Bob Ong is a Filipino writer that once wrote for a website he created called Bobong Pinoy (Translated as Stupid Pinoy/Dumb Pinoy). Because of the success of his website, some of its visitors asked him to write a book… and he did. The first one was successful and heavily criticized by critics because of its bad construction. Because of his style, manly Filipino youths love to read his novels and patiently wait every time there are plans that he will release a new title.
The second one was good which is the book version of his website and the third one was something surprising yet entertaining. It is about a book that tells something random about a guy who talks to God after realizing he is dead. After every conversation, topics related to the Seven Deadly Sins are being discussed and one of the chapters called, Veny, a play on the sin, Envy surprisingly talks about Western vs. Japanese Superheroes... and ends up talking about Sentai. Yes, a book that talks about Sentai in a single chapter and its impact on Bob.
Here is the translated excerpt that talks about Japanese heroes after ranting about the cartoon version of Justice League while he is comparing it to Superfriends… and why Green Lantern is black, why Superman is wearing tights and why they need to wear belt while wearing their undies and why they are wearing capes… What the?!
Start of excerpt. VENY, from Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas (Translated as Judas’ Favorite Book) I do not own anything from this excerpt. Excerpt was made for commentary reasons. Its respective owners own the copyright.
That is the problem with western superheroes and the Japanese have noticed and avoided it when it’s their time to create their own fictional defenders. First, they thought that if their heroes will work as groups, it’s important they wear a prescribed uniform. They should be equal, no wear should wear capes and act like the leader like Superman did. No one should bring a sidekick like Robin and Batman. No one should smell like fish like Aquaman. And no Mr. & Mrs. That requires you to sign two paychecks like Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
At first, they all wear black as if they are attending someone’s wake, but they thought that they should each have a name. And they should identify themselves while they are in their uniform and mask (or helmet) if they have guides in their outfits. That is when they thought about color-coding: red, green, blue, yellow and pink. Eureka! Two-birds in one stone. They have their own identity because of their color, they also have their own name. Just add a “noun” and a “color,” they are now superheroes. Example: Blue Lion, Pink Ranger, Red Star, Yellow 4 and Green Joke. In this way, they can avoid the limited and used up names that can be formed from the words Super, Wonder, Mighty, Man, Woman, Girl, Boy, and Dog, that are favorites of those western countries.
But it’s not over! Unlike the whites, the Japanese have value-added service. In the time of great need, the five superheroes can form a giant robot to defeat a giant lice, leech, bagoong, biscuit and lint. Exactly. Not only that, before they will fight, they always have a formation. They face the camera for a ritual group photo opportunity, like those class pictures. They know who will position themselves on the right, left, center, up, and down, at who will split, will perform a kick, will jump, will punch, and who will do a horn in their head. Systematic. Very organized. The only weakness I saw in Japanese superheroes that they always need the help of subtitles and voice talents that will dub for what they say. But that’s okay. I still idolize them. Even in anime, Eugene looks like he is attending a rave party, unlike Superman who looks like he is attending an aerobics class.
The imagination of the Americans is nothing compared to the Japanese. Look at Astroboy. Let’s just say--- WHO--- in the entire history of America--- a superhero who has a machine gun on his ass? No one. If it has something to do with the trauma of the Japanese during the Second World War I don’t know, but I am sure I will not replace Astroboy from a dozen Justice League. If I want to be a superhero, I want to be someone like him. And if I lack strength, I will just let my enemy watch Sadako’s possessed videos, that will cause the death of someone within one week!
End of except.
Note: There are some parts of my translation that I kept intact considering that it’s in English and I do not know its English equivalent. I also tried my best to keep Bob Ong’s writing style intact for you guys to experience the same thing.
Bagoong is like a puree of fish or shrimp that stinks and is usually accompanied with green mangoes or in dishes that required it.
Eugene is the name given by the translators to Yusuke when they are on the process of translating the script of Yu Yu Hakusho in which it is called here in the Philippines as Ghost Fighter.
When I first read it back in high school, which back then, I lost my faith on Power Rangers considering that the seasons after SPD sucked. Aside from the fact that the entire book is pointless when you first read it, you can’t understand a thing considering that you will laugh at every page you read! After my interest in toku was revived and decided to re-read it, I noticed the impact of Sentai on Filipinos. I mean, in this book, this is the first of the two tokusatsu references he made. The second one is on the chapter called Ventocoseuss, another play on another sin from the 7 Deadly Sins.
The second reference he made on tokusatsu in this book was about the typical toku storyline back in his day, to be exact, a typical Shaider episode. In which some kid will play on some object that is mind controlled by the enemy and he then he warned the readers that he would stop talking about Shaider or else non-Shaider fans will get bored! Come on Bob; write a freakin’ full-length interpretation of a typical Shaider episode!
This was the first in his work he referred to tokusatsu. In his seventh book, Kapitan Sino (Translated as Captain Sino/Who), there is one scene that involved the protagonist and his friend who is in prison in which they started comparing various Sentai groups (Like JAKQ and Star Ranger/Goranger… and the lead chose JAKQ). Poked fun on some toku characters like Annie’s Shaider and one of the characters said that he would use the time space warp to summon Annie’s panties! This is when in some point my imagination really ran wild. :P
Aside from that, on his fifth book, Stainless Longganisa, he mentioned that back in high school, he created a comic based on Sentai and the pictures look like it came from cave drawings. Cave drawings and Sentai? I guess we have winner on what will be next year's Sentai will be!
Anyways, I noticed that the examples he used in making his Sentai warriors are fictional, minus Yellow 4. To those who don’t know, Yellow 4 is from Bioman and the first Yellow 4, Mika Koizumi died. This is when I realize the great impact of Bioman’s members aside from the entire team itself.
This. This is a classic.
About Astroboy, since never reached the time when Astroboy first flew here in the Philippines back in the 80’s, I never got the chance to see Astro’s famed machine gun found on his ass, I only learned that thing exist when I read it on a magazine that talks about the launch of Animax here in the Philippines. The Astroboy that I reached was the 2003 version, with Astro’s machine gun on his ass missing in action.
I agree on what Bob Ong said, I mean, if you saw a superhero with a machine gun on his ass, will you replace it with other heroes? Heck no! Unless it is an army of Batmen, I will replace Astro.
Because of this, I wondered that aside from the books of August Ragone that talks about tokusatsu, are there any books that talked about the genre that is not Japanese? Hope that on Bob Ong’s eighth novel, hope he will insert another tokusatsu reference!
I think should re-watch Goranger vs. JAKQ for the nth time!