Moon Monsters

Astro Boy

 

Synopsis

Although the manga ‘‘Number Seven’’ involved a post-apocalyptic world into which young Oshima Shichiro awakens, the animated version being an Astroboy tale, featured no such plot element. However, it did retain some of the story’s other elements, such as the attack from extraterrestrials, the conflict between Number Five and Number Seven; Dr. Cosmi, Numbers One, Five and Seven being portrayed by the same actors who portrayed them in the manga. Likewise,the aliens who can assume human form have sent a spy who has infiltrated the defense force in both versions of the story.

Publication Data
Japanese Titles: Number 7
Publication: Hinomaru
Publisher: Shueisha Inc.
Publication Start: 01/1961
Publication End: 02/1963

The Tezuka Osamu World (TOW) website has a page showing the Various manga book covers for this title over the years. Each image links to a short synopses of the episodes on it.

Animated Version

Out of one hundred ninety three episodes in the Japanese-language version, this was the most popular, capturing just over 40% of viewers in the Kanto region (Number 7), which is the ``cultural, political, econonic heartland of Japan'' (Soccerphile Ltd). It was the fourth episode of the second season of the animated Tetsuwan Atom (Astroboy) television series. Despite the fact that it was made in color, and in fact, was the only episode of the entire series made in full-color, it was broadcast in B&W. Furthermore, this is one of only five that The Right Stuf created English subtitles for the Japanese-language version included among the extras on the DVD boxed sets.

Characters: Number Seven
Manga 1963 anime

Moreover, it was chosen as one of three episodes to be part of a motion picture version of Astroboy (ASTRO BOY -THE BRAVE IN SPACE). While the Japanese sequence placed this episode 56th, the English-language version moved it to the 32nd slot, likely because the Japanese-language version had ‘‘Hot Dog Corps’’ 32nd, and that episode was not approved by NBC’s censors because it dealt with cruelty to animals (Schodt, 84).

Characters: Number Five
Manga 1963 anime

Dr. Tezuka mentioned this exclusion in a preface to ‘‘His Highness Deadcross,’’ one of Atom’s many adventures that was reprinted in the 23 volume Astroboy collection (Volume 2). I suspect that they used this story rather than one from the first season in order to reduce the shuffling of episodes when they found another one with content deemed unfit for American children; As NBC's original intent was to use only one season of the series, and run those episodes repeatedly, it follows that they would select a replacement for the 32nd from the second season, which according to Fred Ladd, at that time, they had no intention of purchasing a second season (Astro Boy Boxed Sets' interview).

Characters: Scientist on moon
Manga 1963 anime

Oddly, while Astroboy is nearly always the sole hero of his stories, Tezuka Osamu modeled this tale upon teamwork as exemplified by manga of both ninjas and baseball teams (Tezuka, ‘‘Manga Works: Number 7’’).

Animated versions
  Number Title English Number English Title
1960s anime: 56 Earth Defense Army 32 Moon Monsters, The

Characters: Alien in Human guise
Manga 1963 anime

 

Related stories
 
awakening after a nuclear holocaust to find a shattered earth

Both the manga ‘‘Number Seven’’ and the anime ‘‘Kurogane Communications’’ feature a young teenager who has been placed into suspended animation by a parent or parents who sacrificed themselves in order that their child might live.

Characters: Number One
Manga 1963 anime

 

Related stories
 
Reformed Alien Spies

While Tezuka Osamu created this story between 1961 and 1963, and made an animated version of it in 1964, the animated version of Ambassador Magma, features a similar theme, as Murakami Tomoko, is killed and replaced by an alien. Tomoko was the mother of Murakami Mamoru, the main human character of the series, and the alien eventually became so absorbed in the role, that she believed that she was Murakami Tomoko, so much so, that she defended her ‘family’ against attacks by her own kind, losing her life in the process (10th episode: Mother's Love).

Aliens in Human guise who reform
Manga 1963 anime Ambassador Magma The Irresponsible Captain Tylor
Kimiko Haruko Murakami Tomoko Harumi

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor features an android spy named Harumi. However, she is much more than a mere spy, for she is the alien’s best intelligence analyst, and even a saboteur. Despite her best attempts, her attempts at sabotage always fail in humorous encounters with Captain Tylor’s dumb luck. Though she is an android and should be devoid of emotions, she eventually succumbs to the title character’s kindness and charm, and decides to switch sides.

Names
Role Manga Name 1960s Name 1960s English Name
Number 1 Captain Captain Lieutenant
Number 5 Sasaki Kojiro Kojiro Sasaki Tex Mc Cute
Number 7 Oshima Shichiro Musashi Miyamato Filbert Catfield
Girl Kimiko Haruko Luna Moona
Scientist on earth Not Present Director Moss Dr. Von Werner
Scientist on moon Dr. Cosmi Dr. Kozumi Commander

Cast of Tezuka Stars:
Role Star
Atom (T-in-E)
Atom (Astroboy.jp, Bablefish trans)
Atom (2003: Astroboy.jp, Bablefish trans)
Dr. Ochanomizu (T-in-E)
Dr. Ochanomizu (Astroboy.jp, Bablefish trans)
Dr. Ochanomizu (2003: Astroboy.jp, Bablefish trans)
Distinguished by a bald head with a cross-shaped scar over his left eye, Mephisto is usually cast as a villain. This is one of, if not his only role as a hero.
Dr. Moss portrays scientists in several of Atom's adventures.

