Hello,
I happened to see episode 2 of Astro Boy 1980 today - and Kathy seems so recognizable!
This is NOT in any way intended to offend them. (In fact, Tezuka fans being so rare on the ground, I'd gladly hug any of them including the Astro fangirl... I'd probably think twice about the hug if it was an MW fanboy though).
Kathy is a good character throughout. Pity she does not appear in more episodes - or does she? I'm no Astro expert, I've not seen it ALL.
Might she actually be their image to start with? Perhaps - pure speculation here - Tezuka wrote the manga and original anime for boys, then saw the girls liking Astro too? And, being who he was, wrote their image into the new version?