# The Golden Bat

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). Ōgon Bat is considered by some to be the world's first superhero, 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).
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. It was adapted into a popular anime television series in 1967, which was released in various European and Latin American countries.

## History

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. 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 character debuted in a kamishibai, a type of traveling show in which a sequence of pictures are shown, narrated by a storyteller. The character was popular enough to survive the decline of kamishibai following World War II, and was eventually adapted into manga (including one by Osamu Tezuka) and anime.
The character featured in three live-action movies: Ôgon Bat: Matenrô no Kaijin, released in 1950; Ôgon Batto, released in 1966; and the comedy biopic Ôgon Batto ga Yattekuru, released in 1972. He also appeared in a 52-episode anime series that aired on Nippon TV from 1967 to 1968.
In December 2022, a new manga adaptation illustrated by Kazutoshi Yamane was launched in Champion Red magazine by Akita Shoten.

## Character description

Ōgon Bat is a being from ancient Atlantis who was sent forward in time 10,000 years to battle evil forces threatening the present day. He 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.
His superpowers include superhuman strength, invulnerability, and the ability to fly.
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, a red eye and a blue eye.

## Film

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).

### 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)
* 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 (Japanese: 黄金 バット, Hepburn: Ōgon Batto) is an anime television series released in 1967. It was released internationally in a number of countries under various titles including Phantaman and Fantomas. The anime series was very popular in many European and Latin American countries.

