Diabolik – Track of the Panther

The animated series Diabolik – Track of the Panther (2000–2001) is a co-production between Italy, France, the United States, and Japan. It draws inspiration from the iconic character created by Angela and Luciana Giussani, who first appeared in 1962 and has become one of the most enduring figures in Italian comics. Diabolik’s monthly adventures – published in compact, 120-page volumes – have evolved into a broader transmedia project that continues to shape his legacy. The animated adaptation sought to reintroduce the so-called “King of Terror” to a younger audience. However, in attempting to tone down the character’s more explicitly criminal traits, the series fundamentally reconfigures his identity. This paper examines how Diabolik’s antiheroic features are reinterpreted for a youth-oriented audience, to understand the constraints – both cultural and narrative – on what could be allowed to be represented on screen. Theoretical frameworks concerning the narrative construction of antiheroes in audiovisual media provide a basis for reflecting on how such figures are reshaped to align with culturally acceptable moral norms. In this process, Diabolik is stripped of those characteristics considered too controversial by American and European standards and recast as a criminal figure with a quasi-heroic edge. The analysis unfolds in three interconnected parts: first, it explores the relationship between the figure of the antihero and Diabolik’s original characterization; second, it investigates how these traits are adapted within the animated series; and third, it draws comparisons with other youth-targeted television shows airing during the same period.