CAPTAIN HAMA
Real Name: Hama (first name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Human, citizen of Japan
Occupation: Captain of the Jinguichi Maru
Group Membership: Jinguichi Maru's crew (Matsunaga, Eiko Shimura, Takeda, others)
Affiliations: X-Men (Banshee/Sean Cassidy, Colossus/Peter Rasputin, Cyclops/Scott Summers, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/James "Logan" Howlett)
Enemies: None
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Shipyard of Agarashima, Honshu, Japan,
Jinguichi Maru ship;
mobile in the Japanese waters
First Appearance: X-Men I#117 (January, 1979)
Powers/Abilities: Captain Hama possesses no known superhuman powers. A skilled, experienced and high ranking member of the Japanese navy he was dedicated to his mission but was still able of acts of compassion even if they might violate the classified nature of his mission.
Height: 5'9" (by approximation)
Weight: 145 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Black
History:
(X-Men I#117 (fb) - BTS) - Hama was captain of the Jinguichi Maru a ship sent out on a delicate government mission to Antarctica. The mission was so top secret, they were forbidden to communicate with other vessels under any circumstance.
(X-Men I#118 (fb) - BTS) - The Jinguichi Maru's Antarctic voyage took two years.
(X-Men I#117) - While sailing through the Antarctic, Captain Hama suddenly spotted the primitive raft the X-Men had constructed to leave the Savage Land following a recent adventure there. Even though their mission clearly stated they were to avoid contacting outsiders, Hama wasn't about to violate the laws of the sea by ignoring people who were clearly in need. He had them brought aboard where he soon realized the refugees were actually costumed superheroes. Slightly taken back, he nevertheless welcomed the heroes onto his ship. But when Cyclops, leader of the X-Men asked to use the radio, Hama explained the restrictions of his mission. However, he did offer them his hospitality, allowing them to stay on board as his guests until the Jinguichi Maru would return to Japan.
(X-Men I#118 (fb) - BTS) - Their voyage back to Japan took six weeks during which the X-Men continuously trained to hone their powers even further. They also became friendly with Hama and his crew.
(Classic X-Men#23 - BTS) - On their way back to Japan, the Jinguichi Maru was caught in a terrible typhoon that lasted hours and rocked the ship terribly despite Storm's attempts to control the local weather patterns. As a result of the elemental onslaught, crew member Eiko Shimura was tossed overboard. Her fall was accidentally spotted by Nightcrawler from a porthole. He teleported outside to rescue her, but because of the storm Kurt was unable to locate the ship again to return. Some time later, mounting a rescue effort for their missing friends, Hama steered the Jinguichi Maru to a seemingly uninhabited island where both Shimura and Nightcrawler turned out to be alive and well.
(X-Men I#118) - Eventually the Jinguichi Maru arrived at their home port Agarashima on the Japanese island Honshu, only to find most of the island was on fire. Initially, they believed Japan had been struck by a natural disaster like a massive earthquake (in reality Moses Magnum had attacked the island). Because of the current situation, Hama didn't dare to pull up to the harbor and planned to use his ship to evacuate refugees in need. Though understanding, the X-Men said goodbye to Hama and his crew and went ashore.
Comments: Created by Chris Claremont (writer), John Byrne (pencils), Terry Austin (inks).
Captain Hama was in charge of a vessel called the Jinguichi Maru. There's no really fitting English translation available, "Maru" is added to the name of any ship to underline it is indeed a (seaworthy) ship. Jinguichi is a common Japanese last name, so essentially the X-Men were rescued by the metaphorical equivalent of, say, the USS Smith.
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
Captain Hama has no known connections to
During their weeks long travel Matsunaga befriended Nightcrawler. He told the X-Man all about his family that lived on Honshu. When the Jinguichu Maru arrived at the devastated island, Nightcrawler immediately asked Matsunaga if his family was alright. Watching a firestorm rip through the part of the city his family lived in, Matsunaga feared the worst.
--X-Men I#117 ([X-Men I#117], X-Men I#118
Eiko Shimura was a female member of Captain Hama's crew who befriended the X-Men when they were brought aboard. One night, during a terrible typhoon, she was thrown overboard. Luckily, Nightcrawler noticed Shimura's plight and teleported outside to rescue her. Unable to find the Jinguichi Maru in the squal, they eventually washed up seperately on a seemingly uninhabited island. There, Shimura was captured by a local tribe who drugged her and planned to ritually sacrifice her to their gods as part of a religious ceremony. Shimura willingly went along with the chieftain's rituals, but was rescued at the last moment by Nightcrawler who teleported both of them to safety. By then, the storm had subsided and the ship was able to locate them soon afterwards because Nightcrawler used an abandoned flare gun to signal Hama's ship.
--X-Men I#117 (X-Men I#117, [118], Classic X-Men#23
Takeda was part of Captain Hama' crew as first mate. He had some knowledge of American superheroes, though he initially mistook the shipwrecked X-Men as either members of SHIELD or Avengers.
--X-Men I#117 (X-Men I#117-118
images: (without ads)
X-Men I#117, p3, pan2 (main image, Takeda)
X-Men I#117, p3, pan5,6 (welcoming the X-Men)
X-Men I#118, p3, pan1 (Matsunaga)
Classic X-Men#23/2, p7, pan5 (Eiko Shimura)
Appearances:
X-Men I#117 (January, 1979) - John Byrne (plot/pencils), Chris Claremont (plot/script), Terry Austin (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
X-Men I#118 (February, 1979) - John Byrne (plot/pencils), Chris Claremont (plot/script), Ricardo Villamonte (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
Classic X-Men I#23/2 (July, 1988) - Chris Claremont (writer), John Bolton (pencils & inks), Bob Harras (editor)
Last updated: 08/23/15
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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