Kaiketsu Zubat

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kaiketsu Zubat (快傑ズバット Kaiketsu Zubatto), translated into English as Swift Hero Zubat, Wonderman Zubat or Vigilante Zubat, is a tokusatsu superhero series that aired in 1977. Created by Shotaro Ishinomori, this 32-episode series (which aired on TV Tokyo from 2/2/1977 to 9/28/1977), harkens back to tokusatsu superhero shows of the 1950s, but with a late-70s twist.

This series is popular with fans of creator Ishinomori, and unique as the title hero Zubat does not "henshin" like the other superheroes he created. Ken Hayakawa (played by veteran Hiroshi Miyauchi), the Interpol agent dressed in black & red gringo cowboy attire, actually just puts on his red & black "Zubasuit" (hidden in his white guitar, which is opened with the push of a button), which looks no different from that of a Sentai hero:

A helmet with "Z"-themed features and an open/close visor and mouthpiece
A streamlined rubber jumpsuit with a white scarf (another Ishinomori trademark).

Zubat's arsenal is a flying car called the "Zubacar" (with a huge propeller fan at the back) and his weapon is a whip (with a "Z" fitted at the handle).

Zubat's name is based on the sound effect "zubatt", which is the sound of something being hit right on target. This is the same name basis for the Zubat featured in Pokémon.

Zubat's costume was also a basis for the video game superhero parody Viewtiful Joe.

The villains are also unusual, as there are no monsters. This is a criminal organization, Dakker, which has a mysterious leader (who is revealed in the final episode), and outlandishly-dressed criminals. Early episodes of this series even had a bizarre Japanese "wild west" setting.

This series would also be parodied by Daicon Films (now Gainax) in 1982, in a series of short films starring the superhero Swift Hero Noutenki (who also has the same alter-ego, Ken Hayakawa)!

[edit] Trademark Phrase

"Zubatt-to sanjō! Zubatt-to kaiketsu! Hito-yonde sasurai no hīrō . . . Kaiketsu Zubatto!"

（ズバッと参上、ズバッと解決、人呼んでさすらいのヒーロー！快傑ズバット！）
("Here with a "zubatt"! Solving problems with a "zubatt"! I call myself the wandering hero . . . Wonderman Zubat!")