SASAKI KOJIRO usually plays villains. He drove the villains' car in White Planet, among other roles.
Dr. Cosmi appears in no fewer than two of Atom's animated adventures.

 

Discussion thread for this page

 

Previous 1963 episode: Black Cosmic Ray

Next 1963 episode: Three Magicians, The

1963 Astroboy episode index

Astroboy Manga index

 

Last updated Aug. 05 2008

Reviews, synopses, comments, and comparisons to other works are © 2005, 2007 Jeffbert. All rights reserved.

Except where sources have been cited, any similarities between my own work and those of Tezuka Osamu, Tezuka Osamu World Dark Horse Comics, or other sources are purely coincidental.

Images are the property of their respective Copyright holders, and have been used without permission.

ASTRO BOY ® is a registered trademark of Tezuka Productions.

Tetsuwan Atom ® is a registered trademark of Tezuka Productions.

 

 

WORKS CITED

Books:

Schodt, Frederik L. Astro Boy Essays. Berkley: Stone Bridge, 2007.
Tezuka, Osamu. Astro Boy (Volume 2). Trans. Frederick, L. Schodt. Milwalkee, Oregon: 2002. www.darkhorse.com
Tezuka, Osamu. Number Seven. Shueisha Inc. 1961.
Japanese Language Animated Cartoons:
Tezuka Osamu. Astro Boy (1960s). Perf. Shimizu Mari, Kachita Hisashi, Mizugaki Yoko,Muto Reiko,Yoshikawa Kazuko, Komiyama Kiyoshi, Yajima Kazuaki, Wada Fumio, Yokomori Hisashi, Sakamoto Shinpei, Kanemoto Shingo, Chiba Koichi. Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd. / Mushi Production, 1963.

English-language Animated Cartoons:

Tezuka Osamu. Ambassador Magma. Perf. Hal Cleaveland, Jonathan Charles, Sonny Byrkett, David Hart, Debra Jean Rogers, Emma Jackson, Gary Michaels, Patrick England, Steve Areno, Steven Jay Blum, William Kestin. Released by Bandai Visual Co/ Central Park Media, 1993.
Tezuka Osamu. Astro Boy (1960s). Perf. Billie Lou Watt, Ray Owens, Gilbert Mack. NBC, 1963; DVD. Prod. The Right Stuf, 2006.

Ultra DVD Box Set 1
Ultra DVD Box Set 2
Yoshioka, Hitoshi. Irresponsible Captain Tylor. Perf. Hiroko Kasahara, Kouji Tsujitani, Ikuo Nishikawa, Jouji Yanami, Masaaki Tsukada, Maya Okamoto, Mika Kanai; Crispin Freeman, Lisa Ortiz, Buddy Woodward, Carol Jacobanis, Eddie Paul. DVD. Prod. The Right Stuf, 2005.
Web Pages:
Soccerphile Ltd. Japan Regional Guide: Kanto. Accessed 3/3/2008.
http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=374&pID=1506
Tezuka Osamu World. Ambassador Magma. Accessed 2/22/08.
http://en-f.tezuka.co.jp/anime/sakuhin/oa/oa011.html.
--. (Tetsuwan Atomu 2003 anime) Subtitle List. Accessed 12/30/07.
http://en-f.tezuka.co.jp/manga/sakuhin/m048/m048_01.html
--. ASTRO BOY -THE BRAVE IN SPACE-(THEATRICAL VERSION). Accessed 12/30/07.
http://en-f.tezuka.co.jp/anime/sakuhin/mv/mv004.html
Tezuka Osamu World. (Astoboy Manga) Subtitle List. Accessed 12/30/07.
http://en.tezuka.co.jp/manga/sakuhin/subtitle/m025.html
--. (Astoboy 1963 anime) Subtitle List. Accessed 12/30/07.
http://en-f.tezuka.co.jp/anime/sakuhin/subtitle/ts002.html
--. Manga Works: Number 7 Accessed March 17, 2008.
http://en-f.tezuka.co.jp/manga/sakuhin/m048/m048_01.html

Acknowledgements

My personal thanks to the members of the Astroboy-Online Forum, Special thanks to Astro Forever, for her help with the 1980s series, and for creating so many animated GIFs. Thanks to DrFrag, whose extensive knowledge of all things Astroboy was very helpful. Special thanks to Mark, who owns the site; without which I would not have 'met' any other members. Special thanks to Atoman, whose friendship exposed me to the Japanese Language DVDs, not only of Astroboy, but many other animes also.

Thanks to putrocca, the founder of the Tezuka In English website; whose hosting of my pages is very important, to say the least.

And special thanks to Raymond Tucker, whose www.astroboy.tv website gave me information long before I obtained the 1963 series on DVD.