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The Golden Bat

The Golden Bat (Japanese: Ōgon Bat, 黄金バット) is a pioneering Japanese superhero character created by artists Takeo Nagamatsu and Ichiro Suzuki in 1931, debuting as the protagonist of a kamishibai street performance series that featured illustrated paper cards narrated by performers.^[1] Regarded as Japan's first original superhero and one of the earliest in the world, predating the debut of Superman by seven years, the character is depicted as an ancient Atlantean warrior with a golden skull mask, white cape, and form-fitting tights, who possesses superhuman abilities including immense strength, invulnerability, flight, and mastery of a skull-topped cane used as both a sword and boomerang.^[1] Born from the creators' inspiration drawn from a popular cigarette brand, The Golden Bat was conceived as a science fiction-tinged hero dedicated to protecting the innocent from villains and cosmic threats, with his stories emphasizing themes of justice and heroism in an era of pre-World War II Japan.^[1] The character's immense popularity led to approximately 440 kamishibai episodes produced between 1931 and 1935, though much of the original material remains lost due to wartime destruction and paper shortages.^[2] Following a hiatus during and after the war, The Golden Bat experienced a revival in various media formats, including manga adaptations—most notably one illustrated by legendary artist Osamu Tezuka in the 1940s and a modern iteration serialized in Champion Red magazine starting in 2022—as well as live-action films such as the 1950 serial Ôgon Bat: Matenrô no Kaijin, the 1966 feature Ôgon Batto starring Sonny Chiba, and the 1972 film Ôgon Batto ga Yattekuru.^[1]^[1] The character's most prominent adaptation came in the form of a 52-episode anime television series in 1967, produced by Toei Animation and broadcast internationally under titles like Phantaman or Fantomas, which introduced The Golden Bat to global audiences and featured episodic battles against mad scientists, alien invaders, and monstrous foes alongside a team of young allies.^[1] Culturally, The Golden Bat holds a foundational role in the evolution of Japanese superhero fiction, serving as a direct precursor to tokusatsu franchises such as Kamen Rider, Ultraman, and Super Sentai, with his iconic skull motif and heroic archetype influencing subsequent designs and narratives in manga, anime, and live-action media.^[1] Despite periods of obscurity, recent revivals and scholarly recognition underscore his enduring legacy as a symbol of early 20th-century Japanese pop culture innovation.^[1]

Origins and History

Kamishibai Creation

The Golden Bat, known in Japanese as Ōgon Bat, was conceived by writer and performer Suzuki Ichiro and illustrator Takeo Nagamatsu in the autumn of 1930, debuting in 1931 as Japan's earliest superhero narrative in the kamishibai format—a traditional street storytelling medium involving sequentially revealed illustrated cards narrated by a performer.^[3]^[4] The duo's innovation built on prior kamishibai works, such as their summer 1930 series Black Bat, but shifted to a heroic protagonist after audience demand for a champion of justice overshadowed the villainous lead. First performances occurred in 1931, establishing a serialized style where storytellers cycled through urban neighborhoods on bicycles, drawing crowds of children during Japan's Great Depression era.^[4] Ichiro and Nagamatsu drew from Western pulp adventure tales and contemporary Japanese visual styles to craft the character's serialized episodes, emphasizing dynamic action and moral contrasts between good and evil. The core origin portrayed Golden Bat as an ancient Atlantean warrior who had slumbered for 10,000 years in a preserved golden state, awakening via ancient temple prophecies to aid humanity against impending calamities. This mummy-like guardian, clad in gold with a skull motif, embodied themes of heroism against supernatural foes and malevolent empires, with initial stories featuring battles against shadowy organizations like those led by the enigmatic villain Nazo.^[4] The series rapidly gained traction in the 1930s, becoming one of kamishibai's most enduring hits amid economic hardship, as its affordable, live performances offered escapist thrills to young audiences. By the mid-1930s, over 440 volumes had been produced, with serialization continuing until around 1941 for a total of over 1,500 episodes, though much of the original material was lost due to wartime destruction and paper shortages.^[3]^[1] This surge in popularity laid the groundwork for later expansions, including a transition to printed manga formats in the postwar period.^[5]

