LET'SA GOOOO!!! First Monday of the new year, new batch of monsters for the next 43 weeks of the run of this Rouges Gallery series as we look at the Alien Robot Kaiju of the Zela's Dark Horror Army from the 1976 anime Dino Mech Gaiking.

Quick Note: I was corrected on DA the following about the Dark Horror Army name by Kaijufan97:

"Dark Monster refers to the other giant monsters Gaiking faces against in each episode. When the generals were calling Black Monster the Dark Monster, they were referring to what Black Monster is, not by its actual name."

"Though, in the show they’re called Dark Kaiju."

Black Monster (or Dark Monster) was the start up Robot Kaiju in Episodes one and two – "The Mysterious Black Hole" and "Did You See? The Killer Miracle Pitch!" - of the Dino Mech Gaiking anime.

_Abilities_

Black Monster was the first Kaiju of the Dark Horror Army to come to Earth, it had an overall insect like aspect to its design, with six legs, an abdomen; it sported a large orb head with one eye held by seven neck joints. Was black in color, with Yellow eyes this possessing red outlines.

Black Monster could release thunder lightning and a laser beam from its eye, as well spew fire from its mouth; the Monster's main ability however was an illusion called Cosmic Spectrum – it attempted to trick its enemies in believing it was as gigantic as a mountain with the actual body been the head of the construct standing on a cloud, hiding the reality of the illusion. This cloud cover allowed it to create destructive tornadoes. Is not when Fan Li disrupts its Cosmic Spectrum with Skylar Missiles, the actual appearance of the monster is reveal, been same size as Gaiking.

_History_

With Planet Zela about to be consume by a Black Hole, its God like Robot Ruler – Emperor Dalius – sets his eyes on Earth for conquest and to relocate its people, so he commands his four Generals - Desmon, Dankell, Asmoff and Killer – the task of conquer it. They travel to Earth on their Grotestar Battleship fleet with Black Monster in tow. Once on Earth, they unleashed their Death Cross maneuver, destroying a satellite and then unleashing the Black Monster, who destroys a naval Aircraft fleet.

The Zelan Generals then proceed to target psychics for assassination, one of them been young Baseball Pitcher Sanshiro Tsuwabuki; the latter, who after ignoring a anonymous phone call (from Doctor Daimonji), gets his career in the big leagues cut short by Zelan actions, having his left arm been hurt. When learning the truth from a mysterious man (Sakon Gen) who tells him to go to lighthouse at Omaezaki, he still ignores it. Sanshiro life comes under threat once more from Zelan Dark Avian Corps, but is saved by another man (Fan Li) who suggest him to run.

Following the recommendations, Sanshiro travels to Omaezaki with Sakon, Fan and a third man (Hayami Bunta), but when the Assassins hop on the train too, the group escapes and by jump off, meeting up with Yamagatage. The men travel to the Lighthouse where Sanshiro meets Dr. Daimonji, Hachiroo and Fujiyama Midori; the Doctor tells Sanshiro of the Zelans and the Dark Horror Army, then shows him the Daiku Maryu fortress as it emerges from the water. After the tour of the base, the Daiku Maryu and having known the other members (and Ship Capt. Pete Richardson), Sanshiro accepts to join the team and begins to train on the Gaiking Components trying to assemble the Robot which he achieves after trial and error using his training in Baseball as experience.

In that moment, the Dark Horror Army attacks with the Gigantic Black Monster – Daiku Maryu enters its defense mode and Sanshiro is force to fight the Beast with Gaiking, thus ending Episode One.

Episode Two starts right where the first one left off, and Gaiking battles the Gigantic Black Monster – after been knocked off balance by it, Sanshiro takes control and at advice of Pete, uses Counter Cross, which has no effect on the creature. He then uses Saur Geyser and Hydro Blazer, still doing no harm to it. The Monster uses its tornado attack tossing Gaiking away – the Grotestar ships then position themselves and use Death Cross on Daiku Maryu, Sanshiro tries to help, but is warned by Daimonji to stand back, as the Vortex is actually a miniature black hole in of itself – Sanshiro and the others watch in horror as a Passenger Jet is destroy by the Death Cross, though the Generals are shocked it has no effect on the Fortress; the villains retreat and the Beast causes another Tornado, hitting knocking Sanshiro and Gaiking into the sea; Daiku Maryu surges and finds Gaiking and the Ichthyosaur theme ship Nessar (piloted by Bunta) is sent out to retrieve it and Sanshiro is taken to the Hospital.

Side note: the scene of the Plane is when I realized (much to what I believed for a while) the show was indeed transmitted in Puerto Rico back in the day, for the horrible way the passengers on board died and that four ships were responsible for the tornado attack. I remember this bit, but for a long ass time, I thought it was in Jeeg, not Gaiking.

Elsewhere, the General discuss their encounter with Gaiking and Daiku – after hearing from the Emperor, the villains decide to target Sanshiro directly. Time later, Sanshiro awakens in the hospital and recognizes he is not cut for this job due to his lack of Psychic Powers though Daimonji states his are still dormant – the words of reassurance are not help by Pete.

Sanshiro leaves the Daiku Mayru and travels the country side where he sees a group of kids playing Baseball, but he can only throw the ball so far due to his damage arm, unawares he is been watch by a Zela Agent nearby; the fiend takes his chance to kill Sanshiro but the latter avoids and fights his assailant, though a truck comes by trying to run him over, but kills the Agent instead. The truck follows Sanshiro to a construction site; trap in an dead and in a moment of panic, Sanshiro throws a ball towards the truck, the impact alone tosses the truck into the air where it explodes; this leaves him perplex, but the Generals, watching from a far, discover Sanshiro can Emit Plasma unconsciously, the revelation forces them to unleash Black Monster on Tokyo while sending some of their some forces after Sanshiro before he gets back onto the Robot.

The Daiku Mayru arrives and launches the Pterosaur theme Jet Skylar (piloted by Fan Li) – Skylar makes a dive bombing attack that takes out the cloud Cosmic Spectrum cover of the Beast, revealing to be far smaller, same size as Gaiking. Black Monster repels Skylar, but Fan Li recovers; he then saves Sanshiro from Zelan tanks and takes him back to the Daiku Maryu and deploys Gaiking, taking on the Beast once more.

However, despite using Counter Cross, Saur Geyser and Hydro Blazer, Gaiking is still repel by the monster, causing it to crash. Wondering how to dispose of the Beast, Sanshiro gets inspired by his Miracle Pitch, which he emulates through the Hydro Blazer – the energy projectile, embedded with his Psychic Abilities, makes curves around the Monster beam before successfully destroying it on impact.

The Team, now recognizing Sanshiro does indeed possess great Psychic abilities, stands ready for the Battles to come.