 | This article uses a non-standard episode table. |
| The Golden Bat | |
|---|---|
 Ōgon Bat as seen in a kamishibai | |
| First appearance | Kuro Bat (1930) |
| Created by | Takeo Nagamatsu Suzuki Ichiro |
| Voiced by | Osamu Kobayashi (Ōgon Bat (1966)), (Ōgon Bat (1967-68)) |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Superhero |
Ōgon Bat (Japanese: 黄金 バット, Hepburn: Ōgon Batto; literally Golden Bat), known as Phantaman or Fantomas in various countries outside Japan, is a Japanese superhero created by Suzuki Ichiro and Takeo Nagamatsu in autumn of 1930 who originally debuted in a kamishibai (paper theater).[1] Ōgon Bat is considered by some to be the world's first superhero,[2][3] and is a precursor to later superhero characters such as the Japanese kamishibai character Prince of Gamma (debut early 1930s), and the American comic book characters Superman (debut 1938) and Batman (debut 1939).[1]
The franchise's storylines generally depict Ōgon Bat, a mysterious cackling, albeit heroic skull-faced warrior fighting against the evil Dr. Nazō and his gang who wants to dominate the world and destroy all order.
Ōgon Bat later appeared in numerous Japanese pop culture media, including manga, anime, and Japanese films, as well as toys and postage stamps dating back to 1932.[4] It was adapted into various live-action films and a popular anime television series in 1967.
History
Before Ōgon Bat debuted, in 1930, a villainous protagonist was created known as Kuro Bat (黒バット "Black Bat") depicted committing robberies until Ōgon Bat debuted and defeated him. Since Ōgon Bat was more popular with children, Kuro Bat was reworked as the series' main villain he is better known as to this day as "Dr. Nazō" with Ōgon Bat taking the latter's place as the titular protagonist.[5]
Ōgon Bat was created by 16-year-old Takeo Nagamatsu and 25-year-old Suzuki Ichiro in 1931, and was named after the Golden Bat cigarette brand and about 440 volumes were released over a two-year period starting in 1931.[6] The two were inspired by drawings of mythological characters in Tokyo's Ueno Royal Museum to create a new hero based on science rather than mythology. The franchise was also co-illustrated and written by Koji Kata, a friend of Nagamtsu.[7] The character debuted in a kamishibai, a type of traveling show in which a sequence of pictures are shown, narrated by a storyteller.[1][2][3] The character was popular enough to survive the decline of kamishibai following World War II, and was eventually adapted into manga by Shōnen Gahōsha that ran from 1948-1950 (including one by Osamu Tezuka)[8][6] and anime.
Most of Nagamatsu's original works no longer exist due to most of them being lost or destroyed by fires in the war. What is known to remain of the original is 37 paintings of Kuro Bat's sequel Ôgon Bat itself which were kept and preserved by Nagamatsu's eldest daughter Taniguchi Yoko.[6] No known paintings of the original Kuro Bat also still exist.
The character featured in three live-action movies: Golden Bat: The Phantom of the Skyscraper (黄金バット 摩天楼の怪人), released by Toei in 1950 based on the original manga from Shōnen Gahōsha[9]; Golden Bat also released by Toei in 1966; and the comedy biopic Here comes the Golden Bat! (黄金バットがやってく), released in 1972 by Toho.[10] He also appeared in a 52-episode anime series that aired on Nippon TV from 1967 to 1968.[8] He was voiced by the late Osamu Kobayashi in both the live-action film by Toei and Anime version.[citation needed] Since the character was so popular in South Korea, they made their own mockbuster versions such as featuring Golden Bat modeled on D.C's Batman with a yellow suit colorization to match Golden Bat's characteristics in movies such as Black Star and the Golden Bat (검은별과 황금박쥐) released in 1979[11] and a live-action knock-off version of the latter known as Super Betaman and Mazinger V (스타 짱가 Z 마징가 V 슈퍼 베타맨) in 1990.[12] And in 1992, another Korean live-action parody film was made Young-Gu and the Golden Bat (영구와 황금박쥐) starring comedian Shim Hyung-rae as Young-Gu.[13]
In the late 1990s or early 2000s, a reboot anime titled The Golden Bat: Millennium Version (黄金のバット：ミレニアムバージョン) was planned but was scrapped and only a trailer so far was ever released.[14][better source needed]
In December 2022, a new manga adaptation illustrated by Kazutoshi Yamane was launched in Champion Red magazine by Akita Shoten.[15]
Character description
Ōgon Bat has a golden skull-shaped head, wears a green and white swashbuckler outfit with a high-collared red cape, and carries a rapier. He lives in a fortress in the Japanese Alps. In the Shōnen Gahōsha comics, he retains a similar appearance to the original albeit with clothes including a hat with a feather designed after a Musketeer.[6]
