AstroBoy Online Forums

Astro is like, one of the most non-sexualized characters you can find in comics. He's like a doll, he has nothing to hide, why should he wear clothes? They'll only get ripped in battles anyway.

I actually like when Astro gets his clothes damaged in a fight. There's nothing sexual about it, but for me it's a signal that Astro is getting into "Hero mode" and the action is about to start. It's like seeing Clark Kent opening his shirt to turn into Superman.

Clothed Astro = cute little robot kid
Naked Astro= Big damn hero

When I first watched the film, towards the end where he's just in his trunks I was like "Dude! You're half naked in front of crowd, get a shirt! o_o"

Knowing what I do now and having gotten into the series more, him wearing his classic costume doesn't bother me anymore. Even so I've never thought of him in a crude way, if anybody said anything like that to me I'd just tell them straight it's how he was designed to look by the god of anime.

=_= Besides, I think are more gross things to be concerned about in anime nowadays, like high pitched airheaded girls with unrealistic body shapes, getting into the most crudest of poses and situations. Anybody got a bone to pick on innocent Astro, tell them to go pick it on that >_<

The girl in me, upon watching the movie, and later the anime series wanted to just parade him around in all kinds of cute little outfits and pretend I was his mother. lol But it wasn't because I was bothered by the fact that he didn't wear any clothes especially. They always get blown off anyway. Whats the point? On top of that...it's not like he's anatomically correct. Or is he? I dunno. Even if he was, big deal. It's not like he just rips off his little shorts and shows the world. lol

In a german movie critic i read that the movie maker have Astro cute for the west. Because he goes and fly in his clothing. Yet, find it better when he has his real look. When Hollywood make a movie of a anime, then right.

But why people get excited by Astro Boy. Look Son Goku in the old Dragonball serie. How often we see him naked. Or he lost his complete clothing. And Son Goku is a real boy. And in Dragonball Z. In almost every battle he lost his shirt. People There are many animes that much erotic as Astro Boy and i mean animes for kids.

"Rick" wrote:In a german movie critic i read that the movie maker have Astro cute for the west. Because he goes and fly in his clothing. Yet, find it better when he has his real look. When Hollywood make a movie of a anime, then right.

But why people get excited by Astro Boy. Look Son Goku in the old Dragonball serie. How often we see him naked. Or he lost his complete clothing. And Son Goku is a real boy. And in Dragonball Z. In almost every battle he lost his shirt. People There are many animes that much erotic as Astro Boy and i mean animes for kids.

A good point indeed. I remember how heavily they had to edit Dragonball when they added it to Cartoon Network. Yet, it didn't bother anyone. :/ Not like he's a little boy running around with some old dude or anything. Oh, but we'll get bent out of shape over a robot with no shirt. Derp derp derpity derp.

I definitely know of the editing that went on with Dragon Ball when it aired on TV, being the Dragon Ball fan that I am. In fact, Dragon Ball Kai is being edited quite a bit too, and that's airing on TV currently!

I actually remember that Cartoon Network aired Dragon Ball Z uncut for a short period of time around 2006 or 2007 at about 11:00 or 11:30 p.m. Even though the show aired just before midnight, the show still got harped on by parents for the content within the show! Shortly after, Cartoon Network went back to the edited version.

As for the topic at hand, I think people that accuse Astro Boy of being inappropriate for having no shirt and really short shorts are pretty ridiculous. Shoot, even my parents don't think that, and my mom remembers the show from the '60s! Some people just have thin skin I think...

That a another good point. In the manga, Uran says Astro Boy has shorts. But it can even be a part of his body. He is a robot, but people see him as a real boy. Me come a thought. Osamu Tezuka says: Love everything that live. And when people see Astro as a real boy,a human with a heard and a soul, is that good. Or? The only problem is, they have to stop with the critic. He lives then he lives. Or a german proverb:
Live and let live. But he is more than a robot or a boy. He is a hero and a legend. The people in Europe and America are manga or anime not used. That the problem because this is a problem for all animes and mangas.

"Rick" wrote:The people in Europe and America are manga or anime not used. That the problem because this is a problem for all animes and mangas.

This is a sad fact. The Japanese culture is quite different from European and North American cultures. It's like when people see the bath scene from My Neighbor Totoro and go "Oh my god, he's bathing with his daughters! Gross!" But that's actually common for families to bathe together in Japanese homes. I think it also boils town to where people feel comfortable with each other...

...how can I best explain this? Most Japanese and Asian cultures believe in respecting and being close to their people. Hence why they have community baths and the like - the feel comfortable with each other. In America, we have such a strict sense of "I don't know this person, I can't trust this person" that we do not expose ourselves or our thoughts/feelings to anyone else. I think that, due to this extreme difference, that most Americans/Europeans have a hard time seeing the innocence of Astro Boy. They are too caught up the the fact that "OMG he's shirtless" that they cannot see that he's the symbol of a pure soul and heart.

Perhaps it is normal, then, that people have such a reaction to Astro. Since they themselves refuse to share their ideals and feelings to others, they feel awkward when Astro Boy does, the proverbial "soul streaking", if you would.

I'm sorry, I seem to have rambled. *plays Oblivion*

You should ramble more often, I did not know this.

"SpaceCookie" wrote:On top of that...it's not like he's anatomically correct. Or is he? I dunno. Even if he was, big deal. It's not like he just rips off his little shorts and shows the world. lol

No, I don't think he is!

I really can't see anything wrong in how he looks.

Some complained that Tweety was naked, because he lacked feathers; but Porky & just about any version of the 3 little pigs wear nothing but little coats or vests. This obviously draws attention to the other parts, which are always skin-colored. Superman, Mighty Mouse, & certain versions of Batman have briefs over skin-tight costumes.

Not only Atom wanted clothes, but so did the BICENTENNIAL MAN, as I recall.

I watched THE BUSHIDO BLADE a while ago, & the Americans were freaking out when told they were going to a bathhouse, not only because women were there, but because they believed that frequent bathing was unhealthy. This comes from the religious shunning of the Roman bathhouses where bathing was only one activity, while another was considered evil. Though bathing was part of the older religion's requirements, the newer one felt that once a lifetime was enough. This may have exacerbated the plagues that ravaged Europe.