‘Marvel’s Spider-Man’ Features Japanese ‘Spider-Man’ Easter Egg

One of the most popular, yet obscure Spider-Man references among fans is the often overlooked live-action TV series produced in Japan in the late 1970s because of its wildly different take on the Marvel hero.

With as many references to the Spider-Man world Marvel’s Spider-Man has, fans were wondering if there was a hidden reference to the old Toei series too. There is, but it’s hidden in the Japanese dub of the game.

As spotted by @ikazombie on Twitter, when Spider-Man uses his hologram gadgets in the Japanese dub of the game, the holograms ridicule and taunt criminals. But one of the lines is Spider-Man mentioning how he’s an “Emissary from Hell.” This is a reference to Toei’s TV series, where the Spider-Man there appears and calls himself cede emissary.

This Japanese take on Spider-Man is a tokusatsu series from Toei Company released back in 1978. It’s known for its deviations from Marvel’s source material as it completely rewrote the source of his powers and origin. It was a series born out of a short term deal between Toei and Marvel that granted the companies to use each other’s characters in any way they chose.

Not to mention the biggest deviation, which Toei’s Spider-Man is now most famous for, with the giant robot Leopardon. Spider-Man would summon his robot Leopardon in order to fight giant monsters, much like Toei’s Super Sentai franchise, as a way to keep kids more invested (and more willing to buy the series’ toys).

With all the references to Spider-Man’s greater universe, it’s great to see the Japanese dub of the Marvel’s Spider-Man getting in on the fun as well. If you’re curious about Insomniac Games’ new Spider-Man adventure, Marvel’s Spider-Man is now available for PlayStation 4. The game has released to an overwhelmingly positive response from critics and fans.

ComicBook.com’s Matthew Hayes also wrote a glowing review of title, scoring it a 5 out of 5. Here’s what he had to say in his review (which you can read here):

“Marvel’s Spider-Man is the best superhero movie you can’t buy a ticket to see, and it’s one of the best open-world games of the generation. Insomniac Games has shown great audacity in its effort to craft a wholly original Spider-Man story, with its own timeline and set of origin stories…Having played the game from start to finish, I can say that even the most hardcore comic book fans will have their expectations exceeded by Marvel’s Spider-Man’s impossible scope and exhaustive fan service.”