AstroBoy World

Astro Boy and the God of Comics - Live!

2012-01-29T03:52:00.000-05:00

A new live theater stage production based on the life and work of Osamu Tezuka is set to debut in Washington D.C. next month. Natsu Onoda Power, who wrote God of Comics: Osamu Tezuka and the Creation of Post-World War II Manga will be bringing "ASTRO BOY AND
THE GOD OF COMICS" to the Studio Theater starting on February 15th, 2012.

Here's a brief description from the show's creator herself:

Astro Boy and the God of Comics combines three narratives — the fictional story of Astro Boy, the story of how the Astro Boy series was created, and the story of the series’s creator, Osamu Tezuka. It’s about a little boy robot who tries to be “human” and fails (and eventually come to terms with his identity... he is a robot and he is proud); it’s about a comic book series that becomes a national icon; it’s about a cartoonist who is admired as the “god of comics”; it’s about a young artist transforming the dehumanization of World War II into something hopeful. It’s really about “trying to be human,” whatever it means in all these different situations. I am hoping to explore this theme in the staging too... what does it mean to be “live theatre with real humans”?

You can read the entire text on the Studio Theater website, or by clicking the link below for an archived version.

Sounds like a very exciting project! Wish I could go see it. If anyone in the Washington area is lucky enough to be able to check it out, please let me know what you thought of it.

Trying to Be Human: Astro Boy and the God of Comics
Natsu Onoda Power is a director, writer, and designer. As rehearsals for Astro Boy and the God of Comics approach, Literary Director Adrien-Alice Hansel chatted with her about the inspiration behind her newest work, which combines Tezuka’s life, the history of Japanese animation, and the fictional world of his greatest creation: Astro Boy, a crime-fighting boy robot.

AH: You’ve literally written the book on Osamu Tezuka (God of Comics: Osamu Tezuka and the Creation of Post-World War II Manga) and now you’re exploring his life and cartoons theatrically for Studio 2ndStage. Why are you drawn to Tezuka’s work?

NOP: I’ve loved his work since I was a child. He is a genius at borrowing techniques from other art forms, like theatre or film, to make his comics alive and interesting. One of the most interesting things that he does is what he calls the “Star System” — he “casts” his comics from an ensemble of fictional “stars” (really, stock characters) that he has created. It’s like the Star System in film, where an actor brings all kinds of associations with him/her into a character, making the character all the more complex. Tezuka is also a master storyteller. He can create absorbing narratives, but will always pull you back and make you aware that you are reading a comic book. It’s really Brechtian.

What do you hope to explore in the story of Astro Boy?

Astro Boy and the God of Comics combines three narratives — the fictional story of Astro Boy, the story of how the Astro Boy series was created, and the story of the series’s creator, Osamu Tezuka. It’s about a little boy robot who tries to be “human” and fails (and eventually come to terms with his identity... he is a robot and he is proud); it’s about a comic book series that becomes a national icon; it’s about a cartoonist who is admired as the “god of comics”; it’s about a young artist transforming the dehumanization of World War II into something hopeful. It’s really about “trying to be human,” whatever it means in all these different situations. I am hoping to explore this theme in the staging too... what does it mean to be “live theatre with real humans”?

That’s fascinating—the idea of playing with real humans and real action on stage. Astro Boy, like some of your other work, will feature live animation—actors drawing while the audience watches. Why do you think it’s so engaging to watch people draw on stage?

I am obsessed with watching skilled people carrying on a task. I love great acting for that reason, but I also enjoy watching people draw, paint, cook, knit, build things. I once stood outside watching a person spread plaster on a wall on stilts for an hour. It was completely mesmerizing. There is magic to witnessing an object come into existence in front of you. Sort of the same idea as an open kitchen.

You describe this play as a sort of high tech/low tech retro-sci-fi piece. Can you talk a little bit about the aesthetic you’re going after and how you and your design team are hoping to achieve it?

Astro Boy gives us a vision of the “future from the past”... an image of the early 21st Century from the perspective of the 1950s-60s. I just love this. Growing up, I was also obsessed with Tex Avery cartoons from the 50s (“The Farm of Tomorrow,” “Cars of Tomorrow” and the like). It is completely anachronistic. Astro Boy periodically has to “change his vacuum tube” because they sometimes fail... like an old TV. I am trying to do something similar with the staging. We will use video (Jared Mezzochi, who is doing projection design for the show, is the master of high-tech), but mix it with low-tech elements like drawing. It should be clunky and cartoony. Not at all slick. My goal is to make the show look like it was an animation made by Tex Avery or Tezuka in the 50s/60s: “The Theatre of Tomorrow.”

Astro Baby

2012-01-29T03:12:00.001-05:00

This PVC toy is most likely a bootleg and was found on dinodirect.com. Looks more like a baby dressed up as Astro than it looks like the actual Astro, but I have to admit, it's kind of cute. I guess.

About Comments

2012-01-20T00:47:00.000-05:00

Back when I was moving and could not update AstroBoy World very often, I was getting bombarded with spam comments. There were dozens of them. I tried to delete them as soon as possible, but when I had limited access to the Internet, there wasn't much I could do about it. So, unfortunately I had to disable comments completely. It wasn't a big deal since I wasn't able to update the site at all during that time so there was nothing new to comment on, but didn't like stopping people from legitimately discussing the posts that were already here.

I definitley did not miss getting the constant stream of comment notification e-mails my phone was getting only to find it was just some automated garbage trying to sell things!

Anyway, comments are back now, so go ahead and post! The difference now is that in order to leave a comment, you have to have a Google or OpenID account. No more anonymous posters will be allowed. I was kind of annoyed at all the anonymous posting going on anyway, especially when there would be more than one Anon in the same blog entry and nobody knew who was talking. So please get yourself set up with an account and use it to share your thoughts!

Astro TV Boy

2012-01-20T00:25:00.000-05:00

Breaking News: Astro Boy removes own head, replaces with TV. Can now watch TV at all times, even when eyes closed.

Actually, it's a customized toy sculpture by Eric Wirjanata. More pictures can be found on tomopop.com

Tezuka's "Barbara" Pledged to Life!

2012-01-18T02:03:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, Digital Manga Publishing created a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to bring their release of Osamu Tezuka's Swallowing the Earth back into print. It was a huge success. Now, they're using Kickstarter again to bring a new Tezuka license that has never been released in English before: Barbara.

The goal was to raise $6,500 in 30 days. It only took 2 days to reach that goal, and now the campaign is over $10,000 strong!

Check out the Barbara Kickstarter right here! It ends on Feburary 13, 2012.

So, now Barbara is definitley being released, but the campaign continues. There are multiple bonus options available to those who pledge depending on the amount, in addition to copies of the book itself when it is released. I would really like to make a pledge myself but I'm unable to use a credit card at the moment.

The success of this campaign opens the doors for several other Osamu Tezuka manga releases that might be off the beaten path to be released in a similar fashion through Kickstarter, so the future bodes well for more Tezuka! Plus, it could also result in more classic manga from other famous creators. I would love to see Mazinger Z, Devilman, Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, Kamen Rider... the list goes on!

We can look forward to Barbara being published in July 2012 should everything go as planned. Check back right here at ABW for more information as it develops.

Crazy Astro Font

2011-12-17T15:32:00.000-05:00

I found this image of a really strange Astro Boy themed premium typeface a few weeks ago. It came from some kind of marketing exhibition in Japan. These letters are... unique, to say the least.

I bet that someone will have some fun with this font when it's made available, but I'm not sure that I'd ever really want to read anything longer than 2 or 3 words looking this way.

It's Tezuka Day!

2011-12-17T14:41:00.000-05:00

Hey, it sure has been a while, huh? Well, I moved to a new city and thus have been busy with other things, but I'm looking to devote some time back into this site, starting now with this incredible fan movement.

Tezuka Day was created by some anime fans in Brazil, who upon discussion of Osamu Tezuka on his birthday in November, decided to set aside a day to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions that Tezuka made towards the world of anime and manga. The day was chosen simply to give enough time to research, and just about every anime website and blog in Brazil has gotten on board. Now it's spreading all across the world via Twitter.

The purpose of Tezuka Day is to make fans aware of how important and significant Osamu Tezuka has been to the development of anime and manga. Many people claim to be anime fans, yet know little about who Osamu Tezuka was and what he did. So let's change that! Brazil has got the right idea, but everyone can join in on the fun, help spread the word, and get the whole planet hooked on Tezuka!

Some great great resources to start out with are TezukaInEnglish.com, which has posted an excellent summary of Osamu Tezuka's life, Helen McCarthy's Tezuka Day blog post, and About.com's listing of 17 Tezuka manga published in English.

So take some time out to tell a friend, watch some anime, read some comics, and pay homage to the God of Manga. Of course, for people like me, every day is Tezuka Day!

Tezuka Day by ~MrAnyone on deviantART

Black Jack by Ayami Kojima

2011-07-29T11:23:00.000-04:00

Hey there. It's been a long time. I haven't had much time to post as I was super busy with a big annual project for TFcon, the Canadian Transformers convention. 8 pages of full color comic book art. You can check that out here if you're interested.

I'll be doing my best to make up for the lost time here and post some of the cool news that has come out recently when I get a chance. Until then, here is a cool image I stumbled upon. It's artwork of Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack illustrated by Ayami Kojima, who is well known for her work with the video game series Castlevania (Akumajo Dracula in Japan) for Konami.

Source: mrmarkrobson.com

Black Jack Returns to Manga

2011-07-02T16:32:00.001-04:00

That's right, Osamu Tezuka's famous doctor character will soon be drawn again in manga form. Hitoshi Iwaaki, the creator of Parasyte, will write a new Black Jack series to be drawn by Masaaki Nakayama, artist on PS -Rashōmon-.

Weekly Shonen Champion magazine will be running this new version of Black Jack as it did with Tezuka's original back in 1973. It will begin in Japan on September 8th and run under the title "Black Jack - Aoki Mirai".

Source: Anime News Network - Hachima Kiko

Interview with Buddha Director Morishita

2011-06-08T15:31:00.000-04:00

The Daily Yomiuri Online recently published an incredible interview with Kozo Morishita, the director of the first movie based on Osamu Tezuka's Buddha. This man is a true veteran of the animation business and has quite an incredible resume. Check out this sample from the article.

Morishita joined Toei Animation more than 40 years ago, when it was still known as Toei Doga. Since then, he's risen through the ranks to become vice president, and it's probably safe to say that the Shizuoka Prefecture native knows more about the firm than anybody else. After a break of more than two decades, Morishita recently dusted off his director's cap to call the shots for Osamu Tezuka's Buddha--The Great Departure (Japan title: Tezuka Osamu's Buddha--Akai Sabaku yo! Utsukushiku), which opened last month.

That's right, this dude worked on Transformers, and now he's worked on Tezuka. Awesome.

You can read the entire interview here on the Daily Yomiuri or by clicking the link below for an archived version. You can also read about the Japanese premier of the Buddha film, with statements from the cast and crew including Morishita-san, here on tezukaosamu.net.

Breathing life into 2 dimensions / Toei Animation's Morishita relishing return to hands-on duties

Makoto Fukuda / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Even if the name Toei Animation doesn't immediately ring a bell, chances are you're familiar with much of the company's output: Over the years, the Tokyo-based firm has produced some of the nation's most celebrated cinematic and TV anime.

Similarly, you may not have heard of Kozo Morishita, but you're likely au fait with at least a few of the anime titles he's helped coax into life, including Dragon Ball Z and Saint Seiya.

Morishita joined Toei Animation more than 40 years ago, when it was still known as Toei Doga. Since then, he's risen through the ranks to become vice president, and it's probably safe to say that the Shizuoka Prefecture native knows more about the firm than anybody else. After a break of more than two decades, Morishita recently dusted off his director's cap to call the shots for Osamu Tezuka's Buddha--The Great Departure (Japan title: Tezuka Osamu's Buddha--Akai Sabaku yo! Utsukushiku), which opened last month.

