5 Games With Japanese Super Heroes

Highlights

• Discover iconic Japanese superheroes like Viewtiful Joe in games like
  Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom
• Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid
  brings the Super Sentai series from Japan to Western audiences in a solid fighting game.
• Blast through history with
  Astro Boy: Omega Factor
  , based on one of the first anime, that features fast-paced combat and RPG elements.

Japan is known for its gorgeous landscapes and rich, diverse culture. The island nation has also given the world some beloved video games, including the timeless platforming classic Super Mario Bros. and the epic Final Fantasy RPGs. Not only that, but Japan is also home to numerous fictional superheroes.

While many consider them a more Western concept, the East also has its iconic super-powered figures. They have broken out of Japan to reach a global audience, as well as been adapted Stateside into games and other media. They take on forms ranging from aliens to masked fighters, and even a boy robot. Here are some games featuring a mix of both iconic and lesser-known Japanese superheroes.

The Legends Of Capcom Meet The Marvel Universe

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is an updated version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. It takes the classic tag-team gameplay of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and adds a shiny new coat of cel-shaded paint, and some additional characters as well. This helps make it one of the best games in the fighting franchise’s history.

This title features some of the greatest heroes and villains, not only from Marvel, but also from the Japanese publisher, Capcom. Among the roster are the stylish, tights-wearing Viewtiful Joe, as well as Devil May Cry’s Dante and Mega Man’s Zero.

4 Viewtiful Joe

A Love Letter To Tokusatsu

The Viewtiful Joe franchise has been all but forgotten by many. Those who were fans of it back in its heyday, however, have fond memories of the movie-loving red head who gets sucked into one of his favorite superhero movies, acquiring red tights, a pink scarf, and the ability to manipulate time.

Viewtiful Joe is heavily influenced by the Tokusatsu films and television shows popular in Japan at the time. Joe transitions to his persona in a flashy morph sequence worthy of any Super Sentai/Power Rangers show. He also has his own giant robot, another staple of the Tokusatsu subgenre.

3 Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid

Super Sentai Comes To The West

Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid is not simply another Power Rangers video game, but also a solid fighting game. It features heroes and villains from across the franchise’s thirty-plus-year history, with each fighter possessing a unique move set. The game also features a single-player mode inspired by the Shattered Grid Arc from Boom! Studios’ Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic book.

While Power Rangers is an American franchise, it is a direct adaptation of the Super Sentai series made in Japan. The American show was made by splicing in footage of that original show and overlaying it with American actors and stories, making the entire series one big nod to the original Japanese superhero team.

2 Astro Boy: Omega Factor

One Of The First Anime

Astro Boy: Omega Factor features the titular robot boy created by a scientist to ease the grief over his lost son. The property was created by the late manga artist Tezuka Shigeru, better known as Tezuka Osamu. It is largely considered one of the first anime.

Astro Boy: Omega Factor is a side-scrolling beat-em-up co-developed by Hit Maker and Treasure, so it has the seal of quality behind it. Its combat is fast-paced and frantic. Astro has several weapons in his arsenal, including machine guns that come out of his butt. The game also has some RPG elements, with upgrades for Astro and a number of NPCs with whom he interacts.

1 PepsiMan

Bizarre And Brilliant

• Platforms: PlayStation
• Release Date: March 4, 1999
• Developer: KID
• Genre: Platformer

When Japan needed a hero, one man heard the call to quench the country’s thirst. PepsiMan was a mascot created by the Pepsi company’s Japan branch. He starred in numerous commercials, and even got his own video game on the PS1.

PepsiMan is an auto-runner which sees the player guide the titular hero through various levels, including a suburban neighborhood and a factory. He must dodge and duck under a number of obstacles, as well as run away from a giant Pepsi can. The game has become something of a cult classic, being very popular among speed runners.