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swedishplayer97 — Buredo and Shirudo - Japanese super teams
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Published: 2022-03-14 13:51:27 +0000 UTC; Views: 4356; Favourites: 22; Downloads: 1
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Description
When the first Japanese superhumans appeared during the Meiji restoration, they were viewed as a sign of progress - that the Empire was headed on the right course and catching up to the industrialized world. Belief stated that the superheroes were granted powers by the divine strength of the Emperor, and that they represent the Empire’s destiny to lord over Asia. In fact, the Japanese Empire was the first to deploy superhumans in conflict, in the Russo-Japanese War, a decade before widespread superhuman warfare in World War I.
Following the Great War, and the ascension of Emperor Hirohito, the loosely connected superhumans of Japan were organized into the Burēdo, or The Blades, the first super team of Japan. The superhumans took on nationalist and historic imagery to mythologize the past and inspire fervor in the population. Japan sent one of their superhumans, Shinobi, to join the Aces Six - an attempt to create a multinational superhero team in the interwar years and avoid another world war. However, Shinobi was secretly instructed to sabotage it from the inside, sowing discontent between the other members and purposefully disrupting operations. After the Marco Polo Bridge incident, he left, his mission accomplished as the Aces were disbanded soon thereafter.
During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Burēdo were told to not hold anything back, and unleashed their full power on China. The militarized superhumans raided Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing, carving a path and cutting down any in their way - soldiers or civilians. Burēdo were instructed to act particularly cruel to civilians and display it for the enemy to see, in an attempt to demoralize the enemy. Burēdo clashed with American and Australian superhumans in World War II, devastating island chains in the Pacific and culminating in a brutal last stand on Okinawa. Following the surrender of Japan, Burēdo refused to accept defeat and went into hiding. Many were hunted down over the years by foreign superheroes, while others chose to take their own lives rather than face justice.
During the occupation of Japan, any Japanese superhuman was forcibly taken by the U.S. Armed Forces and sent to the United States, where they were sheltered from public view. The Japanese public were drilled that superhumans are not the product of the Emperor, but can be any ordinary man or woman that chooses to fight for justice. After the creation of the Liberal Democratic Party in 1955 and resurgence of Japanese nationalism, the government demanded their superhumans be brought back. The US was not so keen on granting this request just yet, but because of anti-government movements in the 1960s, and increasing Soviet and Chinese pressure in the far east, they acquiesced.
This new superhero team would be completely divorced from the military, and any form of neo-imperialist imagery was disallowed. Now called Shīrudo, or The Shield, this new breed of Japanese superhero was made to promote a new form of cultural export, not of war, but of society. Rather than take inspiration from ages long gone, they took on aspects common in modern Japan. During the 70s, with detente between the superpowers and rise of popular culture, Shīrudo superheroes became a worldwide sensation, wowing crowds at superhero shows with spectacle and showmanship not seen since the late 19th century. They were not entirely for show, either; in 1979, Shīrudo led a valiant defense of Hokkaido as frozen, undead warriors from Siberia invaded. Now, they continue to police the home islands from supernatural threats.
They are not without detractors, however. Some members of Japan’s government view Shīrudo with disdain; a taint on the legacy of their ancestors. Secret groups in the ruling party have conspired to abolish the super team and introduce a militarized replacement to challenge the superpowers. As the 80s continues, a divide between the members of Shīrudo have also emerged, between those who wish to double down on modern Japanese iconography, and others who want to adopt neo-imperialist imagery, as sanitization of Japanese war crimes have seeped into other nations and things like samurai, ninja and katanas are seen as “cool” again. Time will tell if Shīrudo remains an extension of Japanese pop culture, or just another tool for nationalists to revitalize the empire.Burēdo:
Chin Seung-Hee / Okinoto - A product of Japan’s notorious Unit 731, Okinoto was once a normal, if large, man from Korea, who was abducted after his family refused to supply their livelihoods to the war effort. He was experimented on, and turned into a half-man, half-machine hybrid. His head was transformed into a mechanical computer, able to follow any order without question. His body was infused with hoses that pump a special, performance-boosting substance that turned him into a nigh-unstoppable juggernaut, with a healing factor to boot. Okinoto would rush into battle without hesitation and pummel entire units to mush. He was finally killed in the Battle of Okinawa, when a bomb landed straight on his head.
