I decided a while back to really delve into Astro Boy's origins in manga. I had picked up a few volumes at a garage sale, and ended up really enjoying them. I was hooked, but I really didn't want to start until I had a good bulk of the volumes. The curse of good material, I suppose.
Published by Dark Horse from 2002 through 2004, these Astro Boy volumes collect the original Tetsuwan Atomu manga stories (1951-1958). Originally written and drawn by Osamu Tezuka, they have been translated by Frederick L. Schodt (which is a good decision). Schodt renders the names of characters as faithfully to the originals as possible, which is much appreciated. The only real decision to deviate is of Astro himself. But as he tells it, Astro and Atom (which is an english word anyway) are very similar. And historically, the character has always been Astro in America.
"...at this point in history, I felt that using Atom in an American edition of the story would be going against too much history."
Introduction
The introduction is worth talking about, because it addresses many issues that affect the work quite a bit. Mainly the order of the stories of themselves. Tezuka was prone to go back and re-write past material if he felt it would mesh better with what he was currently working on. Obviously, when compiling a collection, how do you decide what order the stories should be in? Tezuka himself discarded the earlier versions, so should they go before the newer versions or not? The final order was made by what Tezuka and the collection editors felt worked best, regardless of when they were created. I'm okay with this, because it's Tezuka himself making the decision. And all the original stories are still there, so no problems.
The Birth of Astro Boy
Published June 20, 1975
The creation of robots is outlined, as well as the scientists responsible for major advances. These advances include artificial skin, reduced size, and electronic brains. Finally robots look humanoid, not the hulking masses they once were. In addition to looking more like humans, they have the ability to talk, laugh, get mad, and help out alongside humans. Robot children even go to school.
The laws all robots must follow are also introduced. Examples are "Robots exist to make people happy," and "Robots shall not injure or kill humans."
Tezuka then breaks the fourth wall, addressing the reader. He talks about how he started the manga back in 1951, but how ideas about science have changed since then. Then we get back to the story.
Tobio, a young boy, is driving his futuristic car down the street when he's in a fatal accident. Dr. Tenma, his father, is notified. Since Dr. Tenma is the Director of the Ministry of Science, he orders all scientists to create a robot duplicate of Tobio. They seemingly succeed, and Tenma works tirelessly to show "Tobio" that he's a human, not a robot.
Ochanomizu helps Astro develop his abilities, which include:
- Flying like a rocket
- Speaking sixty languages
- Sensing whether people are good or bad
- Amplifying his hearing
- Using his eyes as searchlights
- Using machine guns in his rear end
At 100,000 horsepower, the robot once named Tobio was reborn...and his new name was Astro Boy!
The Hot Dog Corps
Serialized between March and October 1961
Before the actual story begins, Tezuka explains the history of cyborgs to Astro.
Mr. Mustachio (Astro's schoolteacher) is showing off his dog, Pero. Pero is very intelligent and can do all sorts of tricks. Tezuka's early trademark humor is also shown here. Some of it is actually pretty funny. And for a children's publication, mildly shocking in current standards.
As Mustachio and Pero are driving, a strange car starts opening fire behind them. Pero leaps out to attack the assailants, but is taken. The car then surprisingly takes off via rockets. Mustachio is unable to pursue (despite trying his best).
Mustachio is still depressed a month later, so the kids decide to find out what happened to Pero. As they're speaking, a strange blue man lands next to the school. He walks around the grounds, scaring Mustachio before taking off without saying a word. Astro follows the man, eventually engaging him in a fight. Unfortunately, the man escapes.
In Junkovitch's lab, #44 finds a bunch of dog furs in a closet. Junkovitch says it's cold in the Arctic, so he wants to make a coat. Before he can thoroughly check out #44, the warning alarm goes off. Junkovitch tells #44 it's time to fight humans. He states that he made the soldiers special, so they didn't have to obey the Robot Laws.
In order to infiltrate the fortress, Astro allows himself to be eaten by a giant fish. The guards subsequently go ice fishing, capture the fish, and bring it inside. While sneaking around, Astro is discovered by #44 in Junkovitch's lab. During the ensuing fight, Astro finds Pero's fur. #44 is surprised that Astro recognizes the fur, and hides Astro from Dr. Junkovitch.