The Toei version of his character, created for the live-action movie and animated production has a design differing from the original of being an all-golden muscular skeleton wearing a black and red Dracula-like cape and holds a silver baton and has an appearance similar to Skeletor. He is a being from ancient Atlantis who was sent forward in time 10,000 years to battle evil forces of Nazō and his subordinates threatening the present day.[5][3][8] Ōgon Bat also has an evil counterpart of himself known as Kurayami Bat (暗闇バット "Dark Bat").[3]
His superpowers include superhuman strength, invulnerability, and the ability to fly.[1][2][3]
Ōgon Bat's archnemesis is Dr. Nazō (ナゾー), formerly known as Kuro Bat (黒バット "Black Bat"),[5] the leader of a crime syndicate bent on world domination leading tens of thousands of subordinates, who wears a black costume and mask with bat-like ears similar to that of Batman's, a red eye and a blue eye.[3] The Toei version of Nazō also created for the Anime version has an updated look of having four eyes being red, blue, green and yellow and has a mechanical claw on his left hand.[5]
Film
| Ōgon Bat | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Hajime Sato |
| Written by | Susumu Takaku |
| Starring | Sonny Chiba |
| Music by | Shunsuke Kikuchi |
| Distributed by | Toei Company (Japan) |
Release date |
|
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, starring Sonny Chiba as Dr. Yamatone (ヤマトネ博士, Yamatone Hakase).[16] It was also released in Italy as Il Ritorno di Diavolik (The return of the Diavolik).[17]
Plot
When young Akira Kazahaya spots the rogue planet Icarus on a collision course for Earth, he is recruited by Captain Yamatone into the Pearl Research Institute in the Japanese Alps, secretly an U.N. organization that protects the Earth, who is searching for the final component to complete Dr. Pearl's Super Destruction Beam Cannon to destroy Icarus. When Captain Yamatone's unit, along with Akira and Pearl's granddaughter Emily, searches for the material for the lens on a mysterious island they soon realize is Atlantis, they are attacked by the evil forces of the Ruler of the Universe Nazō (ナゾー) in a drill-shaped tower ship, who is the one who sent Icarus towards Earth, and force Yamatone to retreat into an ancient tomb holding a sarcophagus with a prophecy that after 10,000 years, a crisis will inevitably come and to awaken the one within to fight it. Just as Nazō's men burst in and try and surround the institute's people, Emily places water on Ogon Bat's chest and revives him. Laughing, Ogon Bat sizes up the situation, defeats the alien attackers and sends a bat to Emily, which turns into a pin, allowing her to call him when there is danger. Ogon Bat then fights off Nazō's tower, allowing Yamatone and the institute people to return with the lens.
Undeterred, Nazō gathers his three top agents, Viper, Piranha, and Jackal, who he sends to infiltrate the Institute and retrieve the lens and the beam cannon using their own unique abilities. Nazō successfully captures Dr. Pearl, Emily, and the Super Destruction Beam, but is frustrated by his minions' inability to find the lens and Dr. Pearl's resistance to interrogation, Pearl realizing far more than Earth would be in danger if a villain like Nazō were to gain the weapon, until he realizes Yamatone gave the lens to Ogon Bat, and Nazō tricks Emily into calling for him, resulting in a climactic battle with the fate of Earth at stake.
Cast
- Sonny Chiba as Dr. Yamatone (ヤマトネ博士, Yamatone Hakase)
- Osamu Kobayashi as Golden Bat (voice)
- Wataru Yamakawa as Akira Kazahaya
- Hisako Tsukuba as Naomi Akiyama
- Emiri Takami as Emily Beard
- Andrew Hughes as Dr. Parl
- Hirohisa Nakada as agent Shimizu
- Kōsaku Okano as agent Nakamura
- Kouji Sekiyama as Nazō
- Youichi Numada as Keroido / Viper
- Keiko Kuni as Perania / Piranha
- Keiichi Kitakawa as Jackal
- Yukio Aoshima as police officer
Anime
| Golden Bat | |
| 黄金バット (Ōgon Batto) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy, superhero |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Noboru Ishiguro Kujiro Yanagida Seiji Sasaki Tadao Wakabayashi[8] |
| Written by | Mitsuhide Shimauchi |
| Music by | Tanaka Masashi |
| Studio | Dai-ichi Dōga |
| Original network | Yomiuri TV, Nippon TV |
| English network | |
| Original run | April 1, 1967 – March 23, 1968 |
| Episodes | 52 |
Golden Bat (Japanese: 黄金 バット, Hepburn: Ōgon Batto) is an anime television series released in 1967. It was released and dubbed in a limited number of other regions, initially including South Korea on the Tongyang Broadcasting Company[18] and under various titles including in English as Phantaman in Australia[19][8] dubbed by Frontier Enterprises,[citation needed] Fantasmagórico in Latin America[20][21], Fantomas in Brazil[22][8] and Fantaman in Italy.[23][17] Its designs for the characters and elements are based on those in the previous live-action film version by Toei and Osamu Kobayashi reprised his role as Golden Bat.