Manga Publications

Printed manga adaptations of The Golden Bat (Ōgon Bat) began with Kaijin Ōgon Bat by 湯浅粂策 (Yuasa Kumesaku) in 1935, published by 春江堂 (Haruendō). The transition from kamishibai to more widespread printed manga occurred in the late 1940s, marking one of Japan's earliest superhero comic adaptations amid the postwar cultural resurgence. The first manga versions were published by Shōnen Gahōsha, with artist Takeo Nagamatsu adapting the original stories into emonogatari format—a hybrid illustrated narrative inspired by kamishibai featuring a high proportion of images—while Suzuki Ichirō contributed to the scripting foundation from the character's inception. These early publications, beginning around 1947, faced challenges from wartime censorship that had suppressed creative works during World War II, but postwar revival efforts enabled broader distribution and innovation in youth magazines. Osamu Tezuka also illustrated a manga adaptation, Phantom Thief Golden Bat, in the 1940s published by Tokodo. Tezuka created another version of Golden Bat in 1982.^[6]^[7]^[1]^[8] Postwar serializations further developed the character, with appearances in magazines such as Bōkatsu in 1948, where Nagamatsu's emonogatari adaptation—an illustrated narrative format derived from kamishibai with a high proportion of images, typically using static grids but incorporating dynamic comic layouts—expanded narratives to emphasize science fiction elements like alien invasions and futuristic threats, building on the original kamishibai's themes of global peril.^[9] From 1947 to 1949, additional serializations in outlets like Manga Shōnen incorporated these expansions, reflecting the era's fascination with speculative fiction amid Japan's reconstruction. These adaptations briefly referenced the live-performance roots through panel layouts reminiscent of kamishibai sequences.^[9]^[10] In the 1950s and 1960s, Nagamatsu produced subsequent manga iterations that heightened focus on dynamic action sequences and embedded moral lessons about justice and heroism, often collected in volumes that sustained the character's popularity through the economic boom. During this era, a manga adaptation tied to the 1967 anime was serialized in Weekly Shōnen King from 1966 to 1967, with script by Koji Kata and illustrations by Daiji Kazumine.^[11] Another version illustrated by Satoshi Inoue was published by Shōnen Gahōsha from 1967 to 1968.^[12] Publication hurdles persisted due to lingering regulatory scrutiny from the wartime era, but these efforts solidified The Golden Bat's place in early manga history.^[13]^[1] A notable revival came with the serialization of Ōgon Bat: Taishō Dokuro Kitan in Akita Shoten's Champion Red magazine from December 2022 to August 2024, illustrated by Kazutoshi Yamane and concluding with 3 volumes. This seinen-targeted reimagining sets the hero's origins in the Taishō era around 1914, incorporating military themes and historical intrigue while honoring the franchise's legacy. The series addresses past publication gaps by modernizing the storytelling for contemporary audiences.^[14]^[15]^[16]

Character

Background and Appearance

The Golden Bat, known in Japanese as Ōgon Bat, originates as an ancient guardian from the lost civilization of Atlantis, dating back approximately 10,000 years. In the original kamishibai narratives, he was preserved in suspended animation within an Egyptian tomb to combat future threats echoing the tyrannies of antiquity. This backstory positions him as a timeless protector, time-displaced to the modern world.^[17]^[18]^[1] Physically, the character is depicted as a skeletal figure embodying a grinning death's head motif, with a prominent golden skull mask that covers his face and emphasizes his otherworldly, macabre presence. He wears form-fitting tights, a flowing red cape that billows dramatically during action, and a belt adorned with skull emblems, often complemented by gloves and a high-collared outfit in early illustrations. Early depictions include 17th-century European-style clothing and a green and white swashbuckler outfit, with variations in color schemes across media, but the golden skeletal core remains consistent. This attire, blending elements of a swashbuckler with supernatural horror, underscores his role as an immortal sentinel, evoking both fear and awe.^[18]^[17] As a personality, the Golden Bat is a stoic champion of justice, characterized by minimal speech delivered in an archaic, resonant tone that conveys solemn authority. Motivated solely by the defense of the innocent against oppressive forces, he operates with unwavering resolve, often emerging silently to intervene in moments of peril. In his original solo adventures, he is revived by the tear of Mari, the young daughter of Professor Yamatone, alongside allies like the professor himself and his son Takeru, forming a core supporting team that aids in summoning him but highlights his independent heroic essence. The skull motif symbolically signifies death to evildoers while offering life and protection to the righteous, reinforcing his dual role as harbinger and savior.^[18]^[17]^[1]

