It was a veritable who’s who of Marvel superheroes: Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Thor… but some fans from a country with its own rich history of superhero characters have been asking, couldn’t there have been a Captain Japan in The Avengers?
Join us as we delve into a parallel universe, asking, “If The Avengers had a Japanese superhero, which one would it be?”
In a thread on online message board 2channel earlier this week, Japanese netizens put forward their suggestions for a superhero to represent their country in The Avengers. Here’s our pick of the bunch!
10. Anpanman
Beloved children’s character and bread-headed hero for the masses, Anpanman would be a great addition to the Avengers team. And in a pinch, they could use him for emergency rations.
And if regular Anpanman is a bit too cute, Japan could always send him in hulked-up form:
chomanga (MANJI)
9. Goku
Dragon Ball protagonist and all-round mighty warrior Goku could do martial arts alongside Black Widow.
8. Miyamoto Musashi
Because who says superheroes need to be fictional? Seventeenth-century swordsman, rōnin and general badass. Here he is immortalised in manga form:
7. Pretty Cure
Magical girl anime series Pretty Cure (プリキュア Purikyua) seems like a solid female superhero choice. We’re not sure which particular heroine the commenter means, though. Maybe all of them?
6. Koji Murofushi
World champion hammer thrower. Although, the Avengers team already has Thor, so there might be some in-fighting over hammers going on.
Wikimedia Commons (5. Ryu
Because his striking, simple appearance in Street Fighter (white karate gi, with red and black details) would make a good addition to any superhero movie lineup.
And because what The Avengers needed, really, was more HADOUKEN:
4. Astro Boy
Hero of Japan’s first popular TV anime and brainchild of ‘father of manga’ Osamu Tezuka, Astro Boy could help the Avengers fight for peace, as well as justice.
3. Ultraman
At 40m tall, Utraman would make the Hulk look like his little green man-child.
2. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Because then it could have been called The Abe-ngers.
1. Japanese Spider-Man
Top of the list though has to be the Toei Spider-Man. Concerned about the character’s marketability in Japan, Toei gave their 1978 Spider-Man an extraterrestrial back-story and a spaceship that could transform into a giant robot. We think he’d be ideally placed to represent the country as a Marvel Japanese Avenger.
And hey, 1.6 million YouTubers can’t be wrong:
What did you think of these suggestions? Who should represent your country on the global superhero stage? Let us know in the comments!
Source: chomanga, 2channel
Featured image: livedoor/Wikipedia
Marvel’s mighty Avengers to become an anime
We ordered an Avengers: Endgame cocktail and got a drink brimming with the might of superheroes
Avengers ice cream assembles at Baskin-Robbins Japan【Taste test】
Avengers assemble…for dessert! Marvel superheroes become cute and tasty cakes in Japan
What if Avengers: Endgame was an ukiyo-e woodblock painting series? It’d look awesome like this
Highest Starbucks in Japan set to open this spring in the Tokyo sky
Survey finds that one in five high schoolers don’t know who music legend Masaharu Fukuyama is
Japan has trams that say “sorry” while they ride around town…but why?
Starbucks Japan complexly raises prices, will now charge for takeout bags
Department store rooftop in Tokyo is a secret oasis above the city
Oh Boy, That’s Pretty Racist (Part Two): Japanese woman explains why Taiwanese girls suck
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Here are the top ten foodie factory tours for the fall throughout Japan
Kagoshima conveyor belt sushi chain Mekkemon rises above the rest with its special secret weapon
Psyduck teapot produced by Japanese craftspeople is here to serve up a headache-soothing cuppa
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Is Sapporio’s Snow Festival awesome enough to be worth visiting even if you hate the snow? [Pics]
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Japan’s new “Cunte” contact lenses aren’t pronounced like you’re probably thinking they are
Shibuya Station’s Hachiko Gate and Yamanote Line stairway locations change next month
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Starbucks Japan adds new sakura Frappuccino and cherry blossom drinks to the menu
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japanese photographer wows Internet with stunning action shots of superhero figurines