Astro Boy [aka Atom]

Also known as アトム (Atomu)

Hello, My Name (in English) is…

Although he’s widely known as Astro Boy, the original name—the one you’ll see in Japanese—is Atomu (Atom), which gives a feeling of modernity and limitless energy, even today. Atomu works well as a Japanese boy’s name. It fits right in with other three-syllable names that end in “mu”, such as Tsutomu, Isamu, and, of course, Osamu.

Distinguishing Features

Although Astro Boy needs no introduction, you can always spot him by his patented double-triangle hairdo.

Status: Super Star (★★★★★)

In a future where robot technology is rapidly transforming the economic and social face of the earth, the 100,000 horsepower Astro Boy is the most powerful robot in the world, and the first robot with a true human-like artificial brain. Created by the world’s greatest robotocist, Dr. Tenma, the former head of the Japanese Ministry of Science, Astro is originally intended to be a superior replacement for his young son Tobio, who was killed in a car crash. However, Dr. Tenma eventually goes mad and abandons Astro. Thankfully, Astro is rescued by the new head of the Ministry of Science, Dr. Ochanomizu, and transformed into a great super-hero — one who serves mankind, carrying out rescues, construction projects, space missions, first-contact situations, and an enormous variety of heroic feats that only the world’s most powerful robot is capable of.

According to Dr. Ochanomizu’s vision, Astro’s is to be a friend to all humans and help bring about a new understanding between humans and robots, which will allow the two “races” to coexist together. Dr. Tenma, on the other hand, has a different vision, seeing Astro as the leader of an inevitable rebellion in which superior robots will overthrow the humans who enslave them and inherit the earth.

Notable Roles

Astro Boy is not only Tezuka’s best known character; but he is one of the greatest and most beloved icons of Japanese popular culture. Although primarily the star of his own series, Astro Boy (1952-68), Astro’s first appearance was in Ambassador Atom (1951), but he has also appeared on occasion in series like Black Jack (1973-83) and Rainbow Parakeet (1981-82).

Manga Appearances

If you spot an appearance not already listed, please let us know in the comments section below!

1951

Ambassador Atom as “Atom”

1952

Astro Boy (“Astro’s Parents“) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Gas People“) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Frankenstein“) as “Astro Boy”
The Adventure of Rock as “one of the delegates at the Bird Men conference”

1953

Astro Boy (“Red Cat”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Sea Serpent Island”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Flying Skyscraper”) as “Astro Boy”
X-Point in the South Pacific

1954

Astro Boy (“Mission to Mars”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Cobalt”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Coral Reef Adventure”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Fuhrer ZZZ”) as “Astro Boy”
The Destroyer of the Earth as “Ryoichi”

1955

Astro Boy (“Electro”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Gernica”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Youth Gas”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Frozen Human”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Yellow Horse”) as “Astro Boy”
Chief Detective Kenichi (“The Case of the Gorilla”) as “one of the manga artists”

1956

Astro Boy (“Shootout In The Alps”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Atlas”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Test Pilot”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Midoro Swamp”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Robot Bombs”) as “Astro Boy”

1957

Astro Boy (“Ghost Manufacturing Machine”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Black Lux”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Mysterious Ball”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Super Cyclone”) as “Astro Boy”

1958

Astro Boy (“Crucifix Island”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Fortress of the Centaurs”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Mad Machine”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Count Bat”) as “Astro Boy”

1959

Astro Boy (“The Eyes of Christ”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Ivan The Fool”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Secret of the Egyptian Conspirators”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Gademu”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“S.O.S. From A Satellite”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Subterranen Tank”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Artificial Sun”) as “Astro Boy”

1960

Astro Boy (“Space Snow Leopard”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Invisible Giant”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Uran”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“A Day to Remember”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“His Highness Deadcross”) as “Astro Boy”

1961

Astro Boy (“The White-Hot Being”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Plant People”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Hot Dog Corps”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Blast Furnace Mystery”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Third Magician”) as “Astro Boy”

