MEMORIES:
Mikey remembers...Any reimagining of Astro Boy is fine with me. They actually have a movie of Astroy Boy coming out later ... More »
Posted on 01/06/09
PHOTOS:
Cast:
Astro Girl...Billie Lou Watt
Dr. Elefun...Ray Owens
Voices...Peter Fernandez
Voices...Gilbert Mack
Studio:
Release History:
Osamu Tezuka, the manga pioneer, idolized Walt Disney, and sought to emulate the visual appeal of Disney’s animated characters in his own comics. In 1952, he began a manga series called Tetsuwan Atomu, literally “Iron-arm Atom.” It told of the adventures of a robotic boy, created by Dr. Tenma in the image of his own dead son. In spite of the sometimes dark mood of the stories, the artwork was bold, and clear, and the wide-eyed character faces were destined to influence generations of anime artists.
Tezuka created an animated television series with his own Mushi Productions in 1963. The American market was eager to fill the growing demand of a baby-booming youth audience, and Tetsuwan Atomu was ready to fill the gap, with 193 episodes eventually produced. (140 were adapted into English.)
The American version, called Astro Boy, debuted in 1965, in glorious black and white. Dr. Tenma was renamed Dr. Boynton, voiced by Ray Owens. Astro Boy was voiced by Billie Lou Watt.
In the ongoing story, Boynton creates Astro Boy after losing his son, Astor Boynton, in a car accident. Astro Boy is equipped with jet arms and legs, magnified hearing, super vision, built-in weaponry, plus emotions and a heart that can detect criminal intent. Dr. Boynton despairs that his creation will never grow, or truly replace his own son, so he gives up Astro Boy to a circus.
Astro Boy is rescued from ignominy by Dr. Packadermus J. Elefun, so named for his oversized proboscis. (This character was known as Ochanomizu, literally “tea-water”, in Japan) Eventually, Elefun creates a sister robot, Astro Girl.
With a cry of “Let’s Go – Go – Go!” Astro Boy did battle with all manner of enemies; human, robotic, alien and otherwise. These mecha battles set the tone for endless anime series to come. Behind the kinetic zing, there was often a warm, humanistic heart beating at the center of the stories. Nevertheless, some parents and critics decried the frenzied action and chaotic noise of the show. It didn’t matter. American kids loved it, whether or not they knew of its origin in the Far East.
A subsequent, color remake series was produced in Japan in the 1980’s. This too was imported, and brought with it more name changes. Dr. Boynton was now Dr. Balfus, and Elefun became known as Professor Peabody. In 2003, yet another series appeared, Astro Robot Tetsuwan Atomu, a Japanese title that acknowledged the characters Anglicized name.
The original series is not often televised, as it is in black and white, but it is available on DVD. Another Tezuka series made popular to American audiences in the 1960’s was Kimba, the White Lion.
