is a Japanese
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
series written and illustrated by
Takao Saito
was a Japanese manga artist, although he rejected the term and considered his work gekiga. He was best known for '' Golgo 13'', which has been serialized in ''Big Comic'' since 1968, making it the oldest manga still in publication. ''Golgo ...
, published in
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, comics (manga), non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.
Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hit ...
's
''seinen'' manga magazine ''
Big Comic
is a semimonthly Seinen manga, ''seinen'' manga List of manga magazines, magazine published since 18 February 1968 by Shogakukan in Japan. It was originally launched as a monthly magazine, but switched to twice monthly on the 10th and 25th begin ...
'' since October 1968. The series follows the title character, a professional
assassin for hire
''Assassin for Hire'' is a 1951 British crime film directed by Michael McCarthy and starring Sydney Tafler, Ronald Howard and Katharine Blake. Its plot follows a contract killer who becomes stricken with remorse when he is led to believe he ...
. ''Golgo 13'' is the oldest manga still in publication, and its ''
tankōbon
is the Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
'' edition was certified by ''
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' as the
highest number of volumes for a manga series. Saito said before his death in 2021 that he wanted the manga to continue on without him and previously raised concerns the manga may be unfinished after he passes away. The Saito Production group of manga creators will continue its publication with the assistance of the ''Big Comic''s editorial department.
The series has been adapted into two live-action feature films,
an anime film,
an original video animation, an anime television series and six video games.
With a cumulative total of 300 million copies in circulation in various formats, including compilation books, it is the third
best-selling manga series
The following is a list of the best-selling Japanese manga series to date in terms of the number of collected ''tankōbon'' volumes sold. All series in this list have at least 20 million copies in circulation. This list is limited to Japanese ...
and the top selling ''seinen'' manga series in history. The manga won the 1975
Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, and is sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga and features candidates from a number of publishers. It is the oldest manga award in Japan, being given since ...
for general manga and the Grand Prize at the 2002
Japan Cartoonists Association Awards.
Story
Golgo 13 is a professional assassin. His real name, age and birthplace are unknown and there is no consensus in the worldwide intelligence community as to his true identity.
Most of his jobs are completed through the use of a customized,
scoped M16 rifle. His most frequently used alias is , but he also goes by and .
Duke Togo has a very quiet personality and will only talk when he needs to, he shows very little to no emotion when carrying out an
assassination
Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...
and is willing to kill anyone who will threaten to expose him. He accepts many different assassination jobs, from anyone who can afford his services. From simply shooting a violin string to taking out powerful organized crime bosses and political figures, these killings have often attracted retaliations against Golgo 13, even at one stage having both the FBI, CIA, and even the United States military out to kill him, causing Togo to always have to watch his own back and pay attention to his surroundings in order to stop other assassins and contract killers employed to kill him in often creative ways. Golgo 13 also employs many different people himself to assist him in his assassination jobs, such as in providing extra information on his targets to modifying his weapons, vehicles, and gadgets.
The name "Golgo 13" is a reference to
the death of Jesus Christ. ''Golgo'' is short for
Golgotha, the place of
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
' crucifixion, while the
number 13 is considered an unlucky number. Also, Golgo 13's logo is a skeleton wearing a
crown of thorns
According to the New Testament, a woven crown of thorns ( or grc, ἀκάνθινος στέφανος, akanthinos stephanos, label=none) was placed on the head of Jesus during the events leading up to his crucifixion. It was one of the in ...
.
Duke Togo's past is a mystery. Although his Asian appearance suggests that he may be of Japanese origin, many of Golgo 13's stories have presented different speculations about his true identity while presenting contradictory information, leaving the audience uncertain which information is true. It is known that he may be the biological father of many different children all over the world from the many sexual encounters he has had with women throughout the series, such as a four-year-old son named Joey from ex–
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reun ...
fighter Catherine McCall.
With respect to the character's age, a large number of stories are dated as they are centered around current events of the time. However, Golgo 13's age has not increased significantly to account for these events. He has also suffered multiple injuries throughout the series, leaving many different scars on his body.
Production
Early on,
Takao Saito
was a Japanese manga artist, although he rejected the term and considered his work gekiga. He was best known for '' Golgo 13'', which has been serialized in ''Big Comic'' since 1968, making it the oldest manga still in publication. ''Golgo ...
developed a system where he creates the page layout based on a script written by the editorial department. He also inks the main characters' faces, while assistants provide the backgrounds and other elements. He does extensive research to provide accuracy, especially when the plot deals with technology.