The Grand Duchess reveals the reason she attacks any ships going to the moon is because her mother went on a lunar expedition thirty years ago. But they lost contact with her, and she was presumed dead. The Grand Duchess in convinced her mother made it, becoming the first person on the moon. Ipso facto, the Grand Duchess is now the queen of the moon, and nobody else can go there.
For some strange reason, all of the soldiers are acting like dogs. Dr. Junkovitch reveals to the Grand Duchess that it's because he built them all from dogs. They're not really true robots, but rather dog cyborgs. This is how he was able to get them to attack humans against the Robot Law, as well as why they obey orders so well. But it looks like it's backfiring somewhat.
Meanwhile, Astro decides to take Pero's fur back to Mr. Mustachio, but #44 won't allow it. Astro manages to get away by telling #44 to, "Stay where he is." The "stay" part of the command makes #44 freeze in place. Astro escapes.
#44 later follows and is attacked by the police. They're no match for him, so Astro enters the fight and wins. Professor Ochanomizu discovers that #44's body has a dog's nervous system inside, and reasons that it's probably Pero's.
Mr. Mustachio has a change of heart and has #44 released from prison. He reveals #44's true origin to him, at which he suffers a mental breakdown.
Astro leads an air strike to the Arctic fortress. Dr. Junkovitch is ready for them, however, and unleashes an artificial fog and thunderstorm to deter them. The pilots all give up and retreat, leaving Astro on his own. Astro easily defeats Junkovitch, but is stopped by Dry Ice Man, a giant robot who manages to freeze Astro in a solid block of ice.
#44 returns to the base, but is tricked by Junkovitch (who suspects trickery). Junkovitch plans to erase and reprogram #44's mind, so he'll forget everything that has happened recently. While the machine powers up, Junkovitch leaves, and #44 howls like a dog to call his men. One soldier hears it, and instinctively investigates. He frees #44, who subsequently saves Astro from his frozen prison. But he tells Astro that the next time they meet, it'll be a fight to the death.
Back in Japan, they decide to send a ship to the moon as a trap. Astro is the only one inside. The Grand Duchess unleashes the Hot Dog Corps, and they attack as usual. However, the rocket is full of weaponry, and drives the Corps back. They still manage to blow it up, but a strange gas discharges from the explosion and knocks them all out. Astro reveals it's a gas that deadens animal nervous systems, so all of the soldiers are useless for the time being.
#44 laughs, and states as an emergency protocol, if no contact is made with the fortress after ten minutes, the engines will shut off, and the ships will crash into the moon via gravity. Even though he can't restart the engines, Astro manages to physically adjust the ship's trajectory to avoid a deadly crash. He saves #44 and the few other men in the ship.
One week later, Ochanomizu worries that they haven't heard from Astro (he's too far away to communicate). Mushachio states he's probably just on the moon. They then discuss the history of craters, and talk about how the heat generated from a meteor causes diamonds to be formed (using a real life example in Arizona). They speculate that since the moon is full of craters, it might also be full of diamonds, and that's why the Hot Dog Corps doesn't want anyone to land there.
Back on the moon, the Corps regain their ability to function normally, and plan a trap for Astro. Unbeknownst to them, Astro's amplified hearing picks up their plan. He in turn plans a trap, and causes a rockslide. He ends up in a struggle with #44 again, and they fall into a crevasse. They stop fighting and are astounded to find tons of diamonds everywhere. They explore further and discover a deserted hidden city. Astro finds a recording device and plays back the recorded message. It turns out to be the last will and testament of one of the city's residents.
The recorder tells of the moon people's greed, and how they built a gravity drive to cause meteors to hit the moon, thus creating diamonds. Their plan worked too well, however, as instead of a few meteors falling, thousands fell. The city and its inhabitants were destroyed.
The last part of the message begs anyone who finds the city to leave the diamonds where they are, as they are protected by a giant robot. As they are listening, Astro and #44 find the robot, who starts to attack. They trick him by splitting up.