Cast
- Ichirō Murakoshi as Professor Yamatone
- Osamu Kobayashi as Golden Bat (voice)
- Ushio Shima as Lord Nazō
- Kenji Utsumi as Lord Mazō
- Kazue Takahashi as Takeru Yamatone,
- Minori Matsushima (later Yōko Kuri) as Marie Mire
- Koichi Chiba as Professor Mire
- Kazuya Tatekabe as Dareo Dokono
- Masao Takato as Dark Bat
- Yuzuru Fujimoto as the narrator
List of anime episodes
| Nº | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Birth of Golden Bat" Transliteration: "Kogane Batto Tanjō" (Japanese: 黄金バット誕生) | April 1, 1967 |
| 2 | "Mammoth Killer" Transliteration: "Manmosu Kirā" (Japanese: マンモスキラー) | April 8, 1967 |
| 3 | "Ge-Georg" Transliteration: "Gē-georugu" (Japanese: ゲーゲオルグ) | April 15, 1967 |
| 4 | "Crisis" Transliteration: "Kiki Ippatsu" (Japanese: 危機一発) | April 22, 1967 |
| 5 | "Man Eating Plants" Transliteration: "Hito-gui Shokubutsu" (Japanese: 人食い植物) | April 29, 1967 |
| 6 | "In Pursuit of the Melon Bombs" Transliteration: "Meron Bakudan Daitsuiseki" (Japanese: メロン爆弾大追跡) | May 6, 1967 |
| 7 | "Monster Sand Beronya" Transliteration: "Kaijū Sando Beroniya" (Japanese: 怪獣サンドベロニヤ) | May 13, 1967 |
| 8 | "Space Monster Alligon" Transliteration: "Uchū Kaijū Arugon" (Japanese: 宇宙怪獣アリゴン) | May 20, 1967 |
| 9 | "Worm Monster Gaigon" Transliteration: "Kaibutsu Gaigon" (Japanese: 怪物ガイゴン) | May 27, 1967 |
| 10 | "The Battle of Uranium Island" Transliteration: "Uranshima Daisakusen" (Japanese: ウラン島大決戦) | June 3, 1967 |
| 11 | "The Mystery of Finkhamen" Transliteration: "Nazo no Finkāmen" (Japanese: 謎のフィンカーメン) | June 10, 1967 |
| 12 | "Dr. Jinger's Poison Mushrooms" Transliteration: "Jingā no Doku Kinoko" (Japanese: ジンガーの毒キノコ) | June 17, 1967 |
| 13 | "Mutant 5" Transliteration: "Myūtanto 5" (Japanese: ミュータント5) | June 24, 1967 |
| 14 | "Atomic Black Gyatt" Transliteration: "Genshi Burakku Gyatto" (Japanese: 原子ブラックギャット) | July 1, 1967 |
| 15 | "Nero the Destructor" Transliteration: "Hakaima Nero" (Japanese: 破壊魔ネロ) | July 8, 1967 |
| 16 | "Ghilton, the Stone Man" Transliteration: "Iwa Hito Girudon" (Japanese: 岩人ギルトン) | July 15, 1967 |
| 17 | "Galgar the Monster Bird" Transliteration: "Kaichō Gāgā" (Japanese: 怪鳥ガルガー) | July 22, 1967 |
| 18 | "The Star of Polynesia" Transliteration: "Porineshia no Hoshi" (Japanese: ポリネシアの星) | July 29, 1967 |
| 19 | "Bat vs. Bat" Transliteration: "Batto Tai Batto" (Japanese: バット対バット) | August 5, 1967 |
| 20 | "The Land of the Blue Flame" Transliteration: "Aoi Honō no Kuni" (Japanese: 青い炎の国) | August 12, 1967 |
| 21 | "The Queen of Root Sigma" Transliteration: "Rūto Shiguma no Joō" (Japanese: ルートシグマの女王) | August 19, 1967 |
| 22 | "The Mystery of Volcano Peron" Transliteration: "Nazo no Peron Kazan" (Japanese: 謎のペロン火山) | August 26, 1967 |
| 23 | "Black Mask the Thief" Transliteration: "Kaitō Burakku Kamen" (Japanese: 怪盗ブラック仮面) | September 2, 1967 |
| 24 | "The Devil's Ruby" Transliteration: "Akuma no Rubī" (Japanese: 悪魔のルビー) | September 9, 1967 |
| 25 | "The Robot City" Transliteration: "Robotto Toshi" (Japanese: ロボット都市) | September 16, 1967 |
| 26 | "Rayman Boldo" Transliteration: "Kōsen Ningen Borudo" (Japanese: 光線人間ボルド) | September 23, 1967 |
| 27 | "The Eye of Tarangé" Transliteration: "Tarangē no Me" (Japanese: タランゲーの眼) | September 30, 1967 |
| 28 | "Sword of the Queen Axis" Transliteration: "Akishisu no Ken" (Japanese: アキシスの剣) | October 7, 1967 |
