No matter what we do, it seems as though tokusatsu is destined to remain underground in the west. Japanese superheroes, as cool as they are, make a leap toward the mainstream every few years, but never stick the landing. As with many things in this world: if you want something, you’ve got to do it yourself. This is the advice independent comic illustrator Marcelo Biott took when creating his tokusatsu-inspired epic webcomic: InfraCity.
Launching back in 2013, InfraCity tells the story of a group superheroes who cross paths and form a team to better deal with the rising threats of their individual villains.
Each of the heroes draws inspiration, both in story and design, from the biggest tokusatsu franchises in Japan as well as their American adaptations. This creates a massive team-up crossover between new yet familiar characters guaranteed to awaken your inner child.
But InfraCity is far from a kid’s comic. The stories are deep and complex. And the interconnected plot is a lot to follow. Each of the three main heroes brings their own lore to the universe to craft a rich, multi-dimensional narrative.
I binge-read seven years worth of the story in one day - I can’t imagine someone reading this as its chapters were originally coming out. There’s so much going on, I wanted to reread it almost as soon as I was caught up.
Ripped straight from the most popular superhero shows in Japan, each of the main characters from InfraCity is an obvious homage to classic tokusatsu heroes.
Edward is the last Tech Ranger, though they look a bit more like Ultraman. He’s been struck with survivor’s guilt and initially denies jumping back into the action.
Caleb is the brother of one of the fallen Tech Rangers. He was chosen to become the Defeater Man, a size-changing hero who looks more like a Ranger and sworn to defeat criminals who escape from an inter-dimensional prison - all of whom just so happen to be giant monsters.
The Machine Runner is an obvious homage to Kamen Riders with a story reminiscent of Saban’s Masked Rider. Prince Daxar came to earth to stop a so far unknown threat. His uncle followed and brought royal treachery with him.
Reading InfraCity feels like you’re experiencing a crossover between Power Rangers, Kamen Rider, and Ultraman. But it’s not just a one-off special. This is a full blown tokusatsu Avengers soap opera that any fan should check out.
Click here to read InfraCity for free.
