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Super Robot Red Baron (スーパーロボット レッドバロン Sūpā Robotto Reddo Baron) is a Super Robot Tokusatsu series that aired in 1973. In the early 21st century, an evil organization called the Iron Alliance steals giant robots built all over the world from an exhibition and kidnaps their creators. With goal of taking over the world and enslaving humanity. Predicting their invasion, Scientist Kenichiro Kurenai, passes on the titular robot, Red Baron to his younger brother, Ken, who is a member of the paramilitary group, SSI (Secret Science Investigation.) He uses the Red Baron to aid their efforts in stopping them from taking over the world.
The series is notable for featuring Mecha in Toku, predating Super Sentai by a good six years.
Tropes used in Super Robot Red Baron include:
- Action Girl: Mari
- Adjective Noun Fred
- Aliens Are Bastards: The Space Iron Alliance.
- Badass: The adult lead characters, including every member of the SSI and Inspector Kumano, as well.
- Big Bad: Professor Deviler until episode 24. He is later followed by Giras Q.
- Bittersweet Ending: Some episodes end in this manner, including the Grand Finale.
- Black Dude Dies First: Subverted by Black Masai, the robot from Kenya; it's the third Iron Alliance robot to be destroyed by Red Baron.
- Bragging Theme Tune
- By the Power of Grayskull: "Fight Lever, On!"
- Calling Your Attacks: Inevitably, since it's a Super Robot show.
- Cool Car: The SSI has one, outfitted with a machine gun that's deployed on its roof.
- Darker and Edgier: From episode 26 onwards.
- Death by Origin Story: Ken Kurenai's entire family, up to and including his brother Kenichiro Kurenai.
- Disc One Final Boss: Professor Deviler
- "Everybody Laughs" Ending: Happens in some episodes, usually whenever something comical happens to Inspector Kumano.
- Everything's Even Worse with Sharks: Implied with Sky Shark, the name of Angel Killer's robot. It certainly lives up to this, considering that Red Baron's Baronium metal had to be upgraded because of its fearsome Acid Fire weapon.
- Father to His Men: Daigo
- Face Framed in Shadow: Professor Deviler is depicted like this most of the time.
- Five-Man Band
- The Hero: Ken
- The Captain: "Boss" Daigo
- The Lancer: Tetsuya
- The Big Guy: Daisaku
- The Chick: Mari
- The Sixth Ranger: Inspector Kumano
- The Girl Friday (to the above): Hikaru
- The Smart Guy / Sixth Ranger and successor to Daigo: Dr. Mikami
- Follow the Leader: Mazinger Z's influence on this show is pretty obvious. Props for temporarily trouncing the former's anime adaptation in TV ratings, though.
- He Who Must Not Be Seen: Giras Q, until the final episode.
- Internal Reveal: In episode 24, it's revealed that the Iron Alliance has an outer space branch established on Mars. The SSI doesn't find this out until two episodes later.
- Killed Off for Real: Daigo and Daisaku
- Let's Get Dangerous: Inspector Kumano, despite providing comic relief for a good chunk of the show. Only when the situation calls for it, however.
- The Man Behind the Man: Giras Q.
- The Man Behind the Curtain: When Ken finally encounters Giras Q, the latter is revealed to be a computer brain with a high-pitched voice. He understandably takes it out without any trouble (though it got replaced with a new one afterwards).
- Mecha-Mooks: The Mecha-robos
- Mid-Season Upgrade: Red Baron progressively receives upgrades to counter the Iron Alliance's robots, including the Arm Missile and the Drill Arrow. Eventually, its Baronium metal is replaced by Super Baronium and the Space Wings are added, in order to combat space robots.
- Monster of the Week: More like Mecha of the Week, but still.
- Names to Run Away From Really Fast: Professor Deviler. With a name like that, it makes you wonder how he was accepted into the scientific community in the first place.
- Panty Shot: Given that Mari's uniform includes a skirt, she is naturally prone to these (during battles, at least).
- Ridiculously-Human Robots: The Mecha-robos. Not that they're particularly amicable, mind.
- Robeast: Some of the Iron Alliance's giant robots qualify, with Escargo being the most significant example.
- Robotic Reveal: Happens alarmingly often, due to the Iron Alliance's nature. Deviler himself is revealed to be a cyborg after Daigo kills him.
- Rocket Punch: The ever-reliable Baron Punch.
- Shape Shifter: The Mecha-Robos have this ability, to easily allow them to infiltrate human society.
- Shock and Awe: Red Baron's Elec-Trigger
- Super Robot Genre
- Supporting Leader: Daigo. As a matter of fact, he is the one to personally fight Professor Deviler face-to-face, while Ken has to deal with the latter's King Deviler robot.
- Ten-Minute Retirement: Happens to a few SSI members.
- Twenty Minutes Into the Future: The series' events take place during the 21st century.
- Underwater Base: The Iron Alliance has one as its Earth headquarters.
- Wham! Episode: Episode 26
- Episode 23 also counts.
- Whip It Good: Mari's weapon of choice.
- Why Am I Ticking? This is how Daisaku dies
- This was also the fate of Kenichiro Kurenai, Ken's brother.