, 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). Ã Âgon 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).
The franchise's storylines generally depict à Âgon Bat, a mysterious cackling, albeit heroic skull-faced warrior fighting against the evil Dr. Nazà  and his gang who wants to dominate the world and destroy all order.
à Âgon 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 various live-action films and a popular anime television series in 1967.
Before à Âgon Bat debuted, in 1930, a villainous protagonist was created known as Kuro Bat (é»ÂãÂÂãÂÂã "Black Bat") depicted committing robberies until à Âgon Bat debuted and defeated him. Since à Âgon 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. Nazà Â" with à Âgon Bat taking the latter's place as the titular protagonist.
à Âgon 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. 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 , a friend of Nagamtsu. 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 by Shà Ânen Gahà Âsha that ran from 1948-1950 (including one by Osamu Tezuka) 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 ÃÂgon Bat itself which were kept and preserved by Nagamatsu's eldest daughter Taniguchi Yoko. 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 (é»ÂéÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂæ©天楼ã®æª人), released by Toei in 1950 based on the original manga from Shà Ânen Gahà Âsha; Golden Bat also released by Toei in 1966; and the comedy biopic Here comes the Golden Bat! (é»ÂéÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã£ã¦ãÂÂ), released in 1972 by Toho. He also appeared in a 52-episode anime series that aired on Nippon TV from 1967 to 1968. He was voiced by the late Osamu Kobayashi in both the live-action film by Toei and Anime version. 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 (ê²ÂìÂÂë³Âê³¼ éê¸Âë°Âì¥Â) released in 1979 and a live-action knock-off version of the latter known as Super Betaman and Mazinger V (ì¤Ã 짱갠Z ë§Âì§Âê° V ìÂÂü ë² ÃÂÂ맨) in 1990. And in 1992, another Korean live-action parody film was made Young-Gu and the Golden Bat (ìÂÂ구ì Ã©ê¸Âë°Âì¥Â) starring comedian Shim Hyung-rae as Young-Gu.
In the late 1990s or early 2000s, a reboot anime titled The Golden Bat: Millennium Version (é»ÂéÂÂã®ãÂÂãÂÂãÂÂï¼ÂãÂÂã‹ÂÂã¢ã ãÂÂã¼ã¸ã§ã³) was planned but was scrapped and only a trailer so far was ever released.
In December 2022, a new manga adaptation illustrated by Kazutoshi Yamane was launched in Champion Red magazine by Akita Shoten.
à Âgon 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 Shà Ânen Gahà Âsha comics, he retains a similar appearance to the original albeit with clothes including a hat with a feather designed after a Musketeer.
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 Nazà  and his subordinates threatening the present day. à Âgon Bat also has an evil counterpart of himself known as Kurayami Bat (æÂÂéÂÂãÂÂãÂÂã "Dark Bat").
His superpowers include superhuman strength, invulnerability, and the ability to fly.
à Âgon Bat's archnemesis is Dr. Nazà  (ãÂÂã¾ã¼), formerly known as Kuro Bat (é»ÂãÂÂãÂÂã "Black Bat"), 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. The Toei version of Nazà  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.
A live-action film version of à Âgon Bat was released theatrically by Toei in Japan on December 21, 1966, starring Sonny Chiba as . It was also released in Italy as Il Ritorno di Diavolik (The return of the Diavolik).
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 Nazà  (ãÂÂã¾ã¼) 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 Nazà Â'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 Nazà Â's tower, allowing Yamatone and the institute people to return with the lens.
Undeterred, Nazà  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. Nazà  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 Nazà  were to gain the weapon, until he realizes Yamatone gave the lens to Ogon Bat, and Nazà  tricks Emily into calling for him, resulting in a climactic battle with the fate of Earth at stake.
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 and under various titles including in English as Phantaman in Australia dubbed by Frontier Enterprises, Fantasmagórico in Latin America, Fantomas in Brazil and Fantaman in Italy.
The show itself's, 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. Before the show aired while it was still in production, a manga for the show was released by and Shà Ânen Gahà Âsha in December 25, 1966 which was the same year the film premeired.