Duke Red

The first appearance of Duke Red was in the Metropolis manga in 1948, where he was the classy and aristocratic villain of the piece, a part which fit him so perfectly that he later appeared repeatedly in villainous roles. Eventually, in series such as Rainbow Parakeet, he came to be known more for his grace and refinement than for his evil, and played parts accordingly. Duke Red has appeared in a wide variety of Tezuka manga, including Astro Boy, Phoenix, Black Jack. His character is generally a powerful politician with an ominous air. He is always identifiable by his overly large nose, a feature which made him a clear casting choice for the title character of Cyrano the Hero. While occasionally fearsome, Duke Red left a deep impression on readers, and became one of Tezuka's most popular 'actors,' though he never starred in a major series. Duke Red is frequently a father or father figure to Rock Holmes (as in the Metropolis manga, first issue of Black Jack, and Metropolis movie).

A tall man with a large, hooked nose and spiky hair on the back of his head, with a cockatooish profile. Sometimes he will appear with a monocle, and facial hair. When he has facial hair, he always has a pointy, usually slim mustache and a pointy beard.

Prominent roles

• "Duke Red" in Metropolis (1949)
• "Doctor Plus" in Jungle Emperor Leo (1950)
• "Mr. Redonov" in Nextworld (1951)
• "Wild Bill Hecock" in Age of Adventure (1951)
• "Professor Stickem/ Secret-AgentZM4" in Astro Boy (1963)
• "Mr. Nikula" in Black Jack (1973)
• "Cyrano de Bergerac" in Rainbow Parakeet (1981)
• "Prince Siddartha's doctor" in Buddha
• "Credit" in Undersea Super Train: Marine Express - 1979 anime film for TV
• "Doctor Plus" in Jungle Emperor Leo: The Movie - 1997 anime film
• "Duke Red" in Metropolis - 2001 anime film
• "Duke Red" in Astro Boy - 2003 anime series