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Astro Boy Omnibus #1
Astro Boy nº 01/07
Primer tomo recopilatorio de las famosas aventuras de Astroboy, el poderoso robot creado por el Dios del manga, Osamu Tezuka. Las aventuras que influenciaron el desarrollo del manga en la segunda mitad del siglo XX.
619 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1952
61 people are currently reading
357 people want to read
About the author
Osamu Tezuka
2,153 books1,291 followersDr. Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫) was a Japanese manga artist, animator, producer and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. He is often credited as the "Father of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years. His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga" and "the God of Manga."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
July 21, 2018
My manga self-education continues. I read a couple issues of Astro Boy that NOW published back in the day but that was my only experience with Astro Boy prior to this. I reviewed each section as I read since this thing is a brick at close to 700 pages.
The Birth of Astro Boy: Astro Boy was born in the retro-future of 2003. When his son is killed in a car accident, a scientist creates Astro Boy as his replacement, then casts him out when he realizes the boy will never grow. Astro Boy is exiled and winds up in a circus, where he meets his new father figure, Doctor Ochanomizu.
The Disney influence is apparent right away. Astro Boy has elements of Pinnochio and Dumbo in his origin. He also has machine guns built into his ass, something I was unaware of until now. The art is very charming. I would have been all over this as a kid. Even as an adult, it's very nicely done.
The Hot Dog Corps: Mr. Mustachio's dog Pero is kidnapped and Astro Boy goes looking for him... and runs into an army of cyborgs created by Dr. Junkovitch.
WTF! Dogs kidnapped and skinned and having their brains put in cyborg bodies? Damn! Disney never did that! This one was surprisingly dark, which was a weird juxtaposition with how cute Astro Boy is. This story had a lot going on, even besides dog cyborgs. There was a trip to the Arctic, a trip to the moon, and even a court case.
Plant People: Flying saucers from Alsoa-12 have come to earth to steal half of its water. Only Astro Boy can stop them!
This was a much shorter story than the previous one. The artwork was a lot more polished so it had to have been drawn years later. Astro Boy battles '50s style flying saucers. What's not to like?
His Highness Deadcross: The nation of Gravia elected a robot president but now he's in danger from Deadcross and his anti-robot forces. Can Astro Boy save him?
It all started with a robot pair of pants showing up at Astro Boy's house. So much crazy shit went down in this story. Giant robot beetles attacking the President's house every night. Mr. Mustachio getting tortured. Astro Boy getting wrecked. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I had to stop a couple times and describe what was happening to my wife. There are some surprisingly serious things going on in this one, like discussions of robot's rights.
Crazy, crazy stuff.
The Third Magician: A magician named Kino goes on a crime spree and anti-robot sentiment is everywhere. Can Astro Boy get to the bottom of things and clear Kino's name?
It's a little more complex than that. I like how Tezuka weaves adult issues into Astro Boy, like prejudice and human rights. I also like how he introduces a lot of the tales. The high points of this one for me was the giant spider and the explanation on the magic box trick.
Why do the police cars look like dogs?
White Planet: A robot race car, the White Planet, is wrecked and needs a new robot brain. Can it be fixed in time for the Equator race?
This felt like a Speed Racer story although it was from a couple years before. Were comics about race cars big in Japan in the '60s? It was okay but I didn't actually see the twist coming.
The Greatest Robot On Earth: The sultan creates a robot named Pluto who wants to be the greatest robot on earth. He challenges the seven most powerful robots in the world to fight him, including Astro Boy!
This was easily my favorite story in the collection. While it seems like it'll be mostly robot fisticuffs, Pluto proves to have much more dimension than originally thought. Uran, Astro's sister, is featured prominently, as is Doctor Ochanomizu. The robot battles were great but Pluto's conflicting feelings about the other robots were the best part.
Mad Machine: Dr. Foola's machine will cause all of the machines in Japan to go berserk if he doesn't get one billion yen! Can Astro Boy stop him without going berserk himself?
