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Rising Sun (comics)
Encyclopedia
Rising Sun is a fictional Japanese
superhero published by DC Comics
. He first appeared solo in Super Friends
#8 (November 1977), and as a member of the Global Guardians in DC Comics Presents
#46, (June 1982). He was created by E. Nelson Bridwell
and Ramona Fradon
.
ese solar physicist
who is a longtime member of the Global Guardians
. His grandparents were survivors of the atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, by the U.S. in 1945, which brought World War II to an end. Both of them later developed cancer and died. The same happened to Yasunari's mother, who also developed cancer but recovered with chemotherapy. A horrified Yasunari and his brother, Wataru became doctors specializing in cancer research. Their troubled sister, Kaori, joined a religious cult. Rising Sun is a founding member of the Japanese equivalent of the Justice League of America, a team called Big Science Action which came together to defend the hero Ultimon from the Monster Army.
His first known mission was helping Atom
dismantle a bomb in Japan
. He later helps Robin
defeat a villain. Spurred on by Doctor Mist, he helps Superman
find a piece of ancient armor and soon after, he and his Guardians assist Superman in a battle against ancient sorcerers who are casting a spell amid the Moai
(Statues) of Easter Island
. He helps save Japan in the Crisis on Infinite Earths
, and helps Artemis
save her parents, Huntress
and Sportsmaster
with the help of Infinity Inc.
. The Japanese hero volunteers to help the Queen Bee
but was brainwashed by her forces and technology. Under her influence he destroys a Neo-Nazi stronghold in Germany, killing many of the people inside. When Justice League members Power Girl
and Rocket Red
arrive, he attacks them also, believing them to be Nazi loyalists. When defeated, he falls into a coma, all part of a plan.
While in a coma, he is taken care of at the Justice League International
embassy in Tokyo, Japan. He awakens at the call of the Queen Bee, at the same time as his friends Wild Huntsman
and Tuatara
, who were also in comas. These two had also attacked Nazi facilities and had fallen into comas when defeated by Justice League members.
All three return to duty with the Global Guardians
, where they are duly brainwashed. After a few battles with his team, Izumi secretly betrays them and helps fellow Japanese hero Doctor Light
battle a horde of Bialyan soldiers. Afterwards, he joins with Doctor Mist
, Jack O'Lantern
, and Owlwoman
together and he helps the three heroes reform the Global Guardians.
, Rising Sun helps reform the team. He has courted the female Doctor Light
, sometimes to the point of angering her.
, the news documentary looked back at the Japanese JLA's final battle with Fushikuraje, an ancient kaiju
who had demolished much of Tokyo
in an attempt to reach the monster graveyard below Mount Fuji
. On the program Rising Sun derided the new younger generation of Japanese heroes, and their obsession with fame, claiming that they dishonored Japan's tradition of superheroing and monster-battling.
Rising Sun's conflict with the younger heroes, the Super Young Team
, continues. In issue #5, Rising Sun travels to the devastated Midway City
and kills many disaster relief workers. During the effort to stop him, the Super Young Team discover he is being mentally controlled by the tiny, sentient Mister Mind.
event, Rising Sun was attempting to assassinate the Outsider
who was framed for unknown crimes when he discovered the Outsider's illicit schemes. The Outsider killed Rising Sun punches through his chest.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
superhero published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. He first appeared solo in Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
#8 (November 1977), and as a member of the Global Guardians in DC Comics Presents
DC Comics Presents
DC Comics Presents was a comic book published by DC Comics from 1978 to 1986 featuring team-ups between Superman and a wide variety of other characters of the DC Universe...
#46, (June 1982). He was created by E. Nelson Bridwell
E. Nelson Bridwell
Edward Nelson Bridwell was a writer for Mad magazine and various comic books published by DC Comics. One of the writers for the Batman comic strip and Super Friends, he also wrote The Inferior Five, among other comics...
and Ramona Fradon
Ramona Fradon
Ramona Fradon is an American comic book and comic strip artist, known for her work illustrating Aquaman and Brenda Starr, and co-creating the superhero Metamorpho. Her career began in 1950, when it was even more unusual for women to illustrate superhero comics.-Career:Fradon entered cartooning...
.