| 29 | "Mystery of the Space Bat" Transliteration: "Uchū Kōmori no Nazo" (Japanese: 宇宙コウモリの謎) | October 14, 1967 |
| 30 | "Superpowered Cyborgs" Transliteration: "Chō Nōryoku Kaizō Ningen" (Japanese: 超能力改造人間) | October 21, 1967 |
| 31 | "The Ghost Tower" Transliteration: "Yū Rei-tō" (Japanese: ゆうれい塔) | October 28, 1967 |
| 32 | "The Devil's Giant Statue" Transliteration: "Akuma no Kyozō" (Japanese: 悪魔の巨像) | November 4, 1967 |
| 33 | "The Invisible Monster Glassgon" Transliteration: "Tōmei Kaijū Gurasugon" (Japanese: 透明怪獣グラスゴン) | November 11, 1967 |
| 34 | "The Great World Flood" Transliteration: "Sekai Dai Kōzui" (Japanese: 世界大洪水) | November 18, 1967 |
| 35 | "Underground Monster Mogurah" Transliteration: "Chitei Kaijū Mogurā" (Japanese: 地底怪獣モグラー) | November 25, 1967 |
| 36 | "The Great Explosion" Transliteration: "Chikyū Dai Bakuhatsu" (Japanese: 地球大爆発) | December 2, 1967 |
| 37 | "Two-Headed Monster Gegera" Transliteration: "Sōtō Kaijū Gegera" (Japanese: 双頭怪獣ゲゲラ) | December 9, 1967 |
| 38 | "The Dinosaur Trap" Transliteration: "Kyōryū no Wana" (Japanese: 恐竜の罠) | December 16, 1967 |
| 39 | "The Skeleton's Pilotage" Transliteration: "Gaikotsu no Mizusakian'nai" (Japanese: 骸骨の水先案内) | December 23, 1967 |
| 40 | "The Day of Darkness" Transliteration: "Chikyū Ankoku no Hi" (Japanese: 地球暗黒の日) | December 30, 1967 |
| 41 | "The Indian Princess" Transliteration: "Indo no Joō" (Japanese: インドの女王) | January 6, 1968 |
| 42 | "The Witch and Monster Hiidoro" Transliteration: "Yōba no Kaijū Hīdoro" (Japanese: 妖婆の怪獣ヒードロ) | January 13, 1968 |
| 43 | "The Cyclops in the Mine" Transliteration: "Haikō no hHitotsu-me Kaijū" (Japanese: 廃坑の一つ目怪獣) | January 20, 1968 |
| 44 | "Revenge of the Liger Man" Transliteration: "Raigāman no Gyakushū" (Japanese: ライガーマンの逆襲) | January 27, 1968 |
| 45 | "The Death-bringing Woman" Transliteration: "Shi o Yobu On'na" (Japanese: 死を呼ぶ女) | February 3, 1968 |
| 46 | "The Bat Hag and the Monster Shelgon" Transliteration: "Kōmori Rōjo to Kaijū Sherugon" (Japanese: こうもり老女と怪獣シェルゴン) | February 10, 1968 |
| 47 | "The Mysterious Gerontium 90" Transliteration: "Maboroshi no Geronchūmu 90" (Japanese: 幻のゲロンチューム90) | February 17, 1968 |
| 48 | "The Little Assassins" Transliteration: "Chīsai Asashin" (Japanese: 小さい暗殺者) | February 24, 1968 |
| 49 | "The Bat Man" Transliteration: "Kaijin Kōmori Otoko" (Japanese: 怪人こうもり男) | March 2, 1968 |
| 50 | "Circus Monster Gablar" Transliteration: "Sākasu Kaijū Gaburā" (Japanese: サーカス怪獣ガブラー) | March 9, 1968 |
| 51 | "The Resurrection of Dark Bat" Transliteration: "Yomigaeru Kurayami Batto" (Japanese: よみがえる暗闇バット) | March 16, 1968 |
| 52 | "The Crumbling of the Nazō Empire" Transliteration: "Hibiwareru Nazō Teikoku" (Japanese: ひびわれるナゾー帝国) | March 23, 1968 |
References
- ^ a b c d Bradner, Liesl (2009-11-29). "The superheroes of Japan who predated Superman and Batman". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2018-10-13. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
- ^ a b c Bradner, Liesl (2009-11-27). "Origins of manga and anime". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
