Gravion

Gravion (超重神グラヴィオン) is an anime television series produced by Gonzo. It aired in Japan from October 7, 2002 to December 16, 2002 and ran for 13 episodes. In 2004, Gravion Zwei (超重神グラヴィオンZwei) was released and aired from January 8 to March 25 in Japan, running for twelve additional episodes, answering the questions generated from the first series.

Both Gravion and Gravion Zwei are created and directed by Masami Obari and is released in the United States by ADV Films.

Plot
In Gravion, Eiji Shigure is sent a letter from his missing older sister Ayaka Shigure. His search for her leads him to Klein Sandman, a mysterious billionaire and Eiji secretly infiltrates his enormous Saint-Germain Castle while he is hosting a party for Earth Federation Alliance (EFA) leaders, in order to find her. Unfortunately, he is tricked into piloting the G-Attacker, one of four Gran Divas, in a mission to defeat the mechanical extraterrestrials called the Zeravire. The Gran Divas are machines secretly created by Sandman himself, who states Eiji's unique G-Factor allows him to pilot it. Although reluctant, Eiji becomes part of Sandman's Earthgertz, the planet's only defensive team to prevent the Zeravire from destroying humanity, by combining the Gran Divas with the Gran Kaiser to form the titular mecha, Gravion.

In Gravion Zwei, the Zeravire invasion seems to have stopped. However, when it rises back up all of a sudden, the Earthgertz and its trump card, the super robot Gravion, is needed to defend the Earth again. In the meantime, the EFA creates their own weapons to counter the Zeravire, the Gran Trooper. As they attempt to fend off the Zeravire, the Earthgertz and the EFA must set aside their differences, confront their pasts and unveil the mysteries of the Zeravire, in order to end their impending threat once and for all.

Eiji Shigure
Protagonist of the series, 17 year-old Eiji Shigure is searching for his older sister Ayaka Shigure, after he receives a letter from her. Upon finding information she is last seen in service to billionaire Klein Sandman, Eiji enters Sandman's Saint-Germain Castle to find her, but is unknowingly recruited into the Earthgertz as pilot of the Gran Diva, the G-Attacker. He reluctantly stays with the Earthgertz to assume piloting responsibilities, but above all, will leave once he finds Ayaka in Sandman's castle. In Gravion Zwei, he pilots the Geo Mirage.

Easily angered, Eiji carries a short temper and is annoyed by the carefree and clueless Toga, the other boy in the castle, who has no outside interaction prior to Eiji's arrival, or the feisty Luna, who picks on him for not being more like Toga. Regardless, Eiji is reasonable in his rash decisions and develops a close friendship with the rest of his teammates, knowing firsthand how real the Zeravire threat is, thus willing to see the menacing mechanical beings stopped by helping the Earthgertz in their mission.

Luna Gusuku
An energetic, friendly 14 year-old girl, Luna Gusuku teases Eiji for her amusement and befuddles him for not being as straight and decent like Toga. One of two pilots of the G-Driller Gran Diva and born in Okinawa, she came to Klein Sandman's castle at a young age, meeting Toga Tenkuji for the first. Her father Isana Gusuku disappears while working for the billionaire, and has since stayed in Sandman's castle, eventually enrolling into the Earthgertz. In Gravion Zwei, she pilots the Geo Javelin.

Toga Tenkuji
The only other boy in Klein Sandman's castle, 17 year-old Toga Tenkuji is a very kind and gentle person with a smile almost always on his face. Toga claims he has been inside the castle all his life, never knowing any other human interaction besides the Earthgertz and Sandman's countless maids. Extremely athletic and physically strong, he is the pilot of the Gran Kaiser, the robot that combines with the four Gran Divas to form the Gravion.

Toga has one of the highest G-Factors among the Earthgertz, thus is capable of withstanding the pressures of piloting the Gran Kaiser. It is Sandman's wish that Toga's interaction with Eiji Shigure will help him develop his human side, and though Toga learns more of the environment outside the castle, his views are simplistic and childish in nature, such as putting victory over the Zeravire first above conserving human life, something which Eiji does not approve Toga of.

Originally an orphan, Toga was raised at a orphanage sponsored by Sandman. Frequently bullied by some of the other children, another orphan was there to help him through his time at the orphanage, until Sandman adopted him and took him to Saint-Germain Castle.

Eina
One of the many maids working in Klein Sandman's castle, Eina treats all members of Earthgertz and the other maids well. Easily frightened, Eina finds simple arguments harsh and battles against the Zeravire to be unbearable, but does her best in her piloting duties as the second driver of the G-Driller. She has cared and looked after Toga Tenkuji since his arrival into Klein Sandman's Saint-Germain Castle. In Gravion Zwei, she pilots the Geo Javelin alongside Luna Gusuku.