1962

Astro Boy (“Space Parasites”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Robot Land”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Astro vs Garon”) as “Astro Boy”

1963

Astro Boy (“White Planet”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Demon Bees”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Robot Spaceship”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Devil’s Balloons”) as “Astro Boy”

1964

Astro Boy (“Last Day on Earth”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Greatest Robot on Earth”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Bad-Guy Robots”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Lying Robot”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Brain Swap”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Time Machine”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Jungle Devil Boundary”) as “Astro Boy”

1965

Astro Boy (“Roboids”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Robio And Robiette”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Blue Knight”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Atom’s Been Stolen”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Broadcasts from Outer Space”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Slippery Catfish in Imminent Danger”) as “Astro Boy”

1966

Astro Boy (“Astro Boy Reborn”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Melanin Tribe”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Meeva”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Face in the Rock”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Ti-tan”) as “Astro Boy”

1967

Astro Boy (“The Faceless Robot”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The 100 Million Year-Old Crime”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Zolomon’s Jewels”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Beginning of the Contradiction”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Living on Earth, 101”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Birth of Neva #2”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Baro, the Robot”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Scara Disappears”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Energy Tube”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Angel of Vietnam”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Summer of 1993”) as “Astro Boy”

1968

Astro Boy (“The Man Who Returned from Mars”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Bomb Train”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Robot Chiruchiru in Danger”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Astro’s Energy Runs Out”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Dr. Tenma”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Tragedy of Bailey”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Astro Goes to the Circus”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Living Mold From Outer Space”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“A Declaration of Robot Rights”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Astro Goes to Elementary School”) as “Astro Boy”
Noman

1969

Astro Boy (“Astro’s First Love”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Gone With the Snow”) as “Astro Boy”
Gum Gum Punch (“Oshishi”) as “a member of the magic gum heroes”
Rubbish Poetry as “a member of the audience”

1970

Astro Boy (“The End of Astro Boy”) as “Astro Boy”
Gachaboi’s Biography as “Astro Boy”
Yaketpachi’s Maria

1971

Lion Books (“100 Tales: Chapter of Gold”)
One Fool as “a mask” (cameo)

1972

Astro Boy (“Astro Returns”) as “Astro Boy”

1973

Black Jack (“A Girl Who Became a Bird”) as “a spectator at the man-powered flight contest”

1974

Black Jack (“Son of Hariti”) as “Isao, the kidnapper’s son”

1975

Astro Boy (“Astro Boy II”) as “Astro Boy”
Black Jack (“You Did It”) as “Black Jack’s client”

1976

Astro Boy (“Showdown in the Standard Deviation Kingdom”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Silver Tower”) as “Astro Boy”
The Three-Eyed One (“The Magician”) as “the magician”
Black Jack (“Sun Dolls”) as “a picture” (cameo)

1978

Black Jack (“Helping Each Other”) as “a passerby”

1980

Astro Boy (“The Robot Disposer”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Franken”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Astro vs. Atlas”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Pula, The Baby Elephant”) as “Astro Boy”

1981

Astro Boy (“Guinness Book Robots”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Beserk Robot”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Magnet Robot”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Giant Uran”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Space Doll”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Ghosts in the Desert”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Space Bug”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Crazy Duck”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“A Feline Guardian Diety”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“The Space Shuttle”) as “Astro Boy”
Astro Boy (“Showdown on Mt. Fuji”) as “Astro Boy”
The Rainbow Parakeet (“A Doll’s House“) as “Jimmy Payton” (TBC)

1986

Midnight (“Act 8”)
Atom Cat (“The Birth of Atom Cat”) as “Astro Boy”
Atom Cat (“Atom’s First Love”) as “Astro Boy”
Atom Cat (“Atom the Orphan”) as “Astro Boy”

1987

Atom Cat (“Atom the Artist”) as “Astro Boy”