12:00 JST, November 8, 2024
I served as an emcee at ‘Takatoleague’, an event featuring many regional superheroes, on the second day of the recent Ikebukuro Mangetsusai Festival held in a park outside the west exit of JR Ikebukuro Station in Toshima Ward, Tokyo.
The title of the event, Takatoleague, comes from the surname of popular singer Hideaki Takatori, a major hitmaker from the anime and tokusatsu superhero show scene who also composed and sang the theme songs of the Super Sentai Series franchise. Takatori has also produced theme songs for many local superheroes, who are often designed as Power Ranger-type heroes and tasked with promoting their regional municipalities. Two years ago he wrote “Heroes Go!” a cheer song for these local heroes, sung with the band Zetki, fronted by Takatori.
Summoned by Takatori, 15 individual and group regional heroes and their enemy monsters gathered during the event. Among the heroes were TekkaMen, whose motifs are roses and lilies; Chokosoku Q Fighter, belonging to the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park; Lloyd, a superhero from a Zetki song, and KIWA FILLES, a cute but determined fighting girl duo. They took the stage one by one and thrilled the audience with their amazing action scene demonstrations and Nanori name-introducing poses. They were also accompanied by Toshimach, a local hero of Toshima Ward.
Additionally, the event welcomed singers Yuka Uchiyae and Kotanikinya. Accompanied by Zetki’s brilliant band performance, they turn up the heat with superhero songs featuring Takatori.
Local superheroes with characteristic regional motifs appeared just after the turn of the century. Perhaps the first local heroes to attract attention were Chojin Neiger in Akita Prefecture and Ryujin Mabuyer in Okinawa Prefecture. When “Dogengers” started airing in 2020, featuring superheroes mainly from Fukuoka, the presence of local superheroes was already recognized nationally. As if to keep up with this growing popularity, their costumes and fighting moves have become more refined and professional – or at least that’s what I’ve noticed after taking the occasional peek into the world of local superheroes.
From their pristine full-body suits to their high-level performance skills, the superheroes and superheroines who performed were nothing short of brilliant. Their fighting moves were sharp and they danced along to the songs flawlessly. I was especially impressed by each performer’s complete superhero transformation the moment they put on the character’s mask, staying in character even while standing backstage with the event staff and other cast members. It’s what made their performances of fighting to protect those dear to them so compelling.
To close the event, Takatori passionately sang “Heroes Go!” with Uchiyae and Kotanikinya. before teaming up with the superheroes to defeat the ‘enemy’ character on stage. I was very moved watching the heroes fight alongside Takatori and observing the excited crowd. While none of the superheroes were major TV characters, they were all real-life heroes who protect peace in their respective places. At the same time, as a producer of the International City of Arts and Culture of Toshima Ward, I was happy to participate in the event in the park renovated by the late former mayor of the ward, Yukio Takano.
In one of my books I wrote that tokusatsu superheroes are a unique part of Japanese culture and that “Japan is a country of 8 million heroes,” a play on the old saying that Japan is a country of 8 million gods. These beautiful local superheroes are truly part of the 8 million heroes and represent the superhero culture that Japan can be proud of. I completely connected with one of the lyrics that Takatori sang: “Tomo ni Yume no Saki e Susumo” (Let’s go beyond the dream together).