Morishita, 62, has been a movie fan since childhood and says he always wanted to work in a related field. While attending a vocational college with the aim of becoming a designer in the TV industry, he happened to hear about the entry test for Toei Doga. He recalls, "I initially thought the exam was for the Toei film company, but [Toei Doga] turned out to be a different firm altogether!"

When Morishita joined Toei Doga in 1970, it was known for making feature-length cinematic productions such as Nagagutsu o Haita Neko (The Wonderful World of Puss in Boots [1969]). However, the company was also starting to make strides with full-blown TV anime. Starting with Kikku no Oni (Demon Kick), Morishita served as a director's assistant, learning the ropes under experienced senior colleagues.

He made his directorial debut with an episode of Kyuti Hani (Cutie Honey) in 1974, and also had a hand in such titles as Kotetsu Jigu (Steel Jeeg) and UFO Robo Gurendaiza (UFO Robot Grendizer), both produced in 1975. His first outing as chief director came in 1981, when he was handed the reins for Tiger Mask II. In 1983, he directed Tatakae! Cho Robotto Seimeitai Toransufoma (The Transformers) and in 1988, while handling directorial responsibilities for Saint Seiya, he was made a producer.

===

Contrasting TV and movies

TV anime and cinematic anime are very different beasts. On TV, it's all about presenting the characters in an engaging way within the framework of a limited number of drawings and a limited budget.

Explains Morishita: "[We learned that] if you endow the female protagonist with generous breasts, it puts a smile on kids' faces. Also, we turned the limitations associated with static images into a plus by effectively employing very detailed drawings of robots and such like.

"Working within such constraints let staffers heighten their powers of expression."

It may have been a slightly unrefined approach, but in their pursuit of each protagonist's "cool" factor, the staff helped coalesce the traditions of Toei Doga's production methods.

Morishita brought the full range of his skills to bear on Saint Seiya, which was produced in conjunction with Shueisha Inc. and its publication Weekly Shonen Jump. The project ate up large amounts of time and money: Clouds were drawn with multiple gradations, lavish action scenes were common and staffers poured their hearts and souls into the work.

Morishita recalls, "We used far too much cash, and consequently, I was made a producer so I could learn how to disburse funds appropriately."

Morishita then produced the Dragon Ball series--again based on a Weekly Shonen Jump manga story--which led in turn to Dragon Ball Z. Dragon Ball starts off as a heartwarming tale, but as the protagonist, Son Goku, grows up, he becomes involved in numerous fierce battles. This change in narrative direction, coupled with Toei Animation's depiction of the resultant action scenes, increased the show's popularity.

In 1978, to deal with a shortfall in personnel, Morishita traveled to South Korea and trained staff there. Five years later, at the invitation of U.S. firm Marvel, he began visiting the United States to help make and direct The Transformers, the success of which brought great benefits for Toei Animation.

Morishita's personal standing rose, too, and he began to have a say in the running of the company.

===

Animating 'Buddha'

About six years ago, Toei Co. President Yusuke Okada told Morishita he was interested in turning Osamu Tezuka's Buddha into an animated feature film. Numerous directors and scriptwriters were then tasked with drawing up pilots and plots.

"At the end of the day, however, none surpassed the impact of the original work, and I realized that a straight reading of the story would be best," recalls Morishita. "As I was the one who'd had the original conversation with President Okada, I decided it would be best if I tackled the project myself."

Fulfilling his role as a senior manager naturally kept Morishita very busy, so he'd hit the studio at night and on weekends to hammer away at storyboards for the project.

"I'd order in food and fill out expense sheets; I guess staff in the administration department probably wondered, 'Who the heck's Morishita?'" he says with a laugh. "They probably didn't expect me to be working on the shop floor, as it were."

As for getting into the thick of things again, he notes: "I'm one of only a few people who were around in the era when Toei Doga was churning out full-length cinematic features.

"TV anime attracts viewers through the accentuation of popular characters, whereas movies can afford to spend a long time concentrating on story composition, development and presenting a world view," he adds. "Within these two genres, the director's job is completely different. But when you tackle these roles, you find that it becomes easier both for yourself and for the people who come after you."

The animation master's directorial efforts continue apace, and he's currently working on several projects slated for eventual cinematic release, including George Akiyama's Ashura.

Notes Morishita: "Director Hayao Miyazaki is proving there's still an audience out there for high-quality cinematic anime."

Morishita has a strong desire to see his company once again churn out top-notch feature-length movies a la Hakujaden and its many successors. In this regard, the industry veteran's focus and enthusiasm may well serve as a valuable legacy for future Toei Animation staff.

===

Tezuka's 'Buddha' trilogy launched

Toei Animation's Osamu Tezuka's Buddha--The Great Departure is based on Tezuka's manga series Buddha, which traces the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism.

The first film in a projected trilogy, it sees the birth of Prince Siddhartha in the Indian kingdom of Shaka, about 2,500 years ago. On becoming acquainted with a number of young female thieves, the young prince begins to ponder the merits of his caste-based society. Meanwhile, Chapra, a slave-turned-military leader from the kingdom of Kosala, invades Shaka.

"We endeavored to make the kind of entertainment that the whole family can enjoy, while still conveying the story's main themes," says director Kozo Morishita. "Ideally, we'd like to spark people into thinking about the fate of those burdened by troubles, or about hurdles that can't be overcome."

Steering clear of needless flash, the film's treatment of the characters' inner struggles and conflicts is handled in an orthodox manner, but with care and gravity, impressing upon viewers the fundamental strengths of Toei Animation.

The movie features the voice talents of such actors as Hidetaka Yoshioka, Masato Sakai, Kiyokazu Kanze, Sayuri Yoshinaga and Nana Mizuki. The theme song, "Scarlet Love Song," was penned by X Japan.

Original artwork by Tezuka and a statue of Buddha are among the many items being showcased at an exhibition titled Buddha: The Story in Manga and Art, running at the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno, Tokyo, until June 26.

Black Jack OVA #11?!

2011-06-01T01:06:00.000-04:00

Somehow, this amazing news had totally slipped by me until now!

The Black Jack OVA, directed by the legendary Osamu Dezaki who unfortunately passed away recently, is getting one more volume. The first volume was released in Japan in 1993, and this new is coming more than 10 years after the 10th volume, which was released in 2000.

The original voice actors for Black Jack and Pinoko are returning, and apparently did a live video stream of a recording session on May 14th.

And now I am reading that not only will there be this 11th new episode, but a 12th one as well. An amazing final gift from the great Osamu Dezaki. You can read more (in Japanese) here.

No word on any English-language release yet, of course. The previous 10 volumes were released on region 1 DVD by the now defunct Central Park Media and it's now likely harder to find a complete set. You can download subtitled episodes from Tezuka Productions on iTunes.

Source: Anime News Network.

TeZuKa - The Dance Show.

2011-06-01T00:46:00.000-04:00

The Sadler's Wells theatre in Islington, London, England will be holding a new stage production featuring music, dance, and multimedia, celebrating the work of Osamu Tezuka. It is being choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and will have 5 performances this September.

More information from the website:

Visionary Japanese animator and manga artist Osamu Tezuka provides the inspiration for internationally renowned choreographer and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s brand new work - TeZukA.

Working with a cast of nine dancers, two musicians, an actor and a calligrapher, all drawn from Europe and Asia, Cherkaoui explores Tezuka’s fascinating world - a blend of tradition, science fiction and contemporary reality. Two of Tezuka’s manga stories which are well known in Japanese popular culture – Astro Boy and Buddha – have particularly captured Cherkaoui’s imagination in creating this new work.

TeZukA will feature a specially commissioned score from award-winning composer Nitin Sawhney with lighting and visual design by Willy Cessa, plus projections of Tezuka’s original illustrations alongside work by video artist Taiki Ueda. Using the dancers’ movements to trace the physical evolution of Tezuka’s drawings - from a line on a blank page to a single Japanese kanji (letter) to a fully-formed manga character - Cherkaoui will bring the “God of Manga’s” philosophy, drawings and characters to life.

You can book your tickets here. The September 9th performance will include a talk with Helen McCarthy.

Source: Anime News Network.

Tezuka Museum's Moe Re-imaginings

2011-05-25T15:12:00.000-04:00

The Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum in Takarazuka will soon host an exhibition featuring re-imagined Tezuka character illustrations by many famous artists in the modern moe style. The roster of contributing artists numbers at about 20, including Noizi Ito (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Shakugan no Shana), Narumi Kakinouchi (Vampire Princess Miyu, Ryoko's Case File) and Haruhiko Mikimoto (Macross, Gundam 0080, Gunbuster).

There are about 90 different art pieces and dolls set for display at the exhibition. Here are some examples featuring Princess Knight.

Read more at Anime News Network or in Japanese at the Daily Yomiuri Online.

This seems to be along the same lines as the Tezuka Moe Gallery I first reported about last year, only that one was held in Akihabara. So now more people will get another chance to see what the current generation of artists can do with Tezuka's classic characters.

Prime Rose Art

2011-05-19T20:22:00.000-04:00

Prime Rose by *wRuzicka on deviant ART

Now here's something you don't see everyday. Fan art of Osamu Tezuka's character Prime Rose. It was illustrated by William Ruzicka, a great artist who is currently working on Transformers Prime, which is a totally awesome show. Check out some more of his artwork here.

What's up with the hate on Buddha?

2011-05-09T00:41:00.000-04:00

Have had some exciting new developments with real work recently, and on top of that keeping me busy, I've got some serious problems with the computer that I keep all my cool stuff on. Bummer. So things have been slow here, but I'll carry on as best as I can.

A while back I put a copy of the first trailer to the upcoming Buddha movie, based on the Osamu Tezuka manga, on my YouTube account. Over the past couple of weeks, I've gotten a few comments from very angry people saying that this movie is a disgrace to Tezuka and that the art looks nothing like his style. They seem convinced that the movie is terrible and that these changes were made to intentionally make it more generic and appealing to "shallow American fans".

To this I say... WHAT?

Yeah, I don't see it. We've hardly seen much of the movie yet and I see several shots in this trailer that definitely have Tezuka's touches.

Come on, look at that. The bright shiny eyes. The elegant swoop of the nose. This totally looks like a Tezuka shot!

And even if it didn't, so what? Osamu Dezaki did not attempt to replicate Tezuka's style with the Black Jack OVA series he directed. Was that a problem for anyone? Of course not. Besides that, I am pretty sure, for very painfully obvious reasons, that any decisions on the art direction of this project are not made with the so-called "shallow American fans" in mind. Since, you know, this is a movie about Buddha.

The works of Osamu Tezuka are legendary and deserve respect, but what people need to realize is that if we were to hold it up on a pedestal, never to change, reinterpret, or revisit it in any way, than these works are simply going to fade into obscurity. Tezuka did not want for his work to become solely the realm of academic study, he wanted real people and average fans from the mass audience to continue to enjoy it for years. He was constantly reinterpreting and revising his own work, and so I seriously doubt he'd have a problem with this. To say that he'd be "spinning in his grave" over a trailer like this is, quite frankly, incredibly ignorant. If you respect Osamu Tezuka, then you should at least know something about who he was!

Some people complained about the Astro Boy movie, saying that it was changed from the original story, that the character didn't look like the original style, that it was too "Americanized", and other such nonsense. Not only do none of those arguments hold up, but they entirely miss an important point. It's because of that movie that many more people know about Astro Boy. Isn't that a good thing? And now the same irrational complaining is happening again here with Buddha, despite the fact that Buddha, unlike the Astro movie, is actually being produced by Japanese companies.

Go figure, huh? Some people are never going to be satisfied. And to think, we haven't even seen the whole movie yet.

So what do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments section!

The Big Guns

2011-04-27T02:40:00.000-04:00

The Big Guns by *kizer180 on deviant ART

Very cool artwork by kizer180 on deviantART featuring several famous robot, cyborg, and high tech characters, including Astro Boy. Do you know them all?