Powers and Abilities

The Golden Bat possesses immortality and the ability to resurrect, having been preserved in suspended animation within an ancient Egyptian tomb for millennia before being revived by the tear of Mari.^[18] This revival process renders him immune to aging and most forms of injury, allowing him to endure extreme conditions without permanent harm.^[18] His physical capabilities include superhuman strength, enabling him to lift massive objects and overpower formidable adversaries; superhuman speed, which allows him to outrun vehicles; and the power of flight, permitting unaided soaring through the air at high velocities.^[18] These attributes make him a formidable combatant, often depicted as impervious to conventional weapons like bullets and lasers.^[18] The Golden Bat's signature weapon is a scepter or skull-topped cane, a versatile staff that can cause earthquakes when struck against the ground, fire energy blasts, and slice through steel with its pointed end. Early depictions feature a rapier instead of the staff.^[18]^[17] Among his other abilities, the Golden Bat can shape-shift into a bat form for stealth or reconnaissance. His actions are tied to summons by his allies.^[18]

Live-Action Films

1950 Film

Golden Bat: The Phantom of the Skyscraper (黄金バット摩天楼の怪人, Ōgon Batto: Matenrō no Kaijin), also known as Ôgon Bat: Matenrô no Kaijin, is a 1950 Japanese tokusatsu film directed by Toshio Shimura.^[19] Produced by Shin Eiga-sha and distributed by Tokyo Film Distribution Co., Ltd. (now Toei Company), it marks Japan's first special effects superhero film and the initial live-action adaptation of the Golden Bat character from the 1930s kamishibai series created by Ichirō Suzuki and Takeo Nagamatsu.^[20]^[21] The film premiered on December 23, 1950, and runs approximately 71 minutes.^[19]^[20] The plot centers on Dr. Seiichirō Ogata, a scientist who has discovered the Ultron superatom—a powerful energy source exceeding that of a hydrogen bomb—which attracts the attention of the criminal QX Gang led by the mad scientist Dr. Nazo.^[21]^[22] Seeking to exploit this invention for destructive purposes, the gang targets Ogata and his associates in a modern urban setting featuring Tokyo's emerging skyscrapers, where shadowy villains scheme to threaten the city.^[22] The heroic Golden Bat, depicted as a masked figure who arrives on a motorcycle rather than flying, intervenes to battle the syndicate and protect the superatom's secrets.^[21] The screenplay, written by Takeo Nagamatsu, adapts elements from the original kamishibai stories, emphasizing urban crime and early superhero confrontation.^[23] The cast includes Ryūji Ueda in the dual role of Golden Bat and the young Yūji Oki, Hiroshi Sugi as Dr. Seiichirō Ogata, Yukio Mosaki as Masaru, and Reiko Suzuoka as Kazuko, with additional appearances by Ryūko Kawaji and child actress Hibari Misora in an unspecified supporting role.^[19]^[21]^[22] As an early tokusatsu production, the film incorporated practical effects suited to its era, focusing on the character's ground-based mobility and masked persona to convey heroism amid the syndicate's threats.^[21] Regarded as a pioneering work in Japanese superhero cinema, the film is now classified as lost media, with no complete copies known to survive.^[22]^[24] Its existence persists through contemporary references, promotional stills, and cast recollections, influencing later adaptations such as the 1966 film by establishing tokusatsu conventions for the character.^[20]^[22]

1966 Film

The 1966 live-action film Golden Bat (Japanese: Ôgon Batto), produced by Toei Company, adapts the superhero character into a tokusatsu science fiction adventure directed by Hajime Sato. Released on December 21, 1966, the 73-minute black-and-white Cinemascope production emphasizes special effects typical of the era's Japanese superhero genre, including miniature models for planetary collisions and ray-gun battles. Screenwriter Susumu Takaku drew from the character's origins, incorporating a ritualistic revival sequence reminiscent of the original kamishibai summoning method.^[25]^[26] The plot centers on young astronomer Akira Kazahaya, who detects the rogue planet Icarus hurtling toward Earth, a catastrophe engineered by the alien dictator Dr. Nazo to conquer the planet. Recruited to the United Nations' Pearl Laboratory, Akira teams with Professor Pearl and Dr. Yamatone to construct a "Super Destruction Ray Cannon" capable of vaporizing the threat. Facing Nazo's forces—including submarine assaults and monstrous minions—the scientists unearth an ancient Atlantean sarcophagus containing the Golden Bat, a 10,000-year-old guardian revived by a mystical tear to battle the invaders. The hero, wielding superhuman strength and a skull-headed boomerang, leads the charge in aerial dogfights and underwater skirmishes, ultimately destroying Icarus and banishing Nazo in a climactic showdown.^[27]^[28] Key cast members include Sonny Chiba in an early leading role as the resourceful Dr. Yamatone, the team's tactical expert and pilot; Wataru Yamagawa as the enthusiastic protagonist Akira; Hisako Tsukuba as lab assistant Naomi Akiyama; Andrew Hughes as the authoritative Professor Pearl; and Koji Sekiyama as the masked, voice-modulated Dr. Nazo. The Golden Bat himself is portrayed by an uncredited suit actor, with Osamu Kobayashi providing the heroic voice-over narration and dialogue. Supporting roles feature Emily Takami as agent Emily Beard and various henchmen like Jackal and Keloid, adding to the film's ensemble of international spies and villains.^[29]^[30] The production highlighted Toei's tokusatsu expertise, with effects supervised by techniques that influenced later kaiju films, though constrained by its modest budget compared to Toho counterparts. Chiba's performance as Yamatone marked a stepping stone in his career, showcasing his martial arts prowess in action sequences before his international breakthrough in films like The Street Fighter. The film received a 6.1/10 rating on IMDb from over 360 user reviews, praised for its energetic pace and imaginative threats despite dated effects. It achieved commercial success in Japan as a family-oriented release and was exported internationally, screening in Italy in 1968 under the title Il ritorno di Diavolik amid minor copyright disputes over character resemblances. Critics and retrospectives have noted its campy, pulpy tone, blending atomic-age sci-fi with mythological elements to appeal to postwar audiences.^[25]^[31]^[28]

