And if Tezuka himself became a recurring character?

[Toshio]

What would happen if in the next Tetsuwan Atom, Osamu Tezuka appeared as a recurring character helping out Atom when necessary and also cheering him up when he was depressed while Dr. Ochanomizu was away?

[Gotta Love ASTRO BOY]

That would be cool , but I believe Tezuka was trying not to make himself too much off a main character, and by making him a that recurring it may just be disrespecting him :/

[Toshio]

I thought about a story which Mr. Tezuka helps Atom by making fake blueprints in order to trick Kin Sankaku who kidnapped Dr. Ochanomizu, because the chinese mafia boss wants Atom's blueprints in order to create a horde of clones working for him.
But, in the story, Atom's blueprints were destroyed by Dr. Tenma himself for safe measures since he knew that villains could make evil replicas of Atom for their dirty ambitions.

[jeffbert]

Actually, Gotta Love ASTRO BOY, does appear in a recurring role in BJ 2004 series.

[AprilSeven]

You have to watch closely, but Dr. Tezuka appears throughout both the 60's and 80's anime's (and the 2009 movie). I just saw him, behind the mask of the evil wizard in the 80's "Time Machine" episode (the one with Black Jack, Pinoko, Princess Sapphire and a cameo by Darth Vadar!).

You'll frequently see him in a crowd or audience. I don't believe his image ever appeared in the 2003 anime - does anyone know if he does show up there?

But as a regular reoccuring character - the closest he comes to that is in the actual manga - and he "plays" himself. I don't think he wants to be tied down to one character!

[Toshio]

You have to watch closely, but Dr. Tezuka appears throughout both the 60's and 80's anime's (and the 2009 movie). I just saw him, behind the mask of the evil wizard in the 80's "Time Machine" episode (the one with Black Jack, Pinoko, Princess Sapphire and a cameo by Darth Vadar!).

You'll frequently see him in a crowd or audience. I don't believe his image ever appeared in the 2003 anime - does anyone know if he does show up there?

But as a regular reoccuring character - the closest he comes to that is in the actual manga - and he "plays" himself. I don't think he wants to be tied down to one character!

He did appear in "Pluto Won't Die" in the 2003 series as a member of a crowd, even Jeffbert had pointed it:
http://tezukainenglish.com/bm/series/series_a/series-astro_boy/series-astro_boy-anime/greatest-robot-on-earth.shtml