Apollo or Apollon may refer to the leader of the Greek mythology-themed cyborgs, appearing in the Mythos arc and adaptations that source the story. His incarnations are listed below, and differ in some regards.
Depending on the incarnation, he is either the younger brother of a cyborg known as Helena or Artemis, or his connection to them is unstated (as with the Mega-CD game).
- Apollo (Manga): The original Mythos cyborg.
- Apollo (Mega-CD): Apollo, as seen in the Mega-CD game continuity.
- Apollo (CS): An updated incarnation appearing in the 2001 series.
- Apollo (009 vs. Devilman): A returning villain in the OVA crossover film Cyborg 009 vs. Devilman.
- Apollo (BGOOParts Delete): The revived Apollo existing in the parallel universe-type sequel Cyborg 009 BGOOParts Delete.
Trivia[]
Apollo incognitio, in a 1980 concept sketch by Shotaro Ishinomori for the cancelled Mythos anime adaptation.
- Apollo was to appear in the 1979 anime adaptation in its own version of the Mythos arc, set to take place after the Neo Black Ghost arc wrapped up. Unfortunately, due to Nippon Sunrise pulling out of production, the Neo Black Ghost arc was rushed to wrap up two episodes early, at episode 50 (rather than a 52 episode run), and the Mythos arc was discontinued while three episodes had already been drafted out. In the planning establishment for the arc (reprinted for the home video releases), Apollo was to face off against 004. He also had a civilian appearance where he wore a suit, which was partly re-used for an early cameo in the 2001 series.
- As Ishinomori tended to use the Greek and Latin variations of mythological names, due to Japanese language utilizing them, Apollo's name appears rendered as Apollon when translated out, and the episode "Gilmore's Notes" also used this spelling in English. Most English translations use "Apollo", though there may be the occasion it is literally translated out as "Apollon" instead.
- Though Apollo was absent from the 1960s animated works and media prior to 1979, Akiyoshi Sakai's Cyborg 009: SF Roman light novel depicts a young Russian man named Petrov as "Cyborg 0010". Petrov winds up being remodeled to have high-intensity heat powers, and clashes with his sister Helena in the climax.
- While Ishinomori gives no indications to the Mythos' cyborgs lives before their remodeling, some other creators have attempted to hint to Apollo's life before that of a "god". The 009 vs. Devilman novel explains away him and his sister as psychic mutants, for how they could have such powers exploited by Black Ghost, while BGOOParts Delete states that they were poverty-stricken Greek citizens in the 1960s who saw Black Ghost's offer of godhood as appealing to escape their terrible circumstances. Okazaki had further intended the teenage boy that would become Apollo to be Jewish, but his editor had forbade such a reference due to the heavy implications surrounding WWII, the Holocaust, and the continued marginalization of the Jewish diaspora in Greece.