Also known as 鉄腕アトム (Tetsuwan Atomu)

Astro Boy

Astro Boy, the story of the boy-robot with 100,000 horsepower is, without a doubt, Tezuka's most well-known creation.  It is also one of the finest examples of Tezuka's ability to write literature which introduces children to important and serious life issues - with a hero so noble that even those who prefer anti-heroes and charismatic villains find themselves, for once, rooting for the good guy.

The original manga series, published in Shōnen (少年 ) between April, 1951 and March, 1968, was one of the big leaps in Tezuka’s overall popularity, and Astro Boy remains to this day, an iconic hero of the Japanese people.  Astro Boy’s influence over later manga and anime, both robot stories and science-fiction in general, is immeasurable, and much has been written on his significance as a personification of post-war Japan.  Almost single-handedly, he transformed the terrifying force of atomic power into something useful and progressive, helping people to move on from the damage done during the Second World War by getting them to embrace modern technology and look to the future with hope.

Over the years, the series has spawned several manga series, a number of animated television series, feature films, and several video games and other associated works.

Please visit our Astro Boy timeline and sections below for more information.

Astro Boy (Timeline)