 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(May 2021) |
This is a list of characters from the manga and anime series Astro Boy created by Osamu Tezuka, including the 1963, 1980, and 2003 adaptations.
| | This article needs additional citations for verification .(May 2021) |
This is a list of characters from the manga and anime series Astro Boy created by Osamu Tezuka, including the 1963, 1980, and 2003 adaptations.
Mighty Atom / Astro Boy (dub) (アトム, Atomu)
The robot boy fashioned after the deceased son of Dr. Tenma, the head of the Ministry of Science in the year 2000. Aside from possessing the strength of 100,000 horsepower (later 1,000,000, though these numbers often fluctuate between stories) and the kind personality of a child, he has what are called his "seven amazing powers": jet-powered flight, multilingualism, analytical skills, headlight eyes, super-sensitive hearing, hidden weapons in his back, and the ability to tell if a person is good or evil. [1] In addition, he has a built-in Geiger counter and shortwave communication system.
Dr. Hiroshi Ochanomizu / Dr. Packidermus J. Elefun (1963, 1980 dub) / Dr. O'Shay (2003 dub) (お茶の水博志博士, Ochanomizu Hiroshi-hakase)
The present head of the Ministry of Science and a fearless campaigner for robotic rights, who believes that humans and robots can co-exist peacefully, unlike most other human characters in the series (particularly Tenma). He is the adoptive father figure and mentor of Astro Boy, whom he recognizes as unique from other robots, following his abandonment by Tenma [2] and is physically characterized by portly stature and cartoonishly large nose, with his English name being an allusion to the latter.
Ochanomizu is responsible for the creation of Astro's sister Uran and his brother and predecessor Cobalt (who only appears in the first animated series). Somewhat eccentric by nature, he tends to be excitable when faced by a scientific mystery, particularly when his opinions are questioned by his scientific colleagues.
The name "Ochanomizu" translates to "Tea Water", and is also a neighborhood in Tokyo. In Atom: The Beginning , Hiroshi Ochanomizu has a sister called Ran, while in the manga Pluto he is shown to be a widower with a granddaughter. The character was voiced by Bill Nighy in the English-language film.
Dr. Umatarō Tenma / Dr. Astor Boynton II (dub) (天馬午太郎博士, Tenma Umatarō-hakase)
The former head of the Ministry of Science, who lost his only son, Tobio Tenma, to a traffic accident. Overcome with grief, he vowed to recreate his son as a robot: Astro Boy. [3] Once he activated Astro he was seemingly mentally better, but grew frustrated with the fact that, as a robot, Astro did not grow physically. As a result, he sold Astro off to a circus and disappeared. [1]
In the original manga, Tenma later regrets his rejection of his creation in light of Astro's heroic feats, but knows he can never truly make amends for them, only occasionally reappearing to assist him, such as by constructing robotic parents for him and aiding him in his conflicts with Pluto and the Blue Knight. In the first animated series, Tenma is not heard from again after the first episode until Episode 97, where it is suggested that he has either been institutionalized or committed suicide, while in the 1980s version he does not outright reject Astro, who is instead kidnapped by the circus owner Hamegg.
In the 2003 series, Tenma takes the role of the main antagonist, with his abandonment of Astro being triggered by the latter rebelling against him in light of his cold and destructive treatment of other robots. Upon seeing Astro's heroic acts, Tenma comes to see his creation as a twistedly messianic figure whom he ultimately concludes will lead the robotic population to overthrow humanity. In order to spearhead Astro's development to this end, he constructs a mysterious new robot named Shadow, whose true appearance is eventually revealed to be identical to Tenma himself. The series ends with Tenma being rejected by Astro Boy yet again even after resetting his memory, attempting suicide as a result, but being saved by Astro before being imprisoned for his crimes.
In the 2009 film, the character is given the first name "Bill" and is voiced by Nicolas Cage. It is the only version where Tenma both comes to accept Astro Boy as a true son and successfully makes amends with him.
Uran / Astro Girl (1963 dub) / Zoran (2003 dub) (ウラン)
Astro's robot sister with a shown adoration towards Astro; she is a superhuman robot with a naive, tomboyish personality. Constructed by Dr. Ochanomizu as a "gift" for Astro, Uran is an extremely mischievous little girl who constantly lands her older brother in trouble. While lacking Astro's weaponry and propulsion systems, she is extremely powerful (50,000 horsepower) and regularly accompanies him on various missions (or attempts to). [4] Like Astro, she is fully capable of experiencing human emotions - though being somewhat less 'mature'. In the 2003 anime Uran has the ability to communicate with animals. Her name is based on uranium, a metal used to power nuclear reactors.
