Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

[steriaca]

Simply put, what would you want to see in a "Champions of the Rising Sun" book. Keep theas things in mind:

 

1) Monsters of Japan have been covered in Aisan Bestery, and may be slated for a 6th edition books in the future.

 

2) Martial Arts is already covered in Hero System Martial Arts book AND the upcoming The Martial World book.

 

3) Mecha is beyond the scope of this book (and, in fact, should be covered in Mecha Hero and the Hero System Mecha Garage books, if anyone is intrested in writing the books).

[RexMundi]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

A solid Team. Start with that as the core, build off of it. Produce something like DC comics Great Ten, and you have the foundation to do everything else.

 

~Rex

[Big Monkey]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

A team that, while effective, stroked every single Anime cliche for all its worth. Sparkly catgirl superfighters, moody pretty-boys that highly resemble hot chicks, characters named in really strange ways, power combinations that make no damned sense at all. You know... the classics.

[phoenix240]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Information on the superhuman "scene" in Japan and what sets it off from the US and other major nations. Anime and manga tropes, archetypes could be milked heavily for this, of course. As well as Japanese fandom in general. Some heroes and villains that feel uniquely Japanese based the country's history culture and mythology would help, even some strange ones that might not make much sense. Japanese Horror and Science fiction might provide some other inspirations as well. For me, the book wouldn't feel complete without at least nod to Sailor suited magical girls and color coordinated Sentai teams.

 

Edit Some World War 2 "Golden Age" legacy characters would be cool as heroes and villains or just retired soldiers to give their perspective of the "Golden Age". As Japan and the US are fairly close allies how their superhumans interact and feel about each other could be fertile ground to explore.

[RexMundi]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

I would suggest, if you are going to do the team in China, take a serious look at DC Comics, The Great Ten. Great stuff for structure there, and a very good comic.

NOW; if you want to do JAPAN, there is only one team to look at. The Super Young Team (also from DC). Lead by The Most Excellent Super Bat, they bring home the culture like nothing I've ever seen.

 

Start with the Location in the Far East, Then the Team, Everything else is cake after that.

 

~Rex....says if you want to really rock it. Pick a number of members for the team and have a build contest.......

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Divine Wind

Tsunami - Supervillain

Giant Atomic Reptile.

 

Hmmm...

 

QM

[steriaca]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Ok...let me think...you all want a book of anime sterotypes. Did I say this was "Anime Hero"? Yes, I am an anime/manga fan. Butthe point of the book is a Sorcebook for Japan in the Champions Megaverse, not a book of pet sterotypes based on anime/manga/sentai.

 

Still, sterotypes are not THAT bad, if only used as a starting point. Will probaly do a team of sailor suited supers. I beleve I might get permition to do something with Zen Team for this, so sentai...check.

 

Legacy charater...Yamato, bka "Rising Sun", Japan's answer to Captan America, and dateing to WW2, check.

 

I do want to do a fresh take on Yosho(sp?), makeing them a pro removal of foreners group.

 

Anything else?

[phoenix240]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Ok...let me think...you all want a book of anime sterotypes. Did I say this was "Anime Hero"?

 

Champions is based wester comic book/sci fi stereotypes. It seems reasonable that in Japan their "superhero world" would be informed by anime/manga/Japanese sci fi stereotypes. If at the very least to give it a different flavor and mood than the US. "Realistically" the heroes and villains are going to act on Japanese cultural tradiations, the same ones that generate anime and manage tropes to begin with. If its just going to be western style supers with Japanese names it's not going to be that different from any other sourcebook set in the US.

 

No its not "Anime Hero" and that's not what I was asking for (Michael Surbrook's work already covers allot of that area anyway) but a setting book on Japan should have some degree of Japanese flavor and pretty much inevitably that means its going to have some anime and (especially) manga influences and style if not all the tropes and conventions of those mediums. As inspiration, not the focus of the book.

 

Edit: And ninjas. Lots of ninja. All kinds of ninja. Ninjas till dawn.

[DusterBoy]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Mount Fuji - mutant sumotori with superstrength and invulnerability

Amaterasu - female light and heat controller, probably a good guy, certainly patriotic

Tetsuo Kamen (Iron Mask) - a powered armour character

 

Sorry, if the last name is inaccurate, I don't speak Japanese beyond a few words. I hope these suggestions help.

