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Golden Bat (黄金 バット Ōgon Batto) aka Diavolik or Golden Ninja, is the main protagonist of the 1966 film adaption of the kamishibai story of the same name, Golden Bat.
| “ | I am Golden Bat. I have awakened from my ten thousand year slumber to fight alongside you! I fight for justice alone. | ” |
–Golden Bat's awakening. | ||
History[]
While not much is known about Golden Bat's past prior to the film, the Golden Bat originates from the city of Atlantis and sometime then somehow fell asleep for 10,000 years in a coffin inside the tomb. 10,000 years later, when Dr. Yamatone and his crew are exploring Atlantis and are in addition being pursued by Nazo's army when they are searching for the Lens to complete Professor Pearl's Beam Cannon to destroy Icarus that was set off by the evil Dr. Nazo in attempt to destroy Earth, they discover in the tomb, the coffin and when they open it up, they find a muscular golden man with a skeletal head named Golden Bat and recently, young Emily pours water on the creature and revives him, and the Golden skeleton stands up from his coffin and introduces himself and joins Yamatone and his crew to try and stop Dr. Nazo and his gang's evil plans to conquer the universe.
Physical Appearance[]
Golden Bat is a muscular golden humanoid creature with a skeletal head and cracks on it, completely golden eyes and white teeth. For attire he wears a red cape, white gloves and carries a silver baton. He bears an appearance similar to Skeletor.
Personality[]
Golden Bat is a serious individual known for his maniacal laughter and has angry feelings towards bad guys, especially Nazo.
Legacy[]
Golden Bat is famous for being considered as Japan's first superhero and/or the first superhero worldwide. He is also thought to be the first Tokusatsu hero starting from Golden Bat: The Phantom of the Skyscraper.[1][2]
The character was also so popular in Korea that they made their own versions of the character, such as blending him with Batman in animated film made in 1979 Black Star and the Golden Bat.
Notes[]
- Unlike the vintage versions of the character, this incarnation of the character is copyrighted.
- In Shout! Factory's Classic Tokusatsu Collection DVD release of the film, he is referred to as "Golden Ninja".
- Golden Bat's design in this movie would a year later be transferred to his counterpart seen in the anime adaptation despite been given notable differences. His voice actor Osamu Kobayashi also reprised his role in said work.
- This depiction of him is said to have been represented as Italy's version of the 1964 Italian comic book character Kriminal, whom the latter in addition, heavily resembles Golden Bat himself. It's in addition claimed that this caused legal problems to be ensued when the distributors settled for "Diavolik" playing on Kriminal’s main inspiration and contender of another Italian comic book character named Diabolik with replacing the "B" with a "V".[3][4]
- The stripes seen on Golden Bat's costume in the Italian posters were also most likely ripped off the ones seen on Kriminal's.
- On Portuguese DVD covers, he is referred to as "Fantomas" just like he is in the Brazillian Portuguese dub of the anime.
- For unknown reasons, his costume actor is credited as "Mr. Golden Bat".