Mutant Sabu (ミュータントサブ) is a sci-fi manga by Shotaro Ishinomori, released in various incarnations through his life.
It was a furthering of his short-lived Mutant X work.
Plot[]
One day, a young man named Sabu is involved in a traffic accident and receives a blood transfusion, which gives him supernatural powers. Having gained these powers, Sabu becomes embroiled in various mysterious incidents and has to use his new abilities to resolve the situations.
The Shojo version was a planned serial cut short, while the Shonen Sunday, Bokura, and Shonen Magazine stories deal with vignettes related to Sabu's different adventures. There are also even one-shots where Sabu exists in different time periods or with rather divergent settings.
Characters[]
- Saburo Kazeta
First version[]
- Rumi Ootori
- Michiko Ouji
- Ken Maki
- Akahana no Karoku
- Tonba no Sanpei
- Rumi's nanny
- The Ouji Woman and her other two daughters
Remake[]
- Mariko Suzuka
- Goro Suzuka
Serializations[]
- Shojo: September 1961 to January 1962
- Shonen Sunday (Special Editions): January, February, March, May,, August, December 1965, January 1966
- Separate Edition Shonen Sunday: June 1965, January 1966
- Bokura: December 1965 to July 1966
- Shonen Magazine (Special Editions): Spring 1967, Summer 1967, Autumn 1967
- Custom Comic: May 1979
Related Works[]
Mutant X/X Command[]
The earliest known prototype to Mutant Sabu. It was extended and republished in Adventure King during Sabu's hype in December 1966, but Sabu was renamed Ken.
The New Boy Scouts[]
A work originally published after the failed Shojo version of Mutant Sabu. It would later also receive a remake, and would be pivotal in inspiring a super-team in Inazuman.
Genma Wars[]
Sabu appeared in the final chapter and cliffhanger in the gathering of esper-powered people. In Genma Wars: Rebirth, he is thus present as a major part of the cast, and is specified to be the incarnation from Mutant Sabu. However, when he has his powers awakened later on, his face briefly transforms to that of Inazuman.
Sarutobi Ecchan[]
After Ecchan appeared in the "Ecchan and Sabu" short story, Sabu would later show up in a chapter in Ecchan's own title.
Pirate Prince[]
This series was inspired by the Captain Sabu one-shot.
Ryu the Cave Boy[]
The "Sabu the Cave Boy" one-shot was inspirational for Ishinomori's later works of Saran and Ryu.
Inazuman[]
Saburo Kazeta appears here as an esper boy who is granted the power to change into the mutant hero Inazuman.