[steriaca]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Ok...noted and reconised.

 

But realisticly, most anime/manga heros are under 18 years of age. And the entier country is NOT 'Teen Champions'.

 

Yes, there will be ninjas. Hows about the Te no Shi (litterly Hand of Six/Death). A group of six metahuman ninjas.

 

More importantly, what would Steve want to see? He is the guy who will aprove/disaprove it. And Atari and Cryptic? Thay are the peoplee who have to program the stuff into Champions Online if it is official (if not, then we don't have to worry about eather).

[phoenix240]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Mount Fuji - mutant sumotori with superstrength and invulnerability

Amaterasu - female light and heat controller, probably a good guy, certainly patriotic

Tetsuo Kamen (Iron Mask) - a powered armour character

 

Sorry, if the last name is inaccurate, I don't speak Japanese beyond a few words. I hope these suggestions help.

 

FWIW Google Translator says you're dead on. (really useful if you didn't know about it)

 

http://translate.google.com/#en|ja|Iron%20Mask

[SKJAM!]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Still, sterotypes are not THAT bad, if only used as a starting point. Will probaly do a team of sailor suited supers. I beleve I might get permission to do something with Zen Team for this, so sentai...check.

 

Anything else?

 

Zen Team! Huzzah!

 

 

While not entirely based on manga/anime, I'd certainly expect Japanese supertypes to be influenced by them in the same way that US supers in the Champions universe are clearly influenced by American superhero comics. I too would be disappointed if the Japanese heroes were just American-style superheroes with odd names for flavor.

 

Another approach that might be useful is to look at the issues that came up in Japan in various recent decades, and base the supers of that era on those concerns and happenings. For example, in the Fifties and Sixties, Japanese supers probably actively avoided being seen as chummy with the government or military because everyone remembered what happened in the recent past.

[Pizza Man]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Take a look at Champions of the North. Part of it is a travelogue, describing cities and important sites.

Then it lists important heroes in each city and a bit of history.

Canadian Villains and heroes take the next large chunk and well as suggested adventures and possible conflicts with local heroes.

.........In other words a basic supliment.

 

Japan is very tech oriented, so battle-suit heroes sponsored by various corporations would fight crime and engage in industrial sabotage. these heroes have a samurai method of thinking and are loyal first to the corporate heads, 2nd to the country...they might be ordered to befriend visiting American techno heroes and later steal the technology...

 

Animie/cliche's have their place, and you should include some...but you can still make them original idea's. Mutants need to be represented as well...a group that no corporation controls. How would conformist Japan deal with citizens who are part of no group? There might be a local IHA operating openly...More likely a Japanese version exclusive (and disdainful of) of the IHA. There might be a lot of corporate funding behind it too.

[Spidey88]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

I'd also like to see this theoretical book in a format much like Champions of the North. While a lot of the background wasn't necessary for me (being Canadian myself), it seemed to be great spread of useful info that GMs would need.

 

A team that' date=' while effective, stroked every single Anime cliche for all its worth. Sparkly catgirl superfighters, moody pretty-boys that highly resemble hot chicks, characters named in really strange ways, power combinations that make no damned sense at all. You know... the classics.[/quote']

 

A single team like this, I could handle (and could be quite entertaining). If the whole book was full of anime and manga tropes, large as life and in your face, I'd drop the book and run away screaming...

[薔薇語]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Well, rather than talk about the 'oh, that'd be cool' stuff in such an unconnected and intangible way, lets actually start putting things together.

 

To help get the ball rolling on this, I'll start with one idea.

 

In the wake of an International Terror plot being followed through by a team of rutherless supers, Prime Minister Koizumi (or suitable fake one) embarks on a new path for Japan's already established National Self Defense force and pushes through the new Super's Self Defense Force, choujin jietai (超人自衛隊). This force was Japan's first successful establishing of a Primus like organization inside its national defense ministry. Utilizing the technological exchanges from the US based Primus and Eurozone's UNTIL, they were able to establish a new Japan centered force that is largely manned by normal civilians with a very specialized mission and equipment suited for the job. Also leading the force is a team of 5 supers who were already inducted into the Self Defense force. They provide not only a crucial role in helping neutralize threats from supers but even maintain a more utilitarian role in helping out in disaster relief - something given a lot of face time on 3/11.