1972 Film

The Golden Bat Is Here! (黄金バットがやってくる, Ôgon Batto ga Yattekuru) is a 1972 Japanese comedy-drama film produced by Toho Company, directed by Katsumune Ishida. Released on May 13, 1972, the 92-minute production presents a fictionalized biopic of the Golden Bat character's creation during the Showa era, focusing on an art student who becomes a kamishibai performer and develops the popular superhero series amid the challenges of pre-war Japan.^[32]^[33] The screenplay by Ryôzô Kasahara blends humor, sentiment, and tokusatsu elements to depict the cultural impact of kamishibai storytelling.^[32] While specific cast details are limited, the film features actors portraying the creators Ichirō Suzuki and Takeo Nagamatsu in a lighthearted narrative of artistic inspiration and street performance success.^[34]

1991 Korean Film

Young-Gu and the Golden Bat (영구와 황금박쥐, Yeong-guwa hwanggeum bakjwi) is a low-budget South Korean live-action comedy film directed by Nam Ki-nam. Produced in 1991 and released in 1992, it serves as an unauthorized parody adaptation in which the protagonist Young-gu teams up with Golden Bat to combat aliens from Andromeda and the villain Dr. Zero.^[35]^[36]

Animated Adaptations

1967 Television Series

The 1967 anime television series adaptation of The Golden Bat, titled Ōgon Bat (黄金バット), was produced by Tele-Cartoon Japan in collaboration with Nippon Television Network, marking an early color anime broadcast in Japan.^[37] It consisted of 52 episodes, airing weekly on Nippon TV from April 1, 1967, to March 23, 1968.^[37] The series was directed primarily by Noboru Ishiguro, with additional direction from Kujirō Yanagida, Seiji Sasaki, and Tadashi Wakabayashi, and written by Mitsuteru Shimauchi.^[38] Music was composed by Masashi Tanaka, and the voice cast included Osamu Kobayashi as the titular Golden Bat, Minori Matsushima as Mari (the professor's daughter), and Ushio Shima as the villainous Lord Nazo.^[39]^[38] The overarching narrative centers on Professor Yamatone, a scientist leading the World Peace Organization, whose team discovers Golden Bat's ancient tomb during an expedition to Egypt. Golden Bat is awakened from his 10,000-year slumber by the tears of Yamatone's daughter Mari. He is subsequently summoned using a magical scepter.^[38] Alongside Yamatone's children—Mari, Takeru, and others—Golden Bat battles the remnants of the evil Dr. Nazo's organization, a shadowy group of aliens intent on conquering Earth through advanced technology and monstrous creations.^[38] The story blends Cold War-inspired espionage themes, such as spy infiltrations and international threats, with fantastical elements like time-traveling artifacts and supernatural battles, emphasizing justice and protection of the innocent.^[40] Each episode follows a self-contained adventure format, typically resolving a specific threat while advancing the broader conflict against Nazo's forces, often ending with cliffhangers to build suspense for the next installment.^[41] Common motifs include confrontations with robotic armies, monstrous creatures from ancient myths, or espionage plots involving double agents, as seen in representative stories like "Ice Terror," where Golden Bat thwarts a frozen wasteland weapon, or "Giant Robot," pitting him against colossal mechanical foes.^[40] For added humor and accessibility to young audiences, the series incorporates chibi-style sidekicks and lighthearted interludes amid the action, with Golden Bat transforming from a golden bat emblem into his skeletal warrior form via the scepter's invocation.^[38] Visual style drew brief inspiration from the 1966 live-action film, adopting similar dramatic poses and dynamic fight choreography.^[38] The series was highly popular among children in Japan during its run, contributing to the early growth of the superhero anime genre and influencing later tokusatsu productions with its heroic transformation motifs and episodic structure.^[40] It achieved international broadcasts under titles like Phantaman or Fantomas, which introduced The Golden Bat to global audiences and featured episodic battles against mad scientists, alien invaders, and monstrous foes alongside a team of young allies. Culturally, the English-dubbed version became partially lost media, with only a few episodes surviving, limiting its global legacy compared to its domestic success. In 2000, Anime International Company (AIC) announced a reboot of the series directed by Shinichi Watanabe (to be distinguished from Shinichiro Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop fame), but the project was canceled, leaving only a teaser trailer.^[42]

1979 Korean Film

Black Star and the Golden Bat (검은별과 황금박쥐) is a 1979 South Korean animated superhero film produced by Samyoung Film Co. and directed by Han Heon-myeong. Released on August 15, 1979, during the final months of Park Chung-hee's military regime, the low-budget production was aimed at domestic audiences amid South Korea's emerging animation industry, which faced resource limitations and government oversight. Often fan-dubbed "Golden Batman" due to its visual similarities to the DC Comics character, the film serves as a parody adaptation of the Japanese Golden Bat property, incorporating elements from the 1967 television series while simplifying the source material for a feature-length format.^[43]^[44] The plot follows a group of children and their pet dog who accidentally uncover the hidden lair of the villain Black Star, a power-hungry crime lord seeking to dominate Earth by abducting leading scientists—including the Korean Professor Kim—to construct a devastating death ray weapon. In a desperate bid to stop him, the children activate an ancient golden bat statue, summoning the skeletal superhero Golden Bat to battle Black Star's henchmen and interstellar forces in high-stakes confrontations. Clocking in at approximately 70 minutes, the narrative condenses the original lore's expansive mythology into a streamlined adventure, emphasizing team efforts among young protagonists against a singular global threat.^[43]^[45] Key alterations from the Japanese source include the integration of Korean-named characters and localized settings for cultural resonance, alongside a Batman-inspired redesign of Golden Bat featuring a more vibrant, yellow-toned costume in promotional materials. The film shifts from the 1967 series' episodic structure to a cohesive movie plot, reducing complex powers to basic flight and combat abilities while adding comedic sidekicks and a pet companion to appeal to family viewers. These changes reflect efforts to adapt the foreign hero for South Korean contexts, drawing loose inspiration from domestic animations like Robot Taekwon V in its portrayal of mechanical foes and youthful heroism.^[43]^[44] Upon release, the film received limited distribution primarily within South Korea, achieving obscurity abroad due to its niche appeal and the era's restricted media exports. Bootleg copies later surfaced internationally, fostering cult interest among animation enthusiasts for its bold cross-cultural reinterpretation and quirky production values. As of 2025, the full film is accessible online through uploads on video-sharing platforms. Critical reception remains sparse but generally mixed, with an average IMDb user rating of 4.5 out of 10 from 104 votes, praising its energetic action while noting animation inconsistencies typical of low-budget Korean works from the period.^[43]^[44]

Legacy and Influence

Cultural Impact in Japan

Ōgon Bat, debuting in 1931 as a kamishibai (paper theater) series, played a pivotal role in elevating the medium's popularity during the 1930s, when street performances captivated urban children across Japan. By 1933, Tokyo alone hosted around 2,500 gaitō kamishibai performers, each drawing audiences of about 30 children per show to hear tales of the golden-skeletal hero battling ancient evils. This surge helped transform kamishibai from a niche storytelling form into a dominant children's entertainment, spawning numerous sequels and inspiring similar adventure narratives that foreshadowed modern manga and anime.^[46] Amid Japan's rising militarism in the 1930s and 1940s, Ōgon Bat's stories were repurposed as propaganda tools, portraying the hero as a symbol of national heroism and imperial loyalty, often urging young audiences to fight—and even die—for the Emperor against foreign threats depicted as villains like Dr. Nazo's Western-backed forces. Toys and related merchandise proliferated, embedding the character in everyday childhood culture as an emblem of patriotic justice during wartime scarcity. This alignment with imperial themes reflected broader societal shifts, where popular media reinforced expansionist ideals while providing escapist heroism.^[47] In the postwar era, Ōgon Bat experienced a significant revival during Japan's economic miracle of the 1960s, with a 1966 live-action film starring Sonny Chiba and a 52-episode anime series in 1967 that aired nationwide, capitalizing on the tokusatsu boom. The character's skeletal motif and transformation elements influenced early tokusatsu productions, such as the heroes Super Giant and Moonlight Mask, and indirectly shaped later icons like Kamen Rider through Shotaro Ishinomori's Skull Man prototype. This resurgence tied into the era's optimism and technological fascination, reimagining Ōgon Bat as a defender of peace against global threats.^[1] As a public domain figure since the mid-20th century, Ōgon Bat has appeared in diverse media crossovers, including festivals, stage plays in the 2010s, and indie productions that reinterpret his adventures for contemporary audiences. These uses highlight evolving societal themes of justice, transitioning from prewar imperialism to postwar emphases on international peace and anti-authoritarian heroism amid Japan's peace movements.^[1]

