Golden Bat? Japan's First Superhero

 

 

 

He was cackling like a madman when he leaped out of a casket with his gleaming skull head and proceeded to kick like 20 guys' butts with the mystical art of Karate....This was my first exposure to Ogon Batto; my mind was blown and my life was forever changed. How the freakin' Golden Bat has been pretty much lost to obscurity in pop culture is beyond me because he is the AWESOMEST! If you've never heard of this character do yourself a favor and go look him up - you won't be disappointed (if you like cackling monsters that use karate).

 

 

Golden Bat is the warrior who looks like a golden skeleton, a remnant of a ancient civilization he was awoken by Mari in a desperate attempt to get help against dr.Nazo`s mechanical fighting machine. He appears whenever his presence is requested by the Japanese girl Mari, with her associates Professor Yamatone and schoolboy Takeru, in their ongoing fight against attacking robots and monsters. Based on Tatsuo Nagamatsu's manga. In 2000, the studio AIC announced that they were planning a remake for the new century, though this seems to have disappeared into preproduction hell leaving only a 01.22 minute trailer to circle the net. 

 

 

Actually, despite the pimp-daddy style, the Ogon Skullman is modeled after the Ogon Bat character from the 1930's. Supposedly he is the first Japanese Superhero. From International Hero: Created by Takeo Nagamatsu. His appearance in the 1930's apparently makes him the first Japanese superhero. He was turned into a manga by Osamu Tezuka, then in 1966 became a live-action movie character with Hirohisa Nakata in the lead role. A year later an anime version which lasted 52 episodes was made. His voice in the anime was provided by Osamu Kobayasha. 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 incompetent. In 1992 a low-budget Korean movie,Young-guwa hwanggeum bakjwi (Yong Gu and the Golden Bat), was made with the character.

 

 

 

I have to learn more about this guy.

I like his moxy.