ASTRO BOY 3

This is the third and final volume of Akira Himekawa's version of Astro Boy. First published March 2004, by Shogakukan.

With Atlas' new upgrades, he and Atom fight once again. However the fight is short as Atlas begins to malfunction and a safety lock prevents Atlas from finishing Atom off. Atlas' gun arm explodes and he collapses next to Atom. Professor Tenma appears and reveals to Atlas that he was created to test Atom's development. He then takes Atom away with him, leaving Atlas behind.

On Professor Tenma's aircraft he gives Atom some repairs and the two then talk about their past. But as Atom discovers Tenma caused a lot of the fighting and wants Atom to be the Robot King, he rejects Tenma's ideas and goes to look for Atlas. Even so, Professor Tenma believes Atom will join his side.

Meanwhile Ranpu and Kato are about to begin their plans

Ranpu sends Tokugawa a message that the energy plant on the moon is going to be destroyed by him because it facilitates robot rebellion. Elsewhere, Atom went to where Atlas was last seen, but couldn't find him there as Atlas had left to visit Daichi's original body and then decided to go to the moon for him. The search is interrupted as Professor Ochanomizu informs Atom of Ranpu's plans, saying that the destruction of the Tokugawa plant will cause a majority of robots to stop functioning.

Atlas, now on the moon, confronts Tokukawa whom is surprised to find Atlas' true identity. Katari steps in to attempt to take both their lives, however Atom arrives to stop him from shooting the two. When Katari opens a hole and Tokugawa is about to be sucked into space, he is saved by Atlas. Tokugawa displays regret for his past actions and wishes Atlas to return home with him.

Professor Ochanomizu arrives and accepts Atom's request to repair Atlas. Atom then goes off to stop the ongoing destruction within the plant, running into Kato and Katari.

Kato reveals a bomb has been placed in the reactor of the power plant, with 13 minutes left to locate it. Atlas joins in to help Atom, much to Tokugawa's dismay. The fight with Katari eats up precious time, with only 3 minutes left, Kato leaves the moon without Katari. Due to this, the fighting stops and Katari decides to help Atom and Atlas stop the bomb.

In Atlas' apparent final act, he takes the bomb and flies into space and it explodes in his arms. Atom watched in sadness, feeling regret. However Atom and others soon find a big rock in space, Atlas contained inside.

Professor Ochanomizu, Atom and Uran visit the Seredayn Nature Reserve, the two robot children excited to see the animals. However during their visit, a hunter and two strange animals appear to steal animals. After discovering a mammoth model, the hunter decides to go 10,000 years back in time, Atom accidentally travelling with him while in pursuit.

Now in the past, Atom saves a cave-boy named Uryu from a sabre-toothed during his search for the hunter. He then takes Uryu home. Excitedly, Uryu tells the cave woman Omo about Atom and his powers. The two then mistake Atom for a god after Atom reveals he doesn't eat, when offered food. Uryu pleads Atom to help his sister, but Atom doesn't have the resources.

The hunter has started his hunt for a mammoth and Atom pursues him once again. He reveals to Atom that in his original time, humans have advanced to creating genetic engineered monsters, using them for battles. Atom is appalled of this idea. The hunter sends his animals to attack Atom. Uryu shows up trying to stop the hunter too, but has little strength. Soon after, the mammoth attempts to attack the hunter as well, however he is saved by Atom. Angered, the hunter returns to his own time, leaving Atom behind in the past.

Uryu successfully hunted a mammoth while the other two were distracted, excited because he can now feed his sister and the others. Although Atom is sad he cannot return to his own era, Uryu also reveals that he obtained the time travel canister from the hunter. Atom thanks Uryu. Afterwards, Uryu finally accepts Atom is not a god, but a friend. Atom and Uryu say goodbye and he returns home. In Atom's own time, Uran discovers a cave drawing on display of Atom flying, a mammoth and a cave person, she is unsure what it is.

Five years ago, Professor Saruda's research team entered an astral entity that had landed on the moon. They are spoken to by a telepathic voice, whom reveals any worthy who wish to enter the door shall become superior beings. The Professor reached out to the door and was struck by psychic waves. A phoenix appears, telling him he is not yet ready to open this door. Some time after, Suruda and the research team awoke and the entity gone.

