U.S. has little love for Astro Boy

[AprilSeven]

Here's my theory: I believe if the anime you are first exposed to included Pokemon, Bleach, Sailor Moon, and others - lets say anything created from the early 1980's onward, there is a likelihood you won't consider Astro Boy a "real" anime, and probably won't understand why there is a loyal core following.

Astro (and other Tezuka titles) strike me as being more "pre-1970 Disney" in style, substance and "soul."

There is an innocence about the characters -- but also a very strong, unabashedly emotional moral storyline running throughout the series.

It's NOT just that Astro is "cute" - his physical appearance reinforces the pain of unfairness set against him. We ALL suffer in ways that Astro suffers, but he shows a way through that pain and fear.

We don't have "super powers" - but Astro doesn't feel any sense of pride or arrogance about his "natural abilities" - so we can still identify with him. It's incredibly well written, and carries thought provoking messages.



Look - just found this on another thread - this animation shows what Astro is all about!
http://www.cedyna.co.jp/card/lineup/detail/atom/pop_movie.html

He's beyond a "super hero" - he's an example of how to live more fully as a human, and care about the world we live in.

Astro Boy isn't based on a video game, toy, or "action-based" comic/anime. It's not drawn "sexy" as so many popular anime are. It's really no wonder that so many anime fans don't "like" Astro Boy (or Tezuka) - because it really ISN'T "anime" as it is known today. It is BEYOND that genre. It's in it's own place. And THAT is a credit to --->

I've tried watching Full Metal Alchemist, Yugioh, and Bubblegum Crisis, and just didn't find an emotional connection to any of them developing. Everything was paced so frenetically, and constantly hyper/explosive. It might be that I've never been a "gamer." Or perhaps I'm "too old" - but they seemed very "noisy" without having the same thoughtful content I found in Astro Boy and Black Jack and Kimba.

So maybe it comes down to Astro Boy marking the origin of what became anime, but he (and Tezuka's other creations) were never trying to be part of a genre as they were trying to tell a story, and share one man's need to express his concerns about the world and the environment.

Just found this animation on another thread
http://www.cedyna.co.jp/card/lineup/detail/atom/pop_movie.html

Astro is much more than a "super hero" - he's more about being fully human and caring for each other and our enviroment.

[Dante69]

Astro is much more than a "super hero" - he's more about being fully human and caring for each other and our enviroment.

I couldn't have said it better, AprilSeven.

[toxicXheart]

Well said

[Fuzzy Pickles!]

I know what you mean. Lots of people I know have no respect of Osamu Tezuka at all either it pisses me off >
Who could ever take one look at Atomu and not think, ''KAWAII!!!!!!!!!!!!'' anyway?!!!

When people think of Osamu Tezuka, they think of two things; Mighty Atom and maybe Jungle Emperor Leo (Kimba). Most fans of anime started watching anime during the late 1990s to mid-2000s thanks to blocks like Toonami, Kids WB and Fox Kids showcasing massive hits like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Pokémon and Digimon and they all received heavy attention while they were on air. In comparison, Tezuka products, at least anime-wise, were mostly ignored. Both the 1989 Jungle Emperor Leo and 2003 Mighty Atom series bombed due to bad marketing and if people saw either of these bad dubs, they most likely came out with an indifferent or negative tone towards Tezuka's creations. Not sure how it is in Taiwan, but at least in America, things would be a lot different if Tezuka's product hadn't lost relevance.

[AprilSeven]

See, I don't believe Tezuka's works have "lost relevancy" - I just don't think enough younger people have taken the time or made the effort to read/watch Astro, etc. - and are reacting to a lack of "merchandising" for the franchise, rather than feeling the storylines aren't rewarding.

Even with the flaws in the US dubs, there is a quality and message and overall value to the work that deserves serious consideration. I liken it to classical music - Bach and Beethoven, for instance. You have to "work" a little more to listen and "get" the impact - but it is well worth the effort.

Each of us who love Astro and Tezuka's works can help by suggesting to our friends and families to read, and watch and give a chance!

Hmmm . . . does anyone know if Yoko Ono is an Astro/Tezuka fan? I'll bet she is!

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

You know back in the 30's and 40's and into the 60's Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, and others did quite a bit to introduce their audiences to classical music. Bugs Bunny, Beany and Cecil, Popeye, Woody Woodpecker and other cartoon stars Lampooned around behind a background of music by Beethoven, Offenbach, Liszt, Suppe and other famous composers. Those cartoons were re-run on TV during my childhood long after they had made their first appearance on the silver screen. (Maybe THAT's why I love classic music today) Even Tezuka made some use of Beethoven and Strauss (Richard) during Astro's creation scenes in the first two Animes. (Anybody know what he used for Mars?).

So are the cartoons that fans of the original Astro Boy saw as kids still relevant today? I think even today's kids would enjoy the old Bugs Bunny and Popeye's, they might not get some of the jokes (which were actually geared for adults back then, without being 'off color'), and some of the gags might be 'politically incorrect today however.

[Tetsuwan Atom]

I know what you mean they think there super Otaku if they like Naruto,One Piece,Bleach,DragonBall,Fairy tail,Attack on Titan,FMA and stuff like that guess what Otaku in Japan refers even more to non mainstream titles that come from all decades even though Evangelion might be the one exception in Otaku fandom in Japan.

I mean i like One Piece Naruto and FMA DragonBall Titan ETC but if you limit yourself to that stuff you just are someone that goes along with the flow in my opinion.

[toxicXheart]

Exactly!

[Earthshine]

It's not just Western fans of anime that have little interest in Astro Boy, Japan has the same thing. While the average fan of anime in Japan will say that they have a lot of respect for Tezuka's works the chances that they actually are actively watching his works are slim - just like here. Tezuka's name is widely known in Japan giving him a status similar to Walt Disney (though many would argue that Miyazaki is a better equivalent) and even then it's more likely that the average Japanese anime fan will watch something else rather than Astro Boy.

A good example of how Astro Boy is treated in Japan now is how Americans treat Superman; almost everyone knows who he is and what his weakness is and what he does and that may just be it. However a fan of him will know his real name, his arch enemies, his pains, his history (not just his back story) and his significance to the comic industry. The average American just is not going to know that or have any real intention of finding out about him.

Astro Boy and Superman are both fixed into the cultures of their origins as iconic, even altering the language in some cases (such as the use of the word kryptonite to mean something that causes immediate repulsion) but that doesn't necessarily mean they are top tier choice of people everywhere as something to collect, although Superman still is having adventures and is well loved by Western comic readers so I may have chosen a poor example here in that department.

Sorry for the long winded muse, just got caught up in my thoughts and invested too much time to back down from posting this.

I agree with April's post 100%

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Well they are STILL making Superman movies. Also Atom is still used in advertising all over Japan.