Deven

Also known as デブン (Debun)

Hello, My Name (in English) is…

To Japanese ears, “Deven” (phonetically “Debun”) invokes a common insult – “debu” – which means “Fatso”. Is it a portmanteau with the word “seven”? Or was “n” added simply at the author’s whim?

Distinguishing Features

While he bears a striking resemblance to Rommel, you can spot Deven by his bald bullet-shaped head, omnipresent cigar, and freckled age spots on his cheeks.

Status: Minor Star (★)

As unscrupulous as he is greedy, Deven is a true professional when it comes to playing crooked politicians and corrupt captains of industry. As such, he is usually cast as the main villain in a story, often with a gang of henchmen such as Acetylene Lamp or Hamegg ready to do his bidding, so that he doesn’t need to sully his hands directly.

Notable Roles

While his debut as the evil “Mayor Deven” in Captain Ken (1960-61) is his most famous and namesake role, he has also been featured prominently in Black Jack (1973-83), The Three-Eyed One (1974-78), and Rainbow Parakeet (1980-81).

Manga Appearances

If you spot an appearance not already listed, please let us know in the comments section below!

1960

Captain Ken as “Mayor Deven”

1963

Roppu-kun as “the president of the ocean-scavenging company”

1975

Black Jack (“The Two Pinokos”) as “the CEO”
The Three-Eyed One (“Secret in Glebe”) as “the Secretary of State”

1976

Black Jack (“Stop Drawing!”) as “the President of the publishing company”
The Three-Eyed One (“Skeleton Show”) as “the human at the TV station”

1978

Black Jack (“Helping Each Other”) as “the interrogating detective”

1982

Rainbow Parakeet (“A Marriage Proposal”) as “the Soviet Union International Minister”