In Gravion Zwei, Eina reveals herself as one of Sandman's Proto Gran Divas. It took Sandman nearly 50 years to create her current, artificial body. After she is destroyed following a Zeravire attack, her memories are immediately transferred to her original body, located inside the Sol Σ Gravion, stored on the moon.

Mizuki Tachibana
The only female adult member of Earthgertz, the busty Mizuki Tachibana is the pilot of the Gran Diva, the G-Striker, who loves her alcohol, but is also the most rational member among her teammates. A skilled hacker, she looks up to Ayaka Shigure when she first arrived at Klein Sandman's castle and claims Ayaka as her best friend, though is still in question at her sudden disappearance. In Gravion Zwei, she pilots the Geo Stinger.

Her name is actually an alias; in Gravion Zwei, she reveals herself as a sleeper agent, working for the EFA intelligence division. Upon stealing development data on the Gravion, she returns to her superiors, in order to provide them the means to counter the Zeravire threat. For her services, she is given a lush, island estate, but returns to the Earthgertz shortly, citing boredom as her primary reason.

Leele
A shy girl who lives isolated within the castle's south tower, Leele claims her parents died in a fire years ago. She has no memories following the accident, which has left her traumatized and the sight of raging blue flames easily puts Leele into an extremely frightened state. Raised by Klein Sandman, she secludes herself from others, but opens up to her fellow Earthgertz teammates when they realize she is the pilot of the G-Shadow Gran Diva. Leele is occasionally seen with her pet ferret Lolotte. In Gravion Zwei, she pilots the Geo Caliber.

Leele's full name is Leele Zeravire, the daughter of Zieg Zeravire and Lufira Zeravire. Before her home planet of Llambias was destroyed, thus the origin of her lost memories, she was placed in a stasis capsule and sent by her uncle Hugi Zeraire into space, following the signal of her father's vessel. Her escape ship failed to enter warp travel, thus arrived on Earth at a later time, yet her own subjective time was different, thus she only aged a few months. Sandman finds her and takes her into Saint-Germain Castle.

Raven
An enigmatic, masked man who works for Klein Sandman, Raven is completely loyal to his master, never sharing any personal information about himself. Raven oversees the Earthgertz's training, combat simulations and attack situations against the Zeravire, and occasionally answers to the EFA about Sandman's involvement in the extraterrestrials' invasion, in place of Sandman himself.

In Gravion Zwei, it is revealed the current Raven is actually Ayaka Shigure, Eiji Shigure's sister. The mask holds the memories of the original Raven, a former colleague of Zieg Zeravire on his homeworld of Llambias. The previous holder of Raven's mask was Luna Gusuku's father Isana, before he passed it down to Ayaka.

Klein Sandman
The handsome, billionaire businessman and commander of the Earthgertz, Klein Sandman's knowledge of science and technology allows him to build the Gran Divas and the Gran Kaiser to battle the Zeravire. Sandman selects people with a high tolerance on the effects of gravity, a genetically inherited trait he calls the G-Factor, to become the pilots of his machines. When it seems the Zeravire are too much to handle for Earthgertz, Sandman approves of combining the Gran Divas and the Gran Kaiser into Gravion. In Gravion Zwei, he pilots the Gran Sigma.

Sandman was originally Zieg Zeravire, a scientist from the ecologically devastated planet of Llambias and the husband to Lufira Zeravire. In order to stop further contamination and to prevent an all-out war between the neighboring world of Selias, due to Llambians forcing themselves to immigrate there, Sandman creates the Genesis Machine Gran Sigma, the prototype to the Gran Kaiser, in hopes of restoring Llambias' environment. Unfortunately, his brother-in-law Hugi Zeravire creates the Genocidron System, an automatic, robotic network programmed for extermination. He intended to use it on the Selians, as a means to spare enough Llambians if war was to occur, but Sandman did not wish to see lives sacrificed. Following a brief struggle with Hugi, he accidentally destroys the control device to the Genocidron System, making the machines indiscriminately destroying both worlds.

Upon escaping Llambias, Sandman and Raven flees to Earth. In order to conceal his identity, he takes the name and appearance of the actual Klein Sandman, an 18th-century aristocrat, and to provide himself the means to prepare for the Zeravire, Sandman genetically enhances his own G-Factor, giving him immortality, thus keeping his youthful appearance. Some time before Eiji's arrival at Saint-Germain Castle, a spacecraft lands on Earth that followed his escaping vessel, carrying his daughter, Leele Zeravire. Sandman never knew of her survival until then.

Klein Sandman makes an appearance in Juusou Kikou Dancouga Nova, which is also directed by Masami Obari.

