Astro Boy (character)

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Astro Boy
Astro Boy character
Astro Boy-08.jpg
Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka
First appearance Captain Atom (April 1951)
Created by Osamu Tezuka
Voiced by (English) Billie Lou Watt (1963 TV Series)
Patricia Kugler Whitely (1983 TV Series)
Steven Bednarski (Canadian broadcast of 1983 TV Series)
Candi Milo (2004 TV Series)
Freddie Highmore (2009 Film)
Voiced by (Japanese) Mari Shimizu (1963 and 1980 TV Series)
Makoto Tsumura (2003 TV Series)
Aya Ueto (2009 Film)
Portrayed by Masato Segawa (1959 Live Action Series)
Profile
Nicknames Astro
Aliases Atom
Species Robot
Notable relatives Doctor Tenma (Creator), Professor Ochanomizu (Foster Father), Tobio Tenma (Brother, Prototype concept, Deceased)

Astro Boy (アトム Atomu?, lit. "Atom") is a fictional character, and the main protagonist of the Astro Boy franchise. Created by Osamu Tezuka, the character was introduced in the 1951 Captain Atom manga. Astro Boy has appeared in animated television shows (notably the 1963, 1980, 2003 series) and feature film adaptations of its eponymous manga, as well as a live-action TV series, other works by Tezuka, and video games.

On 7 April 2003, the City of Niiza registered the character as an actual resident.[1] He was also inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame in 2004.

Contents

[edit] Creation and conception

Astro Boy (sometimes nicknamed Astro) originally appeared as a supporting character in the comic Atom Taishi (Ambassador Atom, sometimes referred to as Captain Atom), which appeared in Shonen, a monthly magazine for boys, in April 1951. Tezuka then created a comic series in which Astro Boy was the main character.[2]

Osamu Tezuka created Astro Boy to be, in the words of Frederik L. Schodt (creator of the English-language version of the Astro Boy manga), a "21st-century reverse-Pinnochio, a nearly perfect robot who strove to become more human and emotive and to serve as an interface between man and machine."[3] As Tezuka's art style advanced, Astro Boy "became more modern and 'cute'" to appeal to the audience of boys in elementary school.[4]

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Original Manga & 1960s Series

Astro Boy was created by Doctor Tenma (Dr. Boynton in the 1960s English dub), and was meant to be a replacement for his deceased son Tobio("Toby" in various English translations and Astor Boynton in the 1960s English dub). However, because Astro Boy was not able to grow and age like a normal human child, Doctor Tenma abandoned him to a Robot Circus led by the cruel Ham Egg. At the circus, Astro Boy was found by Professor Ochanomizu (Dr. Elefun) and adopted. Professor Ochanomizu gave Astro Boy a family with a robotic mother, father, sister (Uran/Astro Girl) and brother (Cobalt/Jetto). As head of the Ministry of Science, Professor Ochanomizu often calls on Astro Boy to help resolve situations involving humans, robots and (on occasion) extraterrestrials.

[edit] 1980s series

Astro appeared in the show of the same name as its major protagonist. He was originally built by Doctor Tenma after his original son, Toby, died in a tragic car accident. Built in Toby’s image, Tenma is nearing the completion of a child robot with jets and weapons that he sees as his son however his coworkers are afraid of the danger that such a robot may bring. While the robot is almost finished, the villain Skunk manages to steal copies of its plans and give them to count Walpur Guiss (his boss), who plans to build a robot equipped with the Omega Factor (which gives his robot the ability to lie and other negative qualities) to “rule the world”.

Doctor Tenma raises Astro as if he were his dead son, teaching him to speak and eat (which Astro has the ability to perform). While being alone, Astro learns to fly but accidentally touches electric wires. His destroyed clothes appear to be the only consequences, but not very long afterward the robot has a malfunction and his eyes flashing red. Tenma calls Honda, who tolds him the robot might have a short-circuit (although the real reason is the activation of Atlas, Skunk’s robot). Soon, the news that Astro is alive gets out, and Tenma, fearing that the secret is out, decides that he and Astro shall go to America.

On the cruise ship, Astro fails to master his powers, and has caused a lot of damages such as breaking a tap and ripping away his father’s suit. As a result, Tenma forbids him to go to the dinner with him, but changes his mind at the request of a passenger who want to meet his son. However when it is noted that Tobio is a robot, people all around the dining room are upset. Following another goof up by Tobio, Tenma expels him, refusing to acknowledge him as his son anymore and calls him a robot. While outside, Tobio is approached by a man called Hamegg who comforts him. A cruel, unforgiving ringmaster for a robot circus, he wants to use Astro for basic backstage work and asks Astro to sign a contract. Astro, not knowing what the contract means, signs the contract and now he is a possession of Hamegg.

