur!
Nothing escaped the public anymore about this phenomenon that once took over TV screens on the Récré A2 channel.
The exhibition also featured a comprehensive focus on the impact of Go Nagai’s work on the world of anime and manga, including landmark titles such as Devilman, Cutie Honey, and Mazinger Z, Grendizer’s predecessor, which follows the adventures of Koji Kabuto.
After traveling through space over a distance equivalent to that between Earth and Venus, Duke Fleed and his faithful machine continue their journey, from Paris-Villepinte all the way to Marseille’s Parc Chanot!
From February 27 to March 1, visitors of Japan Expo Marseille 2026 will have plenty to look forward to:
the 16th edition of the Southern festival will feature its very own Goldorak Gooo!!! exhibition spanning more than 300 m²!
grendizer, NAVI... GO !!
A trip back in time for Navigo pass holders!
Japan Expo, in partnership with the RATP, wanted to pay a vibrant tribute to Go Nagai through a unique exhibition, freely accessible within the Paris public transport network.
Installed in the corridors of Châtelet–Les Halles station, near line 11, this extraordinary exhibition ran for two months, from mid-May to mid-July 2025.
Commuters were able to discover, in the midst of their daily connections, a selection of illustrations, iconic visuals, and content showcasing the work of the Japanese master and the legacy Grendizer has left in France.
panels, meetings and round table
Two conferences on Grendizer took place on the Yuzu stage at Japan Expo, featuring:
Jérémy Cerrone (producer of Goldorak XperienZ), Pierre Giner (voice actor and translator), Jean-François Dufour (Isan Manga), and Philippe Bunel (Tanuko, Bakast, Cinefuzz, etc.).
The complete grendizer manga, now available from Isan Manga.
Isan Manga is reissuing Goldorak in two collector’s box set editions of over 400 pages each (including 200 never-before-seen pages).
Each volume is a one-shot containing the complete original Goldorak/UFO Robot Grendizer manga.
- STANDARD VERSION – Red Edition: For nostalgic fans, this edition uses the French anime names and attacks (Actarus, Alcor, Fulguro-poing, etc.).
- GRENDIZER VERSION – Blue Edition: Original name edition. For those seeking the version closest to the Japanese original, with the original names (Duke Fleed, Koji Kabuto, Screw Crusher Punch, etc.).