Superheroes - American Style

I've discussed the distinctly Japanese Tokusatsu genre of Superheroes already, so now I'd like to address Japan's take on Superheroes of the West.

As with Science Fiction novels, the first exposure to US published Comic Book Superheroes the Japan people would've had would've been from American Servicemen post-WW II. Superman was first published in Japanese in Japan in the 1950s. Manga anthology magazines began serializing American comics in the late 60s and early 70s. 

I can remember back in the late 80s and early 90s, when Anime and Manga were first making major inroads into the American market, that being an American fan of Japanese shows and comics was still considered very underground. Likewise, being a Japanese Otaku dedicated to America comics was similarly niche. 

Fanzines and Doujinshi covering Marvel and DC Superheroes did exist in this period, with the Wolfman/Perez run on Teen Titans and the Claremont/Byrne X-Men being especially popular among a small but growing Japanese audience. 

Batman Manga - Artist Jiro Kuwata

1966-1967

My friend Rina had collected some of these doujinshi and brought them to show me when she visited the US during the Summer. The younger brother of a girl I later dated was a Star Trek and X-Men fanatic for sure and that was around 1995-96.

Of course, the widespread popularity of American Superheroes was kicked into high gear thanks to TV shows and Movies. The CW programs featuring Green Arrow, the Flash, Supergirl and others broad the genre to the masses, though that pales in comparison to the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Marvel Superheroes by My Hero Academia Creator Kohei Horikoshi.

At the same time, the MCU doesn't top the charts in Japan the way it does in the West and indeed elsewhere. To understand why they is might taking a deeper dive into the subject than this post is meant to due but it definitely has roots in Japanese culture and preferences. Key factors include Japanese protagonists tend to be younger, they are often awkward underdogs who take a while to get good at their special abilities, and the designs and other visual are just very different from what Japanese fans have come to expect in their Pop Cultuer Entertainment. 

That said, there are those creatives in Japan who truly love American Comics and have found a way to make them appealing to a Japanese audience. Just look at the work of Kohei Horikoshi, the writer and artist behind one of Japan's biggest Anime and Manga hits in recent years, My Hero Academia. Not only has he created a successful series of Manga based on the Western Superhero with a Japanese twist, it has been made into a popular Anime TV series, a few Anime films, and a number of spin-off Manga (I am particularly fond of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes!). 

He's not the only one. There's Tiger and Bunny, One-Punch Man, and a Manga series from last year the became an Anime back in October called SHY, just to name a few of the most well known examples.

Left: My Hero Academia: Vigilantes

Right: SHY

So what about American Style Superhero Role-Playing in Japan? Well, this looks like a job for...

Author: Takashi Nagata

Studio: Rommel Games
Publisher: Rommel Games / Fujimi Shobo

Deadline Heroes, while not a major player in the Japanese TRPG market, has a dedicated fanbase that appears to absolutely love this game. It has a number of supplements and pre-made adventure scenarios both official and fan-made. Personally, I can see why...

Deadline Heroes differs from other Japanese Superhero Tabletop RPGs in that it really isn't a 'Japanese Superhero' game at all. It's an American Superhero RPG made by Japanese creatives. Most of it's tropes, mechanics, and even the look of its pre-made heroes and villains are more in line with Western Comic than Manga. Well...sort of.

If you've watched Japanese Anime or read Manga such as One-Punch Man, Tiger & Bunny, and My Hero Academia you'll notice that the Japanese depiction of Western style Supers, especially the villains, is very distinctly Japanese. Most Supervillains are quite monstrous in appearance (though not all) and the costumes worn by many of the good guys are more over-the-top than even the most avant garde American heroes. 

Still, this game and the genre it seeks to represent is undeniably clear; these are masked crimefighters in colorful outfits using their wits, weaponry, and wonderous powers to protect the citizens of this fair city from criminals, catastrophes, and would-be world conquerors. 

Not Wolverine, Isn't Scarlet Witch, Different-from-Iron Man,

Definitely-Not Black Widow, No-Where-Near Hulk, and Nearly-But-Not-Quite Thor

would like a word with you evil doer!

The game first came out in 2013-2014 and somewhat uncharacteristically [for a JTRPG] uses both D10s and D6s. The game is generally viewed as very easy to learn and play. Character Creation works by choosing a Superhero Origin which gives you your Stats and the kinds of Superpowers, Equipment, and Abilities you have access to. Next you pick the options that add details you want for your character.

The Superhero Origins are:

Enhanced: Someone given powers through accident or experiment. Super Soldiers, Hulks.

Harbinger: Beings from beyond our world or dimension. Aliems, Gods. 

Justicar: A normal person with super training and discipline. Dark Detective, Amazing Archer.

Mystic: A person with magic spells or supernatural powers. Sorcerers, Witches.

Scion: A member of a superhuman race or species. Mutants, Atlanteans. 

Technomancer: Technology and the power of science! Armored Heroes, Cyborgs.

Additional elements of Character Creation figuring out ones Powers, Skills, Credit, Grit, and Sanity (the last three are types of game mechanic currency). One of the things I love is as these resources dwindle you get closer to unconsciousness and death but also get a bonus to your effectiveness as you become desperate to win, hence Deadline Heroes.

As with many Japanese TRPGS of the last decade, the game uses a ;phase system' to progress the session's events. During the Introduction Phase characters entered the story and determine what is going on. It is the discover and investigation part of the scenario. After that you enter the Deployment Phase and complete various Challenges. If your hero or team can best these Challenge you move on to the Decisive Battle Phase where you'll face off against the villain(s) of the adventure. Be warned! Fail to beat any of the Challenge events in the previous phase and you'll start your Decisive Battle at a disadvantage. Great Scott! 

Another thing about Deadline Heroes I find really interesting is that the studio that makes it, ROMMEL GAMES, produced about a half dozen sourcebooks, supplements, and scenarios in house while the rest are fan made and then published through them. The game is almost entirely supported by the Doujinshi market and the fans of DLH have really made some great stuff. 

Some of the current supplemental material includes:

School of Madness

A supplemental including new rules, character creation options, and a very cool setting that gives Deadline Heroes its own 'My Hero Academia' 

Villain Showcase

A collection of adventure scenarios, each introducing a new villain organization and their leaders. 

There is a very distinct flavor to the villains of the game and its one you do see reflected in other Japanese Superhero content. Manner of them seem especially monstrous, particularly in appearance  I could probably do an entire post just on this subject.

Find Weakness

Adds the concept of Weaknesses to the game, giving your hero bonuses for being allergic to alien rocks or unable to harm things made of wood. 

Power to the People

Mainly a selection of new options, powers, and scenarios, there seems to be a focus on street crime of the Batman and Daredevil variety. 

In conclusion (for now), Deadline Heroes is a really intriguing look in Japan's American Superhero Fandom as well as its RPG culture. I really love some of the ideas in this game, while others are too heavily structured for me personally. I would love to tinker with it to adapt it to something more in line with my approach to Supers RPGs. 

To that end, get ready for something a little different as I try to create a Deadline Heroes character for my next 31 Day Character Challenge entry.

Go Justice!

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Barking Alien