Skunk, meanwhile, brings Atlas with him for his next plot, which is to cause icebergs to sink a ship and have Atlas recover the gold transported by the ship. Astro foils the plan by attacking the icebergs. He meets Atlas and they both realize that they feel they already met each other in the past without knowing how, then fight. Astro is drained out of energy and falls unconscious at Atlas’ feet. About to destroy him, Atlas forgives him. Hamegg soon finds Astro and locks him in his trunk. Tenma, now feeling remorse, calls for his robot son, but no-one answers.

Astro wakes up at the circus surrounded by Hamegg, Kathy, his employee, and Tornado, the robot star of the circus. Astro is given daily chores and performs a clown act in the show. Misunderstanding the instructions he is given and not yet in control of his amazing power, he commits one mistake after another, drawing Hamegg’s fury. By then, Hamegg is already doubting his decision to bring Astro to his cirus.

Dr. Elefun is in town and watches the circus, where Astro catches his eye. Suffering from bad maintenance, Tornado misses his circus act and is destroyed. Losing the owner’s confidence, Hamegg is in danger of losing the circus. Confident in Astro’s abilities, Kathy convinces Hamegg that she can teach him Tornado’s dangerous act, which involves him jumping through two spinning rings filled with electricity, which would save the circus. Toby trains while the circus moves to another city, leaving Elefun, who has finally recognized him as Dr. Tenma’s missing robot. Elefun finds him right as Toby is about to perform the trapeze act. Toby makes it, and then saves the crowd from the elephant robots that have become mad after Hamegg overpowered them.

Elefun attempts to convince Hamegg to let Toby go with him, but Hamegg will not hear of it. Meanwhile, Kathy plots to make it look like Toby was destroyed in an explosion. Hamegg is convinced after watching what seems like Toby’s parts scattered around, and rips up the contract. Kathy then secretly brings Toby to Dr. Elefun, who is going to bring him back to his native country. Elefun explains that Toby is an atomic robot, and Kathy decides he needs to bear a special name: “Astro Boy”. And thus, back in Japan, the adventures of Astro Boy begins.

The later episodes could be described as “free-standing”, having no or little relation with each other, although they all involve Astro saving the day, and he would eventually make himself one of the World’s Strongest Robots and also hero of Japan.

[edit] 2003 series

Astro re-appears as the protagonist in the 2003 series; an android with the ability to think and reason ('Kokoro', or Japanese for 'heart and soul'). Astro was created by Doctor Tenma as a ‘replacement’ for Tobio, his deceased son. Tenma, overcome with grief, decided to make an identical robot copy, which he will raise just like his own. Tenma, however, during the project lost the trust of his fellow scientists, who had thought that he has been overcome with grief and longing for his son and as a result went insane. Tenma, who was indeed displaying signs of insanity at that point, finished his project and named the robot after his son. Unfortunately, things got out of hand as soon as Astro was led into the basement full of broken robots (including Nora) and Astro (doing the same thing Tobio has done) asks for Tenma to fix it. After Tenma refuses, Astro rebels against him (the same thing Tobio has done) and as a result Tenma shuts Astro down.

Before long, Tenma well and truly went insane, and burnt down the lab of the Ministry of Science and resigning his position as minister . The robot, though, was found by Tenma successor (O'Shay) who attempted to bring it back to life and succeeded. The robot was renamed Astro, and O’Shay brought him up as a child and he eventually became the hero of Metro City.

O’Shay then made him as human-like as possible through means of allowing him to go to school, interact with friends and even gave him a robotic sister (Zoran), which he is very protective of. O’Shay also acts like a father to him, and also in the household is the nanny-bot Nora. Despite at time acting and behaving like a normal human boy, when duty calls he often fights and defeats evil robots, humans and on occasion aliens. Strangely, another villain is Dr. Tenma, who is deeply unsure if he wants Astro back or if he wants to kill him, as he is still insane. Astro cares about his true father, even when Tenma tried to explode them both, followed by the event where Tenma risked everything to kill himself. Astro started to foil the attempt, but after a while, he was unable to succeed (in other words, he failed). It looked just like Tenma was actually dead, but he survived it, later shown in jail.

[edit] Feature film

Astro re-appeared in the feature film made by Imagi Animation Studios in 2009. He is shown to be older (13 instead of 9) and meets a host of entirely new characters, but also those that he has previously met, such as Elefun. In the movie, Astro was, once again, made as a replacement for Toby after he died, although this time it is because he got vaporized by a robot. Tenma, overcome with grief, makes a robot which reminds him of his son, and yet this plan backfires because, due to the difference in personality between Toby and Astro (even though Tenma uploaded all of Toby’s memories into Astro), only reminds him that Toby is gone. Tenma does not want him any more, but Elefun comforts him, saying that he will find his purpose in life. After staying with Cora’s clan for a while, he is returned to Metro City. As Tenma removes Astro’s energy, he says that he is sorry. Astro replies that he is sorry to, as he could have been a “better Toby”.

