New footage of the Transformers Shinkalion Change the World adjacent mecha anime series has been released by Japanese toy company Takara.
Based on the Shinkalion toy line, this anime combines Japan’s love of giant robots with a similar love of all things train-related. The new teaser trailer and new images offer a glimpse at the characters and machines, all color-coded. Akane Forden controls the E6 Komachi Topliftperform, Taisei Onari controls the E5 Hayabusa Trailerform, and Ryota Kuzuryu controls the E7 Kagayaki Drillform. Each is based on Japan’s real-life shinkansen, or bullet trains. The ship’s color and robot mode also correspond to the pilot’s uniform.
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Shinkalion Changing the World begins a new era for the Mecha franchise
Though relatively brief, the Shinkalion Change the World trailer provided a glimpse into the series’ premise. The most prominent character is Taisei Onari, who is briefly seen in his youth. From there, the trailer jumps to the present day, showing him and the rest of the Shinkalion team in an arena fighting what appear to be other machines. The robots are also briefly shown in their alternate modes, advertising that the anime is definitely based on train robots.
Signal.MD and Production IG produced the animation for the series, with Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment controlling the CG animation. The Shinkalion franchise is a spin-off of Takara Tomy’s Plarail model train toy line, with the first anime being Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion in 2018. It was followed in 2019 with the film Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion the Movie: The Mythively Fast ALFA-X That Came From the Future and in 2021 with Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion Z. An extremely popular franchise, it has also been adapted from video games and appeared in the Super Robot Wars series.
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Shinkalion’s relationship to Takara’s Transformers franchise
In Japan, Takara Tomy is the company that manages the Transformers franchise (manufactured elsewhere by Hasbro). The main characteristic it shares with Shinkalion is the obvious presence of transforming robots, with several Japanese-based Transformers anime notably including train robots. Likewise, there is an official crossover between the two properties in the form of the card game Toy Clash! Roboca Battle – new version of the previous Shinkalion arcade game.
This modification introduces characters from both Transformers and the Tomica Bond Combine Earth Granner, which also involves transforming robots. As a result, Shinkalion’s train machines can interact with the likes of Autobot leader Optimus Prime and other disguised robots. Other major brands, including Hello Kitty, have also collaborated with Shinkalion, proving that the popularity of the Takara brand is definitely moving in the right direction.
Source: Comic Natalie via Anime News Network