### 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 (1967-4-1) |
| 2 | "Mammoth Killer" Transliteration: "Manmosu Kirā" (Japanese: マンモスキラー) | April 8, 1967 (1967-4-8) |
| 3 | "Ge-Georg" Transliteration: "Gē-georugu" (Japanese: ゲーゲオルグ) | April 15, 1967 (1967-4-15) |
| 4 | "Crisis" Transliteration: "Kiki Ippatsu" (Japanese: 危機一発) | April 22, 1967 (1967-4-22) |
| 5 | "Man Eating Plants" Transliteration: "Hito-gui Shokubutsu" (Japanese: 人食い植物) | April 29, 1967 (1967-4-29) |
| 6 | "In Pursuit of the Melon Bombs" Transliteration: "Meron Bakudan Daitsuiseki" (Japanese: メロン爆弾大追跡) | May 6, 1967 (1967-5-6) |
| 7 | "Monster Sand Beronya" Transliteration: "Kaijū Sando Beroniya" (Japanese: 怪獣サンドベロニヤ) | May 13, 1967 (1967-5-13) |
| 8 | "Space Monster Alligon" Transliteration: "Uchū Kaijū Arugon" (Japanese: 宇宙怪獣アリゴン) | May 20, 1967 (1967-5-20) |
| 9 | "Worm Monster Gaigon" Transliteration: "Kaibutsu Gaigon" (Japanese: 怪物ガイゴン) | May 27, 1967 (1967-5-27) |
| 10 | "The Battle of Uranium Island" Transliteration: "Uranshima Daisakusen" (Japanese: ウラン島大決戦) | June 3, 1967 (1967-6-3) |
| 11 | "The Mystery of Finkhamen" Transliteration: "Nazo no Finkāmen" (Japanese: 謎のフィンカーメン) | June 10, 1967 (1967-6-10) |
| 12 | "Dr. Jinger's Poison Mushrooms" Transliteration: "Jingā no Doku Kinoko" (Japanese: ジンガーの毒キノコ) | June 17, 1967 (1967-6-17) |
| 13 | "Mutant 5" Transliteration: "Myūtanto 5" (Japanese: ミュータント5) | June 24, 1967 (1967-6-24) |
| 14 | "Atomic Black Gyatt" Transliteration: "Genshi Burakku Gyatto" (Japanese: 原子ブラックギャット) | July 1, 1967 (1967-7-1) |
| 15 | "Nero the Destructor" Transliteration: "Hakaima Nero" (Japanese: 破壊魔ネロ) | July 8, 1967 (1967-7-8) |
| 16 | "Ghilton, the Stone Man" Transliteration: "Iwa Hito Girudon" (Japanese: 岩人ギルトン) | July 15, 1967 (1967-7-15) |
| 17 | "Galgar the Monster Bird" Transliteration: "Kaichō Gāgā" (Japanese: 怪鳥ガルガー) | July 22, 1967 (1967-7-22) |
| 18 | "The Star of Polynesia" Transliteration: "Porineshia no Hoshi" (Japanese: ポリネシアの星) | July 29, 1967 (1967-7-29) |
| 19 | "Bat vs. Bat" Transliteration: "Batto Tai Batto" (Japanese: バット対バット) | August 5, 1967 (1967-8-5) |
| 20 | "The Land of the Blue Flame" Transliteration: "Aoi Honō no Kuni" (Japanese: 青い炎の国) | August 12, 1967 (1967-8-12) |
| 21 | "The Queen of Root Sigma" Transliteration: "Rūto Shiguma no Joō" (Japanese: ルートシグマの女王) | August 19, 1967 (1967-8-19) |
| 22 | "The Mystery of Volcano Peron" Transliteration: "Nazo no Peron Kazan" (Japanese: 謎のペロン火山) | August 26, 1967 (1967-8-26) |
| 23 | "Black Mask the Thief" Transliteration: "Kaitō Burakku Kamen" (Japanese: 怪盗ブラック仮面) | September 2, 1967 (1967-9-2) |
| 24 | "The Devil's Ruby" Transliteration: "Akuma no Rubī" (Japanese: 悪魔のルビー) | September 9, 1967 (1967-9-9) |
| 25 | "The Robot City" Transliteration: "Robotto Toshi" (Japanese: ロボット都市) | September 16, 1967 (1967-9-16) |
| 26 | "Rayman Boldo" Transliteration: "Kōsen Ningen Borudo" (Japanese: 光線人間ボルド) | September 23, 1967 (1967-9-23) |
| 27 | "The Eye of Tarangé" Transliteration: "Tarangē no Me" (Japanese: タランゲーの眼) | September 30, 1967 (1967-9-30) |
| 28 | "Sword of the Queen Axis" Transliteration: "Akishisu no Ken" (Japanese: アキシスの剣) | October 7, 1967 (1967-10-7) |
| 29 | "Mystery of the Space Bat" Transliteration: "Uchū Kōmori no Nazo" (Japanese: 宇宙コウモリの謎) | October 14, 1967 (1967-10-14) |
| 30 | "Superpowered Cyborgs" Transliteration: "Chō Nōryoku Kaizō Ningen" (Japanese: 超能力改造人間) | October 21, 1967 (1967-10-21) |
| 31 | "The Ghost Tower" Transliteration: "Yū Rei-tō" (Japanese: ゆうれい塔) | October 28, 1967 (1967-10-28) |
| 32 | "The Devil's Giant Statue" Transliteration: "Akuma no Kyozō" (Japanese: 悪魔の巨像) | November 4, 1967 (1967-11-4) |
| 33 | "The Invisible Monster Glassgon" Transliteration: "Tōmei Kaijū Gurasugon" (Japanese: 透明怪獣グラスゴン) | November 11, 1967 (1967-11-11) |
| 34 | "The Great World Flood" Transliteration: "Sekai Dai Kōzui" (Japanese: 世界大洪水) | November 18, 1967 (1967-11-18) |
| 35 | "Underground Monster Mogurah" Transliteration: "Chitei Kaijū Mogurā" (Japanese: 地底怪獣モグラー) | November 25, 1967 (1967-11-25) |
| 36 | "The Great Explosion" Transliteration: "Chikyū Dai Bakuhatsu" (Japanese: 地球大爆発) | December 2, 1967 (1967-12-2) |
| 37 | "Two-Headed Monster Gegera" Transliteration: "Sōtō Kaijū Gegera" (Japanese: 双頭怪獣ゲゲラ) | December 9, 1967 (1967-12-9) |
| 38 | "The Dinosaur Trap" Transliteration: "Kyōryū no Wana" (Japanese: 恐竜の罠) | December 16, 1967 (1967-12-16) |
| 39 | "The Skeleton's Pilotage" Transliteration: "Gaikotsu no Mizusakian'nai" (Japanese: 骸骨の水先案内) | December 23, 1967 (1967-12-23) |
| 40 | "The Day of Darkness" Transliteration: "Chikyū Ankoku no Hi" (Japanese: 地球暗黒の日) | December 30, 1967 (1967-12-30) |
| 41 | "The Indian Princess" Transliteration: "Indo no Joō" (Japanese: インドの女王) | January 6, 1968 (1968-1-6) |
| 42 | "The Witch and Monster Hiidoro" Transliteration: "Yōba no Kaijū Hīdoro" (Japanese: 妖婆の怪獣ヒードロ) | January 13, 1968 (1968-1-13) |
| 43 | "The Cyclops in the Mine" Transliteration: "Haikō no hHitotsu-me Kaijū" (Japanese: 廃坑の一つ目怪獣) | January 20, 1968 (1968-1-20) |
| 44 | "Revenge of the Liger Man" Transliteration: "Raigāman no Gyakushū" (Japanese: ライガーマンの逆襲) | January 27, 1968 (1968-1-27) |
| 45 | "The Death-bringing Woman" Transliteration: "Shi o Yobu On'na" (Japanese: 死を呼ぶ女) | February 3, 1968 (1968-2-3) |
| 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 (1968-2-10) |
| 47 | "The Mysterious Gerontium 90" Transliteration: "Maboroshi no Geronchūmu 90" (Japanese: 幻のゲロンチューム90) | February 17, 1968 (1968-2-17) |
| 48 | "The Little Assassins" Transliteration: "Chīsai Asashin" (Japanese: 小さい暗殺者) | February 24, 1968 (1968-2-24) |
| 49 | "The Bat Man" Transliteration: "Kaijin Kōmori Otoko" (Japanese: 怪人こうもり男) | March 2, 1968 (1968-3-2) |
| 50 | "Circus Monster Gablar" Transliteration: "Sākasu Kaijū Gaburā" (Japanese: サーカス怪獣ガブラー) | March 9, 1968 (1968-3-9) |
| 51 | "The Resurrection of Dark Bat" Transliteration: "Yomigaeru Kurayami Batto" (Japanese: よみがえる暗闇バット) | March 16, 1968 (1968-3-16) |
| 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 (1968-3-23) |