This was a short one but packed with content. Tezuka once again works in complex issues into what's essentially a kid's comic.
Robotland: Astro Boy and Ochanomizu visit a theme park staffed by robots. But what happens when they find out the robots are being mistreated?
So Astro Boy fights Satan in this one, only it's a robot Satan with stars on his nipples. Seriously. Robots being treated properly is an issue again here, and this time Astro Boy finds his teachers on the wrong side of things. Fortunately, things get settled with some robot on robot action and the truth behind Robotland is revealed.
And that's the final story. For a 700 page brick, this omnibus sure moved quickly. I was very impressed at how well this comic held up. The stories inside are all at least 50 years old and aren't any more hokey than Marvel comics from the same time period, and many are less. The quirkiness of the stories was charming and makes me want to read more of Astro Boy's adventures in the future. Some of the stories had a dark tone that was a sharp contrast to the Disney style artwork.
Not a single regret in reading this collection. I'm glad to have experienced the Japanese Walt Disney's first major creation and plan to experience more of his work in the future. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
The Birth of Astro Boy: Astro Boy was born in the retro-future of 2003. When his son is killed in a car accident, a scientist creates Astro Boy as his replacement, then casts him out when he realizes the boy will never grow. Astro Boy is exiled and winds up in a circus, where he meets his new father figure, Doctor Ochanomizu.
The Disney influence is apparent right away. Astro Boy has elements of Pinnochio and Dumbo in his origin. He also has machine guns built into his ass, something I was unaware of until now. The art is very charming. I would have been all over this as a kid. Even as an adult, it's very nicely done.
The Hot Dog Corps: Mr. Mustachio's dog Pero is kidnapped and Astro Boy goes looking for him... and runs into an army of cyborgs created by Dr. Junkovitch.
WTF! Dogs kidnapped and skinned and having their brains put in cyborg bodies? Damn! Disney never did that! This one was surprisingly dark, which was a weird juxtaposition with how cute Astro Boy is. This story had a lot going on, even besides dog cyborgs. There was a trip to the Arctic, a trip to the moon, and even a court case.
Plant People: Flying saucers from Alsoa-12 have come to earth to steal half of its water. Only Astro Boy can stop them!
This was a much shorter story than the previous one. The artwork was a lot more polished so it had to have been drawn years later. Astro Boy battles '50s style flying saucers. What's not to like?
His Highness Deadcross: The nation of Gravia elected a robot president but now he's in danger from Deadcross and his anti-robot forces. Can Astro Boy save him?
It all started with a robot pair of pants showing up at Astro Boy's house. So much crazy shit went down in this story. Giant robot beetles attacking the President's house every night. Mr. Mustachio getting tortured. Astro Boy getting wrecked. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I had to stop a couple times and describe what was happening to my wife. There are some surprisingly serious things going on in this one, like discussions of robot's rights.
Crazy, crazy stuff.
The Third Magician: A magician named Kino goes on a crime spree and anti-robot sentiment is everywhere. Can Astro Boy get to the bottom of things and clear Kino's name?
It's a little more complex than that. I like how Tezuka weaves adult issues into Astro Boy, like prejudice and human rights. I also like how he introduces a lot of the tales. The high points of this one for me was the giant spider and the explanation on the magic box trick.
Why do the police cars look like dogs?
White Planet: A robot race car, the White Planet, is wrecked and needs a new robot brain. Can it be fixed in time for the Equator race?
This felt like a Speed Racer story although it was from a couple years before. Were comics about race cars big in Japan in the '60s? It was okay but I didn't actually see the twist coming.
The Greatest Robot On Earth: The sultan creates a robot named Pluto who wants to be the greatest robot on earth. He challenges the seven most powerful robots in the world to fight him, including Astro Boy!
This was easily my favorite story in the collection. While it seems like it'll be mostly robot fisticuffs, Pluto proves to have much more dimension than originally thought. Uran, Astro's sister, is featured prominently, as is Doctor Ochanomizu. The robot battles were great but Pluto's conflicting feelings about the other robots were the best part.
