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Astro Boy SG01: The Robot Disposer (Manga)

Astro Boy (1952-68), Chapter SG01 ‘The Robot Disposer’ <ロボット処理車の巻>, was originally published in he September 1980 issue of appearing in Second-Grader <小学二年生>.

What it’s about?

Dr. Fooler becomes unreasonably angry with the robot population when a construction worker accidentally steps upon a single watermelon seed he had planted for himself. He tells the Ministry of Science there are too many robots around and that surplus numbers should be scrapped. Professor Ochanomizu protests this drastic move and the rest of the Ministry agree. Foola takes matters into his own hands and builds a huge tank-like robot designed to dispose of robots by crushing them to pulp in its jaws. Eating them so to speak. Foola sends it out but is very upset because it smashes his own home as it leaves. The robots hide underground in the sewers but Astro gets a good idea and tunnels up from below to pick it up by its underbelly. Taking it by surprise he overpowers it, smashes it and dumps it in the ocean. As for Dr. Foola he seems to change his attitude to robots when Astro shows him how the robot carpenters will be able to repair his home in no time at all.