Basking in the Sun - with Spartan, K5, Mazinger Z and Aphrodite A

Spartan K5 was a Gladiator style Mechanical Monster featured on Episode 14 of the original Mazinger Z series Anime: he was teal in color, with a Purple color large lower jaw and sport a Mohawk plate on the head. He had a right shoulder pad and his weapons of choice were a Trident, which he could use in close combat as well create strong hurricane wings when spun. He had a large shield attached to the end of the left arm rather than a left hand, which was resistant to many attacks, including Z's Breast of Fire.

Spartan was among the few Mechanical Monsters to show some level of sentient conscious – others included Genova M9, Faizar V1 and Minerva X – and was a peaceful Mechanical monster who refused to fight for Dr. Hell, but the Mechanical Monster was closest to killing Koji and Z, if it hadn't been by the actions taken by Dr. Hell.

# I was considering to draw Modilus, the Giant Mechanical Bull that is seen early in the episode training with Spartan, however had to cut him out, as I thought it was better that the drawing reflected one of the best moments in the episode, where Spartan and Z lay back and Koji has a conversation with him. This is also the 2nd pic of Spartan, as the previous one showed him with a left hand when he didn't had one.

In the episode, Spartan K5 first appears in the middle of an exercise run on Bardos Island fighting a giant Mechanical Monster Bull (Modilus) – while demonstrating great combat skill, Spartan used mostly defense tactics, rather than going on the offensive, much to the disappointment of Dr. Hell, as he expresses to Ashura of the monster's resentment to fight, only doing so when attacked first. Spartan beats Modilus and Hell orders it to destroy it under threat of destruction, but still refuses to obey, Ashura intervenes and convinces Hell to allow him/her control of the monster, viewing it a waste to destroy such a powerful monster, to which the Dr. concedes.

Meanwhile, at Koji's residence, the Lab's staff and the Boss Gang celebrate Shiro's Birthday when the call comes in of Spartan's arrival – Z and Aphrodite are launched and search the area close to the lab, where they find Spartan K5, resting on an hill, basking in the sun, Koji tries to challenge him, but Spartan, for the lack of a better word, gives no fucks. The pilots realizing he has no desire of fighting, Z rests next to him and Koji proceeds to have a chat with Spartan, a mortified Ashura watching the display on the screen, having hoped that a first attack from Z would force the reluctant beast to fight. After bidding farewell, Spartan becomes something of a session in the media, much to the detriment and ridicule of Dr. Hell who berates Ashura for it and orders him/her to destroy Spartan – later that night, a squadron of Iron Mask soldiers arrived on a truck full of explosives while the Beast sleeps. The next morning the Boss gangs invite Shiro to pay a visit to Spartan, and he takes his birthday gifts (a radio and drum) to tag along.

As the group pay a visit to the peaceful Monster, they proceed to have a party with Shiro playing the drums and the radio – unfortunately the sounds causes Spartan to suffer a dream of a gladiator fighting in an arena, with lions and other gladiators to the cheers of a crowd, this awakens his dormant fighting spirit, and hostile nature, Dr. Hell, who kept watch, celebrates. Spartan notices the group and goes after them, but is stopped by the sudden visit of Koji and Sayaka on Mazinger Z and Aphrodite A, Boss warns them, but too late, Spartan goes on the offensive, Sayaka tries to make Spartan remember their friendship to no avail, with the Beast disposing of Aphrodite by ripping an arm off and pushing her to a canyon, Spartan then turn his sights on Z. Mazinger fires both Rocket Punches and deflects them with his shield and impales another with his Trident, exploding. Koji fires multiple Abdominal Missiles, all of these stopped by the Shield. Spartan charges again, Z fires his Breast of Fire, but these prove ineffective to the shield and Spartan pushes his way to Z, bashing him with the Trident, going down. Spartan moves for the final blow, but he is stopped by an explosion which rips his right arm with the trident off. As he agonizes another blast rips his left arm and shield – Dr. Hell realizes it's the time explosives he ordered his Soldiers to put on the beast the night before, now going off one by one, ironically, making him the one who saved Z unintentionally.

Spartan then loses both of his legs and falls to the ground, now limbless, only his upper body and head intact. In his mind, Spartan's daydream of the Gladiator comes to an end with the fighter falling in combat to the rapturous cheers of the crown. Then the last of the explosives goes off, destroying what was left of the once Peaceful Spartan K5. The group can only be confuse as to why he became aggressive, Koji believing it to be a mechanical malfunction, but also expressing that Spartan's Spirit had finally found peace in the Afterlife.