Fictional character biography
Izumi Yasunari is a JapanJapan
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 solar physicist
Solar physics
For the physics journal, see Solar Physics Solar physics is the study of our Sun. It is a branch of astrophysics that specializes in exploiting and explaining the detailed measurements that are possible only for our closest star...
who is a longtime member of the Global Guardians
Global Guardians
The Global Guardians is a team of fictional DC Comics superheroes whose members hail from countries around the world. The concept originated in the Super Friends Saturday morning cartoon, in which several heroes were added to the Justice League to give it more ethnic diversity.-History:The...
. His grandparents were survivors of the atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, by the U.S. in 1945, which brought World War II to an end. Both of them later developed cancer and died. The same happened to Yasunari's mother, who also developed cancer but recovered with chemotherapy. A horrified Yasunari and his brother, Wataru became doctors specializing in cancer research. Their troubled sister, Kaori, joined a religious cult. Rising Sun is a founding member of the Japanese equivalent of the Justice League of America, a team called Big Science Action which came together to defend the hero Ultimon from the Monster Army.
His first known mission was helping Atom
Atom (comics)
The Atom is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe.There have been five characters who have shared the Atom codename. The original Golden Age Atom, Al Pratt, was created by Ben Flinton and Bill O'Connor and first appeared in All-American Publications'...
dismantle a bomb in Japan
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...
. He later helps Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
defeat a villain. Spurred on by Doctor Mist, he helps Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
find a piece of ancient armor and soon after, he and his Guardians assist Superman in a battle against ancient sorcerers who are casting a spell amid the Moai
Moai
Moai , or mo‘ai, are monolithic human figures carved from rock on the Chilean Polynesian island of Easter Island between the years 1250 and 1500. Nearly half are still at Rano Raraku, the main moai quarry, but hundreds were transported from there and set on stone platforms called ahu around the...
(Statues) of Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
. He helps save Japan in the Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
, and helps Artemis
Artemis (comics)
Artemis, in comics, may refer to:*Artemis , a goddess in the Marvel Universe*Artemiz, a member of the Female Furies*Artemis of Bana-Mighdall, the Amazon who became Wonder Woman for a short time in the 1990s....
save her parents, Huntress
Huntress (comics)
The Huntress is a name used by several characters in DC Comics.The Golden Age Huntress is a supervillainess, while the Bronze Age and Modern Age Huntresses are superheroines....
and Sportsmaster
Sportsmaster
The Sportsmaster is the name used by two DC Comics villains who used their sports skills for criminal purposes. The original Sportsmaster first appeared in All-American Comics #85 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Irwin Hasen....
with the help of Infinity Inc.
Infinity Inc.
Infinity, Inc. is a team of superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The team is mostly composed of the children and heirs of the Justice Society of America, making them the Society's analogue to the Teen Titans, which is composed of sidekicks of Justice League members...
. The Japanese hero volunteers to help the Queen Bee
Queen Bee (comics)
Queen Bee is the name of four different DC Comics supervillains.-Queen Bee :The leader of the hiveworld Korll, Zazzala lives only for the interstellar expansion of her species. Zazzala first appeared in Justice League of America #23...
but was brainwashed by her forces and technology. Under her influence he destroys a Neo-Nazi stronghold in Germany, killing many of the people inside. When Justice League members Power Girl
Power Girl
Power Girl is a DC Comics superheroine, making her first appearance in All Star Comics #58 ....
and Rocket Red
Rocket Red
The Rocket Red Brigade is a DC Comics superhero team. They first appeared in Green Lantern Corps #208 , and were created by Steve Englehart and Joe Staton.-History:...
arrive, he attacks them also, believing them to be Nazi loyalists. When defeated, he falls into a coma, all part of a plan.
While in a coma, he is taken care of at the Justice League International
Justice League International
Justice League International is a DC Comics superhero team written by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire, created in 1987.-Publication history:...
embassy in Tokyo, Japan. He awakens at the call of the Queen Bee, at the same time as his friends Wild Huntsman
Wild Huntsman (comics)
The Wild Huntsman is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Super Friends #45 , and was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Romeo Tanghal.-Fictional character biography:...
and Tuatara
Tuatara (comics)
Tuatara is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Tuatara's first appearance took place in Super Friends #8 , which is set outside the mainstream DC Comics continuity. Jeremy Wakefield is a young New Zealander who can predict the future with the help of a...
