Naoto Date  

Tiger Mask, 伊達直人

Naoto Date, known as Tiger Mask in America, was an infamous heel wrestler with a reputation for being ruthless in the ring. Upon returning to Japan, he transformed into a face (a "good-guy" wrestler) after meeting a young boy who admired him and wanted to become a villain like him when he grew up. The child lived at an orphanage where Tiger Mask had spent his childhood. This encounter motivated Tiger to become a heroic wrestler, as he did not want the boy to look up to a negative role model.