Mad Machine: Dr. Foola's machine will cause all of the machines in Japan to go berserk if he doesn't get one billion yen! Can Astro Boy stop him without going berserk himself?
This was a short one but packed with content. Tezuka once again works in complex issues into what's essentially a kid's comic.
Robotland: Astro Boy and Ochanomizu visit a theme park staffed by robots. But what happens when they find out the robots are being mistreated?
So Astro Boy fights Satan in this one, only it's a robot Satan with stars on his nipples. Seriously. Robots being treated properly is an issue again here, and this time Astro Boy finds his teachers on the wrong side of things. Fortunately, things get settled with some robot on robot action and the truth behind Robotland is revealed.
And that's the final story. For a 700 page brick, this omnibus sure moved quickly. I was very impressed at how well this comic held up. The stories inside are all at least 50 years old and aren't any more hokey than Marvel comics from the same time period, and many are less. The quirkiness of the stories was charming and makes me want to read more of Astro Boy's adventures in the future. Some of the stories had a dark tone that was a sharp contrast to the Disney style artwork.
Not a single regret in reading this collection. I'm glad to have experienced the Japanese Walt Disney's first major creation and plan to experience more of his work in the future. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
October 22, 2022
¡Qué delicia!
He leído sobre el significado de esta obra que empezó a publicarse en 1952 en la historia del manga, pero desde mi perspectiva de hoy, por parte de una persona que ha leído poco manga (en realidad he visto bastante más anime), mi valoración es de cuatro estrellas.
Como suele pasar este cómic resulta en algunos aspectos un poco chocante para el lector occidental, pero pienso que este contraste cultural añade más valor a un planteamiento que no deja de ser de pura ciencia ficción. Baste decir que se entremezclan historietas humorísticas parecidas a nuestros mortadelos con un impresionante planteamiento de robótica digno del mismísimo Asimov. En concordancia de lo anterior, si bien aparenta estar pensado para lectores infantiles para un adulto también resulta una lectura satisfactoria.
Los robots de Astroboy son máquinas pensadas para servir a la humanidad, excepto cuando algún científico loco busca utilizarlas para sus propios fines. En decir, son máquinas diseñadas para hacer el bien, sus motivos son siempre nobles y los conflictos siempre provienen de los humanos y su egoísmo. ¿Cómo se conjuga que se trate a la vez de máquinas frías y sin sentimientos con la pátina de humanidad que Osamu Tezuka les proporciona en sus historias? En realidad por ejemplo a Astroboy frecuentemente se lo describe más como a un niño con superpoderes y no por sus cualidades de robot. En el caso de los muchos otros robots que protagonizan estas viñetas la distinción es más sutil pero el efecto es igual de maravilloso: su programación los convierte en seres como he dicho "nobles", consiguiendo historias de robots conmovedoras.
A destacar en este recopilatorio la historia del robot gigante Plutón, que busca destruir a sus rivales, claro antecesor de los "brutos mecánicos" vistos en en los dibujos Mazinger Z o de los maravillosos mecha vistos en los manga y anime de nuestro tiempo.
He leído sobre el significado de esta obra que empezó a publicarse en 1952 en la historia del manga, pero desde mi perspectiva de hoy, por parte de una persona que ha leído poco manga (en realidad he visto bastante más anime), mi valoración es de cuatro estrellas.
Como suele pasar este cómic resulta en algunos aspectos un poco chocante para el lector occidental, pero pienso que este contraste cultural añade más valor a un planteamiento que no deja de ser de pura ciencia ficción. Baste decir que se entremezclan historietas humorísticas parecidas a nuestros mortadelos con un impresionante planteamiento de robótica digno del mismísimo Asimov. En concordancia de lo anterior, si bien aparenta estar pensado para lectores infantiles para un adulto también resulta una lectura satisfactoria.