Back to the present, as ordered by a young man named Rock, a young girl named Tamimi transforms into a wolf and robs a lunar light shard from the Space Science Museum, seriously injuring the security guards. The next day Tamimi in her wolf form tries to attack Professor Ochanomizu, whom has another lunar light shard. Atom tries to stop her as she shape-shifts to different animals and runs off, but is struck and wounded by Rock. Feeling sorry for Atom, Tamimi heals Atom's injuries and introduces herself to him. However right after he thanks her, Tamimi runs off. Later Rock is angered by Tamimi's failure to obtain the lunar light from Professor Ochanomizu, as they need it to access the astral entity. Rock decides to deal with Atom himself.

At Professor Ochanomizu's home, Ochanomizu discuss with Tawashi about the shape-shifter. As Atom decides to go out for a walk, Tawashi informs the Professor of a seperate case involving a criminal hypnotist named Rock. During this time, Atom has run into Rock himself and caught by his gaze.

After having met Rock, Atom had returned to Professor Ochanomizu's home to collect the lunar light. When Uran tries to stop Atom, he tries to attack her after a voice orders him to do so. Meanwhile Professor Ochanomizu is discussing about the shape-shifter with Professor Saruda, revealed to be kind hearted creatures. The fighting of Atom and Uran halts this conversation, as Ochanomizu wonders what the two are doing. Rock disguised as Professor Ochanomizu takes the lunar light from Atom, but as the real Ochanomizu shows up wondering about the noise, Atom realises it was an imposter.

When Atom tries to pursue Rock, he is knocked out by Tamimi and taken by the two. Rock forces Professor Saruda to use his invention with Atom, in an attempt to summon the phoenix whom may grant Rock his wish to become a superior being. Rock's plan succeeds and an energy reaches the Earth on Phoenix Island.

Atom, Professor Saruda, Tamimi and Rock go to Phoenix Island. Saruda describes the legend of super beings whom once lived there and worshipped the phoenix, but had eventually died out. After Rock talks about his cruel past and his wish to create a world perfect for evil-doers, the phoenix appears.

When the phoenix tries to clarify things from Rock's past that he does not know, Rock dismisses her saying that a devil can't be born from human parents. Impatient, Rock demands the phoenix to make him into a super being. However the power is too much for him and his body starts to disintegrate. Tamimi worries for Rock and rushes to his side. Tamimi finally remembers her origins as an agent of the phoenix. She then disappears before Rock's eyes, he is then sucked into a dimensional rift.

The phoenix announces it is not yet time for humans to possess powers from her. She reveals that using power for the wrong reasons is what caused the people of Phoenix Island to all die out, then leaves the Earth.

Looking at a photograph of Professor Tenma and Toby, Atom wonders why and how he was created. Professor Ochanomizu decides it is time to let him know the true reason for his creation…

The two professors cheered about the success of Prototype G, a small robot body with 10,000 horsepower. Professors Tenma and Ochanomizu give each other a congratulatory handshake. Suddenly Professor Tenma snaps at one of the Ministry members. Accusing him of trying to destroy the robot, he tells him to leave the lab. Professor Ochanomizu found Tenma's reaction unneeded. But Professor Tenma explains how carelessly inconsiderate he has seen humans treat robots, machines are more perfect than humans

Some people want to interview Tenma, but he declines passive aggressively. Professor Ochanomizu informs them that the chief is just tired and he will answer their questions instead.

Back at the Tenma residence, Toby crashes his bike and realises the brake is spoilt. Robita suggests to Toby to let his father have a look at it. However Toby reminds Robita that he can't because he doesn't know when his father will return, also reminding himself that his father is chief of the Science Department. Immediately after, Professor Tenma surprises Toby with his return, then he lifts Toby up and begins to play with him. Toby is happy to hear that because of the Professor's finished project, they can spend the weekend together. The Professor begins to tell Toby that he is the only one who anchors him to the human world and that he really doesn't fit in with society. Toby tries to console his father, but then becomes sad at the thought of Professor Tenma leaving him alone. The Professor apologizes for neglecting Toby so much.