RIP Osamu Dezaki

2011-04-21T22:00:00.000-04:00

It is my unfortunate duty to report on the tragic loss of legendary anime pioneer, Osamu Dezaki, who passed away last weekend due to lung cancer.

Dezaki had an incredible, influential career in the Japanese animation industry that went all the way back to the 1960's when he joined Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Productions and worked on the original Astro Boy anime. He would go on to work with other Tezuka properties including directing the Black Jack movie and OVA series, as well as finishing The Old Testament Story after Tezuka's death.

Probably best known as the director of the Ashita no Joe anime, Dezaki also worked on classic series and franchises including Aim for the Ace, Lupin III, Golgo 13, and Space Adventure Cobra. Even beyond that is his involvement in co-productions for American produced cartoons including Bionic Six and Mighty Orbots.

The "Postcard Memories" technique, where the importance of an animated scene is enhanced by fading into a fully detailed illustration, was created by Dezaki and has pretty much become an anime staple. Thanks to brilliant touches like this and his overall wide body of diverse work, the memory and influence of Osmau Dezaki will live on.

Limited Edition Astro Boy Casio Exilim

2011-04-17T16:39:00.000-04:00

Check out this special limited edition of the Casio Exilim digital camera featuring Astro Boy imagery and made to celebrate the famous character's manga debut.

Among what makes this limited edition unique are these frames featuring Astro Boy characters that add a fun graphic element around your photos.

A special pouch is also included.

This price for this camera is approximately $440 US, but good luck if you want one. Naturally this is only being sold in Japan and is limited to only 300 units. Check out the camera's specs and more information on Crunch Gear.

Young Black Jack

2011-04-02T00:49:00.000-04:00

A live action TV special featuring a younger Black Jack from back when he was still in medical school will air in Japan on Saturday, April 23. It will be directed by Kentaro Otani, who also directed the live-action films based on the manga NANA. Actor Masaki Okada will star as young Black Jack.

More information from Anime News Network:

In the story, the title character received major injuries in an accidental explosion when he was 9, and his mother was put in an artificially induced coma. The new special will depict how the Black Jack character became an unlicensed doctor and how his destined rivalry with Dr. Kiriko came to be.

Naho Toda (Romance of Three Kingdoms, Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror) will play Black Jack's mother, and Risa Naka (anime and live-action The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) will play a fellow medical student. Yukiyoshi Azawa and Masachika Ichimura will also co-star.

Looks interesting and it's always great to see new Black Jack stuff, though for the sake of the character I wish he had even just a touch of silver in his hair.

Astro Key Chains

2011-03-31T00:53:00.000-04:00

Found these Astro Boy key chains awhile back, but I don't remember where. They seem to come from China. Your guess is as good as mine as to whether they are officially licensed merchandise or not.

Astro's face is... unique, to say the least. His eyes look kind of funny. But that makes these kind of interesting. The variety of available figures based on Astro's different appearances in the movie is pretty cool.

Castro Boy

2011-03-24T22:55:00.000-04:00

I was walking around the streets of Toronto earlier this week and somehow wound up in front of a store with this crazy thing in the window.

It's obviously some kind of custom T-Shirt mash-up of Astro Boy and Fidel Castro, not a real licensed product. At any rate it's not anything I would have ever expected to find in my travels, so I was quite surprised and had to take a quick picture to share with you here.

I don't know the name of the store this was at, but it was somewhere right downtown on Queen Street, if you're interested.

Viva!

Astro Painting by Bryan Lee O’Malley

2011-03-18T11:09:00.000-04:00

This incredible painting featuring Astro Boy and his sister Uran was made by Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley and is for the “Water Works” art show at Giant Robot in Los Angeles. It's based on this frame from the 60's Astro Boy anime.

100% of the proceeds from the show will go to UNICEF for Japan aid efforts. You can find out more here.

We have hit 500!

2011-03-18T10:52:00.000-04:00

This month, AstroBoy World celebrates two huge milestones. I started this site 3 years ago, and in that time there have now been 500 posts!

While originally this site was created to serve as a central place for news and information on the then-upcoming Astro Boy movie, and things may have slowed down since then, there has still been plenty of activity in the Astro-Universe even though the movie has come and gone. This year marks the 60th anniversary of The Mighty Atom's first appearance. Plus, there are many other exciting events happening in the world of Osamu Tezuka, including the final volume of Black Jack and the upcoming release of the Princess Knight manga. This is a great time to be a fan and I'm happy to be right there with you, sharing the latest developments and all the other interesting/crazy stuff I find.

I have really enjoyed posting over the past 3 years, and I hope to continue to do so for as long as I can. Thanks to all the readers for your support! Please continue visit and post your feedback.

Help for Japan.

2011-03-16T20:07:00.000-04:00

As I'm sure you're all aware, Japan has been struck by a huge earthquake and tsunami. It's a terrible tragedy that has shocked the world.

As an anime fan and admirer of Japanese culture for many years, I'm heartbroken by the news coverage I have seen. The comics, animation, video games, and movies of Japan have always been so inspiring to me, and in light of these terrible events I am compelled to do something to help.

I'm joining with Anime and Manga Bloggers for Japan to get the word out on how people like you can donate to a cause that will assist in disaster relief efforts.

You can also donate through the Red Cross. In America you can use your cell phone to text REDCROSS to 90999, which will donate $10 through your phone bill, or call 1-800 RED CROSS. In Canada, text REDCROSS to 30333 for donations, or call 1-800-418-1111.

There are other ways to donate as well, but please make sure that you are giving to a legitimate organization.

Although this is a trying time for the Japanese people, I know that the Japanese spirit will rise above it all, rebuild, and prevail. Anime and manga are full of stories about extraordinary heroes. Let's become heroes ourselves and do our part to give back to the country that created these stories we love so much. You don't need rockets in your boots to be a hero. You can help by donating today. Give them a hand and let them know that we stand together!

Any Hats Out There?

2011-02-28T20:29:00.000-05:00

I got an e-mail recently from a reader named Jen who has a young son that is a big Astro Boy fan. Great to know that a new generation of fans is growing out there. Jen is looking to get an Astro Boy hat for her son, specifically requesting the red "Ministry of Science" hat that Toby wears in the movie.

I haven't had any luck in finding such a hat. The only Astro hat I was able to find is this freaky looking one shown below, and that doesn't seem to be available anymore.

So I'm putting out the call for help with the hopes that somebody else out there will know something or be able to find an Astro Boy hat. It can be any hat at all as long as it's related to Astro Boy. I'm sure that Jen and her son will appreciate the help, but I'm also interested in seeing what might be out there just for curiosity's sake. If anyone finds anything, please post it here in the comments section.

A Vertical Investment.

2011-02-27T01:12:00.000-05:00

Big news from Vertical Inc., the company responsible for publishing several English-language editions of Osamu Tezuka manga, including Black Jack (volume 13 pictured right), Buddha, and Dororo.

Kodansha, Japan's largest publisher, and Japanese printing company Dai Nippon have made major investments into Vertical. This gives Vertical much greater financial stability and access to even more titles, both manga and otherwise.

It's still business as usual though, and all of their previously announced titles, including Tezuka's Princess Knight, are still on the schedule.The company is being invested in, not completely taken over, so they will keep doing what they have been doing, and we should be able to look forward to more great releases from them in the future.

You can read more detail here on Anime News Network and in an informative interview with marketing director Ed Chavez on Comic Book Resources.

Tezuka on iPad

2011-02-14T16:02:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the Tezuka Osamu Magazine Club and Soba Project, 400 volumes of Osamu Tezuka Manga (that's about 80,000 pages) are now available to read on the Apple iPad.

An subscription fee of 1,050 yen
($13 US) per month will grant users unlimited access to all the available manga in the e-library. There is also a free edition of the latest Weekly Tezuka Osamu Magazine featuring 100 pages selected from Tezuka's various works. Most interesting is a motion manga feature, where the comic pages have been enhanced with animation and voice acting.

Thus far, this is only available in Japanese, though I suspect international versions may follow at some point in the future.

You can read more information on TezukaOsamu.net as well as Mania.com and Asahi.

Tetsujin Internet

2011-02-08T17:30:00.001-05:00

This is not Astro Boy, but hey, we like Tetsujin 28 too, right?

Here's a creative series of Japanese commercials for some kind of wireless mobile Internet, featuring a CG version of the world famous anime giant robot created by Mitsuteru Yokoyama.

Comic Nation TV @ Tezuka Museum

2011-02-08T17:24:00.000-05:00

Here's the video from Comic Nation TV about their trip to the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum. It features images from their journey getting there and the exterior of the building. Another video, featuring the inside of the building, will be forthcoming later in the month.

Toying with Humanity

2011-02-04T23:07:00.000-05:00

Reporting on a new exhibition taking place at the RMIT Gallery in Melbourne, Australian newspaper The Age has a new article about the sophisticated themes behind some of the cute characters found in Japanese anime. Here's a sample:

TO MANY, Astro Boy is just a cartoon; a children's show about a robot with rocket-powered legs. But beneath its animated exterior is a surprisingly dark undertone.

Consider the origins of the title character, who, the story goes, was created by the head of Japan's Ministry for Science to replace the son he lost in a car accident. After a brief period of happiness, the grief-stricken bureaucrat realised he would never fill the void in his heart - so he sold his robot franken-child to a cruel circus owner. As you do.

But fortunately, the kindly new head of the Science Ministry spotted Astro performing in the circus and obtained legal guardianship of him, thus discovering he was capable of human emotions. All of which allowed the series to explore artificial intelligence, feelings and what makes us ''real''.

You can read the entire "Toying with humanity " article on theage.com.au or by clicking the link below for an archived version.

Toying with humanity
Michael Lallo
February 4, 2011

The cute characters of anime frequently explore dark themes.

TO MANY, Astro Boy is just a cartoon; a children's show about a robot with rocket-powered legs. But beneath its animated exterior is a surprisingly dark undertone.

Consider the origins of the title character, who, the story goes, was created by the head of Japan's Ministry for Science to replace the son he lost in a car accident. After a brief period of happiness, the grief-stricken bureaucrat realised he would never fill the void in his heart - so he sold his robot franken-child to a cruel circus owner. As you do.

But fortunately, the kindly new head of the Science Ministry spotted Astro performing in the circus and obtained legal guardianship of him, thus discovering he was capable of human emotions. All of which allowed the series to explore artificial intelligence, feelings and what makes us ''real''.
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''These are not just fluffy cartoons,'' says Evelyn Tsitas, public programs co-ordinator at RMIT Gallery. ''The Western approach sees animation as a kids' thing, but in Japan they use it to explore more adult themes. It's not about telling a pretty story; often, it's about darker themes and emotions.''

Which is why the gallery has just launched two exhibitions: one about Japanese characters such as Astro Boy, Hello Kitty and Pikachu, and another about animated Japanese films - or ''anime'', as they're known - most of which are geared towards adults.

It's clear that cartoon characters occupy a special place in the Japanese psyche. They appear on bank cheques and train tickets, electric shavers and tampons. You can drink Hello Kitty wine and eat Pokemon beef curry. You can even choose from a range of Astro Boy-emblazoned ''boxers, briefs and men's panties''.

''If you look here,'' says Tsitas, waving towards a mocked-up girl's bedroom furnished entirely with Hello Kitty merchandise, ''you'll see some of the most popular products. But you won't just see them in bedrooms - it's perfectly reasonable for office workers to line up dolls and cups with characters on their desks to make them feel happy and comforted.''

Indeed, comfort is the goal of a Hello Kitty-themed maternity hospital in Taiwan, in which everything from the sheets and towels to the walls of the examination room feature the feline motif ''to ease the stress of childbirth''.

In Bangkok, however, a police chief has taken to disciplining his officers by adhering Hello Kitty armbands to their uniforms ''to make them feel guilt and shame''.

