Tetsuya Tsurugi/ZERO

Tetsuya Tsurugi is the pilot of Great Mazinger, referred to as Kenzo Kabuto's trump card against the Mycenae Empire. Initially introduced as Great Mazinger's test pilot, in an alternate reality where the robot was intended for Koji to pilot after his Mazinger Z was destroyed, Tetsuya later appears in other iterations, most notably in the one he takes over as Earth's protector. In this particular version, it is revealed that he is part of a genetically enhanced set of mass produced younger clones of Kenzo, specifically created to wield Great Mazinger's full potential.
==Appearance==
Tetsuya resembles his other counterparts, including his signature dark brown hairstyle with semi-curls standing upright. He has brown eyes and has chiseled features. His clothes include his blue civilian clothes with a dark blue jacket and an occasional scarf. His pilot suit includes a dark skin suit with red padding as well as a helmet resembling the head of Great Mazinger.
==Personality==
Tetsuya is a hot-headed pilot who strives to become a hero as envisioned by Kenzo Kabuto. He can be overly violent, reckless, and even a bit childish. Believing himself to be invincible because of his inhuman constitution and ability to recover from mortal wounds, Tetsuya does not hesitate to take risks for the sake of getting the upper hand in a battle.
He has fightning as his main and only goal, refusing to engage in other activities other than training in his free time. When he found out he was just one in a set of easily replaceable clones, Tetsuya reveals that he had already suspected it to be the case, and states that such existence makes him happy as he can fight to his heart's content, without worrying about the consequences. 
==Abilities==
===Constitution===
Tetsuya has a body that goes beyond the limits of a regular human being, allowing him to pilot Great Mazinger while withstanding the same g-forces that torn Kenzo Kabuto's body to shreds when he tried to do the same himself. Through continued training with Jun, he is a powerful combatant in close quarter combat. He is able to heal from minor injuries in a matter of minutes.
===Clones===
Tetsuya possesses numerous clones created by Kenzo Kabuto in the eventual event Tetsuya is dead or beyond repair. The clones are engineered to inherit Tetsuya's memories the moment the current one had. They are also engineered to not recall dying, which makes Tetsuya think he can heal from serious injuries.
===Piloting===
Tetsuya is a highly capable pilot well versed in the Great Mazinger, piloting the giant robot to its utmost potential through the Mazin Power and even to transform it into the Great Mazinkaiser.
==History==
=== Shin Mazinger ZERO ===
Tetsuya makes only a brief appearance in one of the worlds left behind by Minerva X, the one in which Juzo Kabuto first expresses feelings towards his family and friends. 
Following the self-destruction of Mazinger Z and the death of Sayaka at the hands of Jetfire P1, Koji's left defenseless after ejecting from Mazinger Z at the last second. Just as he is about to be seized and executed by a horde of Iron Masks, Tetsuya appears to save him, swiftly gunning down the cyborgs. Afterwards, Kenzo, Tetsuya and Jun take Koji to a secret hangar in which rests Great Mazinger, a robot created to surpass Mazinger Z. 
Shortly before the world vanishes, Tetsuya reveals he was involved in the development of Great Mazinger and playfully teases Koji, wondering if he will be able to handle the robot. 
=== Shin Mazinger ZERO vs. Great General of Darkness ===
==Trivia==
*Being a somewhat self-aware and self-referential entry in the Mazinger franchise, the Shin Mazinger ZERO vs. Great General of Darkness manga explicitly incorporated tidbits of trivia, including those present only in supplementary material, about the TV version into its portrayal of Tetsuya. These include:
**Tetsuya's childhood trauma involving birds.
**The change to his intended age, which made him look younger than his character design would suggest.
**His meager allowance, which amounts to little more than pocket change.
**His love of sweets.
** The "Combat Pro" title constantly brought up by Tetsuya himself. Despite not being used in the original series or manga, it's often used to refer to him in the Super Robot Wars crossover franchise and in the Iron Saga mobile game.
==Gallery==
TetsuyazERo.png
SMZvAD Ch18 JunTetsuya.jpg
SMZvAD Ch7 Tetsuya.jpeg
Category:ZERO Characters
Category:Male characters
Category:Pilots