魔神英雄伝ワタル (Mashin Eiyuden Wataru)

10-year-old Wataru is just your typical teenager, until one day he got transported to a place where he is chosen as the saviour! Armed with the sword given by the locals, with his clay-model-turn-mecha Yujin Maru and new friends, Wataru will have to defeat the evil mastermind and his numerous minions to restore peace and order...

I first watched 魔神英雄伝ワタル back in 1990, and I can still remember the days when I begged my dad to buy that cool Yuioh Maru and the other mecha from the show...

Note: There are 2 OVA, as well as a "remake" TV series that I have never watched, and I will never watch them anyway, so there will be no reviews on those.

Links:
The listing on Sunrise (in Japanese)
The sequel listing on Sunrise (in Japanese)

---

魔神英雄伝ワタル (1988 - 1989)
45 episodes TV series

As a kid show, it rocks when I was 12. In 2004 I bought a "pirate" DVD set and watch it again, and I find myself being silly... it is a fine show, but not for my current age group anymore...

The selling point: silly villians for each episodes and lots of comedy at the expense of all characters, including Wataru. Of course, you cannot forget about the mecha fights.

Dino's Rating: 8 (If you are 14 and younger)
Will Girls Like It: Nah

---

魔神英雄伝ワタル 2 (1990 - 1991)
46 episodes TV series

Yup I watched the sequel too (when I am still young, of course). This time though, the story got a bit darker than before. Still a very good follow up to the original.

Finally, the producers let Yujin Maru fly... it cannot in the first series...

Dino's Rating: 7 (If you are 14 and younger)
Will Girls Like It: Nah