Naoto Date, born an orphan at Chibikko House orphanage in postwar Japan, endured childhood hardship. Seeking escape, he joined the criminal Tiger's Den organization. Its brutal training forged him into the ruthless professional wrestler "Yellow Devil," known for a vicious fighting style marked by aggression and a willingness to inflict severe injuries.

Competing internationally in a tiger-striped mask, black trunks, gray trousers, and black boots, he gained notoriety for his cruelty. A pivotal moment came when a boy from his former orphanage expressed admiration for the villainous Yellow Devil persona. This revelation sparked profound change; Naoto abandoned his villainous identity, vowing to use his wrestling earnings to support orphanages instead of Tiger's Den. This defiance marked him a traitor, leading Tiger's Den to sentence him to death and dispatch assassins.

Adopting the heroic identity Tiger Mask, he competed honorably in the Japan Pro-Wrestling Association. Yet, facing exceptionally dangerous Tiger's Den assassins like the cannibalistic Red Death Mask, he sometimes reverted to past violence, causing deep shame and internal conflict.

The character's story diverges between media. In the manga continuity, after defeating an impostor Yellow Devil in Las Vegas (revealed as former Tiger's Den colleague Kim), he died saving a child from a truck. With his final act, he discarded his mask into a river. The original anime presented an alternate path: after confronting and killing Tiger's Den's leader, Tiger the Great, in a brutal match, he vanished, overwhelmed by remorse. The non-canonical sequel *Tiger Mask II* confirmed the manga's death, with orphan Tatsuo Aku inheriting the mantle. Later media like the anime *Tiger Mask W* referenced his disappearance after the Tiger the Great incident, positioning him as a legendary figure whose legacy inspired new protagonists like Naoto Azuma.

Physically, Naoto possessed exceptional abilities honed by Tiger's Den: near-superhuman strength enabling him to overpower large felines, remarkable agility for high-flying maneuvers, high pain tolerance, and significant technical wrestling skill. His signature move was the Tiger Driver, a corner attack combining a somersault kick and a knee strike.

Personality-wise, he evolved from a sadistic, isolated figure into a fiercely protective individual dedicated to justice, especially for orphans. However, past trauma and the constant threat from Tiger's Den left him prone to violent bursts and lingering guilt. The live-action film adaptation covered his origin, transformation, and conflict with Tiger's Den. Across all portrayals, his core narrative remained redemption, driven by a desire to protect vulnerable children from his dark path.