Ōgon Bat

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Ōgon Bat from a Kamishibai [1]

Ōgon Bat (Japanese: 黄金 バット Hepburn: Ōgon Batto, lit. "Golden Bat") is a Japanese superhero created by Takeo Nagamatsu in 1931.[2] Ōgon Bat is considered to be the first Japanese superhero.[3] Originally debuting in kamishibai (paper theater), Ogon Bat is considered a precursor to later superhero characters such as the Japanese Kamishibai character Prince of Gamma (debuted early 1930s) and the American comic book characters Superman (debuted 1938) and Batman (debuted 1939).[2]

History

Kamishibai artist narrating a story on Ōgon Bat.

Ōgon Bat debuted in a kamishibai, a type of traveling show in which a sequence of pictures is narrated by a storyteller.[2][3] The character was popular enough to survive the decline of kamishibai following World War II and was eventually translated into manga and anime form.

The character features in three live-action movies: Ôgon Bat: Matenrô no Kaijin, 1950; Ôgon Batto, 1966; and, the comedy biopic Ôgon Batto ga Yattekuru, 1972. He also appears in a 1967 52-episode anime series.

Character description

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 Japanese Alps and his superpowers include superhuman strength, invulnerability and the ability to fly.[2][3] Ōgon Bat has an evil counterpart known as Kurayami Bat (暗闇バット Dark Bat). His main enemy is Dr. Erich Nazō (ナゾー), the leader of a crime syndicate bent on world domination who wears a black costume and mask with bat-like ears.

Film

Ōgon Bat
Directed by Hajime Sato
Written by Susumu Takaku
Starring Sonny Chiba
Distributed by Toei Company (Japan)
Release dates
  • December 21, 1966 (1966-12-21) (Japan)
Running time
 73 minutes
Country Japan
Language Japanese

A live-action film version of Ōgon Bat was released theatrically by Toei in Japan on December 21, 1966 and starred Sonny Chiba as Dr. Yamatone (ヤマトネ博士 Yamatone Hakase).

Plot

Professor Yamatone and his family visit present day Egypt, and discover an ancient tomb that apparently belonged to a "god of justice, (and) protector of the weak". When the Professor was later taken captive by "Gorgo", agent of the evil Dr. Erich Nazō (ナゾー) (also known as Dr Zero), the Professor's daughter Mari, pleaded for "the god of justice" to save her father. As she began to cry, her tears fell into the ancient tomb, reviving Ogon Bat, who came to her help. From then on, the little girl would always call on the Ogon Bat to fight against evil - usually in the form of Doctor Zero.

Cast

Anime

Ōgon Bat
黄金バット
(Ōgon Batto)
Anime television series
Directed by Noboru Ishiguro
Music by Tanaka Masashi
Studio Daichi Doga
Network Yomiuri TV, Nippon TV
English network
Original run April 1, 1967 – March 23, 1968
Episodes 52

List of anime episodes[4]

  1. The Birth of Golden Bat (黄金バット誕生)
  2. Mammoth Killer (マンモスキラー)
  3. Ge-Georg (ゲーゲオルグ)
  4. Crisis (危機一発)
  5. Man Eating Plants (人食い植物)
  6. In Pursuit of the Melon Bombs (メロン爆弾大追跡)
  7. Monster Sand Beronya (怪獣サンドベロニヤ)
  8. Space Monster Alligon (宇宙怪獣アリゴン)
  9. Worm Monster Gaigon (怪物ガイゴン)
  10. The Battle of Uranium Island (ウラン島大決戦)
  11. The Mystery of Finkhamen (謎のフィンカーメン)
  12. Dr. Jinger's Poison Mushrooms (ジンガーの毒キノコ)
  13. Mutant 5 (ミュータント5)
  14. Atomic Black Gyatt (原子ブラックギャット)
  15. Nero the Destructor (破壊魔ネロ)
  16. Ghilton, the Stone Man (岩人ギルトン)
  17. Galgar the Monster Bird (怪鳥ガルガー)
  18. The Star of Polynesia (ポリネシアの星)
  19. Bat vs. Bat (バット対バット)
  20. The Land of the Blue Flame (青い炎の国)
  21. The Queen of Root Sigma (ルートシグマの女王)
  22. The Mystery of Volcano Peron (謎のペロン火山)
  23. Black Mask the Thief (怪盗ブラック仮面)
  24. The Devil's Ruby (悪魔のルビー)
  25. The Robot City (ロボット都市)
  26. Rayman Boldo (光線人間ボルド)
  27. The Eye of Tarangé (タランゲーの眼)
  28. Sword of the Queen Axis (アキシスの剣)
  29. Mystery of the Space Bat (宇宙コウモリの謎)
  30. Superpowered Cyborgs (超能力改造人間)
  31. The Ghost Tower (ゆうれい塔)
  32. The Devil's Giant Statue (悪魔の巨像)
  33. The Invisible Monster Glassgon (透明怪獣グラスゴン)
  34. The Great World Flood (世界大洪水)
  35. Underground Monster Mogurah (地底怪獣モグラー)
  36. The Great Explosion (地球大爆発)
  37. Two-Headed Monster Gegera (双頭怪獣ゲゲラ)
  38. The Dinosaur Trap (恐竜の罠)
  39. The Skeleton's Pilotage (骸骨の水先案内)
  40. The Day of Darkness (地球暗黒の日)
  41. The Indian Princess (インドの女王)
  42. The Witch and Monster Hiidoro (妖婆の怪獣ヒードロ)
  43. The Cyclops in the Mine (廃坑の一つ目怪獣)
  44. Revenge of the Liger Man (ライガーマンの逆襲)
  45. The Death-bringing Woman (死を呼ぶ女)
  46. The Bat Hag and the Monster Shelgon (こうもり老女と怪獣シェルゴン)
  47. The Mysterious Gerontium 90 (幻のゲロンチューム90)
  48. The Little Assassins (小さい暗殺者)
  49. The Bat Man (怪人こうもり男)
  50. Circus Monster Gablar (サーカス怪獣ガブラー)
  51. The Resurrection of Dark Bat (よみがえる暗闇バット)
  52. The Crumbling of the Nazō Empire (ひびわれるナゾー帝国)

References

  1. ↑ lorZ, Acciai. "Segreti di Pulcinella - rivista di letteratura e cultura varia". Segretidipulcinella.it. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Liesl Bradner (2009-11-29). "The superheroes of Japan who predated Superman and Batman | Hero Complex – movies, comics, pop culture – Los Angeles Times". Herocomplex.latimes.com. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
  3. 1 2 3 Liesl Bradner (2009-11-27). "Origins of manga and anime | Culture Monster | Los Angeles Times". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
  4. ↑ "黄金バット". Marumegane.com. 1968-03-23. Retrieved 2012-08-04.

External links

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