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With an entire week-end watching 1980 Astroboy episodes, I realized something that I had barely seen until now. It seems some of the episodes featuring Astro's and Atlas' rivalry are much inspired of Starwars movies. Of course I am not speaking of the 2 very short apparitions of Darth Vader in Astroboy episodes ( did you spot them by the way ? )
Instead of lightsabers duels, there are lightningsabers duels:

Atlas is able to stop laser beams with his lightning saber:

And of course, what would be Starwars without a deathstar. Meet the super-weapon anti proton gun:


Deeper than that, it is the story of 2 near parents on very different paths. One is good, the other evil. When Luke Skywalker discovered Darth Vader was his father, he became obsessed with freeing his father from the Dark Side. The same way, when Astro discovered Atlas was his brother, all he wanted to do was to have him renounce his hate against humans. With the difference however that Astro already wanted that, knowing the truth just gave him much more motivations.
And of course, in the end, Atlas, the same way as Darth Vader did, abandonned the Dark Side and sacrificed himself for a noble cause.

Of course, I don't think we could call this a rip off. Only some ideas were taken, the scenario is far too different I don't think anyway George Lucas has deposited a patent on Fights with Futuristic Blades ™ nor on How to Block a Laser Beam with Said Futuristic Blade ™ The same way Disagreeing Philosophically with Another Member of the Family such as the Father or the Brother ™ is certainly not patented as it has been used virtually everywhere

Oh, I almost forgot the message sent by Princess Leia Organa to Astro. Strangely, it seems it was first addressed to someone called "Obi Wan"
http://www.astroboy-online.com/forums/inde...f=1&t=899&st=51

Lucas himself, drew inspiration from several sources, myth & samurai films among them. R2D2 & C3pee0 were based upon two characters from Akira Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress. See Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth, in which Bill Moyers interviews J. Campbell at the Skywalker Ranch, for some details about sources from which Lucas drew ideas.


The current edition of The Hero with a Thousand Faces features Luke Skywaker on the cover, although it was written in the 40s.

As to the lightsabers, I have seen them in several anime:

• Lost Universe has one that draws its energy from the one using it.
• Tenchi Muyo has one.
• Phantom Quest Corp. has one that is disguised as a lipstick (I laugh every time I watch it, it is just plain funny in a B-movie way).
• If I thought about it, I could come up with a few more titles that feature similar weapons.

As far as the attempt to save Atlas goes, I think it predates the 80s anime by several decades, but I must check the manga before I make a firm statement on this. Yet, Atlas had only one child form (in the manga), which was first seen in the 80s. I do not recall him being "related' to Atom, though. Nevertheless, it is consistant with Atom's ideals to reason with his foes, before fighting them.

For the benefit of those who don't know about it, here is Vader's cameo appearance in 'The Time Machine':


And in 'The Robot Stuntman:


In fact, 'The Robot Stuntman' episode contains many referances to Star Wars;

The Millenium Falcon and R2D2 (for some reason R2's head has become detatched from his body):


The AT-AT Walker and Imperial Star Destroyer:


Uran hides behind the Death Star alongside an Imperial Star Destroyer:


This episode also pays homage to another very famous movie at the time: