Shinzo Ningen Casshan is a groundbreaking anime series created by animation studio Tatsunoko Productions in 1973. Casshan (Tetsuya Azuma) is a cybernetic "neo-human" (shinzo ningen in Japanese) that was created for the purpose of hunting down and destroying robots that have taken over the world. His late biological father Dr. Azuma was the inventor of the robots that were originally intended to serve humankind, but mutinied en masse when their cold logic concluded that the good of the Earth required the destruction of the human race.

Casshan and his cybernetic dog join forces with a beautiful girl named Luna to battle the robots led by their brutal cybernetic boss known as the Black King. In the typical style of anime visionary Tatsuo Yoshida (who also created Speed Racer and Gatchaman), the series storyline builds up into an incredible wallop, delivering a surprise near the finale that leaves Casshan looking into the soul of his own existence.

Casshan Versions

• Shinzo Ningen Casshan (1973) - created by Tatsuo Yoshida and designed by Yoshitaka Amano.
• Casshan: Robot Hunter (1993) - 20th anniversary OVA series directed by Hiroyuki Fukushima.
• Casshern (2004) - live action theatrical film written and directed by Kazuaki Kiriya.

External Links

• Casshan.com
• Casshern at the Internet Movie Database