The man behind the mask: Meet the Lebanese artist who voiced Duke Fleed in ‘Grendizer’

Jehad Alatrash with Grandizer at Joy Forum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 13, 2019. (Ziyad Alarfaj)
Updated 26 October 2019
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The man behind the mask: Meet the Lebanese artist who voiced Duke Fleed in ‘Grendizer’

  • Grendizer’s success shows that Arab share same ‘honorable values’ as the Japanese, says Jihad al-Atrash

RIYADH: Though many in the Arab World may instantly recognize the name of Duke Fleed, the name Jihad Al-Atrash may not ring as many bells. However, the former couldn’t exist without the latter, at least not in the Middle East.

For those who don’t know either, Duke Fleed is the main character in an anime called Grendizer. Created by Japanese mangaka Go Nagai in 1975, leapt out of its original orbit in Japan and crash-landed in the Arab World in the 1980s, where it has firmly established roots as a cult classic and beloved icon. Following a full Arabic dubbing the show quickly gained traction in the region, and amazingly continues to do so decades later.

A Lebanese actor with a long and extensive history in the world of Arab media, Al-Atrash lent his voice to the Arabic dub of Grendizer, playing the heroic protagonist. It is now recognized as one of his best roles, and almost certainly the one he is most famous for.

Al-Atrash spoke to Arab News at the recent Joy Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event, which was held to boost investment in Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning entertainment sector, provided the perfect backdrop for the actor as he told his story: a giant statue of the eponymous Grendizer.

“Grendizer,” a massive success from its first broadcast in Lebanon in the 1980s, is something that Al-Atrash holds near and dear. And in this, he is hardly alone. “The Lebanese people fell in love with it,” he told Arab News. “The Arab people, especially in the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, remember ‘Grendizer’ very well. I was surprised and amazed at their strong memory.”

And even now the popularity has never waned. “When I meet people, they express great love for me. The most important thing is that many of them make their kids watch ‘Grendizer’ to learn ethics and values,” he said.

The actor told Arab News that he believes that the values “Grendizer” teaches are timeless, and that is why it has remained popular. “When Grendizer moved to Earth, he fought against evil and enemies who stood in his way, who wanted to destroy him and take over the Earth. He started to defend Planet Earth and called for peace, love, justice and respect for all human beings. All these are great human principles and values.”

Al-Atrash’s portrayal of the Duke was lauded for how he conveyed his feelings, particularly his sense of patriotism, given the political climate in Lebanon at the height of the show’s popularity. “Lebanon was at the time on the brink of the civil war that hit it later in the heart,” Al-Atrash explained, referring to the 1975-1990 civil war in Lebanon. “I was in too much pain over the war and what was going on in my country. I wanted peace and love to reign and I wanted the feelings of brotherhood and harmony to spread among all segments of the Lebanese society.”

His performance has even netted the approval of Grendizer’s creator himself. “Go Nagai said he is very happy that ‘Grendizer’ enjoyed this huge success in the Arab world, a success greater than that of Japan and other European countries,” Al-Atrash said. “He said he liked my voice a lot and wished (that) the Japanese character had the same amount of feelings and sensations.”

However, geopolitics aside, Al-Atrash also believes that Arab culture in general had a strong effect on the show’s popularity in the region. “Arabs are known for having noble and honorable values, magnanimity, generosity, encouragement, love of one’s country, love of one’s family and society,” he explained. “Arabs feel strong about these values. I hope we protect and maintain these values when raising our children and instill the values in their minds.”

Al-Atrash does, however, think that cartoons today have diminished somewhat in value. “The cartoons children watch these days teach them nothing but violence and violent ideas and make them engage in violent behavior with their classmates. Children imitate cartoon characters they watch on TV, (on) cell phones, and the latter are available everywhere. Cartoons today send directly or indirectly violent subliminal messages with no ethics, unlike ‘Grendizer.’ This is why I decided to stay away from acting in any cartoons. I don’t want my voice to be used as a tool to destroy kids, society and generations.”

With rumors floating around about an alleged remake of “Grendizer” to celebrate the show’s 45th anniversary next year, Al-Atrash said he is on board to reprise the role. “I’ve heard the rumors, but it’s all been talk at this point,” Al-Atrash told Arab News. “But I’m definitely interested (to record Duke Fleed’s voice in Arabic).”

In the meantime, he is able to enjoy memories of voicing the iconic character, in particular with his three daughters. “They love the show a lot. They introduce their friends to Grendizer and then tell them that Grendizer is their father,” he said laughing.