But despite her Japanese heritage, Kitty was ''officially'' born in suburban London in 1974. Her favourite word is friendship, she likes goldfish and lollies, brushes her teeth with strawberry toothpaste … and her blood type is A.

Not surprisingly, her hyper-cute tastes - and the fact she has no mouth - have angered critics, who say she's a bad role model for girls.

But according to Sanrio, the company that owns her, ''Hello Kitty speaks from her heart. She's Sanrio's ambassador to the world and isn't bound to any particular language.''

The females in animated Japanese movies, on the other hand, are unequivocally strong. Unlike the pathetic Disney princesses who are in constant need of rescuing, anime women are empowered, says Tsitas. ''They're not waiting for a prince to release them from a spell, they're conquering evil with their magic sword.''

The character exhibition is divided into decades, helping contextualise the creation of each cartoon idol with the key events of the time. For instance, Astro Boy - who turns 60 next year, and whose Japanese name means ''Mighty Atom'' - was conceived in the aftermath of atomic warfare, just as television was taking hold. Information panels also explain the historical roots of modern cartoons.

''The fact [the Japanese] have lots of different gods means they can associate with lots of different characters and good-luck charms,'' Tsitas says. ''And it's interesting how the anime and manga characters, which are often quite expressionless, are different from the Western cartoon characters.

''If you think of a cartoon like Scooby Doo, the animators tell you how to perceive those characters and what emotions they're feeling. Whereas with a lot of the Japanese characters, you can project whatever you want on to them.

''You can make them happy or sad or whatever you want them to be, which is probably one of the reasons they're so endearing.''

Ishinomori's Story

2011-02-01T02:01:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check out The Mike Toole Show for an incredible look at one of Japan's greatest creators, the legendary Shotaro Ishinomori.

Ishinomori created so many of Japan's most famous characters and stories, conquering most every conceivable genre and medium. Most famous among his works is the classic Cyborg 009. Fans of Osamu Tezuka should definitely look into learning more about this incredible artist's body of work. In fact, it was Tezuka himself who discovered Ishinomori's talent and broke him into the professional manga industry.
Here's a sample from the article:

Anyway, a young artist named Shotaro Onodera submitted some samples of his work to Manga Shonen, and it just so happened that Tezuka's famous Astro Boy was running as a special feature in the magazine at the time. Tezuka's editor clued him in to the budding talent, and history was made when Tezuka hired the kid as his assistant and set him to work on the Astro Boy story Electro. The entire experience is laid out in dark horse's Astro Boy volume 15, so seek that out if you want the dirt.

Be sure to read the entire column on Anime News Network.

It's unfortunate that so little of Ishinomori's work has been made available to English speakers. The tide has turned in recent years when it comes to Tezuka's manga, so let's hope for the same attention being paid to Ishinomori as well. Check out the English Language version of the IshimoriPro website for more.

PLUTO Wins Comics Award in France

2011-02-01T01:21:00.001-05:00

The epic revisioning of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy universe by Naoki Urasawa has once again been honored with another award

The PLUTO manga won the the Intergenerational Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in France this weekend. This is one of the biggest comics events in the entire world, and France has a huge comic book culture.

The Intergenerational Award is a recently created honor, and it seems appropriate to give such an honor to Pluto, as it is the product of 2 generations of manga artists.

Source: Anime News Network

Get ready for PRINCESS KNIGHT!

2011-01-27T01:17:00.001-05:00

YEAH!

Vertical Inc. has announced that Osamu Tezuka's legendary classic manga Princess Knight (Ribbon no Kishi) will be published in its eternity in English.

From Anime News Network:

Vertical will publish Princess Knight in two volumes: the first, about 384 pages long, on October 4, and the second, about 330 pages long, on December 6. Both books will carry a suggested retail price of US$13.95. The books will be the same trim size as Dororo and Black Jack — two other Vertical releases of Tezuka manga.

This is truly incredible news! Princess Knight is one of Tezuka's most popular and important creations. We've only gotten a few glimpses of the Princess Knight manga in English before, but now we're getting the entire series in such a comprehensive fashion. More information will be forthcoming, so keep checking back.

Snow-Shunsaku

2011-01-25T19:03:00.000-05:00

This amusing image is part of the current seasonal background on TezukaOsamu.net. Here we have Uran, Atom, and Jump with a Ban Shunsaku made out of snow. If you look closely, you'll see Ban's trademark fez is actually a bucket.

I know they're robots and all but it's got to be way to cold for shorts and skirts, kids.

Kyoto Tezuka Osamu World Closed

2011-01-25T18:44:00.000-05:00

The Kyoto Tezuka Osamu World, a store and theater in Kyoto Japan, closed down on January 16th. While there are several official Tezuka stores in Japan, and other stores that sell Tezuka related merchandise, the closing of this particular location is notable because it had a theater screen that played exclusive Astro Boy and Tezuka-related short movies, not available anywhere else.

It is unknown at this time what will happen to these movies. There is some speculation that, with 2011 being the 60th anniversary of Astro Boy's manga debut, there may perhaps be some sort of DVD collection, but there have been no announcements at this time.

This news came to me from a couple of different sources, so thanks to everyone who alerted me to this. You can read more about it on Dr. Jerk's Astroboy Online thread.

Ultimate Dodge!

2011-01-14T15:43:00.000-05:00

There is another unofficial Astro Boy fan-made Flash game out there. Astro Boy Ultimate Dodge puts you in control of Astro as you use his multiple jumping, hovering, and dashing skills to clear a course of deadly obstacles.

This game is not to be entered into lightly! The levels are incredibly hard. It takes skill and patience.

Get used to seeing this image a lot.

Aside from the futuristic setting, it actually doesn't seem to have much to do with the Astro Boy universe, but it's interesting all the same to see the character like this.

You can play it for yourself on Kongregate, but don't say I didn't warn you.

Remember to check out prior postings on Astro Boy games with the Games Tag.

Imagi Selling CGI Models

2011-01-12T18:33:00.000-05:00

A collection of 3D digital objects made by Imagi for their animated works, including TMNT and Astro Boy, can now be purchased for use by other studios and animators. You can see Dr. Tenma's books, Toby's hat, and some futuristic buildings as part of the examples shown. These are just general items, things like props and buildings, not copyrighted characters.
From what I understand, this is not an unusual thing. It saves time and money to use 3D resources that have already been made over developing them from scratch. It would be quiet interesting to see if anything distinctive from the Astro Boy movie ever shows up in another film.

See the entire CG Model Library here.

Tezuka Russian Nesting Dolls

2011-01-03T23:33:00.001-05:00

Take a look at these customized Russian nesting dolls, hand painted with Osamu Tezuka characters by artist "hooverdam".

Originally posted on D. Merril's Let's Anime blog, where you can see more pictures of each layer. I agree, they are the coolest thing ever.

New Buddha Trailer

2010-12-31T14:26:00.002-05:00

Let's end this year in style with a look at this awesome new trailer for the upcoming animated film adaption of Osamu Tezuka's Buddha, featuring brand new music from legendary rock band X-Japan.

The HRP-4 Robot

2010-12-31T14:18:00.000-05:00

Check out this new example of Japanese robotics, the HRP-4.

From CNN Go:

Standing in front of previous incarnations, HRP-2 and HRP-3, the 151-centimeter, 39-kilo HRP-4 robot is part of a line of new working humanoids being developed to ease a looming labor shortage in the rapidly greying nation of Japan.

With 34 degrees of freedom in movement, including full arm articulation and simple hand moves including grasping capabilities, HRP-4 could be handy for all kinds of home jobs or factory work. He also seems light on his feet without the battery pack that Honda's Asimo needs to carry.

HRP-4 uses standard parts with a Linux core. It uses AIST's own proprietary control software on an Intel Pentium M CPU.

And here's a video of it in action.

We're getting closer!

An Astro Christmas.

2010-12-25T01:58:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I was asked by Astro mega-fan Lisa to share this with everyone for Christmas, and I am happy to oblige. It's an illustration by Japanese artist named でんのく (Dennoku?), but an English translation and accompanying poem have also been added. A small version can be seen by clicking the image on the right. You can see it full size here, and it's a large file.

You can check out the artist's website here and see more Christmas cheer on the Astroboy-Online forums.

Happy Holidays!

Simpsons Anime Couch Gag

2010-12-24T04:12:00.000-05:00

Thought I would share this great classic opening couch gag from The Simpsons, featuring each member of the family as a famous Japanese character. Homer is Ultraman, Marge is Jun from Gatchaman, Lisa is Sailor Moon, Maggie is Pikachu, and of course, Bart is Astro Boy.

This originally aired on December 14, 2003 as part of the show's 15th season. It was a Christmas themed episode too.

Astro Bramble

2010-12-20T03:55:00.001-05:00

Customized Astro Boy "Bramble-bot" made by designer Ultraman. See more pictures here.

Bramble-bots are toys designed by artist Ashley Wood, who painted some covers for the Astro Boy movie comic book adaptation from IDW.

Meet DARwIn-OP

2010-12-14T00:42:00.000-05:00

Check out this cool little guy. Maybe it's just me, but I think he looks a little familiar.

DARwIn-OP (Dynamic Anthropomorphic Robot with Intelligence-Open Platform) is an open source robot, meaning that if you feel like Dr. Tenma, you can fabricate the parts using CAD files and build your own. Or, you can just cut to the chase and buy one already assembled for $12,000.

It's pretty clear from the big saucer-like eyes, the fins on the head, and the thick proportions that Astro Boy must have been an influence. However, this is actually not a Japanese-built robot at all. It was created through partnerships with a number of US universities and Korean robotics company Robotis.

Find out more information, including a video of it in action, here.

I want one.

Anime Jazz Fights Cancer

2010-12-04T00:28:00.000-05:00

From Anime News Network:

Japanese jazz singer Reiko Oshibuchi, who suffers from breast cancer, has released a CD of jazz covers of classic anime songs. Each CD costs 2,800 yen (about US$33), of which 800 yen (US$10) is donated to the Childhood Cancer Association of Japan. The CD includes songs from Gegege no Kitarō, Astro Boy (Mighty Atom), Space Battleship Yamato, and Science Ninja Team Gatchaman.

Oshibuchi first arranged the themes into jazz form for a 2006 concert event titled "Anime Jazz." The following year, Oshibuchi was diagnosed with cancer and underwent a mastectomy. She resumed her live performances in 2008, and the second Anime Jazz event was a success. Oshibuchi had decided to release a CD before her third live performance when she discovered that she had relapsed with cancer in October. She decided to continue singing despite the infirmity.

The CD is on sale in Japan right now. I'm really interested in hearing it!

Roly Poly Astro

2010-11-30T20:52:00.000-05:00

Found these interesting looking early toys for very young kids featuring Astro Boy. These kinds of "Roly-Poly" toys always stay upright, and these seem to make a jingling sound.

It looks movie inspired with Astro's face and various appearances from throughout the film, but Uran is there too, surprisingly.

Not sure about the validity of these toys, which raises not only legal issues but safety concerns as well. At any rate, I found them, and a bunch more Astro stuff, here on Dino-Direct.

Life Size Astro Boy Sculpture

2010-11-30T20:37:00.000-05:00

This life size sculpture of Astro Boy is from the Mori Art Museum.

Looks a bit... analog, don't you think?

Photos by Mew Mew Maru.

Thanks to Felix Ip for posting this on his blog.

What's the Deal with the Berets?

2010-11-19T22:28:00.000-05:00

Masters of Manga raises the question of why Osamu Tezuka and other manga artists would wear a beret. Manga artist Jiro Tsunoda answers in this video.

Mighty Gun

2010-11-14T17:16:00.001-05:00

Let's dig into the archives and take a look at this classic Astro Boy oddity, the Mighty Gun!