Astro’s weapons in the movie have been changed or altered when compared to the other series. Astro has machine guns on his backside like in the 1980s series, however this time they fire actual bullets, instead of lasers. His finger lasers “digibeam” is absent. Instead of the arm cannon in the 2003 series, it is changed to full arm blasters in both arms. Also, his arm rockets are absent, although his arm cannons can also serve as a means of propulsion. In the 1980s series, Astro’s eyes act as lights, while in the 2003 series they allow him to analyze things. However, in the film, they are also lights, although they can see through skin or tissue intimidating skin, much like a X-ray. Also, Astro retains his super hearing and strength, as well as rockets in his feet.(super hearing excluded in video game)

Another difference is Astro’s source of power. In the original series, he is powered by atoms (hence his Japanese name), but yet in the film he is powered by the Blue Core Energy, made out of pure positive energy. It is unknown as to why the writers changed his power source. Also, this is the first time that Uran does not appear at all.

[edit] Powers and Abilities

Astro Boy has several capabilities and abilities, as well as weapons, to aid him on his adventures. Note that these powers differ slightly from series to series. They include:

  • The ability to translate more than 60 languages (excluding 1980, 2003, film and video game)
  • Strength equivalent to 100,000 horsepower (75 MW)
  • The ability to fly using jets in his legs and arms
  • Amplification of his hearing up to one thousand times(excluding video game)
  • Guns deployed from his posterior (excluding 2003 series)
  • Invulnerability to most forms of physical injury
  • An electro-heart that can discern people's criminal intentions (excluding 2003, 1980 and film)
  • Bright eye-lamps to assist his vision (references to additional x-ray ability in the film and 60's series)(excluding video game)
  • Laser guns in his finger tips (Excluding film)
  • Laser cannons in his arms (2003 series and film only)
  • An extremely accurate electronic brain

Despite his abilities and work for good, Astro is often ostracized by the human race for being a robot, mostly out of fear. Since he is not officially considered a citizen, he often has to deal with the prejudice of humans against robots. In turn, in some episodes the robots eventually also rebel against the humans. The majority of the series contains an story arc which concerns robot rights.

[edit] Other Appearances

As part of the Osamu Tezuka's Star System, Astro has appeared in several of the artist's works (although he is not always identified as "Astro Boy").

[edit] List of Astro Boy's appearances

[edit] Reception

Astro was listed on Empire magazine's 50 Greatest Comic Characters list ranking forty third on the list.[5] IGN's Chris Mackenzie also ranked Astro Boy as 2 on the list of the top anime characters of all time.[6]

[edit] See also

Portal icon Anime and manga portal


[edit] References

  1. ^ "Astro Boy: A Japanese Citizen?". Anime News Network. 2003-03-20. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2003-03-20/astro-boy-a-japanese-citizen. Retrieved 2007-07-01. 
  2. ^ Schodt, Frederik L. "Introduction." Astro Boy Volume 1 (Comic by Osamu Tezuka). Dark Horse Comics and Studio Proteus. Page 1 of 3 (The introduction section has 3 pages). ISBN 1-56971-676-5.
  3. ^ Schodt, Frederik L. "Introduction." Astro Boy Volume 1 (Comic by Osamu Tezuka). Dark Horse Comics and Studio Proteus. Page 3 of 3 (The introduction section has 3 pages). ISBN 1-56971-676-5.
  4. ^ Schodt, Frederik L. "Introduction." Astro Boy Volume 1 (Comic by Osamu Tezuka). Dark Horse Comics and Studio Proteus. Page 2 of 3 (The introduction section has 3 pages). ISBN 1-56971-676-5.
  5. ^ "Empire". www.empireonline.com. http://www.empireonline.com/50greatestcomiccharacters/default.asp?c=43. Retrieved 2009-02-08. 
  6. ^ Chris Mackenzie (2009-10-20). "Top 25 Anime Characters of All Time". IGN. http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/103/1036651p5.html. Retrieved 2011-04-09. 
Franchise
Chapters • Mighty Atom • Episodes • Astro Boy (1980 TV series) • Astro Boy (Now Comics) • Astro Boy (2003 TV series) • Astro Boy (film)
Video games
Tetsuwan Atom (Family Computer) • Tetsuwan Atom (Super Famicom) • Omega Factor • Astro Boy (PlayStation 2) • The Video Game • Tap Tap Rush
Short films
Characters
Astro Boy • Uran  • Pluto  • Doctor Tenma • Professor Ochanomizu  • Robita
See also
Pluto (Naoki Urasawa manga)  • Ravex in Tezuka World  • Jetter Mars  • Pluto (film)
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