Cobalt / Jetto (dub) (コバルト, Kobaruto)
Astro's robotic brother. His origins differ in the continuities of the manga and anime versions. In the manga, he is an inferior copy of Astro created as a replacement by Dr. Ochanomizu when he was missing and presumed scrap. In the anime version, he was a defective prototype of Astro built by Dr. Tenma, then sealed within the Ministry of Science archives and later released. [5] Cobalt has abilities comparable to his brother's, but lacks Astro's intelligence and common sense. Clumsy, accident prone and gullible, he is a constant source of trouble for Astro's family (and everyone else who crosses his path). Despite these problems, Cobalt is often shown to be extremely kindhearted and loyal. In addition to the abilities that were copied from Astro, he also shares a kind of telepathic link with his brother that gives him the ability to sense when Astro is in danger and home in his location. His name is based on Cobalt-60, an isotope used in nuclear reactors. Physically, he resembles Astro, but is taller and thinner.
Chiitan (チータン)
Astro Boy's baby brother created by Dr. Ochanomizu and seen primarily in the last season of the anime. [6] Created primarily as a comic relief character. Main characteristic is his loud bawling, which can shatter things. Chiitan's name is a pun on Titanium, as in Japan, it is cute to replace "t" sounds with "ch" sounds, thus making Chiitan's name pronounced similarly to "Titan" in Japanese.
Phosphorus & Ethanol / Mama & Papa (リン & エタノール / ママとパパ, Rin & Etanōru / Mama to papa)
Astro's robotic parents. Phosphorus is depicted as an idealized 1960s housewife, and she is sweet, kind and nurturing. She is entirely trusting of her son's impeccable nature, knows he would never deliberately lie or harm another being. [7] In contrast, Ethanol is portrayed as something of a well-meaning blowhard, often jumping to conclusions and losing his temper over minor incidents. In some versions Phosphorus is modified to resemble Dr. Tenma's wife who had died of a heart condition shortly after Astro was sold to the circus. Their names are based on chemical elements of the same name.
Shibugaki / Dinny (1963 dub) / Alvin (1980 dub) / Abercrombie (2003 dub) (四部垣)
Astro Boy's friend, a loudmouthed bully. [8]
Tamao Ōme / Specs (1963 dub) / Theodore (1980 dub) / Alejo (2003 dub) (大目玉男, Ōme Tamao)
Astro Boy's friend, a robotics enthusiast who immediately welcomes Astro into his class and as his friend. [8]
Shunsaku "Higeoyaji" Ban / Mr. Edgar Percival Pompous (1963 dub) / Daddy Walrus (1980 dub) / Wally Kisaragi (2003 dub) (ヒゲオヤジ / 伴俊作, Higeoyaji / Ban Shunsaku)
Originally introduced as a private investigator, Higeoyaji played several roles in the Japanese strip series, including school teacher and martial arts expert. [9] Like Dr. Ochanomizu, Higeoyaji serves as a surrogate father for Astro and Uran, providing guidance and advice when necessary. While gruff and comically short-tempered, he harbors a deep admiration for Astro, seeing him as the son he never had, and even stands up to the formidable Inspector Tawashi in the boy's defense. In both the original comic strip and the 1980s Japanese series, he was Astro's school teacher (in Naoki Urasawa's Pluto he has apparently been promoted to principal), and his nickname was Mr. Mustachio or Daddy Walrus. In the 2003 remake, he is notably absent from Astro's school, working full-time as a private eye and is also the uncle of Dr. Ochanomizu's assistant, Yuko Kisaragi.
Inspector Tawashi / Inspector Gumshoe (dub) (田鷲警部, Tawashi keibu)
A highly placed police detective with an innate distrust of androids and robots (the reason to this is never explained in detail). [10] Due to his opposition to Tokyo's robotic population, Inspector Tawashi has a long-standing feud with both Dr. Ochanomizu and Higeoyaji and frequently engages in volatile arguments with them. While arrogant, cantankerous and, in some cases, downright rude, he eventually comes to respect Astro's courage and abilities, even calling for his assistance in particularly difficult cases. Often partnered with Chief Nakamura.
Chief Nakamura / Chief McLaw (dub) (中村警部, Nakamura keibu)
The chief of the police and the partner of Inspector Tawashi. Played mainly for comic relief, Nakamura was normally portrayed as fat, dim-witted and gullible; a stereotype "clueless flatfoot" of the period. [10] Nonetheless, he instantly recognized Astro's good side and frequently stood up for Astro against his bullying partner. [11] In the 1963 English dub, he has an Irish accent.