Yeah, basically it's just a standard sci-fi-esque plastic suction cup dart gun with an Astro Boy sticker on it. Real original. But what is quite interesting is the young Atlas target it comes with. Because we all remember the time when Astro shot Atlas with a gun, right?

Stark Industries x Astro Boy

2010-11-11T13:20:00.000-05:00

Check out this cool artwork that has hit the Internet in a big way. Created by M7781 on deviantART, this piece brings together Iron Man and Astro Boy to explore what would have happened if Astro was built by Stark Industries.

stark industries x astroboy by *m7781 on deviant ART

See more from this artist at his website.

Fire Safety with Tezuka

2010-11-06T01:21:00.000-04:00

Check out this poster by Osamu Tezuka from 1979 featuring Astro Boy and Uran in an illustration depicting fire safety around children.

Check out Pink Tentacle for more of these fire safety illustrations with Tezuka characters. Some of them are actually pretty funny.

Mega Man and Astro Boy

2010-11-02T02:28:00.000-04:00

This is NOT real game. This is cool fanart by Red J.

Megaman and Astro boy by *Red-J on deviant ART

But what if it was real? I think it would be pretty cool!

Osamu Tezuka's Notebooks to Be Published

2010-11-02T02:15:00.000-04:00

In the 1990's, 75 notebooks were discovered in the home of Osamu Tezuka. Within these books were sketches and early concepts for stories including Tetsuwan Atomu, Jungle Emperor, and others published between 1948 to 1959. Aside from occasional displays of selected excerpts, the material in these books has not been available to the public.

But all that changes in December! Shogakukan Creative has announced the publication of "Tezuka Osamu Sōsaku Note to Shoki Sakuhin-Shū", a collection of material taken from pages of 10 of these 75 notebooks. It will be released in Japan on December 24th.

For Tezuka fans, this is a huge announcement. It's a rare glimpse into the creative process of a cultural icon. I'll be keeping an eye on how this turns out.

Source: Anime News Network

Halloween Wallace

2010-10-29T17:21:00.000-04:00

I am somewhat disturbed by this artwork, but it's too funny not to share. From Scott Pilgrim comic book creator Bryan Lee O'Mally comes this drawing of Wallace in his Halloween costume. We are asked to guess who he's dressed up as.

Halloween Wallace by *radiomaru on deviant ART

If you've read the comics then you'll know that, somehow, this costume does actually suit him.

The amazing movie Scott Pilgrim vs The World comes out on DVD and Blu Ray in North America on November 9th. If you missed it in theaters you have to check it out when it reaches home, because it's totally incredible and one of the best films of the year. There is even an Astro Boy reference, so you can't go wrong there.

The Robo-Dating Scene

2010-10-29T17:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Cathy at Computer Technician for telling me about this article featuring 10 Robots You can Actually Date.

There are some really fascinating specimens in here, like this this somewhat creepy female android and the bartender robot pictured here. Really this is just a fun way of looking at how robots have advanced and become more human-like in their interactions.

Maybe some of you might think a few of them are cute, I don't know. But the article comes with the caveat that just because one could date a robot, doesn't mean it's a very good idea. But hey, maybe someday these robots will be able to date each other.

One Year Ago.

2010-10-23T01:54:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe, but today, October 23rd, marks the 1 year anniversary of the release in the Astro Boy movie. Time flies, huh?

Clearly, the theatrical release of this movie didn't exactly set the box office on fire, but I know for a fact that the film has won people over and built up a respectable fanbase in the time since. It's a good film, and it's a shame that so many people missed out on it at first. But now, thanks in good part to the release of the Astro Boy movie, many more people have become familiar with the character and his story, and the works of Osamu Tezuka continue to flourish around the world. No matter what the numbers say, I count that as a win.

I think this movie holds up pretty well to repeat viewings. There are a lot of fun Easter-eggs and Tezuka-esque gags throughout the movie that you might have missed the first time. So, take some time out at some point this weekend and watch the Astro Boy movie again, then post a comment below and talk about your experience. Get your friends and family involved too. If you haven't seen it in awhile, I think you might like it even better now than you did when you first saw it. And if you've never seen it, there is no better time than right now to give it a chance and see what this future cult classic is all about.

PLUTO Movie Rights Acquired!

2010-10-21T02:23:00.001-04:00

That's right, Naoki Urasawa's acclaimed manga retelling of Osamu Tezuka's famous Astro Boy story might just be made into a movie.

It was over one year ago when the possibility of a Pluto movie was last brought up. But now it seems that the project has gotten some major forward momentum, as the rights to Pluto have been purchased by Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures.

It is planed to be a live action/CG hybrid film. Chris Meledandri of Illumination Entertainment had this to say:

"With Pluto, Naoki Urasawa has defined an imaginative world full of inventive action and adventure but it was his characters and heartfelt story that compelled me towards acquiring these rights."

You can read more about the announcement on Deadline.com and on Anime News Network.

Now, before everyone gets too excited, does this mean that a Pluto movie is 100% being made? Not necessarily. It just means that there is an intention to make a Pluto movie, and a studio now has the rights to make it. Whether it actually materializes is another matter, but there is at least a chance. Let's hope that a faithful adaptation of this incredible version of the Astro Boy mythos will find its way to the silver screen in the future!

You can buy all 8 volumes of Pluto here and help support AstroBoyWorld in the process.

UPDATE: Read the official press release here.

Japan's Robotics Industry Must Forget Anime

2010-10-18T16:48:00.000-04:00

Here's an article from TechEYE.net with some interesting discussion on Japanese robots.

Scientists in Japan are at last changing focus in robotics - increasingly working on practical machines instead of creating all-singing, all-dancing, all-creepy humanoid robots. Japan has for a while now been at the forefront of releasing robots which invoke some sort of terrible uncanny valley experience.

A report in Nikkei (subscription) suggests that Japan is taking its cue from the West and now focusing on developing robotics that have direct, practical applications. Shinichiro Sanji, researcher at Mitsubishi Research Institute, told the paper: "Japanese engineers have tried to create robots like popular comic heroes Astro Boy and Gundam in a short period of time." Another expert said "A bubble in robot research has burst."

Money being spent on research at the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, or NEDO, has declined too. The biped, human lookalikes have no space in development anymore - and Japan must look to areas where there are labor shortages like fishing, farming and cleaning, suggests Sanji.

It seems companies are doing just that. Fuji Heavy Industries is still putting its yen into robot development and has recently been working on a farming robot able to inject pesticide into the ground. Automation is the way forward, says a farmer: It would "help reduce the burden on workers." Until now, says Nikkei, pumping pesticide deep into the earth is a manual task that needs a lot of careful labor - including full protection outfits from the chemicals.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is working on a robot which will be able to comb the ocean for rare earth metals, as well as a car which may be able to drive itself. And the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization has created an automated system which can handle time intensive farm work such as planting rice seedlings. It uses GPS technology to know where it is and what it's doing.

It's good then that scientists are beginning to put away the anime. A real life Metal Gear would be a site to behold but we can't think of any applications other than World Wars 3 through 10.

Not sure how factually accurate this article is, but I think that less practical robots are still important. The advances in technology that are made during the process of creating them can potentially be used in other ways. Plus, these more whimsical robots can capture the imagination of the public, building more interest in the subject and in science and technology in general. I do feel, however, that time and effort is better spent in ways other than making robots appear and behave like humans at this time. I think that anime like Astro Boy and movies like Star Wars have made people accepting of robots that look like robots.

Besides, who doesn't like to watch a robot get down and boogie?

Tezuka's "The Book of Human Insects" Licensed

2010-10-12T12:49:00.000-04:00

Those awesome cats at Vertical Publishing strike again, this time from way out of left field, with another in their line of superb Osamu Tezuka manga licenses. At the New York Comic Con this past weekend, it was announced that "The Book of Human Insects", also known as "Human Metamorphosis", will be released in English on July 26, 2011. It will be a hardcover containing the entire 360 page story and retail for $22.99.

Here's what TezukaOsamu.net has to say about the title.

"Human Metamorphosis," a satirical Manga depicting human society compared to the insect world, focuses on the life of a devious woman. Tomura Toshiko, who is said to be a genius, is a rising star writer. Her novel wins the Akutagawa Prize for the best novel of the year. While she attends the award ceremony, another woman named Usuba Kageri commits suicide in another place. It turns out that Kageri and Toshiko used to live together, and the awarded novel was copied from Kageri's transcript. Toshiko is like a parasite: approaching talented people one after another, squeezing everything out of them and stealing their works for her own fame. Behind her success story, she has her secrets.

Look forward to this unique manga release next year!

Source: AniGamers

Crazy Astro Fashion Art

2010-10-04T18:52:00.000-04:00

I'm not really sure what to classify this under, but this is some incredibly unique Astro Boy inspired imagery and pattern design from the "Astroboy by ohya" collection. It seems to be officially licensed by Tezuka Productions for some kind of exhibition a few years ago.

Here a few samples.

Many more images are available here. There is some weird stuff, but still kind of cool. I have no idea how much of this, if any, was available for sale. If anyone has more information about this particular event, please respond by posting a comment.

Mad Science

2010-09-27T20:28:00.001-04:00

i09 has a very interesting article that explores the familiar sci-fi theme where "mad scientists" will, one way or another, turn against their creations. Along with characters like Victor Frankenstein and Tony Stark, Astro Boy's father Dr. Tenma makes the list with a very cool writeup. Here's what they had to say:

In the underrated 2009 film, Dr. Tenma turns against his creation, Astro Boy — but later has a second change of heart. Dr. Tenma creates Astro Boy as a robot duplicate of his dead son. But when he realizes that the robot copy can never replace the flesh-and-blood boy, he rejects the kid. (In the original Tezuka manga, Tenma rejects the boy when he realizes the boy can never grow up, and sells him to the circus.) In the movie, Dr. Tenma finally embraces his robot son after Astro Boy sacrifices himself to save everyone from an evil giant robot — and Dr. Tenma manages to bring Astro Boy back to life.

You can read about all "20 mad scientists who turned against their creations" on io9.

Tezuka's Legendary Wood Panel

2010-09-27T20:13:00.000-04:00

Fans of Osamu Tezuka definitley must check out this article, "Tezuka's heroine bats her eyes at crime reporters" from the Asahi Shimbun website. It's all about how a wooden panel from the Tokiwa-so apartments, where many young manga artists once stayed, was rescued by Tezuka before the site was demolished. Tezuka drew an illustration of Princess Knight and a portrait of himself on the panel and gave it to the reporters that alerted him to the Tokiwa-so demolition. To this day, that panel hangs in the Ikebukuro Police Station press room.

A framed wooden ceiling panel sits in the press club inside the Metropolitan Police Department's Ikebukuro Police Station in Tokyo's Toshima Ward.

It shows a sketch of the heroine of Osamu Tezuka's manga "Ribon no Kishi" (Princess Knight), and a self-portrait of the artist in his inimitable style.

As the anecdote goes, Tezuka (1928-1989) drew the pictures on the panel, which measures roughly 70 centimeters by 30 cm, after removing it himself from the legendary Tokiwa-so apartment building, where he and other manga artists had once lived.

The building was torn down 28 years ago. The artist managed to rescue the board thanks to the help of club reporters.

In the top right of the panel, the artist wrote a special dedication: "For the reporters at the Gohomen Kisha Club (the press club for district 5)."

An Asahi Shimbun article on the demolition said: "(Tezuka), wearing his trademark beret, was surrounded by fans who had heard about the demolition and went upstairs to revisit Room 14, which held so many memories. As he had requested, he received wooden panels from the ceiling, which were richly imbued with the smoke from all the cooking that had gone on in that room."

The press club is one of the seven at major police stations in Tokyo. The rooms serve as bases for crime reporters.

How did a panel from Tokiwa-so end up in the press club on the seventh floor of the Ikebukuro Police Station?

Shigeyuki Koide, 59, senior staff writer at the Yomiuri Shimbun, happily recounted the events that took place on Nov. 30, 1982.

