What if Atom and Uran became more human like?

[Toshio]

As for human like, I don't mean the hair style (though they could make both have a fixator in hair to make them get spiked all the time, lol) and instead making them both being able to eat, feel cold (but not being over reacted like humans), drink and other human like atributes.

I thought that would make more human like if Atom lost the ability to open his chest area, though it's tradictional, it's not the best thing to see.
Also, that's quite a vulnerable area, if you remember episodes from 1963 and 1980 series which Atom even got his insides damaged.

But, it would worthy for him keep the ability to fly and use built-in weapons.
Although I think the butt machine-gun should no longer used, since it feels too unconfortable and make him subject to awful jokes.
Also, machine-guns are too dangerous...

I even feel bad for Uran not being able to enjoy food like any human being would, though she was able to at least taste chocolate, they don't made her enjoying desserts.

Imagine a child robot like her enjoying parfait (a special dessert)?

That's the parfait and the character in the image is Bibin:


Would not be cute to see?

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

In the original manga story (at least the version that Tezuka reprinted later and Dark Horse has in their collection) Captain Atom, the barker at the show that owned Atom claimed he was very much like a human boy and could even eat and taste food. Tezuka never dealt with what it did with what was left over (he opened his chest and removed it in the anime and some of the manga). I liked the way they dealt with his chest door in the movie, the panel 'healed' itself when closed and the seam was gone!

In the Pluto manga Atom is seen enjoying an ice cream Sunday, and most of the robot characters are drawn more human like. While this is partly just a different Manga 'style' from Tezuka's (less 'cartoon' like) it also reflects the author's attitude of what Tezuka's robot characters would have seemed like to humans in the manga. That's a view that the reader can't usually see.

[Toshio]

I thought that would be nice the characters having the ability of eating, because people could mistook them with regular humans if they don't knew through the media that Atom and Uran were robots.

There are even comments which people have pity for them not being able to taste food.

Though they did in the 1980 cartoon, the method of discarting them was not quite confortable.

The idea of expelling food through light could have been used better, specially if they did when no one was looking, lol

I still think that would be cute seeing Uran enjoying parfait and finding it delicious.

As for growing up, I don't like that idea.
Even nano-machines cannot explain a robot growing up, because all the components of the body should grow up at the same time (from skeleton, to internal organs, external organs and skin).
And the nano-machines would have to produce each type of spare part for the growing up at same time.
Not just that, but they would need a lot of energy for that action.
Plus it would not possible to think in a programing which would make the robot grow up slowy and not get the adult body in few minutes.

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

There was one story from the '63 series where a robot (who didn't KNOW he was a robot) 'grew up' because his 'father' made newer bodies for him over a long period of time. One day he discovered his father in the act of throwing out the old ones and figured out what was going on. There was also a story in the manga 'Astro's been stolen' where the institute of science made older bodies for Uran and Atom, but in the end they were happier to remain as they were.

As for how robots would deal with having a much longer lifespan than the humans they live among, I don't think Tezuka dealt with this but one can look at Asimov's 'positronic man'.

[Toshio]

The 1980 series also used that idea of multiple bodies, but at same time they did a retcon since Dr. Tenma had no actual concern about Atom not being able to grow up.
And to make things more funny, he keept in secret the fact that he made Atom.
It was discovered through investigations, but it didin't make sense for that scientist knowing the truth.
And it was just one or two years after Atom was stolen by Ham Egg.

And yeah, is better for Atom and Uran stay with their bodies since moving their AI to older bodies would likelly turn then into another robots.
And their minds would not feel confortable with the changes.

I like the idea of Atom and Uran going to a grocery store and enjoying desserts just like other kids, because their friends would not feel bad for them not being able to enjoy these delicious desserts.

It would be fun if somebody offered oil to Uran and she refused claiming it was gross.

Another thing which would be important is for Atom having more resistant clothes and avoiding wandering in public just with his trunks.

It's a lot of constrast with his friends and when he visit a public place lie a museum.

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

There was some debate as to whether Atom's 'trunks' are actual cloth (or other material) or simply 'painted' on his body. I think the later was Tezuka's intent, though he made an exception in the pluto story arc with Uran being able to wear them.
The same question could be made of his boots.

In the manga stories where Atom went back in time (such as the 'once upon a time' stories Tezuka wrote after the '63 series ended with Atoms demise) people would comment on how he was almost naked but no one in his own time frame would ever make that comment. The '63 anime series was the only one where he was rarely seen dressed.

That's the only thing I didn't like about the '63 series. It makes more sense for Atom to dress like a normal child so he can feel like one. Also Uran is always shown wearing the same outfit. You'd think that a girl child would like to have a closet full of different clothes! I suppose that made sense in the TV series where they made frequent re-use of cells.