Kazuo Koike
was a prolific Japanese manga writer ( gensakusha), novelist, screenwriter, lyricist and entrepreneur. He is best known for his violent, artful ''seinen'' manga, notably ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' (with Goseki Kojima, 1970–6), '' Lady Snowblood'' ...
was one of the writers on the series in the beginning. Author
Yoichi Funado wrote approximately 30 stories for ''Golgo 13'', three of which he later novelized.
Takashi Nagasaki
is a Japanese author, manga writer and former editor of manga. He started his professional career at Shogakukan in 1980 and worked as an editor on the publisher's various manga magazines, including as editor-in-chief of ''Big Comic Spirits'' ...
was Saito's editor on the series in the mid-1980s, and later wrote two stories for the manga under the pen name "Keishi Edogawa".
According to
Jason Thompson, several ''Golgo 13'' stories have not been reprinted for being "offensive or libelous." Thompson lists one from 1986 because of complaints from the Iranian Embassy in Japan, another from 1988 about
money laundering in the Vatican, and one from 1989 about a Hollywood actor blackmailed when someone discovers he has
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
.
In 2013, Saito stated that because he often worried about his manga being cancelled, he had an ending planned out that even includes the panel layout. He said he had no idea when ''Golgo 13'' would end, claiming "The manga has continued so long that it is no longer the property of the author; it belongs to the readers." Two years later, ''
Big Comic
is a semimonthly Seinen manga, ''seinen'' manga List of manga magazines, magazine published since 18 February 1968 by Shogakukan in Japan. It was originally launched as a monthly magazine, but switched to twice monthly on the 10th and 25th begin ...
''s fourth issue of 2015 announced that the series was "heading towards its conclusion."
Due to difficulties that arose from the restrictions implemented by the government to combat the
COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, ''Golgo 13'' began its first hiatus in its 52-year history in May 2020. It returned on July 7, 2020.
Saito died of
pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of t ...
at 84 on September 24, 2021. According to Shogakukan, Saito said before his death that he wanted the manga to continue on without him. The Saito Production group of manga creators will continue its publication with the assistance of the ''Big Comic''s editorial department.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by
Takao Saito
was a Japanese manga artist, although he rejected the term and considered his work gekiga. He was best known for '' Golgo 13'', which has been serialized in ''Big Comic'' since 1968, making it the oldest manga still in publication. ''Golgo ...
, ''Golgo 13'' has been serialized in the monthly manga magazine ''
Big Comic
is a semimonthly Seinen manga, ''seinen'' manga List of manga magazines, magazine published since 18 February 1968 by Shogakukan in Japan. It was originally launched as a monthly magazine, but switched to twice monthly on the 10th and 25th begin ...
'' since its January 1969 issue, published in October 1968.
The chapters have been collected into ''
tankōbon
is the Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
'' volumes by
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, comics (manga), non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.
Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hit ...
and
Leed Publishing, a spinoff of the author's own Saito Production,
since June 21, 1973. As of December 2022, 207 volumes of the ''tankōbon'' edition have been published, while the ''
bunkoban'' edition has 167 volumes.
In 1986, Leed Publishing released four ''Golgo 13'' stories translated by Patrick Connolly: "Into the Wolves' Lair", "Galinpero", "The Ice Lake Hit" and "The Ivory Connection".
In 1989 and 1990, Leed and
Vic Tokai
Tokai Communications Corporation Inc (known as Vic Tokai Corporation until 2011) is a telecommunications company in Japan providing DSL services and network solutions. Its headquarters are in the in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture. In ...
published two further ''Golgo 13'' comic books, "The Impossible Hit" and "The Border Hopper", as part of the promotion for two ''Golgo 13'' video games.
The comics were released to the US public via a mail-in offer with the purchase of the games and were later even found packaged with the video games. Each issue contained one complete story and had nothing to do with the storylines of the video games themselves.
In 1991, Leed Publishing and
Viz Media
VIZ Media LLC is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ M ...
published ''The Professional: Golgo 13'', a three part mini-series.
