The X-Man known as Sunfire has never been among the team's most prominent mutants, but has always been among the most entertaining. The Atomic Samurai has it all: cool powers, an awesome costume, and a lengthy history in the Marvel Universe. As one of the more under-appreciated X-Men, much of what makes this character so great remains unknown.
Sunfire is a character who has continued to pop up in the Marvel Universe since his first appearance in X-Men #64. As one of the medium's most famous Asian heroes, Sunfire, and his legacy, are critical to the history of comics.
10 He Was An Important X-Man In The Age Of Apocalypse
While Sunfire usually is not usually first among the good guys in the 616, he was a major player in the Age of Apocalypse reality. The sole survivor of that universe's version of Japan, his body had been experimented upon and pushed to its extremes.
As a result of the experiments of Maximus the Mad, Sunfire's form was constantly on fire, forcing him to wear a containment suit. As a member of the X-Men, he was crucial in defeating Apocalypse, venturing with Rogue to Chicago to defeat Apocalypse's evil son Holocaust and save human civilians.
9 He Has Nuclear Fire Powers
Shiro Yoshida is not called Sunfire for nothing: his mutant powers of solar radiation manipulation allow him to shoot plasma blasts of intense heat. He is also able to fly at speeds of over 150 miles per hour and create physical and psionic shields of plasma.
Sunfire has immense control over his power, being able to melt a gun in a man's hand without burning him. An Alpha-level mutant, His firebolts are powerful enough to shoot through planetoids and have even melted the hands of Red Ronin, a robot that was designed to withstand the atomic breath of Godzilla.
8 Sunfire Was Part Of The All-New All-Different Team
Writer Lein Wein and artist Dave Cockrum's Giant-Size X-Men #1 is one of the most important comics of all time, introducing characters like Storm and Nightcrawler and generally reinventing the X-Men as a whole. Though he did not officially accept team membership in the issue, Sunfire was a part of the group of mutants assembled by Charles Xavier.
The adventure saw Cyclops lead the new team to Krakoa to rescue the rest of the original group (plus Havok and Polaris). Sunfire was paired with Nightcrawler, to whom he generally was a jerk. Following the successful rescue, Sunfire told the X-Men they were all fools and fly away.
7 His First Appearance Made History
Before his appearance in Giant-Size X-Men, Sunfire would debut in January of 1970's X-Men #64. Written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Don Heck, the story saw a misguided Sunfire destroy a statue presented by his father to the UN and then battle the X-Men.
Sunfire's appearance was a major milestone for both the X-Men and comics in general. He was one of the first non-white heroic characters and the first Asian superhero to be published by Marvel Comics. Though his presence would be minimal for a long time, Sunfire was a critical figure in kick-starting the international era of the X-Men as well as diversity in the comic book medium.
6 He Values His Japanese Heritage
Given his Rising Sun-inspired costume and his "Atomic Samurai" appellation, it should come as no surprise that Sunfire hails from Japan. The son of a diplomat, Shiro Yoshida's patriotism has often been a driving force behind his actions, even when it leads him into conflict with other super-powered individuals.
Though Sunfire's country of origin is very important to him, he has also become a citizen of Krakoa. When Knull blotted out the sun and attacked Earth in the King in Black event, Sunfire worked with power-amplifier Fabian Cortez to become "the Krakoan Sun." This made him immensely popular on Krakoa, leading to his addition to the first-ever team of elected X-Men.
5 He Has Deep Connections To Clan Yashida
In the Marvel Universe, power in Japan has a name: Clan Yashida. This ancient group was once an honor-bound noble family, but it was twisted into a crime syndicate during the 10th century. Sunfire's last name, Yoshida, is part of the evidence that links him to this group (though it should be noted that the Japanese name "Yashida" does not actually exist).
Sunfire is cousins with two important members of Clan Yashida: Mariko Yashida, Wolverine's ex-wife, and the Silver Samurai, a sword-wielding, morally-ambiguous mutant. Though he does not traditionally associate with the criminal elements of his family, Sunfire would team with his cousin the Samurai as a part of Big Hero Six.
4 He Helped Found Big Hero Six
Big Hero Six is most famous today as a critically-acclaimed animated movie made by Disney; before that, the group was not famous at all. However, it has surprising origins in Marvel Comics, and Sunfire played a key role not only in their adventures but in the creation of the group.
In the comics, Big Hero Six was created by the Japanese government to provide the country with a government-sanctioned superhero team. With a roster of characters like Honey Lemon, GoGo Tamago, and Baymax, the group was joined in their first-ever battle by Sunfire. He would become a key member of the group for many adventures, eventually leaving it to return to the X-Men.
3 He Is An Avenger
Given Sunfire's propensity to quit teams, it may come as a surprise that he is indeed a member of the Avengers. At the behest of Wolverine, Yoshida joined the Avengers Unity Squad, a team formed by Captain America to address mutant issues following the events of Avengers vs. X-Men.
As a member of the team, Sunfire developed relationships with characters like Thor and Rogue, the latter of whom he would be on the Krakoan X-Men team with. Alongside the rest of his fellow heroes, he would battle villains like Apocalypse, Kang, and the Red Skull in the hopes of a better future for mutantkind (though he would eventually leave the team).
2 His Arrogance Is A Key Part Of Who He Is
If there is a defining character trait of Shiro Yoshida, it is that he is incredibly arrogant. Sunfire's belief in his own superiority has caused both him and the world he inhabits a good deal of pain, leading him into fights with characters like the X-Men, the Sub-Mariner, and Iron Man.
Part of Sunfire's evolution as a man has come in the form of being humbled. As his arrogance continued to make him lose, he has become more reflective and open to the companionship of others. However, this trademark attitude still flares up from time to time, leading to great moments of humor.
1 His Look Inspired Kyle Rayner
One of the most iconic parts of Sunfire is his trademark butterfly mask. The mask is generally unique in comics, featuring bug-like eyes atop a red, flared headpiece that is accented by fire. Since his debut in 1970, Sunfire's mask has made him instantly recognizable to fans and fellow heroes alike.
The Green Lantern Kyle Rayner may seem an odd connection to draw to Sunfire, but the DC hero's classic blocky mask was inspired by Sunfire. Famed artist Alex Ross recalled in a 1994 interview with Wizard that then-latest Green Lantern's iconic design was in fact inspired by the iconic X-Man.