UFO Robot Grendizer #1 Review – All Talk, No Robot

UFO Robot Grendizer #1 (Titan Comics, 8/5/26): Writers Xavier Dorison & Denis Bajram put Japan in the crosshairs of a new Vegan invasion, but the only person powerful enough to stop them hasn’t been seen in years. Filled with high stakes and tense drama, the story sets up an Earth-ending story, even if you have to wade through a lot of exposition to get there. Verdict: A lot of setup with a promise for more.

• Writer: Xavier Dorison, Denis Bajram
• Artist: Denis Bajram, Brice Cossu, Alexis Sentenac, Yoann Guillo
• Letterer: Tom Williams
• Cover Artist: Derrick Chew (cover A)
• Publisher: Titan Comics
• Release Date: August 5, 2026
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 56
• Format: Double-Sized Issue

Covers:

Analysis of UFO Robot Grendizer #1:

First Impressions:

I liked this oversized return of UFO Robot Grendizer, but I wanted to like it more. Why didn’t I like it more? In a nutshell, you don’t get to see the robot until the last page with a “To Be Continued.” That’s a lot of reading to get to the good stuff, so the payoff didn’t meet the setup.

Recap:

The Vega Empire reduced the distant planet of Fleed to dust. Its crown prince, Duke Fleed, looked on helplessly as his people died. Nevertheless, he managed to escape the devastation by stealing back Grendizer, the mightiest of the battle robots. Duke Fleed crash-landed on Earth. There, he found refuge with Professor Umon, a former doctor who now heads the Space Science Laboratory. Umon looked after the prince of Fleed, adopting him as his own son and giving him a new identity as Daisuke Umon. They used the cutting-edge resources at their disposal to hide Grendizer in an underground base and fight the continuing threat of Lord Vega.

Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):

The issue begins with astronauts on the moon investigating a possible meteorite crash that emits Vegan radiation. After the last war with the Vegans, Earth is on high alert, so the presence of Vegan radiation has the leaders of Earth nervous. Unfortunately, their fears were justified. A Vegan ship emerges from the Moon and heads to Earth. When it arrives in Japan, it unleashes a gigantic saucer beast called a Hydragon. The monster cracks Mt. Fuji to set off an eruption and scorches the military with its fire breath.

A Vegan leader arrives via spaceship and tells the residents of Japan to evacuate as Vega is sending its people to Earth because Vega is a dying world. They intend to establish a colony on Japan and have graciously given the Japanese people 7 days to leave.

Meanwhile, Koji and Hikura, now older and working professionals, seek out Dr. Umon to help fend off the invasion. The military finds Umon first because they believe he still has the Grendizer and advanced weapons in his lab. Umon has refused to help, but this time, they brought something that will convince him – A Fleed helmet.

IN a flashback, we learn Daisuke returned to Fleed to help rebuild. After years of progress, the Vegans invaded again and killed all survivors, except for Daisuke and his sister. The siblings fled to Earth years ago, but Daisuke was captured by the military and held in captivity. His sister fled and hid among the humans. The issue ended with Daisuke reuniting with his sister, Umon, and the rest to reactivate the Grendizer.

How is the story in UFO Robot Grendizer #1?

The story is long, and if you hadn’t caught the hint in the First Impressions section above, you don’t get to any wow moments. The robot is only in one scene and activated on the very last page. That’s a lot of reading and patience to ask of a reader. Honestly, the days of drawing out a story and only getting to the good part at the very last second are over, so it’s disappointing to see the creative team make such a critically frustrating mistake.

How is the art in UFO Robot Grendizer #1?

The art is dead perfect. The characters look like older versions of themselves from the original series, but again, most of the issue centers on people standing around and talking, interspersed with a bit of action. There’s not much here to capture your attention, but the art team makes the most of what they’ve got.

Characters

The heart of this first issue is the reunited-yet-contentious relationship between Hikaru and Koji. Whatever potential spark they had in their younger years has cooled with separation. Still, coming together again in the midst of a crisis may rekindle old feelings.

Originality & Concept Execution

Setting the story a few years later in the series to age up the characters is a smart choice and a net positive because it frees the creators to play with established characters and their relationships from new angles. That said, again, you don’t get to the good stuff in this issue, and the bits we get are strong repeats of the story already told, such as Fleed invaded by Vegans and Vegans attacking Earth.

Pros and Cons

What We Loved

• Super-solid art
• Excellent character- and world-building
• Moving the series forward in time is smart

Room for Improvement

• No Gendizer until the last page
• The plot is a rehash of the same story
• Maria Grace’s arrival on Earth isn’t explained well

Art Samples:

The Scorecard:

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 2.5/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3.5/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 0.5/2

Final Thoughts:

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UFO Robot Grendizer #1 returns to Earth years after the first Vegan invasion when a new threat emerges. The art team’s visual strength looks amazing, but the issue is almost all exposition and setup, so you never get to the good stuff – giant robot action. The issue isn’t bad, but it falls short of its potential.

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