Tenma'63
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 12:21 pm
Hello,
For my Art of the Impossible", I was considering the actions of Dr.Tenma in Episode 1 '63, and re-watched the episode carefully (with very valuable help from my son!)
And he actually seems much less of a bad guy than often imagined. That is, once you consider the logical offscreen reality.
To start with, he could not REALLY have taken all decisions alone. He was a director or minister (depends on what text you trust; apparently minister in the original, but is a minister not a political appointment in Japan?). That is, a state employee, not a capitalist. He could not just do his whim with loads of state money, there had to be a reason. Besides, would YOU want a son with guns out of his butt? ANd if you did want one, would you *fail to teach him to use the guns* when living with him for some years?
So who approved the money and insisted on the guns? The military, of course. This is a Cold War era work, after all. I guess this was very obvious to every viewer back then, especially in the United States. Actual viewers who were kids at the time can correct me
So, Tenma leads the making of the robot. Then decides to train him in social interaction alone, as his son. But this is a very complicated task, likely not even tried before, and pushing AI beyond its llimits. Quite logically, the endeavour is too much for Umataro Tenma and drives him over the brink (he was not too far from that to start with). He is failing. He knows it.
Dr. Tenma could just walk away from the robot. The military would then take him over. Small size, very fast and agile, cute-looking, hidden arms - this is an advanced recon and raiding machine. What are his chances of surviving the next local/proxy war, of which the Cold War was quite full by 1963? Tenma does not see Atom as indestructible; this may be a kids' show but in Astro'63, unlike Astro'80, there is no "genre savvy"!
Thus, he makes a decision that is as brilliant as it is mad - hide the robot in a robot circus! And use his own signature as minister/director to seal this. AND use his mental condition to escape prison for this signature.
To make sure this does not go very wrong, Tenma deceives Hamegg about Astro's true powers. Not only does he not mention the weapons, but Astro's true power source remains obscure, too! "No electricity for you!" says Hamegg to Astro - not realizing Astro's main power is from his nuclear reactor inside. (The result - Astro recharges other robots, participates in a rescue operation, kicks BIGTIME butt when saving Hamegg, and only then colllapses, because a small nuclear reactor also has limited output).
The circus still goes somewhat wrong, but Astro survives the few crucial years until robot rights make the danger of involuntary military use obsolete... unless they decree conscription for robots, of course. But conscription would need a major war. The robot boy is MUCH safer as a result of his father's allegedly villainous act.
Up Tenma
For my Art of the Impossible", I was considering the actions of Dr.Tenma in Episode 1 '63, and re-watched the episode carefully (with very valuable help from my son!)
And he actually seems much less of a bad guy than often imagined. That is, once you consider the logical offscreen reality.
To start with, he could not REALLY have taken all decisions alone. He was a director or minister (depends on what text you trust; apparently minister in the original, but is a minister not a political appointment in Japan?). That is, a state employee, not a capitalist. He could not just do his whim with loads of state money, there had to be a reason. Besides, would YOU want a son with guns out of his butt? ANd if you did want one, would you *fail to teach him to use the guns* when living with him for some years?
So who approved the money and insisted on the guns? The military, of course. This is a Cold War era work, after all. I guess this was very obvious to every viewer back then, especially in the United States. Actual viewers who were kids at the time can correct me
So, Tenma leads the making of the robot. Then decides to train him in social interaction alone, as his son. But this is a very complicated task, likely not even tried before, and pushing AI beyond its llimits. Quite logically, the endeavour is too much for Umataro Tenma and drives him over the brink (he was not too far from that to start with). He is failing. He knows it.
Dr. Tenma could just walk away from the robot. The military would then take him over. Small size, very fast and agile, cute-looking, hidden arms - this is an advanced recon and raiding machine. What are his chances of surviving the next local/proxy war, of which the Cold War was quite full by 1963? Tenma does not see Atom as indestructible; this may be a kids' show but in Astro'63, unlike Astro'80, there is no "genre savvy"!
Thus, he makes a decision that is as brilliant as it is mad - hide the robot in a robot circus! And use his own signature as minister/director to seal this. AND use his mental condition to escape prison for this signature.
To make sure this does not go very wrong, Tenma deceives Hamegg about Astro's true powers. Not only does he not mention the weapons, but Astro's true power source remains obscure, too! "No electricity for you!" says Hamegg to Astro - not realizing Astro's main power is from his nuclear reactor inside. (The result - Astro recharges other robots, participates in a rescue operation, kicks BIGTIME butt when saving Hamegg, and only then colllapses, because a small nuclear reactor also has limited output).
The circus still goes somewhat wrong, but Astro survives the few crucial years until robot rights make the danger of involuntary military use obsolete... unless they decree conscription for robots, of course. But conscription would need a major war. The robot boy is MUCH safer as a result of his father's allegedly villainous act.
Up Tenma
VE IT, SARUTA!!! Glad you're back and looking forward to the next chapter!!