Oct 28th, 2002

October 28th, 2002. From the desk of Hank Foster, contributing columnist for The Weekly American magazine:

These days, everyone knows someone who knows someone who met someone who could be a comic book hero or villain, an actual, god-given, super-powered human being. Due to their scattered locations and generally anti-social nature, the powered individuals have no self-given name or identity as a group; however, they have collectively become know as the “Sui Generis” meaning, essentially, a class of their own. And everyone has an opinion about them – they are exciting and fun, they are good for society, they are ruining the social norms, they are undermining government and militaries, they are just fine thank you – but not for an in-law… But for all the hype, the very real tragedy that can surround the Sui Generis (pronounced “sü-ˌī-ˈje-nə-rəs”) is often overlooked.

The Sui Generis are frequently social outcasts, reclusive by force or inclination, and the few we’ve found in Asia are no exception. Jae Yeop and Aki Watanabe were both “otaku” – jacked-in internet junkies whose only interaction with other living people is through their online avatars and personalities. Jae lived in Incheaon, Korea, an orphan adopted by a pair of American expatriates living in the city, grew up a quiet child with an even temperment and a fondness for science. The specifics are unclear but information suggests that in the fall of 1998, he developed the extraordinary ability to refract the portion of the light spectrum visible to man, making him difficult to see, if not entirely invisible, upon demand.

Aki was 18 years old and lived in Nagasaki, Japan with her wealthy family, the father an executive with an automotive company and her mother, the only child of a family dating back hundreds of years as one of the most influential in southern Japan. It is unclear when her powers started developing and scientists cannot determine a link between age, physical development, or puberty and the onset of the extra-human powers. At some point, Aki realized she could cause small, almost unnoticeable, fluctuations in the gravity well surrounding herself. When finely honed on a single object, the ensuing results could be devastating to her “target”.

The online geek community is rampant with chat rooms, fan sites, sightings, and theories about the origin of the Sui Generis. Unlike the rest of the world, which remains stridently divided on the Sui Generis, the geek community is the one social enclave that has been simply thrilled to discover super-powered humans. No holds barred, unadulterated joy; the fact that the people with these powers are so often found on the fringes of society has only strengthened this underground community’s excitement and welcome. For people used to social ostracism it has been easy to accept that the gifted are also the unusual, “one of them”, as put by several members of the online communities dedicated to Sui Generis fandom. The number of people on these sites claiming to be Sui Generis is patently untrue, but every once in a while one, or in this case two, find each other. The Internet, after all, is a haven for those who seek community while maintaining isolation.

One of the most touching things about the geek community in general (although it is not always reflected in their online presence) is their general optimism and ability to keep a pure ideology. “With great power, comes great responsibility” (Spiderman as written by Stan Lee with an unaccredited citation to Voltaire) is an overarching theme of science fiction, comics, and fantasy. From this background, it’s not at all surprising that two otaku who found themselves with extra-human powers would decide it was time to start fighting crime.

Because Aki is a gender-neutral Japanese name, Jae was originally surprised to realize his Japanese counterpart was a wealthy 18 year old girl. But if he was surprised, he was not dismayed. Aki and Jae made a pact to use their powers for good – to start fighting crime. In true comic fashion, they designed outfits (paid for by Aki’s parents), created a website and started detailing their crime-fighting exploits.

They started small, stopping minor thefts and spending most of their time posing for interested onlookers. To their dismay, they soon determined that they lived in two of the least crime-ridden places on earth. In any other place, their exploits would have uncovered endless pimps, hustlers, low-level larcenies, burglaries, and rapes. However, their image and abilities were the center of their burgeoning “careers” and the fact that they didn’t actually fight much crime became less and less important. They had an enormous online following and eventually attracted “sidekicks”; non-powered individuals drawn to the chance to be with actual Sui Generis, dedicate their lives to fighting crime, and bask in the reflected Internet glory.

In April of 2001, Aki, her two sidekicks, Ho Sook Tae and Shin Me, Jae and his sidekick Min Ke Young, all moved to Seoul – apparently to be ready to give aid against the ominous and looming threat of North Korea. Aki rented a small industrial building with apartments and training space. It was the teenager’s dream; money, super-powers, popular identities, a home with friends, and a looming but not immediate threat to rebel against. Eventually, the dream bubble didn’t so much burst as melt away, leaving the crime-fighting posse looking at the world through a soapy film; everyone wanted to conquer evil but in reality, there was little to do.

August 24th, 2002. A tropical depression has been elevated to Tropical Storm and later, Typhoon. Its name was Rusa and it was heading directly for the eastern coast of Korea. Aki, Jae and their sidekicks saw this as their big opportunity to help the community and save lives. Aki used her extensive funds to buy pallets of medical supplies, food, an inflatable rescue boat, and she rented a small delivery truck to make the 160 kilometer trip to Gangnueng, a mid-sized city of 200,000 people and the expected landfall of Typhoon Rusa on the east coast of South Korea.

What we know is that the five of them made it to Gangnueng on the 29th of August. Credit card receipts were discovered for a small motel just a few blocks from the coastal waters of the city. These former otaku weren’t planning to help the rescue efforts; they were planning to immerse themselves into the affected area while the typhoon was hitting the city. On the morning of August 31st, they received their opportunity.

Rusa was a devastating typhoon by any measure. Peaking at 215 kph, the typhoon had begun dumping torrential rain upon the city the previous night. By Sunday morning, winds were approaching 50 kph and by early afternoon, nearly 100. Details are few and far between but a motel employee saw the five young adults leave their rooms around 11am and drive off in their van, heading toward the coast and the flood waters that were beginning to consume low-lying areas of the city. This is the last time anyone saw Jae, Aki, Ho Sook, Shin, and Min Ke. No bodies were recovered after Rusa cleared the area. Their rented delivery van was found several miles away, tipped over, their rescue supplies scattered around the street for stray dogs to carry away. Their inflatable boat was missing.

Rusa claimed over 90 lives that day and flooded large sections of eastern and southern Korea. Among the dead were five teenagers few of us in America even bothered to notice. All they wanted was to be heroes in the eyes of the Korean people and they laid their lives on the line to accomplish that goal. We may never know why Aki and Jae were given their extraordinary powers; scientists have been searching for clues for nearly a decade now and outside of Sui Generis sterility, they can tell us little about how or why these extraordinary people are with us today. But to these kids, it meant everything. A realization of the superhero dream and society’s adoration. A chance to make a real difference.

And while I don’t recommend trying this at home, I can’t fault them for making that dream a reality. I only wish they were still here to tell us about it.