Tobio Tenma / Astor Boynton III (1963 dub) / Toby Boynton (1980 dub) (天馬飛雄, Tenma Tobio)
Dr. Tenma's son who died in a car accident. [1] His death motivates the creation of Astro.
Pluto (プルートウ, Purūtō) is the central antagonist of the iconic The Greatest Robot in the World (地上最大のロボット, Chijō Saidai no Robotto) story arc. His creation was commissioned by corrupt sultan Chochi Chochi Ababa the Third to become the "strongest robot in the world" by killing all his competition in this field. These victims include Montblanc, North #2, Brando, Gesicht, Hercules and Photar, all of whom he destroys with ease while demonstrating himself as an emotionless killing machine, blindly loyal to his master and caring for nothing besides fighting. When fighting Astro Boy, his final target, Pluto begins to question his actions after being saved by his enemy. He also develops a soft spot for Astro Boy's sister Uran. During their final battle at a volcano, Pluto's creator reveals an even stronger robot named Bora, and Pluto sacrifices himself to destroy this enemy, save Astro and contain the volcanic eruption. [12] [13]
In the 2003 TV series, Pluto was created by Shadow, Dr. Tenma's robot double, and sacrifices himself to defeat a copy of himself named Acheron, who is the series' equivalent of Bora. [14] [15]
The story of Pluto is revised again in an eponymous 2003 manga by Naoki Urasawa, adapted to animation in 2023. This version of the character was originally Sahad, a peaceful Persian robot who was reprogrammed into an instrument of destruction. His creator, Dr. Abullah, became consumed with hatred due to losing his family in a devastating Middle-Eastern war, where robots fought other robots, being unable to kill humans. Abullah instigated a plot to destroy the world via an artificial intelligence based on himself before dying in the bombings. This plan includes the use of Bora, who in this version is a colossal robot embedded within the Earth and set to destroy it by tunneling into its core. Astro confronts Pluto after being implanted with what remains of Gesicht, who is initially the main protagonist of Pluto. Like in the original story, Pluto has a change of heart and sacrifices himself to destroy Bora after being spared by his opponent.
Astro Boy, known in Japan by its original name Mighty Atom, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka. It was serialized in Kobunsha's Shōnen from 1952 to 1968. The 112 chapters were collected into 23 tankōbon volumes by Akita Shoten. Dark Horse Comics published an English translation in 2002. The story follows Astro Boy, an android young boy with human emotions who is created by Umataro Tenma after the recent death of his son Tobio. Eventually, Astro is sold to a robot circus run by Hamegg, but is saved from his servitude by Professor Ochanomizu. Astro becomes a surrogate son to Ochanomizu who creates a robotic family for Astro and helps him to live a normal life like an average human boy, while accompanying him on adventures.
Black Jack is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka in the 1970s, dealing with the medical adventures of the title character, doctor Black Jack. Black Jack consists of hundreds of short, self-contained stories that are typically about 20 pages long. Black Jack has also been animated into an OVA, two television series and two films.
Galaxy Express 999 is a Japanese manga series. It is written and illustrated by Leiji Matsumoto, later adapted into a number of anime films and television series. It is set in a spacefaring, high-tech future in which humans have learned how to transfer their minds and emotions with perfect fidelity into mechanical bodies, thus achieving practical immortality.
Osamu Tezuka's Star System is the name given to the recurring characters in manga created by manga artist Osamu Tezuka. Throughout his career, Tezuka frequently re-used the same character designs or names in different roles across series; for example, the character Shunsaku Ban appears as a detective in Metropolis and as Astro Boy's teacher in Astro Boy. The name alludes to the Hollywood practice of the star system, and can be seen as analogous to film directors who work with the same actors across multiple movies; Tezuka joked about how much his characters were paid, and occasionally based them on famous western actors.
Pluto is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Original from September 2003 to April 2009, with its chapters collected into eight tankōbon volumes. The series is based on Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy, specifically "The Greatest Robot on Earth" story arc, and named after the arc's chief villain. Urasawa reinterprets the story as a suspenseful murder mystery starring Gesicht, a Europol robot detective trying to solve the case of a string of robot and human deaths. Takashi Nagasaki is credited as the series' co-author. Macoto Tezka, Osamu Tezuka's son, supervised the series, and Tezuka Productions is listed as having given cooperation.