Los robots de Astroboy son máquinas pensadas para servir a la humanidad, excepto cuando algún científico loco busca utilizarlas para sus propios fines. En decir, son máquinas diseñadas para hacer el bien, sus motivos son siempre nobles y los conflictos siempre provienen de los humanos y su egoísmo. ¿Cómo se conjuga que se trate a la vez de máquinas frías y sin sentimientos con la pátina de humanidad que Osamu Tezuka les proporciona en sus historias? En realidad por ejemplo a Astroboy frecuentemente se lo describe más como a un niño con superpoderes y no por sus cualidades de robot. En el caso de los muchos otros robots que protagonizan estas viñetas la distinción es más sutil pero el efecto es igual de maravilloso: su programación los convierte en seres como he dicho "nobles", consiguiendo historias de robots conmovedoras.
A destacar en este recopilatorio la historia del robot gigante Plutón, que busca destruir a sus rivales, claro antecesor de los "brutos mecánicos" vistos en en los dibujos Mazinger Z o de los maravillosos mecha vistos en los manga y anime de nuestro tiempo.
November 19, 2020
Completely silly and completely fun! I loved reading these Astro Boy stories. It’s my favorite era of comic books: just simple, goofy adventure stories, before comic books turned into graphic novels and became dark and complex. (I like some of that, too; but I have a special fondness for the old-fashioned stuff.)
Though Astro Boy includes plenty of social perspectives that now date the stories badly (the conclusion of the story “White Planet,” for example, anticipates all the awkwardness of the fate of L3-37 in Solo), it also ventures into areas of “robot rights” and the dangers of unchecked technology that continue to be important in many other sci-fi stories (Blade Runner, of course, but also a lot of others).
I enjoyed the moments that the author, Osamu Tezuka, shows up as a character in the comic to explain the context of the story or what he was thinking about when he drew it. Very clever!
Almost 700 pages of classic-era sci-fi storytelling—such fun! I only wish the format was a little larger, so that the small panels were easier to see in detail. But I look forward to checking out the next volume soon!
Though Astro Boy includes plenty of social perspectives that now date the stories badly (the conclusion of the story “White Planet,” for example, anticipates all the awkwardness of the fate of L3-37 in Solo), it also ventures into areas of “robot rights” and the dangers of unchecked technology that continue to be important in many other sci-fi stories (Blade Runner, of course, but also a lot of others).
I enjoyed the moments that the author, Osamu Tezuka, shows up as a character in the comic to explain the context of the story or what he was thinking about when he drew it. Very clever!
Almost 700 pages of classic-era sci-fi storytelling—such fun! I only wish the format was a little larger, so that the small panels were easier to see in detail. But I look forward to checking out the next volume soon!
September 14, 2019
Tiene el encanto naif de las historietas de aventuras de hace décadas, sin complicaciones ni dobleces, y el dinamismo de uno de los grandes pioneros de la historieta. También, justamente por eso, requiere de toda la complicidad del lector actual. La edición de Planeta no está mal, pero carece de cualquier material de acompañamiento y, tengo la sensación, imprime las historias sin seguir el orden en que fueron creadas.
June 9, 2018
The Tezuka Challenge
In September 2015, I began to comb through the Internet for books written by or about notable manga artist Osamu Tezuka. While he is not the first to make comics in Japan, he is regarded as "the God of manga" and his works have established many of the genres still used in manga today.
To commemorate his 90th birthday, I've begun reading my personal collection (shelved as "tezuka collection" for the purpose of this series of reviews) to gain insight on manga's beginnings and to see if any of these stories still hold up.
Astro Boy
Let's get started with the most well known property in the United States, Astro Boy! With all the different incarnations of Japan's heroic robot, it's astounding how little of his story I know.
This first omnibus is a big boy, clocking in at 688 pages of content. For such a small-scaled book, I could feel the weight in my hands. Good thing I keep books on a hard surface or in my lap when I read, otherwise I'd be complaining about the amount of pages this book has, am I right?
What Works
- Astro Boy is a classic hero archetype. He's essentially what would happen if Pinocchio was a super hero. He's a smart lad with super strength and a firm moral compass. I root for this robo-boy every time he's in a brawl.
