Are you more like Captain America, Hulk, and Iron Man — or more like San Goku, Monkey D. Luffy, and Naruto?
I’m not trying to make a cheap internet quiz or boost engagement with emoji reactions. I’m talking about culture—social culture, enterprise culture—and something we call “coopetition.”
And last week, I came across a fun article by Peter Merholz about evolving your career using Pokémon and Charmander… So why not use pop culture to explain a point of view?
So, what’s the difference between American and Japanese superheroes?
American Superheroes
Let’s start with how most American superheroes come to be.
Captain America is the result of a military experiment. And compared to others who received the super serum, his transformation works because he’s pure of heart.
Hulk — our favorite overpowered green giant with anger management issues — is also the result of an army experiment. The only reason he manages to control his inner Mr. Hyde is because he’s a brilliant scientist.
Iron Man? His power is money. Money inherited from his father, who made a fortune selling weapons… to the army.
Other notable examples include: Spider-Man, bitten by a radioactive spider; Thor, son of a god; and every X-Men member, powered by a genetic mutation.
Sure, not every American hero is military-related — but a significant number inherit their powers and then need to learn how to control them. It’s a gift, of sorts.
Japanese Superheroes
Now, let’s talk about our Japanese counterparts.
Son Goku is a Saiyan (from another planet), and in his first story, he starts young. Pretty much every story arc follows the same formula:
“Oh no! A big, bad, super-strong evil [monster, robot, alien, whatever] just arrived on Earth and is kicking our asses. Let’s train for a season and then kick his ass back.”
And so he trains—until his power level goes over 9000!!! (Yes, that’s a geek reference.)
Monkey D. Luffy, our future King of the Pirates, eats a Devil Fruit—a fruit that gives him powers—but it’s a dumb one. He becomes rubbery. That’s it. A rubber man.
And yet, this idiot with an unbreakable will trains—mostly by fighting. He usually gets his ass kicked, but he comes back again and again until he wins the crucial battle.
Naruto, an orphan who dreams of becoming Hokage (the #1 ninja and basically the “president” of the Hidden Leaf Village), starts off as a loud, annoying underdog. Sure, he has tremendous potential that we slowly uncover, but he has to train hard.
He trains with his classmates, his mentors, and—most importantly—by having a rival and friend: Sasuke, the cool, powerful, emo kid.
Other notable examples include:
- One Punch Man – 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10 km (6.2 mile) run every single day.
- Izuku Midoriya (Deku) – Had to train his body before receiving his power.
- Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer) – Trains under different masters and alongside his teammates.
In Japanese shonen (manga), you become great by training—not by being born special.
What about evil characters ?
What about the villains?
Funny enough, that text made me reflect on their evil counterparts—and there’s a trend there too.
In most classic American hero stories, the villains need to be brought to justice. And where do they usually end up? In jail… until the sequel, of course—because they somehow escaped. Batman knows a thing or two about that problem. It’s called Arkham Asylum.
And Japanese villains?
Well, a lot of them end up becoming friends.
Son Goku became allies with Piccolo, Vegeta, Tien Shinhan, Androids 17 and 18, Majin Buu, and many more.
Monkey D. Luffy turned former enemies into crewmates or allies like Nico Robin, Franky, Jinbe, Trafalgar D. Law, and his most loyal of all: Bon Clay (Mr. 2).
Same thing with Naruto—he eventually gained the trust and support of Gaara, Neji, Nagato/Pain, Itachi, Sasuke, Obito, and even Orochimaru.
Have you heard of coopetition?
Why all those pop culture references?
They’re really just a way to talk about coopetition.
Coopetition is a blend of cooperation and competition. It happens when rivals work together toward a common goal while still competing in other areas.
And honestly, I like the idea of local coopetition—and I see it reflected in our local ecosystem and the multiple communities I’m part of.
If I had to summarize the Japanese superhero mindset, it’s pretty simple:
- Train, train, and train—reach your potential.
- Find rivals to push you further.
- Get your ass kicked—Train and try again.
- Turn rivals into allies—and build something great together.
So, what’s your mindset?
Over time, characters have become more nuanced. Both American and Japanese heroes have begun borrowing elements from each other’s cultures. And thankfully… not all heroes are men anymore. Still, we can observe clear cultural patterns.
Interface25: Coopetition since 2010
I’m writing this because, back in 2010, a few competing agencies decided to organize an event that would benefit everyone — something bigger than the sum of its parts. What started as WaQ, a 200-person event, is being reborn this year as Interface.
It’s still built by competitors who embrace the coopetition mindset — that Shōnen, manga-inspired spirit:
Train hard, challenge each other, grow together, and build something greater.
So, thank you for creating that event with that mindset back then, and thank you to the community for keeping the tradition (and culture) alive.
Cheers and have a nice Interface25 !