Nagai Keizo / Shinobi - Perhaps Japan’s most infamous superhuman, Nagai Keizo had the ability to silence all sounds and extinguish all lights by merely clapping his hands, making him the ultimate silent warrior. After leaving the Aces Six, Shinobi served with Burēdo as their go-to infiltration expert, usually clearing out entire camps singlehandedly. After the war, he evaded capture and went into hiding, eventually emerging in the United States as the serial killer Kuro-Eto, hunting down superheroes who helped defeat Japan. He was finally caught in 1981, at the ripe age of 75, but still eluded justice as he blew himself up with a homemade bomb, killing fourteen others in the process.
Takatsuji Tome / Seimerugi - Once an unassuming woman from rural Kyushu, Takatsuji Tome was forced into the war effort when it was discovered she had the ability to transfer life energy from one body to another. Even though she hated what she could do, Seimerugi, as she became known, was often forced at gunpoint to transfer life from POWs and even civilians to Japanese soldiers. Takatsuji decided to not be part of it anymore, and escaped when Burēdo was deployed in Burma in early 1945. She wandered through the jungle for several weeks before encountering a British patrol, whom she surrendered to. At the Burēdo trial, she pleaded guilty to all charges, but the jury concluded that she had been coerced to her crimes, and was spared execution and sentenced to life imprisonment. In secret, however, she was pardoned by the U.S. government and recruited to help study paranormal abilities. The research into her powers was instrumental in forming the parallel reality theory, which today forms the basis of all magical research.
Taguchi Nobunaka / Shujin Kakei - The strongest and most fanatic of Japan’s World War II superhuman arsenal, Taguchi Nobunaka, Shujin Kakei, led Burēdo into battle. He was, essentially, living armor and fire, and thus nigh-invulnerable to any normal attacks. Even if his fire was extinguished, all he had to do was wait for his armor to dry, and emerge again. Believed to have killed over ten thousand people, Shujin Kakei was a priority target for the Allies in the war. He made his last stand on Okinawa, where U.S. forces finally captured him - or rather, his armor. The armor is made of a mystical metal that’s indestructible to any conventional means, and his fire repeatedly emerges even after decades in lock-up. So currently, Shujin Kakei is interred at a top-secret military facility where his armor remains completely submerged at all times, until a method to execute him is finally devised.
Shirudo:
Kaya Shion / Akaishin - A former bodyguard of the Japanese Prime Minister, Kaya Shion was recognized for his lightning-fast reflexes and uncanny performance with handguns. In fact, he was deemed almost too good. Shion was known for his strong sense of justice, literally so, as he could feel when people were plotting something behind his back. This was not ideal for more unsavory elements of the Japanese government, who had been wanted to influence the Prime Minister - but were always foiled by Shion. Eventually, the conspirators managed to frame him for a failed assassination attempt, and sent him away. Fortunately, Shīrudo leadership stepped in and let him join the team, on the condition he always remained anonymous. To date, he is Shīrudo’s resident professional shooter, and goes by the name Akaishin.
Ueda Misato / Hittokikku - A young up-and-comer in the Kyoto hit boxing scene, Ueda Misato never actually wanted to be a professional hit boxer. She had always wanted to be a fashion designer and was interested in lolita fashion and aesthetics. Her parents, however, recognized her abnormally strong physique and pressured her into the career. Even though she excelled in tournaments, she wasn’t happy, and rebelled against her parents. She ran away, and spent her youth as a costumed vigilante, Hittokikku, hunting down criminals in Kyoto. Eventually, her escapades caught the attention of the police, who were not too keen on a young girl in a lolita dress outperforming them. But, instead of incarceration, she was approached by Shīrudo, who recognized her skills and offered her a position on the team. Now, she is their resident martial artist, capable of going toe-to-toe with men twice her size.
Oda Motonobu / Tekuno - A programming prodigy from the heart of Tokyo, Oda Motonobu always had a passion for computers. He was originally just working tech support for Shīrudo, but dreamed of becoming a hero like them. But instead of superpowers or martial arts, he used his intelligence. He invented a device that launched special electrodes, and when they contacted anything powered by electricity, he could hack it with his advanced portable computer and real-time heads-up display. Though originally ridiculed for his invention, Motonobu proved himself in 1983 when Tokyo was besieged by robotic assassins and he managed to hack them into fighting each other. Since then, he has been a full member, going by the name Tekuno.
Arai Masashige / Bozokuro - Arai Masashige discovered at a young age a talent for running. In fact, he found that if he held his breath, he could run faster and longer, faster than normally possible. In his adult age, he would run with a bosozoku gang and use his speeding powers for criminal intent. That is, until he was caught in the act by Shīrudo superheroes. Masashige was given a chance, and opted to join the team as their speedster. Now, going by Bozokuro, he can not only run faster than race cars as long as he holds his breath, but also fight harder, leap higher and think faster.