Later inside while playing chess, Toby asks the Professor what robot he is making currently. He responds saying it's a wonderful robot, about as tall as Toby, but extremely strong. Excited, Toby displays interest in seeing the robot and the Science Ministry. But the happy moment is cut short when Professor Tenma is spoken of negatively by Professor Inukawa on television, putting him in an aggressive mood.

It dawns Professor Tenma that he wants to make an A.I with a heart, so he immediately decides to pursue this goal. When Professor Ochanomizu hears Professor Tenma's goal, he worries that Professor Tenma will be judged. However Professor Ochanomizu eventually agrees to help Professor Tenma and keep it a secret.

Professor Tenma and a team of staff members researched A.I, buried in his work the Professor began to neglect Toby. He was very harsh and strict, eventually all the staff except Ochanomizu gave up on the project.

Later on after Professor Tenma returned home, Toby asks him if he can repair his bike. However Tenma is too tired and says he'll fix it another time when he is less busy.

Finally, after time had past, Professor Tenma finally created an A.I capable of human emotion. But once again Professor Tenma is looked down upon because of his work, the heart being considered too dangerous for use. Driven mad, Tenma snaps at his son.

Professor Tenma then tries to steal back his invention, meanwhile Toby was finding him a fathers' day gift. However, Toby gets into a traffic accident.

Upon hearing Toby has been in a traffic accident, Professor Tenma rushes to Toby's side. Unfortunately Toby dies not long after he arrives, Professor Tenma is devastated.

At home while still in grief, Tenma starts to seem like he's going mad, hearing voices that blame him for his own son's death. He suddenly gets the idea to use the heart he invented and Prototype G to revive Toby. Professor Ochanomizu and the police try to stop Professor Tenma, but by the time they catch him, he is already finished completing the robot. Although Professor Inukawa wants to destroy the robot, Professor Ochanomizu comments that would be like killing a newborn baby, leaving Inukawa speechless.

Professor Tenma eventually shut that robot down after living with it for an uncertain amount of time, deleting all the data about the A.I and disappearing.

The story Professor Ochanomizu tells Atom ends here.

With the confederation holding a meeting to discuss whether A.I robots should exist, people protest for and against such robots. Eventually leading into fighting, Atom becomes upset, although there's not much he can do to stop it. Epushiron comforts him. Soon Ranpu is about to be arrested by Tawashi for what is revealed to be a ploy against robots and attempted murder, but he makes a run for it and escapes by car. Next, Yuko informs Professor Tenma has taken over the Science Department.

Atom immediately goes to confront Professor Tenma in the Science Department, where they then talk. Atom sees Tenma as selfish, only wanting a world that belongs to himself. Questioning Tenma's past actions. Professor goes on to explain he created a robot to replace Toby, however he eventually rebelled, destroying an area within the Ministry of Science.Fearing that robots may supersede humans, Tenma destroyed all his own robots. Professor Ochanomizu would later find that same little robot and name him Atom. After seeing Atom's power since then, Tenma's opinion regarding Atom changed once again, now wanting Atom to be the king of a robot nation. Atom rejects this new goal of Professor Tenma's, not wanting to go to such a nation. The rejection angers the Professor, but he is interrupted by an even angrier Ranpu, whom punches through the wall in his machine. When Ranpu tries to harm Tenma and the Ministry, he is quickly stopped by Atom and finally arrested by the police.

Professor Ochanomizu is relieved Atom and Professor Tenma are okay, but Tenma then requests they leave, wishing to end himself and the Ministry's building. As Tenma walks away, Atom runs to embrace him with feelings of dismay. Tenma admits to Atom that he possibly wanted love the most. Atom wishes Tenma not to go, however Tenma pushes Atom towards Ochanomizu and away from harm. Professor Tenma then sets off the explosion, his last known words being that robots don't need him any more.

A year passes since then, robots with A.I now have rights and Atlas becomes the second president of Tokugawa Company. Ken wonders how Atlas had a complete repair, to which Atom responds someone sent Atlas' data to the Science Department. Ken thinks maybe Professor Tenma is still alive because of this, but Atom is unsure. Atom then decides to patrol the city.