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| Red Ronin | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Original Model:Godzilla, King of the Monsters #6 (January 1978) Namie:Loners #5 (October 2007) |
| Created by | Original Model:Doug Moench andHerb Trimpe Namie:C.B. Cebulski andKarl Moline |
| In-story information | |
| Team affiliations | Original Model:Thunderbolts |
| Notable aliases | Original Model: SJ3RX Namie: UJ1-DX |
Red Ronin is a fictional gigantic humanoidrobotic construct (mecha) appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics, and went on to be a menace to other Marvel characters such as theAvengers andWolverine.
Originally created by writerDoug Moench and artistHerb Trimpe as a foil forGodzilla, Red Ronin's design was influenced by those of thesuper robots that were the staple ofanime during the 1970s. Super robots first came into the notice of American pop culture in the form of theGigantor (Tetsujin Nijuhachi-28) anime series that was imported into theUnited States fromJapan during the 1960s.Mattel's line of importedShogun Warriors toys became popular in the United States during the late 1970s, the same time period that Red Ronin first appeared in Marvel Comics. Indeed, (then) Marvel Editor-In-ChiefArchie Goodwin admitted that Red Ronin's basic design was inspired by the super robots of anime.
Red Ronin (originally referred to asSJ3RX) was developed with the assistance ofStark International by scientist Tamara Hashioka and engineer Yuriko Takiguchi, and constructed inDetroit,Michigan. It was intended to be used byS.H.I.E.L.D. as a combat instrument against the monsterGodzilla. Before it could be utilized for this purpose, the robot was stolen by Robert "Rob" Takiguchi (Yuriko's 12-year-old grandson) and renamed "Red Ronin" by the youngster. After an initial attempt to control the robot failed and went on an accidental rampage, Rob succeeded in piloting Red Ronin into battle with Godzilla in an attempt to drive the beast off. Rob wished to prevent the radioactive creature from being harmed and Red Ronin's attempts to ward Godzilla off of the San Diego missile base were designed to actually preserve the monster's life. Rob succeeded in doing so and it was discovered that Red Ronin had been imprinted with Rob's brain patterns, making the robot useless without Rob to pilot. Red Ronin refused to respond toJames Woo's brain patterns once imprinted with Rob's.[1] Rob was ordered to stay away from the robot but stole aboard Red Ronin again and confronted Godzilla and the giantBigfoot Yetrigar in the Grand Canyon, causing a landslide that buried Yetrigar.[2] Alongside Godzilla, he then battled the alien Mega-Monsters (Triax, Rhiahn and Krollar) outside Salt Lake City, Utah. During the battle, Rhiahn decapitated Red Ronin, leaving Godzilla to finish the fight alone. Rob survived but the robot was left inactive.[3]
S.H.I.E.L.D. eventually rebuilt the robot with Stark International's technicians' aid. The technician Earl Cowan altered the robot so it would only respond to his brain patterns, similarly to how it had previously been linked to Rob's. Cowan intended to use Red Ronin to orchestrate a series of events that would set offWorld War III with the Soviet Union. Cowan was completely ignorant of the shortest aerial route to theU.S.S.R. and went eastward instead of going northward and passed overNew York City. This allowed theAvengers to intercept and defeat Red Ronin rampaging in New York harbor. The robot was torn to scrap in the melee and its remains were carried off by S.H.I.E.L.D.[4]
Stane International eventually gained possession of the remains. The scientist Karaguchi Inoyawa rebuilt the robot, hoping to use as a force for good. The robot was displayed by Stane International at a trade show at thePontiac Silverdome. While there Red Ronin was commandeered by vengeful ex-employee Joe Kilman who caused Red Ronin to go on a rampage. This time, Inoyawa guided theWasp in deactivating Red Ronin.[5]
Red Ronin eventually wound up in Fujikawa Electronics' hands. It was altered to look even more like a samurai in appearance. Numerous military and criminal organizations (such as theHand) attempted to gain possession of the mechanoid, but were foiled byWolverine andSunfire.[6]
Red Ronin next appeared restored to its original form and used byHenry Peter Gyrich to lure the Avengers into a battle with theThunderbolts.[7]
Red Ronin has since 'joined' the Thunderbolts during theCivil War series.[8] Red Ronin was never seen in any battles during the event. Some time prior to this, it also clashed with theInhumans in a battle not clearly remembered due to theSentry's unwittingly mind-altering powers.[9]
A version of the classic model appears whenZodiac hijacks the mech to unleash on New York as part of a plan to discreditNorman Osborn as the director ofH.A.M.M.E.R.[10]
The limited seriesLoners introduced readers to a character known only asNamie,[11] since she was amnesiac after breaking out of a facility producing mutant growth hormone.Julie Power looks after her while the other members of the group try to figure out what to do with her, but before anything can be decided, they are brought into a fight withPhil Urich who went insane and stole theDarkhawk armor. Namie helps to bring Urich down, but after he spills the beans on a deal made betweenTurbo and Fuyumi Fujikawa[12] that would have sold out the team, he struck a new deal with her where Urich andHollow would return to Fujikawa, while the Loners kept Namie who he then reveals to be the new Red Ronin cyborg.[13]
Red Ronin is over 100 ft (30 m) tall, weighs in excess of 23 tons and its design was influenced by traditional samurai armor. Red Ronin is controlled by a human operator who wears a "cybernetic helmet" and sits within its head.
Red Ronin possesses immense strength and speed, is highly durable and canfly at subsonic speed using the atomic propulsion units in its legs. It is armed with a pulsating "rotary discus" shield on its right arm that has a solar-poweredlaser-blade sword and which doubles as an ultraviolet laserGatling gun device. Red Ronin also has a magnetic field generator in its shoulder epaulets and arm-mounted power blasters that are capable of firing blasts of concussive force equivalent to 100 tons ofTNT. Additionally, the shield is also capable of firing missiles, which Red Ronin used during its battle against Yetrigar in theGrand Canyon, and can be used as a detachable thrown weapon, containing a homing device that enables it to return to the robot. Red Ronin's left hand also has the ability to convert to an energy cannon that projects energy blasts. In addition, it could release "magne-clamp cables" from its boot units, which were strong enough to hold and support a being as massive as Godzilla. Red Ronin later gained the ability to automatically repair its circuitry and to detach its hands from its body and retain control of them while detached.
Namie is actually reduced to the size and appearance of a young Asian woman with red and black hair. Her main weapons are red energy blades that extend from her wrists. She has also demonstrated some advanced fighting techniques as well.
A version of Red Ronin appeared on an Earth visited by the dimension-hopping heroes known as theExiles (Earth-3752). On Earth-3752, Red Ronin was the chief weapon of the Science Squad, a group of monster hunters and was invented byBolivar Trask. This version was destroyed by its reality's version ofFin Fang Foom.[14]
Red Ronin also appeared in theMega Morphs miniseries, reprogrammed byDoctor Doom hadDoctor Octopus so that Doctor Doom could control remotely. After easily taking down the Mega Morphs ofCaptain America,Spider-Man,Wolverine and theGhost Rider, Red Ronin was defeated by theHulk whom Doctor Doom had previously taken over to assist in the prison break of Doctor Octopus.[15]
InEarth-X's universe, Red Ronin was decommissioned and given toTony Stark by President Norman Osborn. The robot's designs were eventually used as the base for a towering Iron Man armor.[16]
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