''The Professional'' was a re-printing of "The Argentine Tiger", a story where Golgo is hired by the British Government to assassinate the reportedly dead ex-president of Argentina
Juan Perón.
In 2006, ''Golgo 13'' was brought back by Viz as part of their Viz Signature collection. The stories are picked from the forty-year history of the manga, and do not necessarily represent the original's order of publication. A total of thirteen volumes were published, with the thirteenth volume being published on February 19, 2008. Each volume ends with an editorial commentary on ''Golgo 13'' as a cultural phenomenon in Japan.
A spin-off manga titled and focusing on the character Dave McCartney began serialization in the August special issue of ''Big Comic'' on July 17, 2021. The spin-off ended its "first season" on May 17, 2022.
Saito and Saito Production are credited with creating the manga.
A second spin-off, created by Yukio Miyama, was launched on Shogakukan's ''Manga One'' app on August 28, 2021. It is a gag comedy and follows Golgo 13 at a modern-day campsite.
A third spin-off, , began serialization in the August issue of ''Big Comic Zōkan'' on July 15, 2022.
It focuses on the French junior high school student Fanette, who has Golgo's genes.
Live-action
Toei Company
() (also styled TOEI) is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution and video game developer and publishing company. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan (all but two of them operated by i ...
produced a live-action film simply titled ''Golgo 13'' in 1973, directed by
Junya Sato
was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. His son is a fellow film director .
Career
Born in Tokyo, Satō graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1956 with a degree in French literature. He joined the Toei studio and worked as an assist ...
and starring
Ken Takakura
, born , was a Japanese actor and singer who appeared in over 200 films. Affectionately referred to as "Ken-san" by audiences, he was best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brought to his roles. He won the Japan Academy Prize ...
as Duke Togo and
Pouri Banayi as Catherine Morton. It was filmed entirely in the
Imperial State of Iran
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* Imperial, T ...
with an entirely
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
supporting cast. It was followed by ''
Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon'' in 1977, directed by Yukio Noda, which replaced Takakura with
Sonny Chiba
, known internationally as Sonny Chiba, was a Japanese actor and martial artist. Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience.
Born in Fuku ...
. In 2011, production company Davis Film obtained the American film rights to ''Golgo''.
Anime
''Golgo 13: The Professional''
''Golgo 13: The Professional'', known simply as ''Golgo 13'' in Japan, is a 1983 animated featured film. Golgo 13's voice is provided by
Tetsurō Sagawa
was a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tateyama, Chiba. He was a graduate of Waseda University.
Filmography
Film
*'' Dai Ninjutsu Eiga: Watari'' (Nagato Fujibayashi)
*'' Fūrinkazan'' ( Nobutomo Akiyama)
*'' Onmitsu Dōshin Ōedo Sōsamō ...
in the Japanese version, and
Gregory Snegoff
Gregory Snegoff (born June 22, 1955) is an American voice actor, writer and dialogue director who frequently works on English-language anime-dubs. He is also known by the names Greg Snegoff, Gregory Snow, and Greg Snow.
Early life
Snegoff is a ...
in
Streamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English-dubbed Japanese animation.
History Founding
Founded in Los Angeles, California, in late 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first No ...
' English dub. It incorporates
CGI animation
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The images m ...
, which was in its infancy at the time. This is most notable in the scene where army helicopters circle around Dawson Tower and attack Golgo as he climbs toward Dawson's office on the top floor.
''Golgo 13: Queen Bee''
''Golgo 13: Queen Bee'' is an
original video animation
, abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...
that was released in 1998.
Tesshō Genda
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce. When he debuted, he used his real name, . as artist name. Because he had experience with ballet, he was known by the nickname "Pirouette Gend ...
provides the voice of Golgo 13 in the Japanese version, while in the English version, he is voiced by
John DiMaggio
John William DiMaggio (; born September 4, 1968) is an American actor. His various voice roles include Bender on ''Futurama'', Jake the Dog on ''Adventure Time'', Marcus Fenix in the '' Gears of War'' series, Dr. Drakken on '' Kim Possible'', ...
.
TV series
A ''Golgo 13''
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series was produced by The Answer Studio and aired on
TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as and known colloquially as , is a television station headquartered in the Sumitomo Fudosan Roppongi Grand Tower in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by the subsidiary of listed certified b ...
and other stations from April 11, 2008, to March 27, 2009, for 50 episodes.
