AstroBoy Online Forums

I've written an article about why I consider Astro to be Japan's equivalent to Superman over the more popular choice Goku

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/bballyscomicblock/news/?a=52160

hi- thanks YUUSHA SENSHI GODAIGER- love both KAL-EL and ASTROBOY- thanks for your well-written article- love reading about KAL-EL- GOKU- ULTRA MAN and ASTROBOY! HOPE we can become good friends- your avatargirl/princesspeaches who prays that you have a saved/safe/wondrous future always- your friend always


I do disagree with the article on one point- GOKU was highly intelligent more then even the creators of the manga will admit too. USING the "SPIRIT BOMB" took more then just fighting skills and he knew if he never gave up he could win against his dishonourable foes- that takes more then fighting skills- takes a heart of a champion plus some intelligence! PLUS GOHAN'S intelligence was more then just EARTH-BASED- it was also SAIYAN GENIUS level!

LIKE ALL THE OTHERS HERE- i am a ASTROBOY fan and i love the idea of ASTROBOY being like a robot superhero and again thanks for your article!

Great article. I actually had no idea that Tezuka was told to make Astro Boy more edgy and violent in the late '60s and '70s. That part was really interesting to me and really got me thinking about how many people make superheroes these days.

As an avid Dragon Ball fan, I do certainly think that Astro Boy is more suited to be Japan's equivalent to Superman than Goku. It is true that Goku has similar origins and is popular like Superman is, but Astro Boy I think has had a more prevalent effect on Japan than Goku or Dragon Ball has. Heck, even people who don't like to read manga and watch anime know who he (Astro Boy) is in America, and I assume that that is also true in Japan.

Anyway, great read. Thanks for posting this!

This was a very enjoyable read, especially learning about more of Tezuka's troubles as a comic creator. Poor Tezuka and Astro.

I also do believe Astro Boy is more fitting than Dragon Ball Z's Goku as Japan's Superman.
Thanks for the entertaining and informative read.

Wow! That was a really good report! what manga is http://media.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/gallerypictures/39967L.jpg and http://media.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/gallerypictures/39968L.jpg from? I can't remember :d oh:

Yeah, I'm not sure what to think about that; on teh one hand, I agree that a character like Astro shoud NEVER be changed for the sake of compromise. But on the hand, if that hadn't happened, we wouldn't have gotten our basis for 2003 Tenma. So, I gues it's a double edged sword.

To be fair though, I haven't gotten to that part of the manga just yet. So, I can't completely judge that as of yet.

Overall, good article though.

Hi Yuusha Senshi Godaiger,

Great article, and nice points.

I agree that Astro is quite comparable to Superman. American comics all but started with Superman, just as Japanese comics started with Astroboy. Both are icons in their respective countries, both characters are heroes, save lives, and are mild mannered.While Goku and Ultraman also have similarities to to Superman, I don't think anyone could deny that Astroboy does too.

I think that's what's so great about Astro...he seems like such a complex character compared to some of his Western counterparts. He's like Mickey Mouse, Superman, Pinocchio, and Frankenstein, and more, all rolled into one lovable character.

Great read.

Cheers!

Thanks for the feedback everyone. It's nice to see that I got some positive response for this article.

Very nice article, I agree - I hadn't had the chance to read it before. I didn't know about the superhero attire in "Ambassador Atom"!

Where does the first picture come from, with Astro along Superman?

cool article! I agree very much. And like Superman, Astro Boy is a symbol of inspiring hope and justice for the world. I see him as a strange hybrid of Japan's Superman and Mickey Mouse.
Nice touch using my comic at the end. I'm flattered ^^