, who were also in comas. These two had also attacked Nazi facilities and had fallen into comas when defeated by Justice League members.
All three return to duty with the Global Guardians
Global Guardians
The Global Guardians is a team of fictional DC Comics superheroes whose members hail from countries around the world. The concept originated in the Super Friends Saturday morning cartoon, in which several heroes were added to the Justice League to give it more ethnic diversity.-History:The...
, where they are duly brainwashed. After a few battles with his team, Izumi secretly betrays them and helps fellow Japanese hero Doctor Light
Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
Doctor Light is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe.Kimiyo Hoshi is a distinct character from the DC villain of the same name...
battle a horde of Bialyan soldiers. Afterwards, he joins with Doctor Mist
Doctor Mist
Doctor Mist is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon, first appearing in a cameo in Super Friends #12 . Doctor Mist is based on both the Guardian of the Gate and the character of King Noot introduced in Chapter...
, Jack O'Lantern
Jack O'Lantern (DC Comics)
Jack O'Lantern is the name of several fictional characters published by DC Comics.-Daniel Cormac:The first Jack O'Lantern is Daniel Cormac of Ireland, who was born to a poor farmer who was granted a magic lantern by an Irish fairy. Cormac is a member of the Global Guardians, the international group...
, and Owlwoman
Owlwoman
Owlwoman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Universe.-Fictional character biography:Wenonah Littlebird is a full-blooded Native American from Oklahoma who represents the Kiowa tribe. She became Owlwoman and was first seen helping Hawkman and his wife Hawkwoman dismantle a bomb in...
together and he helps the three heroes reform the Global Guardians.
Fain Y'onia
Fain Y'onia, an ancient enemy of Doctor Mist, targets the team. Impala and Godiva are rendered powerless. Bushmaster is killed. The Guardians rally and ambush Fain in the Arizona desert. This does not go well. Tuatara is badly injured and Thunderlord is killed. The Wild Huntsman goes M.I.A., taking Fain with him. Working with the other Guardians still mobile, and with the assistance of the Martian ManhunterMartian Manhunter
The Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
, Rising Sun helps reform the team. He has courted the female Doctor Light
Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
Doctor Light is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe.Kimiyo Hoshi is a distinct character from the DC villain of the same name...
, sometimes to the point of angering her.
Infinite Crisis and beyond
Rising Sun works with Doctor Light to were attempting to protect the people of Tokyo from various natural disasters. They encounter one of the Flashes, bearing news about Superboy Rising Sun has appeared on a television screen as part of a retrospective look back at Big Science ActionBig Science Action
Big Science Action is a team of fictional superheroes, comic book characters published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Final Crisis Sketchbook #1 , and were created by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones.-Publication history:...
, the news documentary looked back at the Japanese JLA's final battle with Fushikuraje, an ancient kaiju
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
who had demolished much of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in an attempt to reach the monster graveyard below Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
. On the program Rising Sun derided the new younger generation of Japanese heroes, and their obsession with fame, claiming that they dishonored Japan's tradition of superheroing and monster-battling.
Rising Sun's conflict with the younger heroes, the Super Young Team
Super Young Team
The Super Young Team is a fictional Japanese superhero team in the . The team first appears in Final Crisis Sketchbook #1 , and was created by Grant Morrison and J. G. Jones.-Publication history:...
, continues. In issue #5, Rising Sun travels to the devastated Midway City
Midway City
Midway City is a fictional city in the DC Universe, the shared universe of comic book titles published by DC Comics. Midway is always shown to be a midwestern city based loosely on the real world city of Chicago, Illinois...
and kills many disaster relief workers. During the effort to stop him, the Super Young Team discover he is being mentally controlled by the tiny, sentient Mister Mind.
Powers and abilities
Rising Sun absorbs solar energy and can project intense heat, light, and flame from his body. He has displayed the ability to manipulate the electromagnetic field, allowing him to levitate and fly his own body and other objects within the field. He can also generate superheated solar winds and use them to fly at great speeds.Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
event, Rising Sun was attempting to assassinate the Outsider
Outsiders (comics)
The Outsiders are a fictional DC Comics superhero team. As its name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who allegedly do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League....
who was framed for unknown crimes when he discovered the Outsider's illicit schemes. The Outsider killed Rising Sun punches through his chest.