Hiroshi Tachi
is a Japanese actor and singer.
His ancestors were samurai of the Owari Domain and the family of the former samurai.
He graduated from Chiba Institute of Technology. He was a leader of a rock 'n' roll group ''Cools'' but he left the group so ...
provides the voice of Golgo 13. The series was licensed by
Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks, LLC or just Sentai, is an American entertainment company owned by AMC Networks. Located in Houston, the company specializes in the dubbing and distribution of Japanese animation and Asian cinema. Its post-production arm is S ...
, with the first DVD released on July 13, 2010. In English, Golgo is voiced by
David Wald
David Wald is an American voice actor who voices in English dubs of Japanese anime. Some of his major roles include: Gajeel Redfox in ''Fairy Tail'', Hannes in '' Attack on Titan'', Bulat in ''Akame ga Kill!'', and Master Chief in ''Halo Legen ...
.
The anime aired in North America on the
Anime Network
Anime Network is an American video on demand (VOD) network dedicated to anime owned by AMC Networks.
History
The network was launched in North America in late 2002 and is marketed to multi system operators (MSOs) as both a free and subscript ...
on Demand channel. It is also aired on television in the Philippines by TV5 and in South Korea by Animax Korea.
The first opening theme song is "Take the Wave" by Naifu for the first 25 episodes, and the second is "So Far Away" by
Pinc Inc for the remaining. The first ending theme song for the first 12 episodes is "Garasu no Haiwei (Highway of Glass)" by
doa, while "Yume no Hitotsu" by
Garnet Crow
Garnet Crow (stylized as GARNET CROW) was a Japanese pop/rock band formed in 1999 and associated with the Giza Studio record label. Members include Yuri Nakamura, Hitoshi Okamoto, Nana Azuki, and Hirohito Furui, with Nakamura leading on vocals. Mus ...
is used for episodes 13–25. The third ending theme is "Sono Egao Yo Eien ni" by
Kitahara Aiko for episodes 26 to 38, and the final ending song is "Mou Kimi wo Hitori ni Sasenai" by
U-ka Saegusa in dB
was a Japanese pop rock band formed in Osaka in 2002. The band consists of lead vocalist U-ka Saegusa, lead guitarist Yūichirō Iwai, lead bassist Taku Ōyabu, and drummer Keisuke Kurumatani. Signed to Giza Studio, the band released four studio ...
from 39–50.
Video games
There was also an
LCD game
Handheld electronic games are very small, portable devices for playing interactive electronic games, often miniaturized versions of video games. The controls, display and speakers are all part of a single unit. Rather than a general-purpose s ...
based on ''Golgo 13'' released only in Japan by
Popy
Popy (ポピー) was a Japanese toy manufacturer of the 1970s and early 1980s. The company was owned by Bandai. It was founded in 1971 and merged back into the parent company in 1983. The company is best known for its groundbreaking Chogokin robot ...
in 1982. Nine
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s have been released: the first one, released for the
Sega
is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...
SG-1000
The is a home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was Sega's first entry into the home video game hardware business. Developed in response to a downturn in arcades starting in 1982, the SG-1000 was created on the advice of Hayao Nakay ...
, followed by ''Golgo 13: Oi no Su'' only in Japan for the
MSX'' in 1985, followed by
Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode'' on the
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
in 1988, ''
The Mafat Conspiracy
is a Nintendo Entertainment System video game released in 1990. It is the sequel to '' Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode''.
Plot
A weapons satellite has been snatched out of orbit, and the world is facing nuclear destruction. Behind this act is a ...
'', also for the NES, was released in 1990, two digital mangas were released only in Japan for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
in 1998 and three Japan-only
lightgun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games, typically shaped to resemble a pistol.
Early history
The first light guns were produced in the 1930s, following the development of light-sensing ...
arcade games
An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade v ...
, similar to the
''Silent Scope'' series, but with a few differences. The rifle only contained a magnifying lens, not a small monitor like ''Silent Scope''. The screen itself would close up on the target only when the
sensor
A sensor is a device that produces an output signal for the purpose of sensing a physical phenomenon.