Highlights from the Venice Biennale of Architecture 

Updated 05 June 2025
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Highlights from the Venice Biennale of Architecture 

  • Following our in-depth coverage of this year’s Saudi and Qatar entries, here are three more must-see pavilions at this year’s biennale

Following our in-depth coverage of this year’s Saudi and Qatar entries, here are three more must-see pavilions at this year’s biennale.

Bahrain

“Heatwave” presents a meaningful and practical response to the climate crisis.

At first glance, Bahrain’s pavilion isn’t much to look at. A modest modular structure consisting of a raised platform, a suspended ceiling, and a central column, it lacks the artistic clout of other pavilions. And yet, this passive cooling installation designed for public spaces was awarded the Golden Lion for best national participation. 

“Heatwave” presents a meaningful and practical response to the climate crisis. By reimagining traditional Bahraini cooling systems, such as wind towers and shaded courtyards, it provides an innovative response to rising temperatures. The pavilion’s design integrates a geothermal well that draws in cool air from below the surface, paired with a solar chimney that releases warm air upwards. Together, these elements form what the designers describe as a “thermo-hygrometric axis,” a system that maintains a mild, regulated indoor climate.  

In the exhibition space, where excavation for a geothermal well was not feasible, the system relies on mechanical ventilation, drawing air through a canal-facing window and guiding it through a network of ducts and nozzles to create a controlled microclimate. Importantly, it is designed to be scalable and adaptable to a wide range of environments. 

Commissioned by Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, president of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, and curated by architect Andrea Faraguna, the pavilion functions as a full-scale, inhabitable prototype. Aimed primarily at meeting the challenges faced by construction workers in the Gulf, the pavilion’s design was developed in collaboration with structural engineer Mario Monotti and thermomechanical expert Alexander Puzrin. 

Britain 

British Pavilion - Detail from PART's 'Objects of Repair.' (Courtesy of the British Council)

“I call this pavilion a reverse case because it also makes a statement against British colonial rule,” says Yara Sharif, one of the co-founders of the Palestine Regeneration Team (PART). “After all, they were the ones who initiated the exploitation of Palestinian resources. So having a platform within the British Pavilion is, in itself, a statement — a reverse case that says, ‘We are also here to occupy you.’ It’s also a way to challenge the mental occupation; the idea of portraying Palestinians as passive subjects.” 

PART’s “Objects of Repair” is a small but vitally important component within the British pavilion’s “Geology of Britannic Repair,” a UK-Kenya collaboration that seeks to expose and rework the entangled legacies of architecture and colonization. In a series of installations, the exhibition proposes earth-bound solutions that resist extractive practices and respond to climate, social, and political upheaval. The British Pavilion received a special mention for national participation. 

At the core of PART’s installation, created by Sharif, Nasser Golzari, and Murray Fraser, lies the Travelling Lab, a project inspired by Gazans’ reappropriation of rubble to create new architectural ‘skins.’ 

“The whole idea behind the Travelling Lab is that it continues to develop and evolve as it moves,” explains Sharif, who is also a co-founder of Architects for Gaza. “We call it a way to cultivate hope, but also to create a matrix of possibilities that may suggest new scenarios and aesthetics to challenge the ones we’re familiar with. The aim of the pavilion is not to create a beautiful object; it’s to provoke a collision, spark discussion, and to draw attention to a context that is continually being rendered invisible.” 

Uzbekistan  

“A Matter of Radiance,” the Uzbekistan pavilion’s exhibition. (Supplied)

One of the first things you see when entering the Uzbekistan National Pavilion is a heliostat – a mirror system designed to track the sun and reflect its light onto a fixed point. Beyond it lie a control room table, a monumental glass chandelier created by Irena Lipene, and a giant solar screen. All belong to — or are reconstructions of those found at — the Sun Institute of Material Science in Tashkent, one of the city’s Soviet-era modernist structures.    

The landmark building, originally known as the Sun Heliocomplex, is the inspiration behind “A Matter of Radiance,” the pavilion’s exhibition. Curated by GRACE studio’s Ekaterina Golovatyuk and Giacomo Cantoni, the exhibition explores the scientific and cultural relevance of the Heliocomplex. In particular, its potential as an international scientific hub. 

“This was a catalyst building for its time,” says Gayane Umerova, chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, who commissioned the exhibition. “The architecture was profound. The designers were given remarkable freedom, and I think it’s important for us to not only celebrate it, but also preserve it.” 

Opened near Tashkent in 1987, the Heliocomplex is one of only two major solar furnaces in the world designed to study how materials behave under extreme temperatures. It is also one of 24 key modernist sites spread across the capital, 21 of which have been granted national heritage status.  

“It’s important for us to show that this is not just a monolith,” says Umerova of the Heliocomplex, which is currently being used for civilian scientific research. “It’s an art object, in a way, but it’s a living structure.”  


