Live action TV
Description
The character known as Friend is the primary antagonist of the manga 20th Century Boys. He is not a single individual but rather a persona adopted by two different people over the course of the story. This enigmatic figure is first and foremost the mysterious and charismatic leader of a powerful unnamed religious cult in Japan, which later spawns a political party called the Friendship Democratic Party. For most of the narrative, Friend's true identity is unknown, though it is suspected from early on that he must be connected to the childhood of the protagonist, Kenji Endo.
The background of Friend is deeply rooted in childhood grudges and a desire for recognition. The first man to take on the role is Fukubei Hattori, a former classmate of Kenji. As a child, Fukubei was known by a nickname and struggled with feelings of inadequacy, harboring an inferiority complex towards the more imaginative and popular Kenji. The second Friend is an even more shadowy figure from the past named Katsumata, a child so forgotten by his peers that many believed he had died. His deep-seated resentment stems from an incident where a young Kenji allowed Katsumata to be publicly blamed for a petty theft, leading to his complete social exclusion. These childhood wounds are the foundational motivations that drive the actions of the two men who would eventually become Friend.
In terms of personality, Friend is depicted as an enormously influential and manipulative figure who views other people as tools to be used in service of his grand ambitions. He possesses a calm, collected, and often disturbingly cheerful demeanor, all while directing a campaign of global terror. The ultimate motivations of the character diverge between his two incarnations. Fukubei's goal is largely driven by his personal grudge against Kenji and a childish, yet world-threatening, desire to prove himself and control the world by following a fabricated scenario. Katsumata, in contrast, is more committed to the letter of the "New Prophecy Book" and seems driven by a nihilistic desire for destruction, his grudge being much more specific and personal.
Friend's role in the story is that of the central antagonist, a puppet master whose actions drive the entire plot. He seeks world domination by faithfully enacting the events of the "Prophecy Book," a collection of stories and drawings for a "doomsday scenario" that Kenji and his friends created as a game in their youth. Friend manipulates world events, creates deadly viruses, engineers terrorist attacks like the "Bloody New Year's Eve," and eventually ascends to the position of World President, all to fulfill the fictional prophecies of his childhood rivals.
His key relationships are primarily with the members of Kenji's childhood group. The most significant is his obsessive and antagonistic relationship with Kenji Endo, against whom both incarnations of Friend hold a profound and long-standing grudge. He is also the estranged father of Kenji's niece, Kanna Endo, a fact he uses to manipulate Kenji. His inner circle includes his right-hand man, Manjome, and individuals like Yamane and Kiriko Endo, whom he forces to create biological weapons.
The development of Friend is marked by a significant shift in identity. The first Friend, Fukubei, is seemingly killed during a confrontation in the year 2015. However, his death is kept a secret from the world. To maintain the illusion of his power and divinity, his hidden accomplice, Katsumata, undergoes surgery to assume Fukubei's appearance and takes his place as Friend. This second Friend then orchestrates a "resurrection," solidifying his godlike status in the eyes of his followers and escalating the plan to its final, most destructive phase.
Friend is notable for several abilities. His primary power is his charismatic manipulation, allowing him to sway millions of followers to his will and justify heinous acts as righteous. He is a master planner, possessing genius-level intelligence that he uses to anticipate events and orchestrate complex global conspiracies from the shadows. He also relies on advanced technology, including giant robots, hallucinogenic drugs, and deadly artificial viruses. Early in the story, he creates the illusion of supernatural powers, such as levitation, through simple tricks. In some interpretations, the character also possesses or claims to possess extrasensory perception (ESP), an ability he says his daughter Kanna has inherited. His most defining characteristic, however, is his use of different masks: first a "Ninja Hattori-kun" mask, and later an iconic white mask emblazoned with his cult's symbol.
The background of Friend is deeply rooted in childhood grudges and a desire for recognition. The first man to take on the role is Fukubei Hattori, a former classmate of Kenji. As a child, Fukubei was known by a nickname and struggled with feelings of inadequacy, harboring an inferiority complex towards the more imaginative and popular Kenji. The second Friend is an even more shadowy figure from the past named Katsumata, a child so forgotten by his peers that many believed he had died. His deep-seated resentment stems from an incident where a young Kenji allowed Katsumata to be publicly blamed for a petty theft, leading to his complete social exclusion. These childhood wounds are the foundational motivations that drive the actions of the two men who would eventually become Friend.
In terms of personality, Friend is depicted as an enormously influential and manipulative figure who views other people as tools to be used in service of his grand ambitions. He possesses a calm, collected, and often disturbingly cheerful demeanor, all while directing a campaign of global terror. The ultimate motivations of the character diverge between his two incarnations. Fukubei's goal is largely driven by his personal grudge against Kenji and a childish, yet world-threatening, desire to prove himself and control the world by following a fabricated scenario. Katsumata, in contrast, is more committed to the letter of the "New Prophecy Book" and seems driven by a nihilistic desire for destruction, his grudge being much more specific and personal.
Friend's role in the story is that of the central antagonist, a puppet master whose actions drive the entire plot. He seeks world domination by faithfully enacting the events of the "Prophecy Book," a collection of stories and drawings for a "doomsday scenario" that Kenji and his friends created as a game in their youth. Friend manipulates world events, creates deadly viruses, engineers terrorist attacks like the "Bloody New Year's Eve," and eventually ascends to the position of World President, all to fulfill the fictional prophecies of his childhood rivals.
His key relationships are primarily with the members of Kenji's childhood group. The most significant is his obsessive and antagonistic relationship with Kenji Endo, against whom both incarnations of Friend hold a profound and long-standing grudge. He is also the estranged father of Kenji's niece, Kanna Endo, a fact he uses to manipulate Kenji. His inner circle includes his right-hand man, Manjome, and individuals like Yamane and Kiriko Endo, whom he forces to create biological weapons.
The development of Friend is marked by a significant shift in identity. The first Friend, Fukubei, is seemingly killed during a confrontation in the year 2015. However, his death is kept a secret from the world. To maintain the illusion of his power and divinity, his hidden accomplice, Katsumata, undergoes surgery to assume Fukubei's appearance and takes his place as Friend. This second Friend then orchestrates a "resurrection," solidifying his godlike status in the eyes of his followers and escalating the plan to its final, most destructive phase.
Friend is notable for several abilities. His primary power is his charismatic manipulation, allowing him to sway millions of followers to his will and justify heinous acts as righteous. He is a master planner, possessing genius-level intelligence that he uses to anticipate events and orchestrate complex global conspiracies from the shadows. He also relies on advanced technology, including giant robots, hallucinogenic drugs, and deadly artificial viruses. Early in the story, he creates the illusion of supernatural powers, such as levitation, through simple tricks. In some interpretations, the character also possesses or claims to possess extrasensory perception (ESP), an ability he says his daughter Kanna has inherited. His most defining characteristic, however, is his use of different masks: first a "Ninja Hattori-kun" mask, and later an iconic white mask emblazoned with his cult's symbol.