Man Creates Hero Character ‘Pristine Stream King Salamander’ in Yamaguchi; Popularity Quietly Growing Among Local Children

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:56 JST, August 11, 2025

A man in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, created a hero character inspired by the Japanese giant salamander, one of the largest salamander species in the world.

The character is quietly becoming popular among local children.

The hero, whose name translates as “Pristine Stream King Salamander,” is an intimidating figure with a wide mouth, piercing eyes and masculine body with a red pattern. According to the man who created it, the hero is an “evolutionary form of a normal giant salamander.” It is a hero of justice, who fights “evil” herons and cormorants.

Through the hero, the costume of which was created with a helmet and life jackets, the man wants to teach local children about the importance of keeping the local river pristine. He has long been working to conserve and protect the giant salamander.

Japanese giant salamanders, which are designated as a Special Natural Monument, inhabit Usa River, which runs through Iwakuni city. They are thus a familiar creature to locals.