AstroBoy Online Forums

Now that we are discussing "Stories of Astroboy", I have to confess something. In the chapter where Astro is re-created (and Scala blows away the other, absolutely useless Astro to prevent a time paradox), the death of Tobio is so quick and anticlimatic compared to the other deaths (from a back view, and simply:Vrooom, Aaaaaaagh, HONK, CRASH, R.I.P) that I bursted laughing in the subway while wathching the "Aaaaagh" panel. I don't know why, but I, a man who is TERRIFIED by cars, found that panel to be unintentionally comical. I think it was because I expected one of the dramatic, almost cinematic scenes Tezuka made, and I just found an Monty Python-esque "Aaaargh!".

I laughed a lot, too, when Astro found his miniature version looking like a piece of bacon.

Anyone of you laughed to/with a supposedly serious scene from Astroboy? Do you know the reasons why?

I am just reading Astro Reborn (in Dark Horse 19), and find the way he's become (disturbingly insensitive to humans) so bizarre to me that I also laughed out loud! I hadn't been aware of this part of his story, so it seems almost like a joke - In the beginning of that volume Dr. Tezuka laments ever letting Astro's story take a turn in that direction.

There's a lesson he learned for himself and shares with us - follow your gut, and don't let people talk you into doing something you don't believe in!

Not that I look at your avatar, April, I always wished that (at least in the manga) Epsilon defeated Pluto, and never rescued him. Pluto acted as a coward although Epsilon considered himself as one, but he had to care for the children. Pluto lived to kill and showed no mercy to him (but showed mercy to Astro!).

That's why I found nice to give the [extremely attractive] female Epsilon to be spared in the 2003 anime (and Denkou. She was too adorable to be killed).

So, to me, watch Pluto being destroyed is a guilty plesure... With no regrets whatsoever.

OMG I cried over Epsilon in the Pluto manga - he was such a sweet man (all those little kids that Pluto left without a "dad"). I consider Astro a pacifist character, but one who doesn't hesitate to use his powers to stop aggression. Epsilon was a pacifist of incredible conviction and courage - he simply would NOT fight (but his hands saved little Wassily).

And 2003 Epsilon is kind of like a whole other character who happens to have the same power source and name! I think she's very cool - but in a different way. I'm glad they spared her life in the '03 series and hope she returns in a future anime/manga.

Epsilon kissing that toddler which tried to tie him because he didn't want him to go is the only image of Astroboy that really touched my soul. Even more than the Angel of Vietnam (I've seen and read many things about Vietnam, so the menace of napalm and the killing of innocent villagers angried me, but didn't touch my soul. That Pullitzer-winning photo of an american soldier executing a Vitenamese activist... Now THAT touched me . And Stallone's monologue at the end of First Blood part I. I almost cried there I'm dead serious. Shame on the sequels).

"AprilSeven" wrote:I am just reading Astro Reborn (in Dark Horse 19), and find the way he's become (disturbingly insensitive to humans) so bizarre to me that I also laughed out loud! I hadn't been aware of this part of his story, so it seems almost like a joke - In the beginning of that volume Dr. Tezuka laments ever letting Astro's story take a turn in that direction.

There's a lesson he learned for himself and shares with us - follow your gut, and don't let people talk you into doing something you don't believe in!

I remember that arch. I didn't care for it much but I did get a real sense of joy watching Astro shove Tenma out of the way telling him to "SHUT UP!"

"Dragonrider1227" wrote:I remember that arch. I didn't care for it much but I did get a real sense of joy watching Astro shove Tenma out of the way telling him to "SHUT UP!"

I like his face when he's saying: "Don't worry, we ain't gonna hurt any humans...!"

I was considering getting the latter volumes of Astro Boy , but after reading this, I don't really want to . I just did not like the villain route they went with Astro Boy as it seemed like something M. Night Shyamalan would've pulled had he done the series. Nor do I like the anticlimactic death of Tobio . I really wish he was alive to the present day to have made it non-canon and wrote another series to continue the traditional Astro Boy. But, like the Ultimate series , an uncaring and evil Astro Boy does seem like a cool premise for an alternate universe.

I might get them for curiosity's sake, though .

"Bigdog" wrote:I was considering getting the latter volumes of Astro Boy , but after reading this, I don't really want to . I just did not like the villain route they went with Astro Boy as it seemed like something M. Night Shyamalan would've pulled had he done the series. Nor do I like the anticlimactic death of Tobio . I really wish he was alive to the present day to have made it non-canon and wrote another series to continue the traditional Astro Boy. But, like the Ultimate series , an uncaring and evil Astro Boy does seem like a cool premise for an alternate universe.

I might get them for curiosity's sake, though .

Ouch! That post hurt me. Astro Boy is one of the absolute masterpieces of manga. I wouldn't wish anyone to not have the absolute pleasure of reading the entire series.

I envy you and your book. I want it. Now. Give it to me.

X3 I admit, Tobio's death in the 09 movie just made my day. I think I'm sadistic. I was expecting a regular old stupid little kid action movie, and boom, child dies. It was so Bambi, the way he was screaming XD and I just loved the movie from that point onward.