Top 10 Japanese Superhero Franchises

A relative newcomer to the live-action TV superhero game, this franchise from creator Keita Amemiya follows Kouga, one of several magical warriors tasked with fighting terrifying and predatory monsters known as Horrors. This franchise is an excellent place to start for those looking for something a little more dark and moody, one that eschews the comedy relief and lightheartedness found in some other franchises on our list. It also helps that it doesn’t have dozens of entries, which makes it a tad less daunting to know where to start. If you’re looking for something with brooding heroes, epic sword fights and top-notch creature suits, look no further.

Eagle-eyed viewers may recognize the heroes of this veteran franchise from its North American adaptation, “Battle of the Planets”. But before they came Stateside, this team had taken Japanese airwaves by storm. A group of bird themed ninja superheroes, the group is dedicated to overthrowing Galactor, a villainous organization bent on harvesting the world’s resources. The original 105 episode anime series was followed up by a feature film and two subsequent series, so there’s plenty to sink your teeth into when it comes to this franchise. And that’s not even getting into the subsequent adaptations and live-action movie! Few anime heroes have more history behind them than this team.

This sadly departed franchise stars a variety of heroes, from policemen to ninjas to scientists, all united by their shiny metallic costumes. Beginning in 1982 with “Space Sheriff Gavan”, the franchise continued well into the late '90s until its final entry, “Iron Bark Detective Robotack”. While the franchise isn’t that well known outside of Japan, some entries received American adaptations in the style of “Power Rangers”. If you watched “Big Bad Beetleborgs” as a kid, odds are something will look familiar about the heroes of “B-Fighter”. The franchise being on the ice also hasn’t stopped some characters from occasionally returning, like when Space Sheriff Gavan met the heroes of “Gokaiger”.

One of, if not THE most recognizable anime characters to ever grace the screen, the boy robot known in Japan as Mighty Atom is one of the poster children for an entire genre. First appearing way back in a 1952 manga by venerated artist Osamu Tezuka, the character soon became the star of a hit animated series that influenced the look of Japanese animation for decades to come. Following the adventures of a lovable – and, oddly shirtless – robotic boy, the franchise has since taken the form of new series, movies, games and every kind of merchandise you can imagine, making its pointy-haired hero an icon of post-war Japanese culture.

What’s the best way to take the concept of Superheroes and completely flip it on it’s head? You lead your show with a hero so powerful he can defeat any enemy with a single punch. Originally a web-manga by the author ONE, “One-Punch Man” tells the tale of the bald headed Saitama, who seeks to find an opponent worthy of his overpowered abilities. While the concept of a Superhero who can defeat any opponent may sound like it would get old fast, “One-Punch Man” breaks this misconception with a wonderful supporting cast who are just as entertaining as Saitama himself.

As beloved in North America as it is in Japan, this franchise began as a manga by Naoko Takeuchi before becoming a bonafide anime sensation when it hit screens in the early '90s. The franchise follows the heroic Sailor Soldiers or Sailor Scouts – a group of planetary warriors led by the titular hero – who must balance their everyday lives with fighting the forces of evil. This is perhaps the most recognizable iteration of the “Magical Girl’ or “Mahou Shoujo” genre, which focuses on young girls and women able to transform into elegant and powerful superheroes. Don’t let the cute little sailor uniforms fool you, these ladies are tough as nails.

In a world where Super Powers are the norm, the unlucky Midoriya is one of the few who does not possess such a quirk. Despite this, his dream of becoming a hero and attending the legendary school ‘UA High’ remains unshaken, although unlikely.
But a fate encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of his generation, changes things entirely, and the young boy soon finds himself on the path to super hero greatness. It’s a series of high intensity battles, diverse characters, and a whole lot of heart.

A creation of Japanese special effects maestro Eiji Tsuburaya, this titanic hero actually began as a spinoff of an earlier series entitled “Ultra Q”. While that series was certainly a hit, the addition of a giant, monster fighting alien hero turned it into a media sensation, and a franchise that continues to this day. Each entry in the franchise focuses on one or more humans who become the human hosts of a warrior from the far-off Nebula M78, who arrives on Earth to defend it from alien threats. With over 30 entries, no other superhero series can beat this one for longevity, and its supply of monsters and city-destroying mayhem seems inexhaustible.

When evil rears its ugly head, these color-coded fighters will always be on hand to protect the innocent. Following the smash success of “Himitsu Sentai Gorenger”, a franchise was launched that eventually came to be known as “Super Sentai”. While they may look similar, each entry builds an entirely new mythology for itself, debuting a new cast of heroes with an entirely unique backstory. Of course, they do always end up piloting a giant robot of some sort, be they samurai, pirates, ninjas, wizards or even humanoid animals. And if all this looks a tad familiar, that’s because this is the franchise that served as the basis for the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers”.

Before we reveal our number one pick, here are some heroic honorable mentions:

Kikaider

Chouseishin Series

Cutie Honey

This decades-spanning franchise began with the story of Takeshi Hongo, a young man transformed into a superhuman warrior by the evil Shocker organization. But before they were able to brainwash him into a loyal Shocker soldier, Takeshi escaped and became their greatest enemy: a masked hero dedicated to justice. Thus began the Japanese superhero franchise to end them all, a multimedia powerhouse of shows, movies and merchandise. Whether it’s the lighthearted and fun “Kamen Rider Fourze”, the video game inspired “Kamen Rider Ex-Aid” or the dark and adult-oriented “Kamen Rider Amazons” no subsequent iteration has failed to honor that first show’s legacy of hot-blooded justice, motorcycles and high-flying Rider Kicks.