Global Influence and Revivals

Ōgon Bat, debuting in 1931 through kamishibai street performances, is debated among historians as the world's first modern superhero, predating Superman's 1938 comic book appearance by seven years and embodying key traits like a costumed identity, superhuman abilities, and a mission against evil.^[48]^[1] This precedence has positioned the character as a foundational figure in superhero historiography, with scholars noting its influence on early pulp adventure narratives through shared motifs of mysterious, caped avengers confronting global threats.^[49] Visual elements, such as the skull-like mask and flowing cape, contributed to the evolution of Japanese manga protagonists and superhero fiction.^[1]^[50] The character's global reach expanded in the 1960s and 1970s through animated and live-action exports to Asia and Europe, where adaptations like the 1967 television series aired internationally and inspired localized versions under alternative names such as Fantaman in Italy and Fantomas in Brazil, exemplified by South Korea's 1979 animated film that reimagined Ōgon Bat for domestic audiences amid rising popularity of Japanese media.^[18]^[51] Its entry into the public domain due to lapsed copyrights has further facilitated international fan works, including independent comics and animations that reinterpret the Atlantean hero for new generations without legal restrictions.^[52] Contemporary revivals underscore Ōgon Bat's enduring appeal, with a 2023 manga series serialized in Akita Shoten's Champion Red magazine—running until August 2024 and spanning three volumes—updating the character for modern readers through illustrator Kazutoshi Yamane's Taisho-era setting. As of November 2025, additional volumes or related publications continue to appear.^[14] Archival interest persists in recovering lost media, such as the 1950 tokusatsu film Golden Bat: Phantom of the Skyscraper, presumed destroyed but potentially preserved in private collections or studio vaults, fueling ongoing efforts by film historians to unearth Japan's earliest superhero cinematic adaptation.^[22]

