Summary

At the end of last week, a new action movie came to theaters around the world calledThe Amateur. While it couldn’t knockThe Minecraft Movieout of the top spotat most theaters, the movie did have a strong opening weekend, and many early reviews look good. WhileThe Amateuris only a few days old,Golgo 13is another spy-based story that began as a manga series in 1968. How are these two stories, with more than a half-century’s gap between them, related?

To celebrate the release ofThe Amateurin theaters in Japan, 20th Century Studios' official Japanese X (formerlyTwitter) page posted a very interesting post last Friday. The post included a poster of Charlie Heller, the leading character inThe Amateur, mirrored by Golgo, the leading character inGolgo 13. They share the same background, and the words (translated from Japanese), “No matter what difficulties we face,we will accomplish our mission.”

The AmateurxGolgo 13

A Special Poster Collaboration

Japanese spy fanswere given quite a gift by 20th Century Studios on the release date ofThe Amateurwith this special poster. It commemorates one of the most beloved and classic spy characters of all time in Japanese pop culture, Golgo ofGolgo 13, and puts him alongside arguably the newest spy-like character in the movie world. The two share a goal of accomplishing what they set out to do, and both are willing to do what it takes to do so.

The special X post features the main characters of bothThe AmateurandGolgo 13, mirroring one another’s poses on the same backdrop. It also acknowledges thatCharlie Heller is a CIA workerwho is an amateur spy, whereas Golgo is a professional. The post pokes fun atThe Amateura bit by reminding everyone that Golgo is a professional and much better at his role than Heller, but in a light-hearted way meant to make fans excited about the new movie while remembering an important inspiration for spy stories.

Amateur Charlie Heller Meets Professional Golgo

The Similarities, the Differences, and Why They Work

At first glance, it is easy to see the parallels betweenGolgo 13andThe Amateur. At the base level, they are both spy stories that promise plenty of action spanning across the globe. Both stories have appeal to fans of spy movies and books. However, the main characters of the two stories are from very different walks of life, and different parts of their journeys inthe world of espionageand assassination.

MyAnimeListdescribesGolgo 13as,

Golgo 13 is not his real name. Then again, neither is Duke Togo, Tadashi Togo, or any number of the aliases he goes by. A man of mystery, not even the world’s most prominent intelligence agencies can determine who Golgo really is, or just where he came from. But all agree that his skills are nothing short of legendary.

Armed with a custom M16, Golgo is willing to take any job for any agency, from the FBI to the KGB. He has completed every contract he has ever taken and will work for anyone who can meet his price. He is both the greatest weapon and the greatest threat to any nation; no one is safe once they are in Golgo’s sights.

Meanwhile,20th Century StudiosdescribesThe Amateuras,

Charlie Heller (Malek) is a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA working out of a basement office at headquarters in Langley whose life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, he takes matters into his own hands, embarking on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible, his intelligence serving as the ultimate weapon for eluding his pursuers and achieving his revenge.

WhileGolgo 13is interesting because Golgo isso cool, and so good at his job. That is what keeps fans coming back and wanting more, because they can enjoy the professional and sleek way he handles himself. Meanwhile, Charlie Heller is the complete opposite. The title ofThe Amateuralready gives away that he is anything but a professional - this is his first time doing this kind of thing, and so he approaches the situation in a very different manner than Golgo.

And that is exactly why the two stories compliment each other so well. Rather than just being the same story with the same kind of character again, they both approach the genre from a different angle. They present two sides of the same coin, and bring the audience along for an equally thrilling but very different ride. That is what makes the poster collaboration between the two titles so fun, and is definitely an exciting bit of fun for spy fans on the internet.