Faye Xin Lu
Appearing in Gravion Zwei, Faye Xin Lu is captain of the G-Soldiers squadron in the EFA military. Very serious and committed to her line of duty, she was an orphan at the same orphanage sponsored by Sandman, meeting Toga Tenkuji for the first time, protecting him from frequent bullies. In fact, Faye was initially selected to be trained as the pilot of the Gran Kaiser, for she had a similar, if not, higher G-Factor than Toga, but Sandman made a last-minute decision and selected him, instead.

Gravion
The main mecha of the series used by the Earthgertz as the last line of Defense from the Zeravire invasion. The mech is composed of five units:

Gran Kaiser
Core unit of the Gravion and piloted by Toga Tenkuji, the Gran Kaiser is a humanoid robot. Built upon the power of gravity, the Gran Kaiser is capable of entering Elgo Mode, where its power is magnified significantly, strengthening its attacks. However, placing the Gran Kaiser in this configuration places a high degree of physical stress on the pilot, thus, only a well-trained individual with a high G-Factor can effectively use the machine to its fullest.

The Gran Kaiser can also utilize separate weapons independent of itself, such as mecha-sized handguns, rocket launchers and a gatling gun. When combined into the God Gravion with the four Gran Divas, the Gran Kaiser can unleash a wave of pure gravity energy from its jewel chest called the Graviton Arc. The God Gravion also used an experimental sword called the Graviton Breaker for the first and only time in the first series, until Klein Sandman summons the Chōjū Ken, a powerful two-handed sword kept hidden on the moon for the God Gravion. Also known as the White Steel Fang, the machine is capable of performing the Super Heavyweight Slash (超重斬) technique.

G-Attacker
Representing Gravion's right leg, the fighter jet-like G-Attacker is piloted by Eiji Shigure (his sister, Ayaka, was the original pilot until her disappearance) and the counterpart to the G-Striker. The G-Attacker is fitted with payloads of gravity-powered Graviton Missiles.

G-Striker
Representing Gravion's left leg, the fighter jet-like G-Striker is piloted by Mizuki Tachibana and the counterpart to the G-Attacker. This unit holds compartments for the Graviton Rifle and the whip-based Graviton Viper, but can also fire rounds of the Graviton Vulcan and Graviton Laser.

G-Driller
The only two seater Gran Diva, the G-Driller mounts a pair of powerful drills and cannons and acts as the God Gravion's arms, with Luna Gusuku piloting the left and Eina piloting the right. With the G-Driller Gran Diva, Gravion can utilize the Graviton Buster, firing short bursts of gravity energy or launch one half of the G-Driller from its arms as the Graviton Pressure Punch or both of them as the Double Pressure Punch and the Graviton Tornado Punch, where the G-Driller configures to its drill mode, then fired like the Pressure Punch. The Pile Tornado Punch is used with both of the arms in drill mode, with the second one boosting the first.

G-Shadow
A special jet shaped like a stealth bomber, it unloads multiple warheads from a high altitude for invisible runs, akin to the actual B-2 Spirit. Leele is the G-Shadow's pilot, and when combined into the God Gravion, its wings can detach, forming a boomerang. Powered by gravity energy, the boomerang slices through Zeravire armor as the Gravity Crescent. The jewel crest on the G-Shadow can also detach as a sword hilt and handle for use as the Graviton Sword, where the blade energizes into metal from gravity energy.

If there is ever a need to deliver the Gran Kaiser and the Gran Divas away from Saint-Germain Castle, the Gran Fortress battleship is fitted to hold and support the units, taking the Earthgertz directly into an encounter with the Zeravire.

Sol Gravion/Sol Σ Gravion
Appearing in Gravion Zwei, this is the upgrade to Gravion, where the Gran Kaiser combines with the upgraded Gran Divas:

Geo Javelin
Replacing the G-Driller, it is the only two seater of the new Gran Divas, the Geo Javelin mounts one drill in the front and a cannon on top of it, and acts as the arms of Sol Gravion, and Sol Σ Gravion, with Luna piloting the left and Eina piloting the right. With the Geo Javelin Gran Diva, Sol Gravion can launch the left arm for the Sol Graviton Pressure Punch or both of them for the Sol Graviton Spiral Pressure Punch in which Sol Gravion connects both of its hands together and then launches them at the enemy as they spin around in a drill-like motion, and can use Graviton energy to extend the drill for the Sol Graviton Breaker

Geo Stinger
Replacing the G-Fighter, it is piloted by Mizuki, and represents the left leg of Sol Gravion and Sol Σ Gravion. It is not shown to have compartments for the Graviton Viper or the Graviton Rifle, but it has been shown to be able to use the Graviton Lasers.

Geo Caliber
Replacing the G-Attacker, it is piloted by Leele, and represents the right leg of Sol Gravion and Sol Σ Gravion. Such as the G-Attacker before it, it can use Graviton Missiles.

