"Laughing Dragon" wrote:I understand the responses here to the movie Tenma. But in terms of handling a difficult character in such a way that general audiences could accept it, I think the movie Tenma works very well. He helps bring the plot full circle - he rejects Astro at first, then works through his grief and finally embraces him at the end. That brought emotional closure to the film, and made for a happy ending. That scene when he brought Astro back to life and set him free was a wonderful moment. And it couldn't have happened if the movie had followed the manga word-for-word. Both the movie and manga had two basic storylines - Tenma's grief over the loss of his son, and Astro's struggle to be accepted and loved. Whereas the manga rushed through those storylines, the movie rightly expanded upon them. And that made for a much better movie, in my opinion.
I was always intrigued by the manga Tenma, because of the idea that he was, beneath the madness, a grieving father. The movie's writers made use of the latter quality, and discarded the madness, and I really think they made right choice. If the writers had made Tenma darker, I think the death of Toby and Tenma's rejection of Astro would have been too dark for the audiences Imagi was trying to entertain.
It's perhaps important to remember that the Astro Boy manga was a series of episodes, instead of a continuing story with a final conclusion. Imagi had to create that story, and FWIW I think it did a fine job of it.
With all due respect Imagi doesn't give children any credit this way. I understand how it would seem as 'Dark' but Astroboy was never a toddler's cartoon in the first place, children don't get traumatize from seeing themes like this. This all reminds me of Sailor Moon, the anime-series is intended for young girls- to older woman however when it came down to the united states Dic created it to be for girls of the age of 8 and under.
Which was not a smart move because the series got a low ranting with viewers and the only American fandom that did watched the show were older teens who already read the manga ( which was even more darker at times then the animated show )
It just doesn't work, children are a lot more aware of the world then people take credit for and if there is a story like Astro boy which is intended for older children and young teens ( and not for toddlers ) then you don't change the concept and change the targeted traditional audience.
Sorry was ranting here.