Mazinger Z is a simple, yet bizarre and interesting manga, where Go Nagai's ability to clearly tell is a story is on full display, even if the overarching story is a little flat. His visuals are very clear, and many of the ideas in the manga are quite interesting, even if variations can be found elsewhere. There is little to really hold your imagination on this five volume manga alone, but the simplicity of the manga is also a strength as it is quit easy to read. The major flaw is that most of the characters lack real development, and at times feel a bitchildish. That could be due to the intent of Nagai's audience with this work, as something like Devilman has much grander themes, regardless of how you feel about their execution. Mazinger Z doesn't really present any important themes, although the characters themselves, both heroes and villains, are quite enjoyable, if at the same time bland.