Meanwhile, the Grand Duchess and Dr. Junkovitch land on the moon, along with many more soldiers. They too discover the city and all the diamonds. Unfortunately, they also discover the giant robot. They encounter #44, who laments that he wishes he was just a dog again. Junkovitch orders his execution while they're all still being attacked by the giant robot.
Astro is still exploring after escaping the giant robot, and discovers what appears to be the core of the city. The auto-defense mechanisms activate, and threaten to melt Astro. He manages to fire into an active glowing dome, hoping it will do something.
Back at the Corps group, the giant robot stops attacking and collapes on top of the Grand Duchess. The rest of the city also starts to collape and explode. Everything blows up in massive explosions, but Astro manages to grab #44 and escape just in the nick of time. But the Grand Duchess, Dr. Junkovitch, and the entire Hot Dog Corps is buried under the rubble.
They take a ship back to Earth, and #44 is put into a cyborg dog's body, effectively making him a "dog" again. He only has one strange habit. He sometimes goes out at night and howls at the full moon. It seems more than just instinct, though.
Plant People
Published January 1, 1961
Another Tezuka opening, where he openly discusses his dissatisfaction with his own earlier work at times. He talks about stories he did about plants that are conscious life forms with the ability to communicate and reason (specifically Lost World). He says he did a great short work back in 1961 called "Plant People," and it's one of his favorites.
The boys are sledding up in the mountains when they discover a strange flower blossoming right in the middle of the snow. Astro rushes over and tells them not to pick it, and that is has a strange origin.
He tells how one day, he saw a boy out in a huge snowstorm, and rushed out of the lodge to go help him. The boy tells him to beware the spaceship from Alsoa 12, the one with an "X." He is then abruptly taken away by two other strange beings.
Astro asks Professor Ochanomizu about it, who says that Alsoa was a star, but was destroyed some time ago. Suddenly, a man bursts in and states that all the snow has disappeared off of a nearby mountain.
Everyone rushes outside to see. An alien addresses them all, stating he is from Alsoa 12, and their planet is out of water. He claims that they will take half of Earth's water, at which Ochanomizu responds that such an action would kill most of Earth's inhabitants.
Ignoring his cries, saucers come down in huge numbers and start sucking water away from the planet in huge waterspouts. Astro flies up and tries to destroy the ships, but there are far too many. He also notes that the ships seem to just be simple huge containers for storing water. He remembers the hint the strange boy gave him earlier and finds the ship with a giant "X" on it. He busts inside to find the boy.
The boy is tied up, so Astro rescues him. Astro says he's confused, because Alsoa 12 was destroyed. The boy sheepishly admits to knowing that already, but all the "aliens" are only robots carrying out orders, and nothing anyone can do will stop them. He also informs Astro that the ships can rebuild themselves, so to defeat them, he must destroy them all simultaneously.
Since the ships are holding only water, Astro decides to freeze all the water. Freezing all the spouts causes all the ships to malfunction and explode. Astro then fights and defeats all of the robots that escaped the destruction.
Astro knows that the boy is the last true person from Alsoa 12, but there isn't an Alsoa 12 to go back to. The boy requests to live on Earth. Astro says he doesn't have a problem with it, but because the boy looks so different, it might be difficult. The boy says his people know how to live inconspicuously. His back splits open to uncover plant matter, revealing that the people of Alsoa 12 were plants.
Astro puts the plant into a hole in the ground, where it has turned into the flower the boys discovered while sledding. They all decide to leave it be and go home, noting that the coming snowstorm will prevent them from remembering where the plant is, but it's better that way...
Impressions
All in all, a great opening to the series. I am excited to go on. Some surprisingly deep material for a children's series. I am impressed. The humor is pretty good too, even the off-the-wall stuff. The whole thing is well-grounded. I was partially afraid of ridiculous things happening for the sake of being ridiculous (as is the case in many American comic books of this time period). Thankfully there wasn't any of that. It wouldn't have worked in this setting. I can clearly differentiate Tezuka's shift in quality, especially in The Hot Dog Corps. It's easy in that story because it was serialized over almost a year. But it's all good storytelling, which is what it's all about. Pumped for Book 2.
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