The classic 1972 anime and manga as actually one of the first (quite possibly the first) time that such robots featured a rider sitting inside the cockpit controlling the machine, which is, of course, a standard in almost all mech series. A lot of other classic mech standards developed in Mazinger Z, which makes the idea of a TV remake of the series all the more interesting: will it be an homage to these classics, or will it find yet another way to break through and do something new?
So far, that much is unclear. What we DO know is that the remake is definitely happening (it had received a light announcement last summer, although it was initially presented as a remake of Z-Mazinger, which was itself a reimagining of the series). It's being directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa, who directed Tetsujin 28 and the Giant Robo OVA, and will be animated by BEEMEDIA
This is going to be an amazing mecha year.