"We just happened to drop in at a ramen shop near Tokiwa-so that day," he said.

Koide was 31 and in his first year on the city news beat. After covering a fire in the morning, reporters from the press club went to the Chinese restaurant Matsuba for lunch.

After their meal, the reporters noticed Tokiwa-so covered with scaffolding, with the window frames already gone. They heard that the building was about to be demolished.

The reporters sprang into action, calling up manga artists who used to live in the apartment to get their reactions.

One reporter called Tezuka, creator of "Tetsuwan Atomu" (Astro Boy), who had lived in Room 14 of Tokiwa-so.

Tezuka said he would come down to get some of the ceiling boards. He promised to meet the reporters in front of the apartment late in the afternoon the next day.

On Dec. 1, at his office in Shinjuku Ward, Tezuka handed in 20 manuscript sheets for the manga "Hidamari no Ki" (Trees in the sun) to his editor from Big Comic magazine.

He was two days late for his deadline, and due dates for other serials were fast approaching.

But Tokiwa-so couldn't wait. Tezuka headed off to his rendezvous.

"As I waited for (Tezuka) to return, I was surrounded by angry editors," recalled Takayuki Matsutani, 65, president of Tezuka Productions Co. "I didn't want him to leave the office. Still, I wanted him to take a breather."

The manga king was about an hour late when he arrived at Tokiwa-so. He immediately went upstairs, even though the apartment was dark because the lights were removed.

In Room 14, he got on a stepladder to get at the ceiling, while reporters shone flashlights.

One asked, "Are you sure you can just tear it up like that?"

An unfazed Tezuka replied: "Don't worry. I've talked with the landlord."

He soon ripped several boards out of the ceiling.

When Koide handed Tezuka a felt-tipped pen, the artist drew the dashing Princess Sapphire, who in his famous tale pretends she is a prince to inherit the throne.

Saying, "And me," Tezuka added a self-portrait.

It was Tezuka's way of thanking the young reporters who alerted him about the demise of his special place. The reporters carried the panel back to their press club and displayed it on the locker.

The board has since witnessed more than 200 reporters at the Gohomen Kisha Club come and go, chasing down stories and learning their trade.

Shinichi Suzuki, 76, an anime artist who also lived at Tokiwa-so, compares the press club to Tokiwa-so.

"I look at it this way: Anyplace, be it a school or a company, becomes a Tokiwa-so to the people who grow up there and are successful in the future."

Tezuka Moe Gallery

2010-09-20T20:16:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I'm typing this (actually this is Japan we're talking about so nothing is truly unbelievable) but there's an event happening right now that combines the famous works of Osamu Tezuka with the modern day cute fad of "moe". The "Osamu Moet Moso" exhibition is being held at the Tokyo Anime Center in Akihabara. It opened on September 18 and runs until October 11.

Upon viewing the images above, my guttural reaction would be "Is nothing sacred?", but upon reading more, there is some reason to suggest that the concept of moe can directly trace its roots to Tezuka's influence on manga culture. It's an interesting topic at any rate, though there's something kind of creepy to me about that Astro artwork. The Princess Knight one is HAWT though.

See more pictures and information at Otaku2 and AnimeKon.

Astro Homer

2010-09-13T16:35:00.001-04:00

This is an actual thing, found on eBay.

Needless to say, this is probably not a licensed product. D'oh!

This bizarre and unholy fusion of Astro Boy and Homer Simpson originates in Mexico, a haven of bootlegged weirdness. There seem to be several other Homers like this, including Flash Homer, Punisher Homer, and Hellboy Homer.

Warning: May contain traces of Mexican cheese.

Tezuka Time with Mike Toole

2010-09-13T16:24:00.000-04:00

Anime News Network brings us another new installment of The Mike Toole Show. This column features a look at The Astonishing Work of Osamu Tezuka DVD and a complete, detailed look at all of the Osamu Tezuka anime properties that have been translated into English. Definitely an informative article and another entertaining read from Mike Toole.

Here's a sample that I particularly agree with.

Tezuka Productions would go back to the well and remake Astro Boy in 2003, commemorating both the 40th anniversary of the cartoon and the fictional "birthdate" of Astro himself. The company spared no expense in revitalizing their flagship hero; the TV series was bankrolled by Sony, and directed and scripted by the famous (and somewhat infamous) Konaka brothers.

Unfortunately, its western release was badly, badly bungled, featuring a gutted musical score, extensively rewritten scripts, and some episodes either omitted or shown out of sequence; the show was irregularly bounced between Kids WB and Cartoon Network before being canceled. Its broadcast run was never properly finished, although Sony did see fit to throw out a dub-only, poor-quality DVD box. Astro Boy 2003's handling by Sony is a compelling model of how not to release an anime series in the west, which is pretty frustrating in retrospect.

Make sure you read the whole thing right here.

If you ask me, any time is Tezuka time!

The Art of Osamu Tezuka wins Harvey Award

2010-09-07T16:58:00.000-04:00

The amazing book dedicated to the life and work of the God of Manga, The Art of Osamu Tezuka by Helen McCarthy, has been awarded with the Harvey Award for "Best American Edition of Foreign Material". Congratulations for this well deserved honor. Check out the post on Anime News Network for all the information.

In some recent happenings, Helen McCarthy's blog has a post regarding foreign language editions of the book.

Also, Brain Diving from Anime News Network has a new column that explores the book in great detail.

If you don't have this book yet, it's a must read, and you can help support ABW by purchasing it here.

The World's Oldest Living Otaku

2010-08-29T00:14:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to bring everyone's attention to an amazing article by Patrick Macias for Otaku USA about one of North America's pioneering anime fans, Fred Patten. It's a really fascinating look at the early days (and I mean EARLY) of how anime fandom developed. Included is his meeting with Osamu Tezuka and their combined attempts to bring more anime to America. Here's a small sample:

But Fred had some pretty major conspirators in his corner, starting with the “God of Manga” himself, Osamu Tezuka. After briefly meeting each other in 1977, Tezuka would come to rely on Fred and the small circle of fans that he belonged to (the LA branch of the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization, AKA the C/FO) to show him around the SoCal area, and supply information about the burgeoning popularity of anime and manga outside of Japan. Says Patten in his book, “(Tezuka) was bewildered but flattered that so many Americans, who did not understand the Japanese language, had taken the trouble to figure out the plots of his manga from the pictures alone.”

You can read "2010 is 1980: Fred Patten and Osamu Tezuka" at OtakuUSAMagazine.com.

Scott Pilgrim's Astro Shirt - Live!

2010-08-26T23:12:00.000-04:00

"Scott Pilgrim VS The World" has been released this week in the UK. So, here's an image from the movie, found through this official remix video, that clearly shows an Astro Boy T-Shirt, just like he wears in the comic.

I have to reiterate just how amazing this movie is. It's the best movie I've seen in a long time and it's an absolute crime that it hasn't made more money at the box office in North America. Do yourself a favor and see this movie in theaters if you haven't done so already. If you have, go see it again! I've seen it twice thus far and that just wasn't enough for me. Please go watch it and help support innovative films!

Tap Tap Rush - New Astro Boy Game for iPhone!

2010-08-25T16:48:00.001-04:00

Now this is some huge news!

A new Astro Boy video game is set for release on the iPhone. This is a colaboration between Tezuka Productions, Widefos, and SJgames. It's a side scrolling action game that seems akin in many ways to the GameBoy Advance classic Astro Boy Omega Factor. It has a unique art style and looks to feature battles with both Atlas and Pluto. Other famous characters like Dr. Ochanomizu and Inspector Tawashi also make an appearance.

Check out some gameplay footage below!

The game is set for release in 2011 for what will be the 60th anniversary of Astro Boy. It is be available in Korea and Japan first, but other regions including North America and Europe will follow. Stay tuned to ABW for more information on this exciting new game as it develops.

Source: GamePron - ThisIsGame.com

Scott Pilgrim and the Awesome T-Shirt

2010-08-13T20:05:00.003-04:00

The new movie Scott Pilgrim vs The World opens in the US and Canada today! Go see it!

To celebrate, here's an image from the second volume of the Scott Pilgrim comic series that features Scott wearing an awesome and familiar shirt.

Creator Bryan Lee O’Malley is a noted Osamu Tezuka follower and the influence certainly shows in his work. This is a very cool tribute to the master.

UPDATE: An Astro Boy T-Shirt appears in the movie, in pretty much the exact same scene as it does in the comic. Now that's attention to detail! Also, the movie rocks!

Don't Forget Your Hat, Doc!

2010-08-11T02:56:00.000-04:00

This vintage poster was made for the Tokyo Subway system some time ago as a way of reminding passengers to not forget their belongings on the train. Some very interesting artwork of Astro returning Osamu Tezuka's umbrella and distinctive hat. It's a creative and funny way to get a point across, though it's pretty unlikely that Tezuka would ever forget his hat, as he was seldom seen without it.

Check out more Japanese posters made to promote subway manners at Pink Tentacle, featuring Superman, Santa Claus, Doraemon, John Wayne, and more. It's some crazy stuff!

House vs. Black Jack Now Online

2010-08-06T00:13:00.000-04:00

What I thought was going to be an epic encounter wasn't quite as epic as one would think. Here is the extended version of the previously reported commercial featuring famous TV doctor House and Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack.

I was expecting more from this, honestly. It's not as cool as I thought it would be. Existing Footage from the House TV show was cut together with footage of Black Jack. The only really notable thing about it that gives it any sort of authenticity is that the Japanese voice actors are used. In the end we can see that this is not just a promotional tool for the Japanese DVD release of House season 4, but also for the Black Jack OVA.

More info can be found here on Anime News Network.

No matter what happened, I still say Black Jack is cooler.

FIGHT!

2010-08-05T23:45:00.001-04:00

Check out this Robot Wrestling from Japan!

This tumultuous sequence of battles took place at a robotics event called Robotech (no relation to the cartoon) at the Tokyo Big Site last month. Clearly these bots have taken some major influence from the famous mecha of anime.

As cool as this is, one has to wonder, is it right to force robots to fight each other? Will they become angry and turn against humans someday? Ah, who cares? Robot wrestling rules!

Find out more info at Gizmag.com!

HOUSE VS. BLACK JACK

2010-07-27T19:49:00.000-04:00

Take a look at this.

Yes, this is a real thing! Sort of.

To promote the Japanese DVD release of House season 4, Dr. House (actor Hugh Laurie) will appear in a commercial with an animated version of Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack. We will see which bad-ass doctor has the best skills!

More find more information on this epic crossover on Anime News Network.

A Tribute to Peter Fernandez

2010-07-27T19:40:00.001-04:00

I've been putting off writing this for awhile now, but ultimately I can't escape having to acknowledge the passing of the legendary Peter Fernandez. He died on July 15th at the age of 83 due to lung cancer.

Peter had an incredibly long and fruitful career in show-business that began when he was 7 years old. He was in film, radio, and on Broadway, but he is probably best known today for his work in bringing adaptations of Japanese animation to the rest of the world. He worked on titles like the original Astro Boy and Gigantor as well as the live action Ultraman, and his directorial leadership on Speed Racer clearly crafted a pop-culture legacy that endures to this day.

He was a great guy who never looked down on the work that he did. We will all miss him, but his legacy will likely live on for decades to come. I highly recomend everyone read Mike Toole's "Voice of Many Generations" on ANN as a great way of understanding the scope of his life's work.

More information can be found here:
MSNBC
New York Times
LA Times

First Buddha Trailer

2010-07-21T23:50:00.001-04:00

Check out the first trailer to the upcoming Buddha movie, set for release May 2011!

More info is available in Japanese at the official website.

Anti Establishment Black Jack

2010-07-21T23:45:00.001-04:00

The Science Blog on guardian.co.uk has an incredible, insightful article about Osamu Tezuka and his famous doctor creation Black Jack, bringing to light not only the popularity of the character but also the effect he has had on issues regarding the medical profession in Japan. This is definitley worth reading for any and all Black Jack fans.