Astro Boy, known in Japan and Pluto as Atom, is a superhero and the protagonist of the eponymous franchise. Created by Osamu Tezuka, the character was introduced in the 1951 Captain Atom manga. Astro Boy has appeared in animated television shows and feature film adaptations of its eponymous manga, as well as a live-action TV series, other works by Tezuka, and video games.
Robita is a fictional character, a robot who appears in Osamu Tezuka's manga series Phoenix. She is also a character in the modern Astro Boy animated series.
Here is Greenwood is a 9-volume Japanese manga written and illustrated by Yukie Nasu, revolving around the activities of four boys in Greenwood Dormitory at a fictional prestigious Japanese all-boys private school named Ryokuto Academy. The manga was serialized in Hana to Yume from 1986 to 1991 and published in English by Viz Media. It has been adapted into a six-episode anime OVA and a live-action television series.
Astro Boy, sometimes referred to as New Mighty Atom, is a color remake of the 1960s anime black-and-white series of the same name(s), both series are adapted from the manga series by Osamu Tezuka.
Next World, also known as Nextworld, is a Japanese science fiction manga series, written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka in 1951.
Astro Boy is a Japanese anime television series, based on Osamu Tezuka's manga series of the same name. Produced by Tezuka Productions, Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, Animax, Dentsu, and Fuji TV, it was directed by Kazuya Konaka, with Marc Handler as the story editor, Shinji Seya designing the characters, Shinji Aramaki and Takeshi Takakura designing the mechanical elements, Keiichirō Mochizuki serving as chief animation director, and Takashi Yoshimatsu composing the music.
Astro Boy is a Japanese television series that premiered on Fuji TV on New Year's Day, 1963, and is the first popular animated Japanese television series that embodied the aesthetic that later became familiar worldwide as anime. It originated as a manga of the same name in 1952 by Osamu Tezuka, revered in Japan as the "God of Manga". It lasted for four seasons, with a total of 193 episodes, the final episode presented on a Saturday, New Year's Eve 1966.
Astro Boy is a 2009 animated superhero film loosely based on the manga series of the same name by the Japanese writer and illustrator Osamu Tezuka. Produced by the Hong Kong-based company Imagi Animation Studios, it was directed by David Bowers, who co-wrote the screenplay with Timothy Hyde Harris. The film stars Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucas, Bill Nighy, Samuel L. Jackson, Donald Sutherland, Charlize Theron, and Nicolas Cage. In the film, Dr. Tenma (Cage) creates Astro (Highmore), a teenage robot implanted with Toby's memories after the death of Tenma's son. The pair face Stone (Sutherland), the president of Metro City who is running for re-election, for their betrayal.
The Original Astro Boy is a twenty-issue 1980s comic book series by NOW Comics, based on the original Japanese Mighty Atom series by Osamu Tezuka. The series was based mostly on the 1963 Astro Boy anime series, but began to include elements from the 1980 series in later issues. The comic went through three writers and artists, and embellished the original plotline, despite only covering the first episode of the 1963 series.
Don Dracula is a manga by Osamu Tezuka that began serialization in 1979. An anime television series aired from April 5 to April 26, 1982.
Mitsume ga Tōru is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by legendary Japanese mangaka Osamu Tezuka. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 7 July 1974 through 19 March 1978 and was later published into thirteen tankōbon volumes by Kodansha.
Jetter Mars is an anime series directed by Rintaro and written by Osamu Tezuka. Originally planned by Tezuka as a full-color remake of the original anime adaptation of his popular manga series Astro Boy, unfavorable circumstances during the pre-production phase of the project led him to abandon it temporarily and create Jetter Mars instead. Although it remains as one of Tezuka's lesser known works, it gained a large following and is fondly remembered.
Atom: The Beginning is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tetsurō Kasahara, with writing contributions by Makoto Tezuka and Masami Yuki. It was serialized in Hero's Inc.'s Monthly Hero's magazine from December 2014 to December 2020 and transferred to Comiplex online website in November 2020. Its chapters have been collected in 19 tankōbon volumes as of September 2023. An anime television series adaptation aired from April to July 2017.
Hisashi Katsuta was a Japanese actor and voice actor. He is best known for his voice-over portrayal of Professor Ochanomizu in three anime adaptations of the Astro Boy franchise, and also voiced Dr. Hoshi in Astroganger (1972–1973), Professor Tobishima in Groizer X (1976–1977), and Shin'ichirō Izumi in Tōshō Daimos (1978–1979).