[Toshio]

Being always dressed is what can make a child robot natural^^
But anyway, Uran did variations of outfits in the 2k3 series.

She even had a street clothes which she used just once and several others which were in earlier periods of her life during "Great Micro Adventures" as shown in her memories.
She was also seem with a different dress and as well a prom dress.
It made her pretty natural^^
Come to think about, it's quite a contrast for her being modest while Atom mostly appeared virtually naked in the same scene.

I don't think Tobio had that habit, since Atom share some of his personality.
Guess it was a choice from the authors, but making Atom more natural would make him interesting for western audiences.

Also, I doubt he would not like to walk with a wallet with money or credcard when he needed to buy something.

If the clothes were not resistant, then a wallet would be burned up when he less expected.

[AprilSeven]

I propose that Atom and Uran could eat, taste and "enjoy" food, and the food they consume could be converted by cold fusion into energy (Think of the "Mr. Fusion" machine fitted onto the DeLorean in "Back to the Future" - they could put ANYTHING in there and it would be converted into energy for the car).

I say it's time for A & U to REALLY step into the future. Eating food would ABSOLUTELY make them more human.

So would real hair. Even as a child, back in the 60's I felt it was a serious flaw in the anime that Atom had shiny skin and hair (same for Uran). I propose the "updated" Atom and Uran would have the ability to have "skin" that "shifts" from robotic, painted-on costumes and hair, to natural skin and human hair (with all the things Atom flies through, he's bound to burn off actual "hair" hmy

Finally, I am TOTALLY for growing them up - especially Atom. I always felt THAT was why Tenma freaked out to the point of disowning his robot son. Now, HOW that would be accomplished, I can't say - but I always supposed that Atom would grow a bit, and his voice would change, and then Tenma would relocate his AI into a "teen" body, and later an adult body.

Beyond the fact that there are a LOT of stories (including romance for the fangirls) that be appropriate with Atom as an adult, just think about how illogical it is for a person with Atom's intelligence to want to stay 9 years old. How long do you remain in 4th grade? What happens when your best friends grow up? Why would you remain in school - do you stay in the same grade (in the meantime, Atom is a genius, so he'd be intellectually moving forward).

Just because he's as cute as can be as a little boy doesn't mean he can't grow into a mature character with as much to offer. Think of how they did the reverse with Superman . . . after the adult character was established, they created a whole "prequel" series called Superboy.

I know Tezuka "addressed" this matter, but this is one place I respectfully disagree, and feel a whole other universe of adventures were left untold by simply not letting Atom grow up (and the name Atom works better than "Astro Boy" in that situation, for sure! )

[spartanx01]

As for human like, I don't mean the hair style (though they could make both have a fixator in hair to make them get spiked all the time, lol) and instead making them both being able to eat, feel cold (but not being over reacted like humans), drink and other human like atributes.

I thought that would make more human like if Atom lost the ability to open his chest area, though it's tradictional, it's not the best thing to see.
Also, that's quite a vulnerable area, if you remember episodes from 1963 and 1980 series which Atom even got his insides damaged.

But, it would worthy for him keep the ability to fly and use built-in weapons.
Although I think the butt machine-gun should no longer used, since it feels too unconfortable and make him subject to awful jokes.
Also, machine-guns are too dangerous...

I even feel bad for Uran not being able to enjoy food like any human being would, though she was able to at least taste chocolate, they don't made her enjoying desserts.

Imagine a child robot like her enjoying parfait (a special dessert)?

That's the parfait and the character in the image is Bibin:


Would not be cute to see?

You mean like an android like #18?

[Toshio]

18 was actually a cyborg, lol

By the way, I'd preffer them to not grow up, because it's a robot nature to not grow up.
You cannot reject a robot child just because it's unable of growing up.
The nano machines cannot even explain a growing up factor, so it would more like magic than science.

I wish a story which people are able to accept the fact they cannot grow up.
But, it doesn't mean they should study in the same 4th grade forever, they can yet go to special classes which robots goes.
And at same time they would get along with children around them.
Robots have variated sizes and forms, so it's often the decision of an creator.
The case of Dr. Tenma back then was unreasonable, after all a roboticist is self aware that a robot cannot grow up, unless the depression and dispair made them blind.

That's what I wished to point in "Robot Sister Uran".
And the idea is the fact of making Tobio love Uran even though she cannot grow up like himself.

But, Uran in that plot is the test model of a more advanced robot.
Can guess who?

The episode 20 "Eternal Boy" made Atom wonder what his friends would think if he cannot grow up and for his joy they said that no matter how old they get, they would still be his friends and he should relax and enjoy his nature even so.
It's true that he'll be able to last longer than them, but they would not like him to give up of living/existing if they passed away.