Go Nagai and Shotaro Ishinomori aren’t the most well-known names in America, even among anime fans. Even so, those who know of them know that they are landmark workers in the industry. Ishinomori’s slick action style was formative for manga creators across the country and Go Nagai’s work was key in giving manga an international appeal, providing plenty of sexuality and violence.
And what are popular comic book characters without crossovers? Ishinomori’s Cyborg 009 and Nagai’s Devilman will be meeting in the aptly titled Cyborg 009 Vs. Devilman. It’s set to appear in Japanese theaters in October for a brief two weeks.
Cyborg 009 premiered in Shonen King in 1964 and never received an ending due to Ishinomori’s death in 1998. Amusingly, Nagai worked as an assistant to Ishinomori on this manga before moving on to Devilman. It’s received several anime adaptations, one that even aired on Toonami, which is probably where most American fans first heard of it. Devilman premiered in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen in 1972. It’s sold over ten million accents and received an anime adaptation that aired simultaneously.
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