In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module, machine, or subsystem that detects events or changes in its environment and sends ...
on the underside of the rifle base was activated by the player leaning their shoulder into it. Each mission was preceded by an 8-10 panel manga briefing. The first two releases, ''Golgo 13'' in 1999 and ''Golgo 13: Kiseki no Dandou''(''Golgo 13: Miraculous trajectory'') in 2000, ran on
Namco System 12
The is a 32-bit arcade system board developed jointly by Namco and Sony Computer Entertainment. Released in 1994, the System 11 is based on a prototype of the PlayStation, Sony's first home video game console, using a 512 KB operating system a ...
hardware, with the third, ''Golgo 13: Juusei no Chinkonka''(''Golgo 13:Requiem of a gunshot'') in 2001, on
Namco System 10 hardware. A ''Golgo 13'' Golgo 13
pachislot
A slot machine (American English), fruit machine (British English) or poker machine (Australian English and New Zealand English) is a gambling machine that creates a game of chance for its customers. Slot machines are also known pejoratively as ...
simulator was released only in Japan for the PlayStation in 2002. A ''Golgo 13'' game, ''Golgo 13: File G-13'', was released for the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
on June 18, 2009, by
Marvelous Entertainment
(MMV) was a multinational corporation that produced animation, music, video games and television series. MMV is known for its involvement in the ''Story of Seasons'' series. They merged with AQ Interactive in 2011 and became Marvelous AQL; the ...
. From initial reports, the game appears to consist of a large
quiz
A quiz is a form of game or mind sport in which players attempt to answer questions correctly on one or several specific topics. Quizzes can be used as a brief Educational assessment, assessment in education and similar fields to measure growth ...
mode, featuring questions spanning the 40-year history of ''Golgo 13'', as well as several
mini-games
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than th ...
, including the "Don't Stand Behind Me" game, in which the player, as Golgo 13, must punch people who walk up behind him. At the end of each episode of the anime, the tagline was "Do not stand behind him, if you value your life." The game is played holding the DS on its side, also known as "book style" and surprisingly seems to be rated the Japanese equivalent of General/All Ages, which suggests the game won't feature much or any graphic violence or adult/mature subject matter, some of ''Golgo 13''s trademarks. A version of Golgo 13's signature weapon, the scoped M16, was released in the Japanese version of ''
Alliance of Valiant Arms
''Alliance of Valiant Arms'' (abbreviated as A.V.A, ko, 아바, translit=Aba, 简体中文:《战地之王》, 繁體中文:《戰地之王》) is a free-to-play online first-person shooter video game, developed by now-defunct Red Duck, Inc ...
'' as a usable weapon. There have also been several
pachinko
is a mechanical game originating in Japan that is used as an arcade game, and much more frequently for gambling. Pachinko fills a niche in Japanese gambling comparable to that of the slot machine in the West as a form of low-stakes, low-st ...
and pachislot machines released in Japan between 2001 and 2017.
Other media
In addition, the title character has appeared in a number of TV commercials in Japan, including
NEC
is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational information technology and electronics corporation, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. The company was known as the Nippon Electric Company, Limited, before rebranding in 1983 as NEC. It prov ...
and
Lotte Black Black. There was also a
radio drama
Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine ...
featuring
Masane Tsukayama
is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator from Naha, Okinawa. His wife is opera singer . He is best known for dubbing over Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Richard Gere, Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne.
Filmography
Film
* ''Otoko wa Tsurai yo' ...
as Golgo 13.
An
Airsoft
Airsoft is a team game in which participants eliminate opposing players by tag (game), tagging them out of play with airsoft pellets, spherical plastic projectiles shot with mock air gun, air weapons(usually powered by an electronic motor) call ...
gun has been made by
Tokyo Marui
is a Japanese manufacturer of airsoft guns and toy cars located in Adachi, Tokyo, and are famous for pioneering the design of battery-powered airsoft guns. Their products are principally sold in Japan, but are also exported worldwide.
The comp ...
based on the rifle Golgo 13 uses. A figure based on Golgo 13 was released on August 25, 2009.
Reception
''Golgo 13'' won the 21st
Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, and is sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga and features candidates from a number of publishers. It is the oldest manga award in Japan, being given since ...
in the General category in 1975, the Grand Prize at the 2002
Japan Cartoonists Association Awards, and the Special Judges Award at the 50th Shogakukan Manga Awards in 2005.