You can read "Osamu Tezuka: Father of manga and scourge of the medical establishment" on the Guardian Science Blog or by clicking the link below for an archived version.

Osamu Tezuka: Father of manga and scourge of the medical establishment

Tezuka inspired a generation of manga artists and shaped the national debate about medical reform in Japan

Black Jack cartoon by Osamu TezukaView larger picture In one episode Tekuka's superhuman surgeon Black Jack operates on himself without an anaesthetic. Image: Osamu Tezuka

So far in this blog series on graphic medicine I've been looking at medical comics in the west. Now I look east to the work of the "Father of manga" (Japanese comics) Osamu Tezuka. A talented writer, artist and animator, Tezuka used his medical education to inform his anatomically accurate depictions of surgery.

Tezuka was born in Toyanaka City, Osaka, in 1928. Though he attended medical school and became a licensed physician, he chose not to work as a doctor and instead devoted himself to writing and drawing manga and making animated films.

Over the course of his long career Tezuka became a defining force in shaping the genre, publishing more than 700 manga running to more than 150,000 pages. Early Tezuka characters had large eyes, inspired by their American counterparts Betty Boop and Disney's Bambi. Large eyes have since become a stylistic hallmark of the whole genre.

As well as countless other titles including the world famous Astro Boy, Tezuka produced three notable medical manga: Black Jack, Ode to Kirihito, and Tezuka's Ancestor, Dr. Ryoan.

The latter is the story of Tezuka's grandfather, doctor to a samurai warrior during Japan's Meiji period. The other two works, fiercely critical of the Japanese medical establishment, have inspired a generation of manga artists (mangaka) as well as shaping the national debate about medical reform in Japan.

Ode to Kirihito was originally published in Japan as a series in the twice-monthly manga magazine Big Comic from 1970 to 1971. The story follows Dr Kirihito Osanai as he seeks a cure for the life-threatening (and thankfully fictional) Monmow disease which transforms people into dog-like creatures. When Kirihito himself becomes infected, he travels the world reflecting on his alienation and searching for a cure. In this 832-page epic, Tezuka deals with the anguish and moral dilemmas of both doctors and patients with piercing insight.

"For Tezuka, a doctor is not just someone who heals the body, but someone who appreciates the value of life, and inspires others to value it as well," said Ada Palmer, a historian at A&M University Texas and manga scholar. "In Tezuka's Buddhist cosmology all life is sacred and nothing is more valuable than creating or continuing life."

Ode to Kirihito expresses Tezuka's frustration at what he saw as an ineffectual medical establishment. It is one of a number of later social critique stories written by Tezuka that had only a limited impact in the context of his general body of work.

By contrast, Tezuka's medical manga Black Jack has been hugely successful since its original run in Weekly Shonen Champion from 1973 to 1984. In Black Jack, Tezuka depicted the physician he would like to have been had he continued with his medical career. An extremely gifted but unlicensed surgeon, Black Jack performs complicated operations on humans and animals and charges extortionate prices for his services.
Black Jack manga comic, cover image Black Jack, cover image

"The outrageous fees he charges are a test to make sure his patients truly appreciate that life itself is more valuable than any amount of money," said Palmer. Rejected by the medical community, he mostly provides his services to criminals and outlaws on the fringes of society. The series ran for more than 230 episodes.

Tezuka used his experience as a physician to draw anatomically accurate surgical scenes in Black Jack. His highly stylised cartoon figures were set against realistic landscapes and medically accurate depictions of the tissues of the human body. This attention to detail set the book apart from what had come before, and inspired many more mangaka to follow his lead.

"Many of the operations which Black Jack performs are astounding, sometimes impossible, but Tezuka's grounding in medicine means they are almost always convincingly portrayed," said Paul Gravett, comics historian and author of Manga: Sixty Years of Japanese Comics.

Indeed there are several points in Black Jack where Tezuka chose to reject medical plausibility. The superhuman surgeon can perform complex surgical operations from memory in complete darkness, for example. In one episode Black Jack operates on himself without anaesthetic. Despite this degree of poetic licence the manga has been enormously influential.

Black Jack remains one of the most popular manga of all time in Japan. "I have never met a Japanese person who wasn't familiar with Black Jack, even those who don't usually read manga," said Palmer. "If Astro Boy is the Japanese Superman, Black Jack is the Japanese Batman. Everyone knows him, even far outside the comics world, and when people think of him people think of his fierce critique of the medical world."

Palmer told me the character is often brought up in debates about medical reform. The Hitachi medical group used Black Jack's image in their advertisement in 2006, for example, because his image is synonymous with good medical care.

However, Tezuka's message was not always welcome. "There were a number of Black Jack episodes which drew complaints from the medical establishment in Japan and which Tezuka agreed to suppress and not allow to be reprinted in book form," said Gravett. Two of these three "sealed issues", issue 41 Vegetable and issue 58 Seat of Pleasure, which deal with the vegetative state and lobotomy respectively, were considered politically sensitive and never re-published.

Gravett said it was significant that Tezuka agreed to suppress this work. "Despite some ill-informed, scaremongering headlines here in the UK trying to panic the public about imported Japanese comics, manga does not operate with an anarchic, unregulated, 'anything-goes' licence," he said.

Palmer cited Naoki Urasawa's Monster and Chiho Saito's Say Hello to Black Jack as examples of manga inspired by the Black Jack series. The latter is a gritty, realistic portrait of corruption and incompetence in the Japanese medical school internship process.

"The subject of the manga is literally that every medical student in Japan starts medical school wanting to be Dr Black Jack, and then has to face the trauma of discovering that isn't possible in the real world," said Palmer. The comic is beautifully illustrated with a detailed medical realism in tribute to Tezuka.
Team Medical Dragon by Akira Nagai and Taro Nogizaka Team Medical Dragon by Akira Nagai and Taro Nogizaka

In a similar vein, Team Medical Dragon by Akira Nagai and Taro Nogizaka attacks corruption and petty politics within the Japanese healthcare system. Serialised in Japan in the manga magazine Big Comic Superior since 2002, the comic combines explanatory medical diagrams with graphic depictions of surgery. The idea was so successful it was made into the television drama Iryu which enjoyed critical acclaim when it aired in Japan between 2006 and 2007.

It is not unusual in Japan for a manga on a seemingly niche topic to gain enormous readership and become serialised on television or turned into films. "Manga covers an enormous range of topics, genres and styles of story, far more diverse than one finds in western comics, or on the animated side western television," said Palmer. "There are manga about gender-switching princes, children raised by pigeons, the bombing of Hiroshima, international competitive baking and the French Revolution."

Palmer told me that because of Tezuka's Black Jack, people in Japan are much more aware of the issue of medical corruption than in most other countries.

"Imagine if Batman were about medical corruption," said Palmer. "When a new movie comes out, the whole nation talks about it. That has had a vast impact on how the Japanese nation thinks about doctors."

Would we have manga without Tezuka? According to Gravett, the question "is rather like asking if we would have French-language comics without Hergé, or American comic books without Jack Kirby. Tezuka was pivotal and a huge inspiration [for manga artists]."

Dr Osamu Tezuka died at the age of 60 in 1989. His legacy lives on in the work of mangaka who continue to tell medical stories. The Osamu Tezuka Memorial Museum in Takarazuka showcases the life work of this prolific and talented artist.

Cian O'Luanaigh is a graphic artist and science writer based in London. He has a masters in science communication from Imperial College London

Tokyo Atom Engrish

2010-07-08T20:04:00.000-04:00

Pretty busy with some non-Astro related stuff right now, hence the infrequent posts recently. Things will pick back up later.

As insensitive as it might be, one of my most favorite things in the universe is Engrish; Amusingly sincere mutations of the English language which usually originate from Asian countries. What can I say? I just find it funny. Here is a bizarre piece of Astro Boy related Engrish I just stumbled upon. This "Tokyo Atom" T-shirt may or may not be an official product but is officially awesome in the Engrish department.

ASTRO BOY is a miraculous snncr(?) rober(!) with the worlds! Wow! I though I knew a lot about anime, but that's a new one to me. A provocative message, to be sure.

Source: Alexis Mall.

More Buddha Movies

2010-07-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

Remember that previously reported Buddha movie? Well, it turns out that there is more to the story. There won't be just one Buddha movie, there will be three!

The first entry in the trilogy, "Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha -The Red Desert! It’s Beautiful-", is still set for Japanese release on May 28th, 2011. It's budgeted at 1 billion yen and is being produced by both Toei Animation and Tezuka Productions. You can read more about this exciting project, including staff and voice cast on Anime News Network.

Astro Boy Movie in 3D

2010-06-30T00:26:00.001-04:00

There have been some rumblings about this in the past, but now we know that it's true. The Astro Boy movie will be released in 3D!

If you have the special glasses, you can watch a trailer on YouTube. Notice the "Coming Soon in 3D" text that sets this trailer apart from previous ones.

You can read more about the 3D version of Astro Boy here and download the trailer for yourself (3D video player required). Informatuion about 3D Blu Ray home theaters can be found here. Big time thanks to Lisa Sapphire for sending me these links!

Atom Phone

2010-06-02T20:42:00.002-04:00

Check out this interesting but possibly bootleg phone made in the image of Astro Boy. The ATOM A520 looks like a toy, but is actually quite technologically advanced. It has cameras, bluetooth, a 1.5-inch screen, and can read MP3, MIDI, MP4, AVI, 3GP, JPG, GIF and TXT files.

I get the feeling that it's not an official product, but hey, points for trying.

Source: ChiniTech - Shanzhaiji

Astro Movie now on DVD+Blu Ray in UK

2010-06-02T20:25:00.000-04:00

The Astro Boy movie has been released on home video formats this week in the UK. Clearly, the UK release of the film has lagged behind the North American release by several months, both theatrically and at home, but for their patience it looks like the UK buyers get a special welcomed bonus. Unlike in North America, the UK release of the Astro Boy Blu Ray comes as a Blu Ray + DVD combo pack. Or Combi-Pack as they seem to say over there. Silly Brits.

The features seem to be exactly the same as the North American release, but I must say that I like the cover artwork much better. It's more based on the final movie poster and really has that great classic Astro Boy look to it with all the other characters and funny robots around him. The composition works suprisingly well and the critic's quote isn't nearly as obtrusive.

You can see a listing for it on Play.com UK.

Best Cosplay Ever?

2010-06-01T16:02:00.003-04:00

Anime North was great this past weekend. My panels were well attended and went smoothly. But one of the highlights for me was seeing this youngster cosplaying as Astro Boy. He's 3 years old and was quite enthusiastic to show his lasers. Pew Pew Pew! Too cute.

I think it's amazing that the first important anime character for everyone can be, even all these decades later, the first important anime character for anyone.

I asked his family if it would be OK to show pictures here on ABW so hopefully they will be happy to see this. This is one awesome kid who has an awesome family too.

Anime North 2010!

2010-05-27T00:48:00.000-04:00

Anime Fans Unite in Toronto this weekend for the biggest Japanese Animation convention in Canada. Anime North takes place May 28 - 30, 2010 and is held at the Toronto Congress Center, Doubletree Hotel, and Sheridan Toronto Airport.

I will be there and will be participating in a number of panels. Here's my schedule.

FRIDAY
Sheraton Hotel - Muskoka room
10pm: Super Mario Bros

SATURDAY
Doubletree - Toronto B room
11am: Classic Anime
12pm: The Mecha Panel
3pm: Transformers
10pm: Live Action Heroes

SUNDAY
Doubletree - Toronto A room
1pm: Anime Wannabes
Doubletree - Main Plaza Ballroom
2pm: Classic Anime with Dave Merril

You are definitley going to want to check out that classic anime panel on Sunday, it's going to be huge, with tons of awesome video clips focusing on how classic anime has been made available in North America. Expect some rare stuff courtesy of Let's Anime's own Dave Merril. I'll be there talking about Tezuka and some of my other favorite classics, and I promise I won't make anything up unless it's funny.