- Puns! If I can appreciate anything, it's some good wordplay. Frederik Schodt, who worked personally with Tezuka in the past, did a fantastic job translating and re-contextualizing the jokes so they'd be accessible to English readers.
What Doesn't
- A lot of things happen out of convenience. It's not even shown, either. We're told that things happen, like Ochanomizu saying he planted a tracking device on Astro Boy, so we always know where he's going. This isn't exactly a hindrance to how Astro Boy is structured, this is more of a nitpick coming from an adult reader.
How Does It Hold Up?
Well, I can say for the first volume that this was a very fun read. Hardly offensive at all. It's paced similarly to a cartoon series you'd find on Boomerang. Straight-up fun with underlining messages about peace and humanity.
I can't speak for the kids this series is intended for, but I'd be happy to come back for more. And I can, since I have the other 6 omnibus volumes!
In September 2015, I began to comb through the Internet for books written by or about notable manga artist Osamu Tezuka. While he is not the first to make comics in Japan, he is regarded as "the God of manga" and his works have established many of the genres still used in manga today.
To commemorate his 90th birthday, I've begun reading my personal collection (shelved as "tezuka collection" for the purpose of this series of reviews) to gain insight on manga's beginnings and to see if any of these stories still hold up.
Astro Boy
Let's get started with the most well known property in the United States, Astro Boy! With all the different incarnations of Japan's heroic robot, it's astounding how little of his story I know.
This first omnibus is a big boy, clocking in at 688 pages of content. For such a small-scaled book, I could feel the weight in my hands. Good thing I keep books on a hard surface or in my lap when I read, otherwise I'd be complaining about the amount of pages this book has, am I right?
What Works
- Astro Boy is a classic hero archetype. He's essentially what would happen if Pinocchio was a super hero. He's a smart lad with super strength and a firm moral compass. I root for this robo-boy every time he's in a brawl.
- Puns! If I can appreciate anything, it's some good wordplay. Frederik Schodt, who worked personally with Tezuka in the past, did a fantastic job translating and re-contextualizing the jokes so they'd be accessible to English readers.
What Doesn't
- A lot of things happen out of convenience. It's not even shown, either. We're told that things happen, like Ochanomizu saying he planted a tracking device on Astro Boy, so we always know where he's going. This isn't exactly a hindrance to how Astro Boy is structured, this is more of a nitpick coming from an adult reader.
How Does It Hold Up?
Well, I can say for the first volume that this was a very fun read. Hardly offensive at all. It's paced similarly to a cartoon series you'd find on Boomerang. Straight-up fun with underlining messages about peace and humanity.
I can't speak for the kids this series is intended for, but I'd be happy to come back for more. And I can, since I have the other 6 omnibus volumes!
November 25, 2022
I really like Astro Boy as a character but I didn’t like pretty much any of the stories here, especially the long ones. The short, episodic chapters were better and I assume this is why the tv show was a success. There’s just never enough plot to justify the length of the longer ones unfortunately. The action is also kind of boring and devolves into Astro and his opponent bonking each other until Astro wins…
… or until he loses because Astro is actually weak as fuck apparently and can’t win half his fights - which makes him kind of hard to see as a hero sometimes. Astro in the games literally destroys an artificial sun. Here he loses to a robot with the brain of a dog.
Loved the art, liked the human/robot politics, didn’t like much else honestly
… or until he loses because Astro is actually weak as fuck apparently and can’t win half his fights - which makes him kind of hard to see as a hero sometimes. Astro in the games literally destroys an artificial sun. Here he loses to a robot with the brain of a dog.
Loved the art, liked the human/robot politics, didn’t like much else honestly
August 25, 2021
What an absolutely delightful read. The art style was 100% charm, and the situations sketched out were silly, but still managed to pack in a sense of consequence (even though you know Astro Boy will be fine in the end).
