Premiering in the mid-sixties, Gigantor blazed a new trail in the West for Japanese animation. The first of many friendly giant robots, Gigantor featured a new and distinctive look filled with cinematic sensibility and unusual camera angles that captivated his audience. Gigantor was controlled by Jimmy Sparks, son of the man who created him. Using a remote joystick, Jimmy sent the huge fighting machine into battle, defending Earth against a never-ending assault by hostile aliens and enemy robots.