To make my mysterious self more slightly recongizable, I will be wearing this shirt from deviantArt on Saturday with a green camo bandanna and probably a Gatchaman shirt on Sunday. It would be great to see you there, so come say hi and tell me that you read the site!

Scott Seeto - Art of Astro Boy - Vehicles

2010-05-26T19:20:00.001-04:00

Here's some more concept artwork from the Astro Boy movie, this batch coming from artist Scott Seeto. This post will focus on the futuristic vehicle designs, some of which may not have made it into the film. Some of his sketches were done on Post-It notes.

Scott clearly did a lot of work for Astro and you can see more on his blog. I'll post further entires here later. Thanks again to Felix Ip!

Old's Cool with Mike Toole

2010-05-25T16:38:00.001-04:00

Make sure you check out The Mike Toole Show, a new column on Anime News Network that is set to feature some of the unique, obscure, classic, and forgotten gems that make Japanese Animation so awesome. The first edition is all about the first wave of black and white TV anime from the 1960's, starting with Astro Boy and moving on to other series that have little to no exposure outside Japan. Tezuka's Big X and Dororo get a mention as well, along with classics like Cyborg 009 and Sally the Witch. It's not only a very informative look at a chapter of anime history that is mostly unknown to English speakers, but it's incredibly entertaining as well.

Vertical Talks Tezuka

2010-05-24T21:15:00.003-04:00

Bookgasm recently held an interveiw with the Marketing Director for Vertical, Ed Chavez. You can read the Osamu Tezuka related portion below and check out the entire interview here.

BOOKGASM: How have the Osamu Tezuka reprints done for Vertical? I’m especially curious about the ongoing BLACK JACK series. While it would seem such a project would attract a loyal fan base, I’m assuming the law of diminishing returns comes into play?

CHAVEZ: Since Vertical’s launch, Tezuka’s comics have been one of the main pillars of our success as a company. Tezuka’s sales easily make up a full third of our overall sales, and when you consider how we had an 18-percent increase in revenue last year, those sales were very significant.

BLACK JACK has been a fascinating case in the manga world. You are right about diminishing returns. Those laws affect every title, but BLACK JACK has now twice bucked that trend over the last 12 months. Last summer, BLACK JACK, already six volumes into its run, began to gain readers, with orders surpassing the two previous volumes. We are seeing the same trend for VOLUME 10, where orders are as high as they were around this time last year.

There is no doubt Tezuka created a masterpiece in BLACK JACK, and the content itself is what is really bringing in new readers, but there is one point that I think people overlook that might also be in play here: BLACK JACK being a collection of shorts can allow for sampling at any point in the series. It does not need the same level of commitment as other titles with the same length, nor does it seem as daunting to come into the series midway. BLACK JACK by design can cure readers of almost any manga anxiety.

BOOKGASM: Are you considering bringing other Tezuka works to these shores? I, for one, would love the opportunity to see his VAMPIRES.

CHAVEZ: We are always considering more Tezuka. This fall, we will release a new omnibus, this time collecting Dr. Tezuka’s post-WWII drama, AYAKO. The title will be translated by Mari Morimoto, the woman responsible for adapting some of manga’s biggest names — INUYASHA, NARUTO, DRAGONBALL and NEON GENESIS EVANGELIION — into English. Peter Mendelsund will once again take the design reigns.

I would like to take on another Tezuka title once BLACK JACK wraps up next summer. We haven’t decided which way to go, but we already have a short list ready.

Sounds like Tezuka manga is making a big impact! I'm a little late to the party but, with thanks to Ani-Gamers, I have recently gone through Ode to Kirihito and it was an incredible, killer read!

For even more on Vertical's Tezuka releases, Ed Chavez participated on the ANNCast at Anime News Network last month.

Batman - Tezuka Style

2010-05-19T01:07:00.000-04:00

What if Osamu Tezuka drew Batman? Artist Ralph Cosentino bravely attempts to answer this potentially universe-exploding question by creating this image:

"This was another Warner Bros. project. They asked me to come up with a more friendlier, less brooding Batman style so I thought I’d try a style based on one of my favorite creators / artists, Osamu Tezuka."

Pretty cool! I'd watch it! It's a solid approximation of Tezuka's style. Really makes you wonder what Tezuka's take on some famous comic book characters would look like.

John Nevarez - Art of Astro Boy

2010-05-18T23:37:00.001-04:00

Although there will unfortunately not be a "The Art of Astro Boy" book, former Imagi Creative Director Felix Ip has begun compiling concept artwork from artists who worked on the animated film, starting with the work of John Nevarez.

Some of this work is quite different than what the final film looked like, which goes to show just how much effort and artistry goes into this kind of film.

You can see this amazing collection of images here on Felix's Blog or by clicking the link below.

Astro Boy Movie Storyboards

2010-05-15T00:06:00.001-04:00

Artist James Fuji has posted some development storyboard artwork from the Astro Boy movie.

There's a sequence involving a giant robot (Peacekeeper?) uses Astro as a power source and attacking the floating city, and another featuring Zog and Astro's friends going inside the robot and trying to rescue him. Seems like this must be a different story element that was cut or changed from what finally got animated into the film.

Very cool to see this process!

Ministry Of Science ID Badges

2010-05-10T16:05:00.000-04:00

With thanks again to Felix Ip, the creative and art director of the Astro Boy Movie, here is a look at the Ministry of Science ID cards made for the film. You can see that Dr. Tenma's full name in the movie is William Umataro Tenma, but please, just call him Bill.

Felix's own name appears as a character too, a member of the Elite Special Forces. It's quite amusing that his ID has a picture of him with his helmet on.

May the Fourth Be With You

2010-05-04T03:01:00.000-04:00

To celebrate this unofficial holiday, here is a picture I stumbled upon of a page from a French translated Osamu Tezuka manga that features a certain famous Galactic bad guy. I bet Dr. Tezuka was a big fan!

Anyone have any detailed information on this image?

Astro Boy Movie's International Rollout Still Going

2010-05-04T00:12:00.001-04:00

This is quite interesting. I had recently found a number of reviews for the Astro Boy Movie coming from newspapers and websites originating in India. It turns out that this film has only just now, as of this past weekend, been released in theaters there. I don't know about the box office but the reviews seem generally positive overall. It appears that the Indian release of the film is in its original English Language.

I didn't realize there were still major markets that had not even gotten a theatrical release of the film yet. It was released in the UK back in the winter, and that seemed like a long wait compared to the Asian and North American releases, but other countries only saw the film's release in recent months. Others still, like Spain, are still having to wait until next month for the film, and there even now some counties have the release of the movie still listed as TBA.

So, clearly, it's not that great if you live somewhere that hasn't gotten to see the film yet while we're here in North America watching it at home on DVD and Blu Ray, but this does mean that there is still money being made on the movie and that can only be a good thing for a film that had a tough time finding an audience in its initial release. So, since this is AstroBoyWorld after all, I invite everyone from any country who has seen the movie to please share your thoughts and let everyone know what you think!

Astro's Number Finding

2010-04-30T20:51:00.000-04:00

What's more exciting than finding the alphabets? Finding numbers, of course! Here's a game I found that challenges players to find numbers hidden within an Astro Boy related image. This time the cursor works as a magnifying glass, making identifying the numbers much easier. There's still a challenge to it! Here's the description.

Hidden Numbers-AstroBoy is another point and click type hidden object game from Games2dress. Examine your observing skill by finding the listed numbers which are in different forms. Avoid clicking unnecessarily as otherwise your score will get reduced. Good luck and have fun!

You can play Hidden Numbers - Astro Boy here.

Four Funny Fella Figures

2010-04-29T23:21:00.001-04:00

Found these awesome guys on eBay awhile back and had to save a picture to share here. Figures of Ham Egg, Ban Shunsaku, Lamp, and Dr. Ochanomizu, each sharply dressed in their suits. Pretty rare to find much of any sort of merchandise based on the Astro Boy/Tezuka supporting cast, let alone in a group like this. I don't have any other information about where they are from or what they are made of. One has to wonder if there are any more figures in this range!

Buddha Movie

2010-04-23T20:08:00.003-04:00

I think I reported on this some time ago, but now it's official. Warner Bros. Japan has announced that an animated film based on Osamu Tezuka's "Buddha" manga will be released in Japan on May 28th, 2011.

See the official website here!

UPDATE: Tezuka Productions has partnered with Toei Animation to produce this movie. More information, including staff members, is available at Anime News Network.

Tezuka Mural in Takadanobaba

2010-04-22T02:03:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Kirai, I found these awesome photos of a mural featuring Osamu Tezuka's characters. It's a permanent fixture in Takadanobaba, a neighborhood in Tokyo were Tezuka spent most of his life (and the apparent fictional birthplace of Astro Boy). You can see more pictures and read more information about the mural and other nearby Tezuka related items here.

This part ammuses me. What is Pluto doing in that car? He looks happy for some reason.

Goodbye, Carl Macek

2010-04-21T00:19:00.001-04:00

Shocking news rattled the world of anime this weekend. American anime producer Carl Macek suddenly passed away due to heart attack. Carl was probably best known as the man behind Robotech, the epic science-fiction TV series that was constructed from 3 unconnected anime. Robotech was a gateway for many fans into the larger world of Japanese animation, and it's completely fair to say that if not for that show, the scope of the anime business and fandom outside of Japan would just not be what it is today. He was also a part of Streamline Pictures which released several important anime films in English including Akira and Fist of the North Star. Although he did not, as far as I can tell, work on any Tezuka projects, his work was so important in marketing anime to a mainstream audience in the generation that came after after shows like Astro Boy and Speed Racer. He was a controversial character, and was perhaps unfairly vilified in some ways, but was certainly a knowledgeable figure in this business who enjoyed speaking with fans. Both his insight and his friendly attitude will be sorely missed.

I did not grow up watching Robotech and came about knowing of anime through other ways. When I did watch Robotech it was only after its DVD release, as an adult. The show struck all the right chords with me and I loved it. The fact that it was made by combining 3 other shows didn't bother me at all, because what I saw was a multi-generational epic, bigger than any one show could offer. I could certainly see what made it so important at it's time, but I also appreciated it in a modern context. I consider it to be a must see for any anime fan, and there are a number of easy ways that one can see it, including legal online streaming.

I also highly recommend everyone give a listen to this recent Anime News Network Podcast that features a long interview with Carl. It's an amazing history lesson into the state of anime in the early 80's and a huge reality check regarding why certain decisions were made. With the state of the anime business being what it is today, there is certainly a lot we can learn from this.

While I am sure there are still purists out there who don't understand the reasoning behind some of the edits and changes that happened under Carl Macek's watch, he really was an interesting guy who just did his job and wanted people to watch anime. You can read some great tributes to Carl on Robotech.com.

Tezuka and the 2010 Eisner Awards

2010-04-19T19:06:00.000-04:00

The Comic Book industry's highest honor, The Eisner Awards, take place on Friday, July 23rd as part of the San Diego Comic Con. There are a number of Osamu Tezuka-related works in this year's batch of nominees. The Art of Osamu Tezuka has been nominated for Best Comics-Related Book and Naoki Urasawa's Pluto is up for several awards.

You can read the complete listing of nominees on the Comic Con website, and a list of all manga-related nominees thanks to The Manga Curmudgeon.

Also, Art of Osamu Tezuka author Helen McCarthy has posted her thoughts on her book's nomination on her blog.

Astro Boy iPhone Case

2010-04-14T14:00:00.003-04:00

Geek Stuff 4 U has these new Astro Boy themed protective cover cases for iPhone 3G/3GS. Very interesting graphic style for the artwork. There's a black one and a white one. They're expensive but they're limited editions so if you want one, don't delay!

Perfect for reading Astro Boy Magazine!