- ^ a b c d e f Davisson, Zack (December 19, 2010). "The First Superhero – The Golden Bat?". Comics Bulletin. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- ^ Hagen, Dan (27 November 2019). Thomas, Roy (ed.). "The Golden Bat: Japan's "Dark Samurai" Returns!". Alter Ego. No. 162. TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 35–28. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/jyoudankeri/diary/201112120000/
- ^ a b c d "「黄金バット」誕生の衝撃！1931年に描かれた原画に"巨大ロボ＆殺人光線"が登場していた件 ｜ 和樂web 美の国ニッポンをもっと知る！". 和樂web 美の国ニッポンをもっと知る！ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-02-15.
- ^ "＜発掘 加太こうじの遺品から＞（上）昭和の紙芝居作家 門外不出の原画、直筆スケッチも：東京新聞デジタル". 東京新聞デジタル (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ^ a b c d e f Clements, Jonathan; McCarthy, Helen (2014). The Anime Encyclopedia, 3rd Revised Edition: A Century of Japanese Animation. Stone Bridge Press. p. 193. ISBN 9781611720181. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ "作品詳細". eigamura-library-database.com. Retrieved 2026-02-18.
- ^ "赤ペンダラダラ日記 紙芝居昭和史 黄金バットがやって来る". akapen.blog44.fc2.com. Retrieved 2026-02-18.
- ^ "검은별과 황금박쥐 - 한국영상자료원". 한국영상자료원 (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2025-03-28. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
- ^ Todd (2010-03-07). "Super Batman & Mazinger V, aka Super Betaman (South Korea, 1990)". Die, Danger, Die, Die, Kill!. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
- ^ "심형래 KBS복귀「유머1번지」출연". NAVER Newslibrary. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
- ^ THE GOLDEN BAT: Millennium Version Trailer Theme (A Cappella), retrieved 2026-02-18
- ^ Moroboshi, Sig ra (21 November 2022). "Fantaman - Annunciato il nuovo manga". MegaNerd.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "黄金バット(1966) - 作品情報・映画レビュー -KINENOTE（キネノート）". www.kinenote.com. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
- ^ a b "Segreti di Pulcinella - rivista di letteratura e cultura varia". www.segretidipulcinella.it. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
- ^ "괴작열전(怪作列傳) : 황금박쥐 - 실사영화로 탄생한 일본 최초의 슈퍼히어로". 페니웨이™의 In This Film (in Korean). 2011-01-05. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
- ^ "Search Results for "Phantaman" – Television.AU". televisionau.com. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
- ^ "OCD Community Boost Contest #3: The Older days of Anime: Fantasmagórico / Phantoma. (1967/68) The first Superhero in history". PeakD. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
- ^ "Fantasmagórico, el más antiguo superheroe del comic / Golden Bat, t..." Ecency. 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
- ^ Animação. "RetroAnime | Fantomas". Retrieved 2026-02-16.
- ^ "Tana delle Sigle :: Dettaglio sigla". tds.sigletv.net. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
External links
- The Golden Bat (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Ôgon bat: Matenrô no kaijin at IMDb
- Ôgon batto at IMDb
- Ôgon Batto ga yattekuru at IMDb
- 1966 films
- 1967 anime television series debuts
- Fictional characters introduced in 1930
- Fictional Atlanteans
- Fictional characters displaced in time
- 1950 films
- 1950 Japanese films
- 1966 Japanese films
- 1960s superhero films
- Films about alien invasions
- Japanese science fiction action films
- Japanese superhero films
- Nippon Television original programming
- Toei tokusatsu films
- Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation original programming