With the publication of volume 201 in July 2021, ''Golgo 13'' was certified as holding the ''
Guinness World Record
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' for "Most volumes published for a single manga series." ''Golgo 13'' is one of the works credited with popularizing the ''
gekiga
, literally "dramatic pictures", is a style of Japanese comics aimed at adult audiences and marked by a more cinematic art style and more mature themes. ''Gekiga'' was the predominant style of adult comics in Japan in the 1960s and 1970s. It is ...
'' movement in Japanese comics, which strives for more realistic and dramatic works. Saito himself is surprised by his series' popularity overseas, because it is firmly rooted in Japanese culture and samurai. He cited the timing of when Golgo actually takes his shot as an example; "It evokes ''
iaidō
, abbreviated , is a Japanese martial art that emphasizes being aware and capable of quickly drawing the sword and responding to sudden attacks.Christensen, Karen and Allen Guttmann et.al (2001) ''International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports ...
''
he martial art of drawing one's sword and mimicking a deadly blow It is the same movement and the same shape. I love Japanese samurai stories and that is why, unconsciously, Golgo moves like a samurai. That is why I thought foreigners wouldn't understand the story."
As of March 2021, ''Golgo 13'' had over 300 million copies in circulation in various formats, including compilation books, it is the third
best-selling manga series
The following is a list of the best-selling Japanese manga series to date in terms of the number of collected ''tankōbon'' volumes sold. All series in this list have at least 20 million copies in circulation. This list is limited to Japanese ...
and the top selling ''seinen'' manga series in history.
''
Anime News Network
Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...
s Carl Kimlinger compared Saito's work on the series to the novels of
John le Carré
David John Moore Cornwell (19 October 193112 December 2020), better known by his pen name John le Carré ( ), was a British and Irish author, best known for his espionage novels, many of which were successfully adapted for film or television. ...
and
Frederick Forsyth
Frederick McCarthy Forsyth (born 25 August 1938) is an English novelist and journalist. He is best known for thrillers such as ''The Day of the Jackal'', ''The Odessa File'', '' The Fourth Protocol'', '' The Dogs of War'', ''The Devil's Alter ...
, as the stories are "dark, meticulously constructed
ndpainstakingly realistic". Leo Lewis of the ''
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...
'' wrote that "Unsmiling, misogynist and inexorable,
he character
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
is a literary cousin of
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
without the scene-softeners of
Moneypenny
Miss Moneypenny, later assigned the first names of Eve or Jane, is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and films. She is secretary to M (James Bond), M, who is Bond's superior officer and head of the British Secret Intelligence Serv ...
,
M,
Q or exploding fountain pens."
The ''
Daily Vanguard
''Portland State Vanguard'', formerly known as the ''Daily Vanguard'' and ''Vet's Extended'', is an independent student newspaper for Portland State University, in Portland, Oregon, United States.
Publishing
The tabloid format newspaper has a ...
'' called Duke "a badass, something like a cross between
Dirty Harry
''Dirty Harry'' is a 1971 American neo-noir
Neo-noir is a revival of film noir, a genre that had originally flourished during the post-World War II era in the United Statesroughly from 1940 to 1960. The French term, ''film noir'', translates ...
and ''
Metal Gear Solid
is a series of techno-thriller stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX home computers. The player often takes control of a special forces operat ...
''s
Solid Snake."
Jc DuBois of Dragon's Anime has criticized those who say that most of Golgo 13's hits are impossible to do since there are problems that would prevent him from shooting straight such as the wind or with the
coriolis effect
In physics, the Coriolis force is an inertial or fictitious force that acts on objects in motion within a frame of reference that rotates with respect to an inertial frame. In a reference frame with clockwise rotation, the force acts to the ...
, saying that the "whole mystique of ''Golgo 13'' is that he's just that damn good. He CAN make those shots—and he can do it with one shot."
References
External links
Official website
''Golgo 13'' Viz Media's ''Golgo 13'' website*
{{Authority control
Golgo 13
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takao Saito, published in Shogakukan's ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Big Comic'' since October 1968. The series follows the title character, a professional assassin for hire. ''Golgo ...
2008 anime television series debuts
Fiction about assassinations
Gekiga
Manga adapted into films
Seinen manga
Sentai Filmworks
Shogakukan manga
Thriller anime and manga
TV Tokyo original programming
Viz Media manga
Winners of the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga
World record holders