 

Principally, the Self defense force's lead team is headed by Captain Matsumoto 松本隊長, and is aided by four subordinates.

Captain Matsumoto was almost born for the role of leader. Born into a very proud and traditional family in 1898, The Captain is now over a century old. Aging like the pine tree he keeps as his family name sake, he is a slow aging and resilient force to be reckoned with. Utilizing his commanding presence, many years of battle hardening, and ample force, he normally finds himself, and his men, to manage through any troubles put before them.

 

Although the times have change a lot since the early days of the Korean occupation in the early 20th century and consequently Matsumoto's first deployment, but one thing has never wavered - his devotion to his country and belief in the ever rising sun. Although his strong military history was a major deterrent due to anti-war activist but his honorable service in the Defense forces was enough to give him a pass.

 

--- I have no character sheet for this character (nor any others). I'm thinking of a fairly standard brick features (Str., Con, Bod, etc) blended with a good helping of Martial Arts, weapon's training, combat tactics n' training, and a suite of knowledges to flesh out all his various roles.

 

I haven't decided on the other four but thought that we could put together a basic idea for them. I imagine this team to be a bit more realistic than some Anime / Manga characters are but to bring to view some element of Japanese culture.

 

As to the above "iron mask", what Phoenix240 is correct. 鉄仮面 tetsumen is how "iron mask" is translated. That said story "man behind the iron mask" is translated with the same three characters and is pronounced as Tekkamen.

 

La Rose.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Japanese Superhero Resources

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php/86626-Japanese-Superhero-Resources

 

 

Cheers

 

 

QM

[death tribble]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

What the Yakuza do about Superheroes.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Hire Superpowered Associates, acquire VIPER/Argent/etc... Arms.

 

Call out the Ninja Hordes!

 

QM

[steriaca]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

I haven't decided on the other four but thought that we could put together a basic idea for them. I imagine this team to be a bit more realistic than some Anime / Manga characters are but to bring to view some element of Japanese culture.

 

La Rose.

 

Humm...let me think...one should be a Miko with vast experence with magic and monsters. Another should be an expert in technology, prehaps one who sheltered himself and sends a remote controled seragent into action should the team need him to acualy 'be there'. The fourth member I think should be a young martial artest with vast knolage of the Martial World. And member number five...an alien who crashed landed near Japan, and now calls Japan home (prehaps it saved a life of someone and fused it's essance with them, like a certan infamous live action Kaiju Fighter...)

 

Just a few ideals...

[steriaca]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

What the Yakuza do about Superheroes.

 

The same way the Mafia does in the Champions Universe. Don't do anything to flashie to atract atention of the Chojin, have a few pet Chojin on your side just in case (or can hier some, just in case), send the heroic Chojin on a wild goose chace so that thay bother your rival for a while.

 

In chase you do not know...Cho = 'over' or 'super', jin = people. Literly 'super people'.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

A section on Japanese culture, highlighting its differences from Western culture. And then how Japanese people view / interact with their own supers, and how they might view / interact with supers from other cultures. (Not just the West, but China, former USSR countries, etc.)

 

Some corporate-sponsored supers (perhaps including a few supervillains kept on tight corporate leashes and unleashed on rival companies).

 

Even if you figure Mecha should be in their own supplement, there should be at least one Mecha-type character included.

 

Some of the strangeness that comes out of Japan (at least, strange as viewed from the US and other western nations). Of course, this includes true stuff (some of which can be stranger than fiction), but I'm betting you could let your imagination run wild and think up something far out of left field, and somebody would still believe it was true.

 

Not a fan at all of anime or manga, but I agree that a team based on them would be appropriate. Just please, PLEASE don't make all of them like that.

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Plus a Korean superteam for the Tokyo Super Squad to have disagreements with.

 

[steriaca]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Plus a Korean superteam for the Tokyo Super Squad to have disagreements with.

 

 

Um...your shure you got the link up right?

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Um...your shure you got the link up right?

 

I'm pretty sure that I didn't.

http://youtu.be/kc3aAiUXQLo

[steriaca]

Re: Therietical "Champions of the Rising Son", what would you want to see?

 

Works now. Thanks.