Having Osamu Tezuka write himself into the introductions, where he breaks the fourth wall and explains his thoughts and meditations when writing the stories, was a memorable touch. He comes across as a thoughtful, contemplative, and well-read man who had a passion for his craft.
I think Astro Boy has aged surprisingly well and there's plenty here for a modern audience to enjoy.
Having Osamu Tezuka write himself into the introductions, where he breaks the fourth wall and explains his thoughts and meditations when writing the stories, was a memorable touch. He comes across as a thoughtful, contemplative, and well-read man who had a passion for his craft.
I think Astro Boy has aged surprisingly well and there's plenty here for a modern audience to enjoy.
January 24, 2022
Durch eine Sonderausstellung in unserem Museum, bei der verschiedene Mangabücher ausgelegt waren, bin ich über dieses Buch gestolpert.
Von Astro Boy hatte ich vorher noch nie gehört, deshalb war ich neugierig. Die Geschichten - Kampf Gut (Astro Boy) gegen Böse (die Bösen halt) - sind nett und schön gezeichnet, der Witz kommt ebenfalls nicht zu kurz. Teilweise ist es etwas "jungslastig", aber das liegt wohl daran, dass diese Geschichten ursprünglich in einem Magazin für japanische Jungen veröffentlicht wurden.
Von Astro Boy hatte ich vorher noch nie gehört, deshalb war ich neugierig. Die Geschichten - Kampf Gut (Astro Boy) gegen Böse (die Bösen halt) - sind nett und schön gezeichnet, der Witz kommt ebenfalls nicht zu kurz. Teilweise ist es etwas "jungslastig", aber das liegt wohl daran, dass diese Geschichten ursprünglich in einem Magazin für japanische Jungen veröffentlicht wurden.
October 14, 2015
Astro Boy - the first manga to be adapted for animation many years ago - is pure, joyous fun. Not only are these stories entertaining, they also contain underlying issues of depth. Tezuka's artwork is absolutely brilliant in its execution with a very approachable style. If you've never read manga before, have no fear - you'll enjoy this. The second omnibus from Dark Horse will be out in December 2015.
November 18, 2015
I love Astro Boy. This book does feel a little dated but that not a big deal. The point is the spirit of the stories. They present to the reader a character who might always wins but he always tries. That spirit is summed up in a single phrase that go, go, go Astro Boy.
March 1, 2025
Tezuka is the first to admit the quality of this book is uneven. You have absolute bangers that influenced a generation of manga like Greatest Robot on Earth, and then absolute stinkers whose name and premise are quickly forgotten. The small format doesn't do the art any favors either. I love Tezuka popping in for drawn intros to each arc, but the origin story is oddly out of place, like the original readers were expected to watch the show or something. Overall, this is influential and sometimes really good sci fi, but it's better to target just the chapters everyone talks about.
July 15, 2018
Osamu Tezuka is considered the godfather of Manga. He is to Japan what Walt Disney is to the States. Astro Boy created/influenced the visual language of all the Manga and Anime that came after it. Which is why I picked up this Omnibus.
Ultimately I found it interesting for it's cultural an historical importance, and worth reading for those reasons. However, the manga itself did not grab me in the same way as others have.
I recommend reading at least this Omnibus. If you choose to read more, good for you, if not, that's probably ok too.
Ultimately I found it interesting for it's cultural an historical importance, and worth reading for those reasons. However, the manga itself did not grab me in the same way as others have.
I recommend reading at least this Omnibus. If you choose to read more, good for you, if not, that's probably ok too.
January 5, 2023
Un buen clásico de la literatura manga
June 21, 2023
Plutoya ilham veren Greatest Robot on Earth'u içeren omnibus bu ondan aldım ama kalan hikayelerden de güzeller vardı,baskı kalitesi rezalet yalnız.
March 11, 2017
Such nostalgia! I used to watch the ...I think 80's version of the cartoon when I was little, it was so great and apparently quite accurate to the source material at least insofar as I can remember. It's only a shame this book isn't in colour or even partly coloured, but it still has the great art and dialogue!
