| Ōgon Bat | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Unknown |
|
First Appearance |
Kamishibai (paper theater) (1931) |
|
Created by |
Takeo Nagamatsu |
Origin[]
Ōgon Bat (literally "Golden Bat", sometimes known as ''Phantaman'' or using similar titles to the latter outside of Japan) made his debut in a kamishibai, a traveling show in which a sequence of pictures is narrated by a storyteller. The character was popular enough to survive the decline of kamishibai following World War II and was eventually translated into manga and anime form.
Character description[]
Ōgon Bat drawing his golden rapier.
Ōgon Bat is an ancient Atlantean who slept thousands of years into the future in suspended animation. Sometime during the 1930s, Professor Yamatone and his adopted daughter, Marie, discover Ogon’s tomb. Yamatone and his family are threatened by the henchmen of the foul cyborg crimelord Dr. Nazo, and Marie begins crying. Her tears awaken Ogon, and he rescues her and Yamatone, and then begins fighting evil in modern day Japan.
Ōgon Bat has a golden, skull-shaped head, wears a green and white costume with a high-collared red cape and carries a rapier. He lives in a fortress in the Honshu region of the Japanese Alps and his superpowers include superhuman strength, invulnerability and the ability to fly.
Ogon’s archenemy is Dr. Nazo (aka Dr. Zero) and in the anime version he has another archenemy named Kurayami Bat (aka Dr. Death) (an evil version of Ōgon Bat himself).
Notes[]
- Only the original depiction of the character is public domain in Japan. Any television appearances or films are still protected by their respective copyright owners.
- Ōgon Bat is considered to be the first Japanese superhero and the first one worldwide.
- Not only is Ōgon Bat possibly Japan's first superhero, Ōgon also predates both Superman (1938) and Batman (1939).
- Debuted in kamishibai (paper theater).
- In the Australian English dub of the anime, he is referred to as ''Phantaman''. A similar title such as ''Fantaman'' (Italian) would be used for other foreign dubs of the said show. However, this is quite old and rare in the modern age.