HIGASHIOSAKA, Osaka -- An increasingly popular group of teenage "superheroes" is engaged in crime-fighting and other volunteer activities in the city of Higashiosaka.
Called Hyotanyama Sentai Shofu-ger (Mt. Hyotan squadron Shofu-ger), the costumed superhero unit is composed of students from Osaka Prefectural Hiraoka Shofu High School who belong to the school's community service club.
In April, the Hiraoka Police Station entrusted the students as a volunteer crime prevention group.
"We will work harder than before so that we can become a bridge between our school and the community," a member of the club said.
Shofu-ger started as a "hero squadron to ensure safety in the community" at the high school's culture festival in October 2013. The group initially performed only on the culture festival stage. However, people from a local shopping street who watched a video of their performance on the internet asked them to perform at events held at the shopping area. In November that year, the group made its debut outside school grounds.
After that, the superheroes were asked to perform at a series of events, including a local community association's charity event, a workshop for elderly people and a local autumn festival.
In light of the unexpected response, Yuji Noguchi, a teacher at the high school and a creator of the unit, inaugurated a community service group in November 2015, seeking ways to make the superhero performances an official school club activity. After engaging in several events, the group was promoted to an official club in April last year.
"Hyotanyama Sentai" comes from Hyotanyama Station near the school. Currently, the superhero squadron consists of three students, whose costumes were designed by club members. They also generate a script for the shows by themselves. For example, if the theme of a show is a cavity prevention campaign at a kindergarten, the story is that the heroes defeat evil characters that are bacteria to teach children the importance of brushing their teeth.
The number of requests for shows has been increasing year by year, mainly from kindergartens and nursing homes in Higashiosaka, totaling more than 30 last year.
"I didn't like to appear in public before, but I have become more positive through club activities," said Sayuri Yano, a third-year student and the club leader.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