February 26, 2016
This is definitely not just a classic because it was essentially the property that brought Manga to the United States.. it's very good in it's own right.
The theme of 'Robot Rights' is very prevalent early on, but it feels more speculative (How SHOULD we handle Robots?) than allegorical (like X-Men)... not knowing what impact the American Civil Rights movement had in Japan, I have no idea if that's intentional, or just my take
The stories are in some cases a little basic, but all well plotted... the strength is the character designs, which are an absolute joy, both the robots and the humans. Tezuka is truly a master storyteller.. modern comic writers could learn quite a bit about timing and 4th wall breaking in these pages.
The theme of 'Robot Rights' is very prevalent early on, but it feels more speculative (How SHOULD we handle Robots?) than allegorical (like X-Men)... not knowing what impact the American Civil Rights movement had in Japan, I have no idea if that's intentional, or just my take
The stories are in some cases a little basic, but all well plotted... the strength is the character designs, which are an absolute joy, both the robots and the humans. Tezuka is truly a master storyteller.. modern comic writers could learn quite a bit about timing and 4th wall breaking in these pages.
December 16, 2024
I read this because I saw the anime Pluto and loved it, The manga Pluto draws from this original world. I’ll admit I don’t often watch anime and I’ve never really read manga. But with reading, if it’s worth it, I’ll give it a try. I was almost immediately struck by the contrast between the classic, lovable art style of Astro Boy and the central themes of death and ‘robot rights’ which serve as an analogy for human rights. This is what I love about android literature and movies/shows. The manga Astro Boy asks what it means to be alive, and then the follow up question: what is that life worth? While the robots of Astro Boy, including Astro Boy himself, can fight and have unique extra-personal abilities, they are also sensitive, delicate beings. They are worthy of our respect because they are special. They enjoy life, they fear that that enjoyment and their freedoms will be taken away. I really like that, and there were moments where the mortality of the characters made me so sad and pensive that I had to step away for a couple of hours or a couple of days.
As a side note, I will say, the Dark Horse omnibus is cute, but the page layout is a bit cramped and difficult to read at times. The pages perhaps could have been a bit bigger, or more attention could have been paid to proper formatting.
As a side note, I will say, the Dark Horse omnibus is cute, but the page layout is a bit cramped and difficult to read at times. The pages perhaps could have been a bit bigger, or more attention could have been paid to proper formatting.
May 1, 2023
En inegable la calidad que tiene este manga, aun siendo dirigido para un público joven hay una infinidad de temas que trata (qué es ser humano? Si los robots cuando hagan lo mismo que los humanos merecerían derechos? Etc)
Pero me desconcertó mucho que mi edición siendo(o parece nose) que no está ordenada, los capítulos no parecen seguir el orden de publicación o algo parecido, quizas solo es una recopilación de los mejores capítulos no estoy segura, pero dificultaba por momentoa la comprensión de la história porque saltaba como en la linea temporal: primero conocemos los orígenes de Astroboy(hasta ahí bien) y eso, después su padre adoptivo, después a otro profesor importante, que tiene unos amigos o que va al colegio(???, que tiene una família adoptiva(????, y ya me perdí. Con poner una breve introducción o algo que diga esto fue publicado tal año o esto no sigue el orden original yo no me quejaria. Pero bueno, sigamos.
La ruptura de la cuarta pared fue en principio desconcertante y al final graciosa XD. Interasante.
Pero me desconcertó mucho que mi edición siendo(o parece nose) que no está ordenada, los capítulos no parecen seguir el orden de publicación o algo parecido, quizas solo es una recopilación de los mejores capítulos no estoy segura, pero dificultaba por momentoa la comprensión de la história porque saltaba como en la linea temporal: primero conocemos los orígenes de Astroboy(hasta ahí bien) y eso, después su padre adoptivo, después a otro profesor importante, que tiene unos amigos o que va al colegio(???, que tiene una família adoptiva(????, y ya me perdí. Con poner una breve introducción o algo que diga esto fue publicado tal año o esto no sigue el orden original yo no me quejaria. Pero bueno, sigamos.
