The Unforgettable Legacy: Unveiling Stan Lee's Hidden Manga Masterpiece

Stan Lee is a renowned figure in the world of comic books, having played a crucial role in the creation of iconic characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk. His contributions to Marvel have captivated both children and adults across generations, making his work an integral part of the comic book culture. From comic books to superhero productions, Lee's influence has left an indelible mark on the industry.

However, what may come as a surprise to many is that towards the end of his life, Lee ventured beyond the boundaries of Marvel and delved into other projects, including manga. While his involvement in the popular Shonen Jump series called Ultimo is well-known, there is another manga that remains relatively obscure and forgotten. Let us now take a moment to delve into the realm of this lesser-known series.

What is Heroman?

Heroman, a joint project between Lee and the Japanese animation studio Bones, tells the story of Joey Jones, a young boy residing in Center City, a fictional urban setting in the United States. Joey's life takes an extraordinary turn when he stumbles upon a broken toy robot in a garbage dump. Upon repairing and activating the robot, it transforms into a colossal mechanized hero with extraordinary abilities, a plot commonly seen in superhero series.

With the assistance of his newfound partner, Joey becomes the pilot of Heroman, and together, they embark on thrilling escapades to safeguard Center City from extraterrestrial invasions and wicked adversaries. The series delves into themes of heroism, camaraderie, and the potential of ordinary individuals to make a significant impact. When asked to define his innovative creation, Lee described Heroman as "a new hero for the 21st century." However, to what extent did Stan Lee genuinely contribute to the development of this series, which possesses notable elements of both classic Marvel and shounen anime?

What Involvement Did Stan Lee Have?

Stan Lee played a major role in the development of the concept and character designs for the anime series Heroman. These designs were then refined to better suit the manga format. The goal of the series was to combine Lee's storytelling skills with the dynamic animation style of Bones, a renowned studio known for their work on popular anime such as Fullmetal Alchemist and My Hero Academia.

Originally, Heroman was released as a manga written by Tamon Ohta and illustrated by Tetsuro Kasahara. It was published by Square-Enix in 2009, a company famous for their Final Fantasy video game series, but also known for publishing manga. A year later, the manga was adapted into a 26-episode anime series, which aired in Japan from April to September 2010. Despite promoting the collaboration between Eastern and Western creators as a key feature, an English dub of Heroman was never produced (although ironically, the anime's theme song was sung in English in anticipation of an English dub).

Where is it Now?

Despite its relative obscurity, there is an official English release of the series. Kodansha Comics' imprint, Vertical, has published all five volumes of the series in America in their original, uncut, and unflipped format. Although the books are considered out of print, used copies are still relatively easy to find due to the series' lack of popularity in the states. The anime adaptation of the series can be streamed on Crunchyroll, but it is important to note that there is no English dub available.

Heroman is a fascinating property that holds several distinctions. Not only is it one of the limited manga series personally created by Stan Lee, but it is also the only Japanese property that he had a hand in developing which was adapted into an anime. While characters like Spider-Man have had Japanese productions, Heroman stands out as the only property specifically created for the Japanese market that Lee helped bring to life through animation. His first and far more renowned manga collaboration, Ultimo, unfortunately never received an anime adaptation despite the extensive marketing efforts and collaboration with the creator of Shaman King.

Content:

It's strange to consider that the less well-known of Stan Lee's manga creations was the one that got adapted into an anime. However, that's just how things happen sometimes. It's worth mentioning that Heroman is the more suitable series for families, so if you're a parent looking for an enjoyable series for your children, you'll definitely find Heroman to be a great choice. Additionally, fans of comic books might be interested in exploring the series to see what Stan Lee was working on toward the end of his life.

You can stream the Heroman anime on Crunchyroll.