Hamegg, also known as Ham Egg or Itachi, first appeared in Osamu Tezuka's 1945 manga *The Old Man's Treasure Island*. He stands as one of Tezuka's longest-running recurring characters within the "Star System" of reused personas. Hamegg consistently portrays antagonistic or morally ambiguous roles, typically manifesting as a smooth-talking con man, self-serving busybody, or unethical reporter driven by personal gain. His signature trait is a pseudo-gentleman facade masking fundamentally boorish, cynical, and underhanded behavior. He frequently excels in villainous partnerships, notably with the gangster Lamp.

Throughout Tezuka's works, Hamegg assumes diverse identities and occupations while maintaining his core personality traits. In *Kimba the White Lion*, he appears as the malicious hunter Viper Snakely. In *Astro Boy*, he operates as an evil robot circus owner. As reporter Andre in the *Black Jack* OVA series, he displays ruthless opportunism, invasively pursuing stories without regard for ethics or emotional harm, utilizing persistent and often immoral methods to extract information. Other roles include Inspector Akabane, a thought-police officer in *Message to Adolf*, along with appearances in *Metropolis*, *Nextworld*, and *Jungle Emperor Leo*. His character design typically features dark hair, facial hair, and adult proportions, visually signaling his recurring nature.

Hamegg also appears as a minor character in *Tezuka Osamu ga Kieta?! 20 Seiki Saigo no Kaijiken*, present during the New Year's Eve gathering of Tezuka's creations. His inclusion aligns with the broader homage to Tezuka's characters investigating the creator's disappearance.