勇者ライディーン [Yusha Raidin] [Brave Raideen]

A short-lived but influential 1975 manga from Akita Shoten, Yusha Raideen was created as a companion to the groundbreaking anime of the same name. Though only two issues were published, it introduced the core concept of a young boy piloting a giant, ancient robot to defend Earth from a revived demonic empire. The series is notable for helping to establish the "super robot" genre in manga, predating later mecha classics. Its legacy endures as a foundational, if brief, piece of 1970s Japanese pop culture.