National Kid
Japanese TV superhero who gained cult fame in Brazil.
National Kid (ナショナルキッド, Nashonaru Kiddo) is a Japanese television series from 1960, produced by Toei Company. It aired on NET and was funded by Matsushita Electric (later Panasonic) to advertise its National brand of electronics. While the show never gained much fame in Japan, it became a cult hit in Brazil, where it enjoyed great popularity.
The story follows National Kid, an immortal messenger from the Andromeda Galaxy, located thirty thousand light-years away, who defends Earth against alien threats. On Earth, he takes the form of Ryusaku Hata (called Massao Hata in the Brazilian dub), the son and student of the celebrated scientist Dr. Masachika Hata, who works in a Tokyo suburb. National Kid possesses superhuman strength and the ability to fly. He also wields the "Eroruya Ray Gun," a weapon resembling the flashlights sold by Matsushita. Dr. Hata raises five orphan children who help investigate strange events. When in danger, they summon National Kid using the "Magic Radio," a National-brand radio transmitter.
The series consists of 39 episodes divided into four story arcs. The first arc, "Attack of the Incas" (13 episodes), features an alien race from Venus called the Incas, who invade Earth fearing that nuclear tests could contaminate space. They launch UFO attacks on Japan, worship a god named Abika, and release a virus that National Kid must cure by finding rare minerals in the mountains. The Inca captain, Aura, is played by Yoshiko Nogawa; executives Vemana and Kabia are played by Akira Katayama and Ichi Kubo.
The second arc, "Undersea Devil Nelkon" (9 episodes), uses improved special effects like blue screen. National Kid battles the Undersea People Coelacanth—ancient coelacanth fish that evolved into humanoid forms. They wear long black robes and triangular hoods, with faces like Komodo dragons and bodies similar to the Creature from the Black Lagoon. They ride an anglerfish-shaped submarine called Guilton, built in their undersea city 10,000 meters deep, and use it to destroy naval ships with seismic waves. Key characters include Fish No.1 (Akira Katayama), Fish No.3 (Nobuyuki Ezawa), and Dr. Kawamura (Haruni Kubo).
The third arc, "Underground Demon Castle" (8 episodes), sees Hidetarō Tatsumi replace Ichirō Kojima as National Kid. The hero fights the Underground People, who seek a rare element formula for supreme power. Their leader, Presiden
- field
- Tokusatsu television series
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- First flying superhero in Japanese TV history; cult status in Brazil
- produced_by
- Toei Company
- broadcast_on
- NET
- sponsor
- Matsushita Electric (National brand)
- episodes
- 39
Lore & Background
National Kid is a messenger from the Andromeda Galaxy thirty thousand light-years away, who is immortal and protects the Earth from invaders. His alter ego on Earth is Ryusaku Hata (旗竜作, Hata Ryusaku)—or Massao Hata in the Brazilian dub—the son and apprentice of the world-renowned scientist, Dr. Masachika Hata, who holds his practice in a suburb of Tokyo. His powers include superhuman strength and flight. National Kid also carries the 'Eroruya Ray Gun' (エロルヤ光線銃, Eroruya kōsen jū) which was similar to the flashlight sold by Matsushita. Hata raises five orphan children, which try to help investigating the strange phenomena in the series. When in danger, the kids call National Kid to rescue them via the 'Magic Radio' (マジックラジオ, Majikku Rajio), a National radio transmitter.
The series comprises four story arcs through 39 episodes. The first arc, 'Attack of the Incas,' has National Kid defending the Earth from the Incas, an alien race who arrive from the planet Venus. The second arc, 'Undersea Devil Nelkon,' battles an army of oceanic creatures called the Undersea People Coelacanth. The third arc, 'Underground Demon Castle,' takes on armed forces from beneath the Earth's surface. The last arc, 'Mystery of the Space Boy,' involves a space boy named Taro and the giant monster Gyabura. After this final threat, Ryusaku Hata reveals he is National Kid and returns to Andromeda.
Toei described it as a 'big hit' and as having 'strong popularity' even in 2015. A manga adaptation by Daiji Kazumine appeared in Kodansha's Bokura magazine between its July 1960 and December 1961 issues. The series' popularity contributed to the increase in the number of Bokura copies in circulation.
Reader's Guide
National Kid is significant as Toei's fourth tokusatsu series and the first flying superhero in Japanese TV history, made possible by high investment from Matsushita Electric. Its production cost was high for the time: each 30-minute episode had a budget of 1.5 million yen, compared to an average of 300 thousand yen. The series debuted on NET on August 4, 1960, and concluded on April 27, 1961. Though not very famous in Japan, it gained cult status in Brazil, where it first aired in 1964 on TV Record and later on TV Globo in 1968. It was redubbed and achieved new popularity in Brazil in the 1990s. A series of graffiti with the phrase 'Celacanto provoca maremoto' ('The coelacanth causes seaquake'), referencing the villains' submarine, appeared in Rio de Janeiro as a meme starting in 1977. In 2009, the National Kid character was portrayed in a Rio de Janeiro Carnival parade by the samba school Unidos da Tijuca. The legacy includes a digital remastered version released on May 13, 2015, and continued cultural references in Brazil.
Did You Know?
- National Kid was sponsored by Panasonic, then known as Matsushita Electric, to promote the National brand.
- The series was shot in black-and-white and each 30-minute episode had a production budget of 1.5 million yen, five times the average for a Japanese TV series at the time.
- The phrase 'Celacanto provoca maremoto' ('The coelacanth causes seaquake'), referencing the Undersea People's submarine, appeared as graffiti in Rio de Janeiro starting in 1977.
- In 2009, the National Kid character was portrayed in a Rio de Janeiro Carnival parade by the samba school Unidos da Tijuca.
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