The Fiend with Twenty Faces

"The Fiend with Twenty Faces" (Japanese: 怪人二十面相, Hepburn: Kaijin Nijū Mensō) is a fictional character who serves as a recurring antagonist for Kogoro Akechi in Edogawa Rampo's mystery fiction. A gentleman thief and master of disguise, he is considered Akechi's archenemy or most famous adversary.

The Fiend with Twenty Faces
Kogoro Akechi/The Boy Detectives Club character
First appearanceThe Fiend with Twenty Faces
Created byEdogawa Rampo
In-universe information
AliasHeikichi Endo (遠藤平吉) (real name)

Appearances

He makes his first appearance in The Fiend with Twenty Faces published in 1936, which was the first installment of Rampo's "The Boy Detectives Club" series. The titular antagonist threatens Tokyo, but with the country's greatest detective Kogorō Akechi away on overseas business, it is up to his 10-year old assistant Kobayashi Yoshio and the Boy Detectives Club to save the day.[1]

In other media

The Fiend with Twenty Faces has appeared in other media and served as inspiration for other works, including the two novels Kaijin Nijū Mensō Den (怪人二十面相・伝) by Sō Kitamura and its film adaptation, the manga series Man of Many Faces by Clamp and Nijū Mensō no Musume by Shinji Ohara,[2] and anime Trickster in which was voiced by Japanese singer-songwriter Gackt.[3]

An alternate version of him serves as the main protagonist of Persona 5 who uses his talents as a Gentleman/Phantom Thief to correct injustice. The game solidifies the protagonist as being the Fiend by incorporating a unique take on Kogoro Akechi. This version of both characters portrays them as two sides of the same coin; both fighting for justice, but forever at odds with each other over the methods.

See also

References
  1. "Kurodahan Press to Publish Edogawa Rampo's Fiend with Twenty Faces". Crunchyroll. 2011-04-27. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
  2. "Nijū-Mensō no Musume Crime Manga Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. 2008-01-02. Retrieved 2015-06-09.
  3. "GACKTさんが語るTVアニメ『トリックスター』と怪人二十面相" [GACKT-san talks about TV anime Trickster and the Fiend with Twenty Faces]. animate Times (in Japanese). animateLAB Corporation. 2016-11-23. Retrieved January 27, 2017.


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