Najran: A city of living memories 

Updated 05 June 2025
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Najran: A city of living memories 

  • The southwestern city may be one of the Kingdom’s fastest-growing, but its appeal is timeless 

JEDDAH: A dry wind carries the first sign: a curl of frankincense smoke, sharp and sweet, drifting over the desert flats. It seeps through windows, clings to clothes, lingers on skin. Najran once sat at the center of the incense trade, and the scent still clings to its streets like a memory too deep to wash away. 

In Najran’s Old City, sun-drenched alleys wind between mud-brick towers etched with delicate patterns. The buildings lean into one another like elders sharing secrets, their thick walls cool to the touch, smelling faintly of clay and ash.  

At the edge of town lies Al-Ukhdood — ancient ruins unfolding in silence, trenches cut through centuries, and soot-darkened stones bearing the scars of fire. There’s no ticket booth, no crowd, just wind brushing across fractured stone. This is where an infamous massacre once unfolded, a horror alluded to in the Qur’an. Now, goats graze nearby, and a boy scrolls through his phone against a wall that has seen empires rise and fall. Here, history doesn’t sleep, it hums softly beneath your feet. 

Further into town, the Thursday Market erupts like a drumbeat. The solemnity of the past gives way to present-day vibrance. Silver jambiya daggers flash from stalls, sticky dates glisten under the sun, and fabric bolts in electric blues and deep saffron flutter in the breeze. A vendor hands you a tiny ceramic cup filled with qishr (ginger coffee), fiery and fragrant. Its scent coils in your nose, the first sip stings your tongue, and a strange warmth begins to gather in your chest — a jolt from another time. 

Al-Aan Palace in Najran. (Getty Images)

Past the market, Al-Aan Palace rises above the palm groves. Its mud towers glow gold in the late light like a dream from another age. Climbing its narrow staircase, your breath shortens. At the rooftop, it stops altogether. Below, date farms stretch like green lace. Beyond, the Tuwaiq Escarpment flames red in the sinking sun. There is awe, and there is quiet.  

The road south of Najran curves, shimmering, into the desert. Follow it to Bir Hima, and you’ll find 7,000-year-old carvings on basalt boulders — hunters, animals, stories too old for language — and drink thick tea under the sun, sweet and dense as syrup, and imagine those long-ago artists tracing their lives into stone.  

To explore Wadi Najran, you can rent a bicycle. At first it rolls smoothly through scrub and stone, but then the asphalt ends and sand takes over. The wadi unfolds — vast, veined cliffs shimmer in the light. A shepherd leads his goats past, his voice rising briefly on the wind. The heat is heavy, the bike grows cumbersome, but the land invites you not to conquer it, only to notice. 

Prehistoric petroglyphs and inscriptions of Bir Hima. (Getty Images)

Evening comes with a slow hush. The air smells of dust and dry leaves. In the distance, the sky purples, gold slips behind the horizon. Najran lingers not just in your memory, but in your senses. The sting of ginger, the hush of carved stone, the smoke of incense soaked into your shirt. This is not a city you visit. It’s one you carry. 

And as night folds in, Najran reveals another layer. The souk’s date stalls, clay homes, and impromptu chai shops reveal not just trade but trust. You’re offered water without price, tea without expectation. A stranger gestures toward his car and home — unstaged, authentic hospitality. In one such home, beneath a full moon and garden perfumed by local incense, a conversation turns to life’s simplicity, peace, and the lies we often believe until we travel. There are no tours or tickets for this part of Najran. 

Spend a few days. Let the place press gently into you. Wander the alleys, share the tea, smell the smoke, and listen. You’ll understand why Najran is not simply visited — it’s remembered. 


Saudi handicrafts on show at London’s Selfridges

Updated 04 June 2025
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Saudi handicrafts on show at London’s Selfridges

RIYADH: The Saudi Cultural Development Fund (CDF) is showcasing traditional handicrafts from the Kingdom at luxury department store Selfridges in London from June 3-22.

The initiative is taking place during Saudi Arabia’s Year of Handicrafts and is in collaboration with British charity organization Turquoise Mountain, which works to support the production of traditional crafts around the world.

The collection celebrates diverse Saudi artisans and features intricate palm crafts, delicate jewelry and accessories, and fine leatherwork, with an emphasis on showcasing the differences between various regional styles in Saudi Arabia.

Themed around Saudi Arabia’s natural and architectural heritage, the activation highlights work crafted from locally sourced, sustainable materials,  reimagined through a contemporary creative lens.

The showcase is being held alongside an exhibition of fashion designs, supported by the Saudi Fashion Commission. 

A key milestone in the CDF’s efforts to support the Kingdom’s cultural sector is the recent launch of the Nama’ Accelerators: Handicrafts Track — a dedicated solution that supports cultural businesses through specialized training, mentorship, and financial incentives.


