What's The Work?
Tiger Mask is a famous manga written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. It was published in Japan from 1968 to 1971 by the Kōdansha publishing house. It enjoyed a sequel (Tiger Mask 2) and two reboots ( Tiger Mask: The Star and Tiger Mask: Shadow Of Justice).
From the manga and its sequel, two anime series, two films and a sequel reboot were then taken that is linked to the first series, ignoring the second.
Who is he? What did he do?
Mr. X is the main antagonist of the series. As in the anime series, he is an emissary of Tiger'S Den, the dangerous criminal organization dedicated to the training of evil wrestling fighters engaged, during matches, in impropriety and criminal acts that result from torture to murder. His job is to bring any traitor willing to break the rules of the organization or flee into obedience and submission to Tiger'S Den, well aware of being capable of intimidating and instilling fear even in the strongest fighters. However, unlike the anime version, in the manga Mr. X takes on much more negative connotations: not being present, in the manga the figure of Great Tiger and his deputy commanders King Tiger, Big Tiger and Black Tiger (in the manga the four executives are not fighters and have no difference in rank), the antagonistic role of Mr. X, towards the end of the manga takes on greater relevance: Although, unlike the anime, Mr. X in the manga never tries to kill Naoto outside the ring, after Naoto defeats the Miracle 3 twins (three Tiger'S Den emissaries who illegally alternated in the ring pretending to be one, powerful wrestler), Mr. X tries it all by kidnapping little Kenta (a child friend of Naoto and a big fan of the his secret identity) by taking him to Tiger'S Den in order to lure Naoto to the organization's lair and have him killed by his men. During Kenta's imprisonment, Mr. X, mad with rage and hatred towards Naoto, enjoys torturing him by beating and kicking him, causing a look of unease even in the four leaders (who were responsible for the cruel training reserved for members of Tiger'S Den) and finally hanging it on top of the winged tiger statue that represents the symbol of the organization.
Unlike the anime, where Mr. X dies while trying to kill Naoto, in the manga, after Naoto saves Kenta, Mr. X escapes along with the executives by taking them hostage, threatening them with a gun and ordering them to be taken to a place. safe, thereby taking revenge for all the intimidation and threats they received. Nothing more will be known about him and the executives, consequently not only does Mr. X not pay for his crimes at the end of the manga and is still on the loose, but he probably also took revenge on the executives by killing them.
Mitigating factors
He never made an attempt on Naoto's life outside the ring, but on the other hand he didn't have any problems hitting a person dear to him.
Heinous standard
Having kidnapped and tortured Kenta, causing unease even in the four executives (who had founded a bloody and ruthless criminal organization)
Final verdict
Mr. X manga version is a much more negative version of its anime counterpart, and could probably qualify.