At the moment, the identity of the creator of this custom van is as mysterious as the superhero who inspired it (it wouldn't belong to Batman Inc. Japanese hero Mr. Unknown, would it? Or perhaps Super Young Team's Most Excellent Superbat?). After what must have been several months of prodigious paint and body work, a Japanese person (or perhaps a team) has done DC Comics' Batman justice with an imposing and appropriately street-illegal ride that is sure to strike fear into the hearts of just about anybody.

Best of all? The Batvan comes with a life-size Batman statue. Check it out after the jump.

While the purple motif isn't really in keeping with the Batman idiom -- it's more like, what if the Joker designed the Batmobile? -- there is something inescapably Dark Knight about the van, even beyond its many Bat emblems and illustrations. The jagged wings are particularly impressive, and the front pincers are pretty cool too. If you're entertaining a feasible use for the strange yellow scoop jutting from the Batvan's front bumper, however, you may want to check yourself into Arkham Asylum. What is that thing?