5 Reasons The Japanese Batman Was The Best '60s Batman
The Batman craze of the '60s was not exclusive to the United States. In Japan, Shonen King obtained the rights from DC and commissioned Manga legend Jiro Kuwata (best known for the classic anime 8 Man) to write and draw several Batman manga for its readers. These issues ran from 1966-1967 and were relatively unknown stateside until author Chip Kidd chronicled them in his book Bat-Manga!: The Secret History Of Batman In Japan.
I recently got my hands on the newly released compilation Batmanga Volume Two, which is a black and white English translation of several stories that ran in its time. Upon finishing, I came to two conclusions:
- Batman transcends international barriers
- Japan '60s Batman > USA '60s Batman
This isn't as entirely controversial as you think. While the original stories and tone were very much Japanese, Batman still remained entirely American. No major liberties were taken in this series and no canonical changes were made in the transition overseas. That being said, I think Japan's take on '60s Batman is more at home in manga and more natural than he ever was in the US.
1. Gadgets
'60s Batman was more gadget heavy than anything. The use of physical force was there, but when it came down to the wire, Batman and Robin were always relying on their gadgets to find a way through. '60s Batman was also particularly good at having oddly specific gadgets that would be useless in all situations except the exact moment in which they were being used.
The Japanese have long held a love of gadgetry, and when it comes to niche silly tech, we know they're unrivaled. Seeing a freeze gun or "shark repellent" canister on the utility belt doesn't seem that out of the ordinary in a country that sells USB forehead neck coolers, or remote controlled garbage cans.
2. They Made Clayface A Unicorn
Clayface was always a cool character in the Batman rogues. His mythical element allowed for a lot of playing with the character and often pushed Batman to the limits. Many would believe, however, that the character did not hit a stride until years later. This manga run featured an alternate Clayface apart from the canon Clayfaces, and made him a little more unique.
When I say unique, I mean this Clayface shifted into spinning tops, unicorns, and the like.
Once again, it's such a very campy thing that felt so rooted in the Japanese animation culture it didn't seem at all out of the ordinary!
3. Things Are A Little Darker
It's always important to remember when talking about '60s Batman that he was primarily a vessel for kids to be entertained. While that still remains true on the Japanese front, there are some stories I think may have been a bit over the top for kids of the day. My second favorite story in this compilation involves pro wrestling villain The Hangman. After The Hangman, an unpopular villain wrestler in Gotham, kills a would-be thief, he gains the approval and respect of the people of Gotham. Batman, convinced that something is amiss, finds more and more evidence that this Hangman is not so noble as we would think. Fast forward to a main event where Hangman and Batman have a pro wrestling match for the love and adoration of the people of Gotham.
Batman wins through some trickery and unmasks the wrestler as a former wrestler believed to be dead as well as a violent killer. Disgraced and realizing his love and adoration is gone, the killer jumps to his death to prevent his capture. This isn't a vague falls-into-the-ocean deal either. This guy jumps off a building, dies on the ground, and his little sister (who tried to commit suicide earlier in the comic) is seen crying next to him.
It was f**** up, but at the same time I respected the opportunity to see '60s Batman in a quasi real life scenario. Not everything worked out, and the world was forced to mourn. That's something we never really see from this Batman that we definitely see and appreciate down the line.
4. Sci-Fi And Robots
Something you'll notice while reading this collection is that nearly every story is rooted in science fiction or involves robots. No real hard crimes, but scientists with a means to an end. Henchmen that are thought to be living but are actually robots. Goofy stuff that really falls in line with other manga of the time and the Japanese obsession of robotics. To be honest, I was a fan of the science element and the mad scientist angle. It made me wonder what a paranormal centric Batman series would be like!
5. Batman And Robin Battle A Kaiju
My absolute favorite story in this compilation hands down was The Monster Of Gore Bay. Here we see Batman and Robin travel and take on a straight up Kaiju! This blew the cap off the geekometer for me. Batman and a sea monster, does it get any better? The answer is yes. In fact, the whole encounter ends with a mecha vs original battle that had me all too sad when the series finally came to an end.
I cannot recommend this series enough. It's a great read and a great look into the culture of Batman and what he means to a different part of the world. Go get it!