Atom vs Astro

[Princess Sapphire]

[Potato]

[Deda]

[Princess Sapphire]

[Potato]

Sapphire, do you want me to turn you into a lemur?

[Princess Sapphire]

[Potato]

[Manetoys]

[omega.factor]

I think post WW2 Japan wanted to create something positive attributed to the atom, after is caused so much devastation, this is my theory for the origin of the name!

[Toshio Tenma]

I personally go for the original title over Astro Boy.

I'm not pleased with the dub and feels ironic that they say that "Astro Boy was first released in 1952" when the dubbed title only dates from 1966.

I honestly think the dubbed title is over ratted while the dub is rather incomplete due the censure or time constraits, plus the original work don't have a "kid's friendly" rule like the dub deal with.

Also, Tezuka despite accepting the english title, never wanted to make the original series have scripts like the Astro Boy dubbed series.

I recall of him talking about the censure and critiques about his works in the 2nd volume of Tetsuwan Atom manga which was published as "Astro Boy" and considering that much of his ideas were lost in the dub, I don't think he was trully happy with the dubbed version.

Though he ended up generalizing about the americans in that introduction, he was still not quite wrong since his works became less serious and even goffy while american politicians who made that "kid's friendly" rule were still involved with violent actions like warfare.

Of course, not all americans wanted to get involved on these warfare matters.

But, anyway I'll just stick with the original title specially after learning what was the big deal with Tobio in the 2003 series dub which they just made him be alive and hidding somewhere for my understanding which doesn't justify Dr. Tenma's actions in the dubbed story.

I talked with my friends about the dub and they agree that just sounding good doesn't help.

After all, a great acting in a bad movie will be always bad for example...

[omega.factor]

Same thing was done with Sven in Voltron!

[Toshio Tenma]

[omega.factor]

Yes, it was butchered, I see that when I compare the first episode and it left me confused about Atlas as a child, so I will give you that, but the message was still there, regardless of Atom or Astro!
Mind you, I don’t think I would have made the connection of Atom at the age of 6 with the nuclear fallout in Japan during WWII! As an adult, I appreciate this more, and Astro is really quite beautiful name regardless!

I think Tezuka’s goal was to educate children and change the world, and for that, we are all (on here) a generation who grew up knowing either Astro or Atom, and understand that the virtues he lives by are the better way to live life. Tezuka changed me, he altered the course of my life, many think it was my religious upbringing, but I think it was Tezuka’s message in his extremely intelligent delivery of moral themes, nicely hidden in sci-fi with Astro.

I plan to watch Tezuka’s other works next year!

[tetsuwan penguin]

I find myself using both names in my fan fiction stories depending on which "universe" I'm writing it for. I never use the name "Astro Boy", it's either Astro or Atom. I also never use the name AstroGirl either, prefering the name Uran. I also never use "Jetto" either, I prefer Cobalt. As for Dr. Elfun (or is that Elefun), Ochanomizu is a mouthfull (though I think I remember how to spell it!). O'Shay is clearly a contraction of Ochanomizu. Elfun is just too silly.