Phantom Agents
Encyclopedia
The Phantom Agents 1964-1966, was a Japan
ese action television series of 130 black and white episodes.
The series was created by Tatsuo Yoshida
. The Phantom Agents were modern day ninja
s working for the Japanese government, mostly against the dastardly "Black Flag" organization. They wore "pudding basin" motorcycle helmet
s, and in the earlier episodes they ran everywhere in single file, but later graduated to a Toyota Crown
Saloon.
The Phantom Agents were armed with ninja weapons such as shuriken
and used guns "only as a last resort," as was patiently explained to the only female member in the title sequence of each episode. They had the ability to jump backwards up onto the limbs of trees and could hold a piece of cloth with a brick pattern on it in front of them and thus blend into the wall behind them, becoming invisible to their opponents.
The series starred Joh Mizuki
as Phantar, the leader of the Phantom Agents. Other agents included Tugor, Cordo, Zemo and a female agent, Margo (later replaced by Gina). There was also a small boy agent, Tomba. Other agents that joined later in the series were Andar (who seemed to replaced Tugor) and Mundo, who could roll himself up into a bowling ball to knock over the villains. Tugor was killed by a bomb in one of the episodes, leaving behind only a boot that many fans remember as a sad moment in the series. Another agent, Gino, was killed in the first episode.
The three main criminal organisations the Phantom Agents fought against each had a distinctive character:
on 31 January 1966. The series, shown mainly in Sydney
, enjoyed considerable popularity among Australian children following on from the huge success of The Samurai
, the first Japanese TV series ever shown in Australia, which became a major ratings success there during 1965. A teen rock band in Melbourne
has named themselves The Phantom Agents.
The show was aired in the US, but not to any regular schedule, mostly being relegated to "filler" status between sporting events. A "Captain Jack McCarthy
" character was used to provide some sort of continuity between the erratic showings of episodes, although fans of the show have commented that they suspect that he never actually watched an episode. It was not a ratings success there, at least partly due to the sporadic programming schedule, and the fact that it was often broadcast at times inconvenient for schoolchildren to watch. A Spanish-dubbed version was also shown in some South American countries and Agentes Fantasmas was shown in Portuguese-speaking Brazil
.
Like The Samurai, Phantom Agents exploited the popularity of the martial arts
of the ninja
, although Phantom Agents had a contemporary (1960s) setting, in contrast to The Samurai, which was set in the 18th century. However, the "camp
" appeal of both series was based in large measure on the often risible standard of English dubbing.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese action television series of 130 black and white episodes.
The series was created by Tatsuo Yoshida
Tatsuo Yoshida
was a Japanese cartoonist, writer and anime pioneer who founded the anime studio Tatsunoko Productions.Born in 1932, Yoshida grew up in the hardship of war-torn Japan. A self-taught artist, his first job was as working for local newspapers in Kyoto...
. The Phantom Agents were modern day ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
s working for the Japanese government, mostly against the dastardly "Black Flag" organization. They wore "pudding basin" motorcycle helmet
Motorcycle helmet
A motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life...
s, and in the earlier episodes they ran everywhere in single file, but later graduated to a Toyota Crown
Toyota Crown
The Toyota Crown is a line of full-size luxury sedans by Toyota. The range was primarily available in Japan and some other Asian countries, originally designed to serve as a taxi...
Saloon.
The Phantom Agents were armed with ninja weapons such as shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
and used guns "only as a last resort," as was patiently explained to the only female member in the title sequence of each episode. They had the ability to jump backwards up onto the limbs of trees and could hold a piece of cloth with a brick pattern on it in front of them and thus blend into the wall behind them, becoming invisible to their opponents.
The series starred Joh Mizuki
Joh Mizuki
is a Japanese former actor. His birth name was Ishikawa Yoshiaki.Mizuki made his acting debut in 1958 in Futeki naru hanko which was directed by Makino Masahiro...
as Phantar, the leader of the Phantom Agents. Other agents included Tugor, Cordo, Zemo and a female agent, Margo (later replaced by Gina). There was also a small boy agent, Tomba. Other agents that joined later in the series were Andar (who seemed to replaced Tugor) and Mundo, who could roll himself up into a bowling ball to knock over the villains. Tugor was killed by a bomb in one of the episodes, leaving behind only a boot that many fans remember as a sad moment in the series. Another agent, Gino, was killed in the first episode.
The three main criminal organisations the Phantom Agents fought against each had a distinctive character:
- The Black Flags of Smigzee included black-clad ninja and also uniformed guards at their island base. (Smigzee means Secret Military Intelligence Group Zee according to an explanation given in the Phantom Agents episode Operation Red Ghost.)
- The Mocula looked much like YakuzaYakuza, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
or MafiaMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
hoods, but with added ninja abilities. - The Ghost Group, who were the main adversary in later episodes, had a mysterious magical aspect and included magicians with highly specialised skills.
Impact beyond Japan
The Phantom Agents first screened in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on 31 January 1966. The series, shown mainly in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, enjoyed considerable popularity among Australian children following on from the huge success of The Samurai
The Samurai (TV series)
The Samurai is a Japanese historical fiction television series made by Senkosha Productions during the early 1960s. Its original Japanese title was Onmitsu Kenshi . The series premiered in 1962 on TBS and ran continuously until 1965 for ten self-contained story arcs , usually of 13 episodes each...
, the first Japanese TV series ever shown in Australia, which became a major ratings success there during 1965. A teen rock band in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
has named themselves The Phantom Agents.
The show was aired in the US, but not to any regular schedule, mostly being relegated to "filler" status between sporting events. A "Captain Jack McCarthy
Jack McCarthy (television)
Jack McCarthy was an announcer and host at WPIX, Channel 11 in New York City. He is best known for hosting the St. Patrick's Day Parade for 42 years, and for hosting WPIX's block of Popeye cartoons in the sixties and early seventies....
" character was used to provide some sort of continuity between the erratic showings of episodes, although fans of the show have commented that they suspect that he never actually watched an episode. It was not a ratings success there, at least partly due to the sporadic programming schedule, and the fact that it was often broadcast at times inconvenient for schoolchildren to watch. A Spanish-dubbed version was also shown in some South American countries and Agentes Fantasmas was shown in Portuguese-speaking Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Like The Samurai, Phantom Agents exploited the popularity of the martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
of the ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
, although Phantom Agents had a contemporary (1960s) setting, in contrast to The Samurai, which was set in the 18th century. However, the "camp
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
" appeal of both series was based in large measure on the often risible standard of English dubbing.