Why don’t Japanese audiences turn up in big numbers for Hollywood superhero movies? The rare success in Japan of the Spider-Man series suggests one answer: Japanese like superheroes just fine, as long as they’re flawed humans as well as heroic fighters for justice.
Another case in point is “Hero Mania,” Keisuke Toyoshima’s black comedy about everyday heroes who are not just flawed, but also damaged and strange. And though they may have superior fighting skills, they are not super-powered.
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