References

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Who Is Japan's First Super Hero? - CBR
Oct 23, 2023 · Golden Bat, also known as Ōgon Bat, is considered the first Japanese superhero, debuting in 1931 in a 'kamishibai' show.
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SFE: Golden Bat, The - The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
Amateur astronomer Akira Kazahaya (Yamakawa) is abducted by four silent men in black suits and sunglasses after he tries to warn the local observatory that the ...
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Manga's story starts with kamishibai - Los Angeles Times
Nov 29, 2009 · In “Manga Kamishibai,” Golden Bat creator Takeo Nagamatsu summed up his feelings on kamishibai's role in Japanese society: “Pictures that ...
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Golden Bat aka Ogon Bat MANGA [RAW] (Takeo Nagamatsu ...
Mar 24, 2022 · This is a raw, untranslated, early manga appearance of Golden Bat, a Japanese hero with super powers, in Japanese. Scans may be crusty.<|control11|><|separator|>
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Nov 17, 2011 · Only beginning in the mid 1950s did manga begin to dominate Japanese youth magazines. ... Nagamatsu Takeo, Golden Bat, Bōkatsu, no. 1 (August 1948) ...
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Dec 3, 2019 · It was in 1931 when two young men, sixteen-year old Takeo Nagamatsu and twenty-five year old Suzuki Ichiro, decided to create a new character ...Missing: history - | Show results with:history -
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Golden Bat Full Two Vol Set by Takeo Nagamatsu (1975)
Out of stockThe legendary Golden Bat has come to save the day! Amazing print quality for the classic 1950s superhero.
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Unveiling The Golden Bat: The First Superhero?
Jun 24, 2024 · Created by 16-year-old Takeo Nagamatsu and 25-year-old Suzuki Ichiro in 1931, this enigmatic figure predated many iconic superheroes by decades.<|control11|><|separator|>
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Ougon Bat (YAMANE Kazutoshi) - MangaUpdates
Dec 19, 2024 · To thwart their plans, the lone fighter known as the Golden Skull... the Golden Bat, rises to challenge them! Type. Manga. Related Series. Ougon ...Missing: Ōgon | Show results with:Ōgon
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Ogon Batto - Jess Nevins
Ogon Batto was created by the Japanese creators Takeo Nagamatsu and Ichiro Suzuki and has appeared in kamishibai ... Ogon Batto, or “Golden Bat,” is a warrior ...
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Ogon Bat - International Superheroes
In 1972 a humorous tokusatsu version was made, called Ougon Batto Ga Yattekuru (The Golden Bat is Coming), where Ogon Bat was portrayed as being fat and ...
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Ôgon bat: Matenrô no kaijin (1950) - IMDb
Ôgon bat: Matenrô no kaijin · Director. Toshio Shimura · Writer. Takeo Nagamatsu · Stars · Ryûko Kawaji · Hibari Misora · Hiroshi Sugi.
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Golden Bat: The Phantom of the Skyscraper
Golden Bat is a 1950 Tokusatsu superhero film, believed to be Japan's first, where Golden Bat, a masked human, fights evil scientists on a motorcycle.Missing: Ichikawa Suketarō<|control11|><|separator|>
[15]
Golden Bat: The Phantom of The Skyscraper | Tokupedia | Fandom
Golden Bat: The Phantom of The Skyscraper (黄金バット摩天楼の怪人, Ōgon Batto: Matenrô no Kaijin) is a 1950 Tokusatsu film produced by Tokyo Eiga Haigyo (the ...
[16]
Golden Bat: The Phantom of the Skyscraper (lost tokusatsu film ...
May 3, 2025 · This film is mostly based on the Golden Bat manga comic adaptations by Shōnen Gahōsha in the 1940s. This is claimed to be Japan's first ...
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Ôgon bat: Matenrô no kaijin (1950) - Full cast & crew - IMDb
Ôgon bat: Matenrô no kaijin ; Director · Toshio Shimura · Toshio Shimura ; Writer · Takeo Nagamatsu · Takeo Nagamatsu. screenplay ; Cast · Ryûko Kawaji · Ryûko Kawaji.
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Golden Bat: Phantom of the Skyscraper (1950) - Letterboxd
Ôgon bat: Matenrô no kaijin, Ogon Batto: Matenro no Kaijin. Genres. Horror Fantasy Action. Releases by Date. Sort by. Date. Theatrical. 23 Dec 1950. Flag for ...Missing: Shi | Show results with:Shi<|control11|><|separator|>
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The Golden Bat (1966) - IMDb
Rating 6.1/10 (368) A group of UN scientists travel to the lost city of Atlantis where they unearth a superhuman mummy named The Golden Bat who is prophesied to help the humans ...
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The Golden Bat (1966) - Filmaffinity
Rating 5.5/10 (48) Year / Country: 1966 / Japan ; Original title: Ôgon batto (The Golden Bat) ; Running time: 73 min. ; Screenwriter. Susumu Takaku · Takeo Nagamatsu ; Music. Shunsuke ...<|separator|>
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The Golden Bat - Rotten Tomatoes
Rating 71% (6) Sonny Chiba. Dr. Yamatone. Osamu Kobayashi thumbnail image. Osamu Kobayashi. Ôgon Bat · Chako van Leeuwen thumbnail image. Chako van Leeuwen. Naomi Akiyama.
[23]