Artist Massoud Hayoun’s London exhibition ‘Stateless’ explores identity, exile

Updated 04 June 2025
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Artist Massoud Hayoun’s London exhibition ‘Stateless’ explores identity, exile

DUBAI: Los Angeles-based artist and author Massoud Hayoun has spent his career exploring identity, exile and resistance. 

His latest exhibition, “Stateless,” running at London’s Larkin Durey art gallery until June 27, is an exploration of control, culture and community.

His paintings are imbued with the legacy of his Egyptian and Tunisian Jewish heritage. (Supplied)

Raised by his grandparents, Hayoun paints their stories of exile, love and resilience in shades of blue, blending personal narratives with icons of Arab cinema and song to highlight shared cultural memories. 

His paintings are imbued with the legacy of his Egyptian and Tunisian Jewish heritage, but they also reach beyond his own family’s history. His grandfather left Egypt, and his mother was born without citizenship — experiences that deeply inform his work. 

In “Stateless,” he extends this exploration of displacement and belonging to other communities, particularly Palestinians and undocumented Americans, he told Arab News. “In this show, you’ll find people suspended between homeland and refuge, suspended in mid-air, suspended between life and death and living out a sort of existentialist heroism, suspended in undying romance,” he said.

Hayoun’s journey to painting was shaped by his background in journalism. (Supplied)

Hayoun’s journey to painting was shaped by his background in journalism. A former journalist, he is also the author of “When We Were Arabs,” a book on Arab identity that won an Arab American Book Award and was named a National Public Radio best book of the year in 2019. 

His transition from writing to painting was a natural evolution. “I am a figurative painter — I paint people. My journalism was animated by a love of people and a desire to better understand, through interviews like this, people from walks of life drastically different to my own,” he said.

His use of blue is deliberate. Initially reserved for people who had died, the color now engulfs all his subjects, evoking the transient nature of identity and existence. “At first, I only painted my grandparents and other dead people in shades of blue, because to my mind, the glow of it seemed ghostly. I cast other people in different colors to signify other states of being. Eventually, after reflections on time, everyone became blue, even myself,” he said.

The artist's use of blue is deliberate. Initially reserved for people who had died, the color now engulfs all his subjects.  (Supplied)

Yet, at its core, Hayoun’s work is about more than politics — it is about love. “These works touch on sweeping political, philosophical and sociological issues, but they are fundamentally about love for people,” he said. 

“They are meant in the way my grandparents expressed anxiety as a kind of love—fear for my well-being, fervent hopes that I live well and in dignity. These paintings are explosions of love,” he added. 


Rami Al-Ali becomes first Syrian designer to join France’s Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode

Updated 04 June 2025
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Rami Al-Ali becomes first Syrian designer to join France’s Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode

DUBAI: Rami Al-Ali has become the first Syrian designer to join France’s prestigious Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode as a guest member, giving him the chance to showcase his Autumn/Winter 2025 collection on the official haute couture calendar.

The invitation signifies Al-Ali’s entry into fashion’s upper echelons — to qualify, fashion houses must meet rigorous “haute couture” or “high fashion” standards and the title is legally protected under French law.

Al-Ali joins the likes of Chanel, Dior, and Schiaparelli on the official calendar next month. His latest collection will be presented on July 10, according to the provisional calendar.

It is a “historical milestone, celebrating a lifelong devotion to craftsmanship, culture, and creative expression, rooted in heritage and elevated by vision,” the fashion house posted on Instagram.

Originally from Damascus, Al-Ali honed his fashion skills in Dubai and Beirut before founding his label, Rami Al-Ali Couture, in 2001.

His creations have been worn by a variety of celebrities, including Amal Clooney, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Chastain.

Al-Ali’s work has been praised for seamlessly blending his Middle Eastern heritage with Western sensibilities. He is known for designing flowing silhouettes adorned with intricate, playful embellishments—creations that are both timeless and runway-worthy.

Al-Ali is one of just a handful of Arab designers on the official haute couture calendar. The lineup also includes Lebanese designers Georges Hobeika, Elie Saab, and Zuhair Murad, as well as Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi.  

Ashi, founder of Paris-based label Ashi Studio, became the first designer from the Gulf region to join the exclusive group in 2023 as a guest member. His designs have also been worn by global celebrities such as Beyonce, Anna Kendrick, and Jennifer Hudson.

“This appointment is the highlight of my career,” Ashi said in a statement posted on Instagram when the announcement was made in 2023. “I will honor it in the memory of the great couturiers who came before me and whom I now join in the pursuit of this grand tradition of excellence in creativity and savoir-faire.