Geo Mirage
Replacement for the G-Shadow, and piloted by Eiji. With the Geo Mirage's cannons, Sol Gravion can use the Sol Graviton Cannon or the stronger Sol Graviton Nova which is used like the Graviton Arc, but generates more power from the cannons. It can summon the Chōjū Ken in the same fashion as the Graviton Sword.

These new Gran Divas, originally stored on the moon, can also merge to form the battleship G-Gradius. Klein Sandman's personal unit, the Gran Sigma, is also capable of combining with the new Grand Divas to form the Sol Σ Gravion.

Σ Gravion
Using another set of Gran Divas specifically meant for the Gran Sigma, Klein Sandman combines them with his personal unit to form the Σ Gravion. Appearing in Gravion Zwei, its design and weaponry are different from the original God Gravion, but shares many similarities, with the added Graviton Lancer that can execute the Graviton Break attack.

Ultimate Gravion
Upon fusing the Sol Gravion and Σ Gravion, the Ultimate Gravion is born. Appearing in Gravion Zwei, this machine boasts the greatest power out of all the Earthgertz's machines. Its only attack is the Super Heavyweight Flame Emperor Slash (超重炎皇斬).

Gran Troopers
Also called G-Troopers, these transformable, non-combining mass production units are modeled after the Gran Kaiser by the EFA military. Five units are assigned to the military's G-Soldiers. Each unit is designed to replicate a different one of the Gran Kaiser's weapon systems. Faye Xin Lu uses the first G-Trooper in Gravion Zwei.

Zeravire
The main antagonists of the series, all of them are part of the Genocydrone system made by Hugi Zeravire.

Gravion
Appears in episode 1. Larger variation of the warrior class, appears in episode 2. Appears in episode 3. Appears in episode 4. Appears in episode 5. Designed for reconnaissance, appears in episode 6. Appears in episode 7. Appears in episode 8 in three different variations. Kamikaze variation, appears in episode 10. Appears in episodes 11 and 12. Appears in episode 13 and acts as the final boss of the first series.
 * Warrior Class
 * Destroyer Class
 * Egg Zeravire
 * Boast Zeravire
 * Heat Zeravire
 * Recon Zeravire
 * Working Zeravire
 * Soldier Class
 * Neutron Bomb Zeravire
 * Trinity Zeravire
 * Duel Zeravire

Gravion Zwei
s essentially a warrior class variation, appears in episode 1. Capable of surviving in lava, appears in episode 3. A warrior class variation that can survive underwater, appears in episode 4. Smaller variations of soldier class used to assist Clione Zeravire, appear in episode 4. Appears in episode 5. One of the early versions of the Zeravire, appear in episode 6. Early versions of the warrior class, appear in episode 6. Transformable version of Egg Zeravire, appears in episode 7. Appear in episode 8. Appears in episode 9. Appears in episode 9. Three hologram-like zeravire used as field commanders, appear in episodes 10 and 11. A zeravire specifically designed to counter Sol Gravion, appears in episode 12. The source of all zeravire, appears throughout series although it's true form is revealed in episode 12.
 * Skull Zeravire
 * Salamander Zeravire
 * Clione Zeravire
 * Depth Zeravire
 * Island Zeravire
 * Zeravire Transport Warship
 * Proto Zeravire
 * Hanging Zeravire
 * Hook Zeravire
 * Gate Zeravire
 * Squeeze Zeravire
 * Black, Blue, and Red Zeravire
 * Zeravion
 * Goma

First Season

 * Opening: "Nageki no Rosario" by JAM Project
 * Insert: "Gasshin! God Gravion!" by JAM Project
 * Ending: "WISH" by YURIA

Second Season

 * Opening: "Kurenai no Kiba" by JAM Project
 * Insert: "Enno Gasshin! Soul Gravion!" by JAM Project
 * Ending: "La♪La♪Bye" by Honey Bee

Releases & Merchandise
Gonzo has released three volumes, both on DVD and VHS. Studio Half Eye released a special Ultimate Gravion Toy for the Saishou Henkei line for promoting the series in Japan, while Yamato released GNU-DOU God Gravion and GN-U Gran Kaiser figures in December 2008.

The individual Japanese DVD releases for the first series also had special limited editions. Each volume came with a figure of the respective front cover's character for that DVD for a total of six figures (covering each of the main Gravion pilots in their pilot suits). In addition each figure also had some parts for the God Gravion which could be completed if all the six limited edition DVDs with their corresponding figures were bought by the consumer.

Both Gravion and Gravion Zwei are included as entries in the latest Super Robot Wars series of video games called Super Robot Wars Z for the PlayStation 2.