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The Golden Bat | Cast and Crew - Rotten Tomatoes
Cast & Crew ; Hajime Satô ; Sonny Chiba · Dr. Yamatone ; Osamu Kobayashi · Ôgon Bat ; Chako van Leeuwen · Naomi Akiyama ; Andrew Hughes · Dr. Pearl.
[25]
The Golden Bat (1966) directed by Hajime Sato - Letterboxd
Rating 3.4 (822) A teenage boy discovers that the planet Icarus is on a collision course with Earth by gazing through his telescope. Scoffed at by the scientific ...Missing: production | Show results with:production
[26]
Ougon Bat (Golden Bat) - MyAnimeList.net
Ougon Bat ; English Golden Bat ; Synonyms Fantomas; Ogon Bat; Phantaman; Fantaman ; Japanese 黄金バット ; Type, TV ; Episodes, 52.<|separator|>
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Ogon Bat (TV) - Anime News Network
Plot Summary: Phantaman or Fantomas is a sleeping Atlantean warrior that can change or split from a golden bat like form or a skeleton form.Missing: details actors reception
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Golden Bat (TV Series 1967-1968) - Cast & Crew - TMDB
Series Cast 8 · Minori Matsushima · Marie (voice) (52 Episodes) · Osamu Kobayashi · Ushio Shima · Lord Nazo (voice) (52 Episodes) · Kazuya Tatekabe · Yuzuru Fujimoto.Missing: anime staff
[29]
None
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[30]
Ôgon batto (TV Series 1967–1968) - IMDb
Rating 7.3/10 (81) Ôgon batto: The Golden Bat, a masked vigilante, opposes evil at every turn in the battle for justice.Missing: reception | Show results with:reception
[31]
Black Star and the Golden Bat (1979) - IMDb
Rating 4.5/10 (104) Black Star and the Golden Bat: Directed by Heon-myeong Han. A bunch of kids and their pet dog accidentally discover the lair of villain Black Star, ...
[32]
Black Star and the Golden Bat (partially lost South Korean parody film
It is basically a parody of the Japanese kamishibai character of the same name, merging him with the well-known American superhero character Batman in the ...Missing: reception loss
[33]
Black Star and the Golden Bat (1979) - Letterboxd
Black Star and the Golden Bat. 1979. 검은별과 황금박쥐. Directed by Han Heon-myeong ...
[34]
[PDF] Introduction to Kamishibai
... Ōgon Bat ("Golden. Bat"). Famous manga artists, such as Shigeru Mizuki, started their careers kamishibai artists before the medium became less popular during ...Missing: impact | Show results with:impact
[35]
The First Superhero... wants you to die for the Emperor!
Aug 19, 2020 · In case it is not clear yet, Golden Bat came out in 1931. A full seven years before Superman was made into a comic book. Roughly two years ...
[36]
Eight Years Before Superman, These Were the First Superheroes
Dec 10, 2022 · Golden Bat was the most popular Kamishibai by far, going on to appear in manga in 1948, three live-action movies between 1950–1972, and an anime ...
[37]
The superheroes of Japan who predated Superman and Batman
Nov 29, 2009 · Golden Bat's creator, Takeo Nagamatsu, was thought to have been inspired by Lon Chaney in “Phantom of the Opera.” Other characters in the ...
[38]
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=1492
[39]
The Strangest Movie Superheroes From Around The World - Looper
Oct 19, 2021 · The year 2021 marks the 90th anniversary of Golden Bat's appearance, so if you want to see him in action, your best bet is 1966's The Golden Bat ...Captain Barbell Is A... · Inframan Is A Hong Kong... · The Fake Avengers Assemble...
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Golden Bat (Theatre) - TV Tropes
Proto-Superhero: Ōgon Bat is believed to be Japan's first superhero and one of the earliest illustrated superheroes, debuting in 1930 in kamishibai paper ...
[41]
The Golden Bat: Millennium Version (partially found production ...
New Golden Bat, is a cancelled animated project produced in 2000. It is a reboot based on the 1967 anime adaptation by Dai-ichi Dōga.Missing: 2024 revivals
[42]
Ougon Bat - MangaDex
Entry confirming 1966 serialization by Kata Koji (script) and Kazumine Daiji (art).
[43]
Inoue Satoshi - MangaDex
Author profile listing Satoshi Inoue's work on Golden Bat manga adaptations.
[44]
Atom｜CHARACTER｜TEZUKA OSAMU OFFICIAL
Lists Tezuka's works and appearances, including the 1982 Tezuka Osamu Version of Golden Bat.
[45]
Young-gu and the Golden Bat (1992) - IMDb
IMDb database entry confirming the film's title, release year, director, and plot involving Golden Bat fighting aliens and Dr. Zero.
[46]
Young-Gu and the Golden Bat - Golden Bat Wiki
Fandom wiki page detailing the film as a low-budget unauthorized South Korean adaptation featuring Golden Bat.
[47]
Shin Ougon Bat
MyAnimeList entry confirming the 2000 scrapped reboot trailer of Ougon Bat.
[48]
Emonogatari in the Age of Comics, 1948-1957
Article on the emonogatari format in postwar Japan, discussing its origins from kamishibai, stylistic elements including static grids and adoption of comic influences, and specific reference to Takeo Nagamatsu's Golden Bat serialization in Bōkatsu in 1948.
[49]
黄金バット
Lists early manga publications including the 1935 *Kaijin Ōgon Bat* by 湯浅粂策 published by 春江堂.
[50]
Ogon Bat - International Superheroes
Profile detailing Ōgon Bat's international aliases, including Fantaman (Italian name) and Fantomas (Brazilian name).