"True Hero" Emits Black Smoke with Every Special Attack. Power Source Revealed to be Diesel Engine

Flamingo Finance Co., Ltd. announced on the 14th the new hero ‘Captain Fact,’ whose weapon is a “Truth Beam” that eliminates all misinformation. However, its power source is an old-fashioned diesel engine, and every time the beam is fired, the film studio is enveloped in black smoke. Furthermore, it has been revealed that the ultimate weapon to defeat the arch-nemesis “Mosquito of Inconvenient Truth” is a “super-strong insecticide spray,” raising questions about the hero’s environmental awareness.

A savior who appeared gallantly in the information-overloaded modern society, ‘Captain Fact.’ His signature move, the “Truth Beam,” is an innovative concept that decomposes and eliminates fake news and conspiracy theories spreading on the internet at the molecular level, garnering great expectations even before broadcast. However, it has become clear that the light that illuminates this “truth” is born from extremely old-fashioned smoke.

According to sources, the source of Captain Fact’s power is an old V12 diesel engine mounted on his back. During the filming of the climactic scene where the beam is fired, the engine roars to life, and the studio is instantly enveloped in black smoke. Fire alarms are frequently triggered, interrupting filming, and staff members cannot let go of their dust masks and goggles.

In an interview with our newspaper, Producer Suzuki of production company “Truth Pictures” proudly stated, “The powerful pulsation unique to diesel and the slightly choking smell of exhaust represent the weight of unwavering ’truth.’ This is a meticulously calculated production to construct a retro-futuristic worldview.” However, one of the art staff members whispered, “What’s calculated is the production budget. The latest clean energy equipment would have strained the budget.”

The problem doesn’t stop there. It has been revealed that the hero’s arch-nemesis is the “Mosquito of Inconvenient Truth,” which whispers in people’s ears things like “That’s just your opinion, isn’t it?” and “Where’s the data?” causing them to lose confidence. And the ultimate weapon to defeat this small enemy is a “super-strong insecticide spray” ejected from the hero’s arm. The ingredient list includes a cautionary note: “The environmental impact is currently under investigation.”

In response to this fact, environmental protection group “Green Justice” immediately issued a protest statement. They severely criticized: “It’s putting the cart before the horse to pollute the earth in order to correct misinformation. Isn’t that hero’s carbon footprint larger than the number of fake news he’s defeated?” Voices questioning the very raison d’être of the hero have begun to emerge.

Professor Sato (Media Studies) of Toto Information University analyzes: “The twist between ideology and means is precisely a microcosm of modern society. People seek clean and easy-to-understand ’truth,’ but are indifferent to the ‘dirt’ emitted in the process of generating it. This hero has ironically embodied the contradictions inherent in our naive sense of justice.”

In response to criticism from viewers, the production company announced that it would “positively consider” “hybridization” and “introduction of biofuel refined from algae” in the next season. However, this would require an enormous additional budget, and negotiations with sponsors appear to be difficult.

The light of truth will likely continue to be emitted from black smoke for a while. Do we demand unclouded ideals from our heroes, or do we tolerate realistic compromises? Captain Fact’s exhaust fumes pose a heavy, and somewhat diesel-scented, question to modern society.

Stakeholder Comments

• Actor playing Captain Fact: “Every time I say my catchphrase, I cough, so I’m really feeling the weight of the truth. My throat is raspy.”
• Producer Suzuki: “SDGs? Of course we’re conscious of them. We sort and recycle the spray cans used in filming.”
• Filming staff who inhaled the black smoke: “Every day is like being smoked. Thanks to that, I feel like my skin has gained some depth.”
• Diesel engine: “Gogogo… My era has come again! Eco? Quietness? Truth needs power!”
• Mosquito of Inconvenient Truth: “Being killed with insecticide before I can sting is like censorship that doesn’t even give me a chance to argue, buzz.”
• Super-strong insecticide spray: “I guarantee effectiveness. You might lose something important along with the mosquito, but that’s your own responsibility.”
• Environmental protection group representative: “His special move should be renamed from ‘Truth Beam’ to ‘PM2.5 Beam.’”
• Professor Sato (Media Studies): “Interesting. A very meta-level problem statement. I look forward to the sequel.”
• Enthusiastic fan (teenage male): “Coming out of the smoke is actually cool! Who cares about the environment and other trivial details!”
• Truth: “I’ve been feeling short of breath lately… so it was your fault.”

International Expressions

Haiku

• Truth shines bright / Spewing black smoke / Into the light
• Autumn sky / Sound of diesel / Hero appears
• To strike the mosquito / Along with the whole earth / Spray it goes
• Knowing not eco / Smoke of justice / Stings the eyes
• Falsehood too / Hidden by smoke / In places unseen
• Film studio / Covered in soot / Questions fact (truth)
• More than evil / The hero’s soot / I despise
• Beam fires / The earth itself / Coughs this day
• Loudly proclaims / Justice and / Black soot
• Insecticide / That too is truth / Says the hero

Kanji / Chinese Characters

新作英雄 偽情報消去 真実光線武器 動力源 旧式機関 毎回黒煙噴出 宿敵 蚊 最終兵器 強力殺虫剤判明 英雄 環境意識 疑問声

Emoji

🦸‍♂️➡️✨➡️💨🏭➡️😵‍💫 🦟➡️👂➡️🤔 🦸‍♂️➡️💨(SPRAY)➡️🦟☠️ 🌍❓😢

Onomatopoeia

Gogogo… Gagagaa! Pikaaaaa! Mokumokumoku… Gehoh, Gehoh! Buuuuuun… Shuuuuuuu! Shiiiin…

SNS

• #CaptainFactIsDieselFaction
• Is the filming site properly ventilated? #LaborIssues
• The enemy is a mosquito, isn’t that small-scale?
• #VentilationOverTruth
• Sounds like my grandpa’s tractor
• Environmental-pollution-type hero born
• I’m actually starting to sympathize with the enemy mosquito
• #FactHarassment
• There’s definitely an insecticide manufacturer among the sponsors
• Next, I hope for a nuclear-powered hero