La ruptura de la cuarta pared fue en principio desconcertante y al final graciosa XD. Interasante.
April 18, 2018
As with most Tezuka books, I appreciate them for what they were able to do when they were written and Tezuka as an artist is very impressive, for all that his Disney and Fleischer influences are not at all subtle. Frederik Schodt writes an introduction to this collection as well as the translation, which is very good at contextualizing Astro Boy and Tezuka in addition to the introduction to the stories that Tezuka himself provides before each story. Unfortunately, the writing suffers from a lack of versatility--it's hard to appreciate if you're not a fairly young child. And there's nothing inherently wrong with that, but it lacks some of the nuance and sophistication that other children's books, including some children's comics, have. The theatricality of the characters--something consistent throughout all the work of Tezuka's that I've read--can also get a little tiresome. But it's something you just have to accept or it's not enjoyable.
March 8, 2021
I’m giving this a 3.5
Let me preface my review as Astro Boy is a renown character that I always have revered, and Tezuka created a classic.
I had seen imagery or random episodes here and there growing up, & I always liked the idea of this character and what he meant / stood for. I had never read the manga, and for its historical importance, I thought I should give it a go. Since it has been a few decades since the works were created, some elements and characterizations are definitely dated. As an adult reading this, I just wanted more depth and variety. I understand who the target is, but growing up seeing this iconic character, I guess my expectations were very high. That being said, the light-hearted nature of the stories is a cute approach, the art style is great, and I enjoyed how Tezuka is a character as well.
Let me preface my review as Astro Boy is a renown character that I always have revered, and Tezuka created a classic.
I had seen imagery or random episodes here and there growing up, & I always liked the idea of this character and what he meant / stood for. I had never read the manga, and for its historical importance, I thought I should give it a go. Since it has been a few decades since the works were created, some elements and characterizations are definitely dated. As an adult reading this, I just wanted more depth and variety. I understand who the target is, but growing up seeing this iconic character, I guess my expectations were very high. That being said, the light-hearted nature of the stories is a cute approach, the art style is great, and I enjoyed how Tezuka is a character as well.
January 28, 2023
Wonderful art and fun stories. If there's any downside to the series it's Astro Boy himself (who lacks character compared to some of the other figures in the comic). Not as adventurous as Tintin or Mickey Mouse, and not as mischievous as Donald Duck or Uncle Scrooge, Astro Boy exists as a kind of prop in the series. Add to that his crusade for robot civil rights and recognition (all while seemingly discriminating against simpler robots and destroying scores of others) and what little character he has becomes irritating. Also, Astro Boy defeats lots of difficult enemies only to be undone by lesser foes at times (such as by their running down his power even when he's performed greater feats in the past with no attendant power loss).
The battles with Pluto are a highlight of the book. Recommended for anyone interested in comics, robots fighting each other, or just good clean art.
The battles with Pluto are a highlight of the book. Recommended for anyone interested in comics, robots fighting each other, or just good clean art.
September 22, 2024
Astro Boy, the greatest robot in the world, fights for peace and justice. This omnibus collects together some of the early adventures of this adorable little robot.
This volume collects together several early adventures of Astro, published originally throughout the 1950s to 1960s. I really enjoyed seeing the style of the art and the writing evolve and develop.
Astro as a character is really cute. He fights for peace and justice as opposed to power. Even the bad guys written - Pluto being the perfect example - aren't wholly bad, and interesting moral questions are brought into the stories.
Astro Boy is set from 2003; that is the year he was built in the stories. The 2003 Osamu Tezuka imagined is definitely not the 2003 we got, but seeing his predictions of humanised robots and flying cars everywhere was very cool.
This volume collects together several early adventures of Astro, published originally throughout the 1950s to 1960s. I really enjoyed seeing the style of the art and the writing evolve and develop.
Astro as a character is really cute. He fights for peace and justice as opposed to power. Even the bad guys written - Pluto being the perfect example - aren't wholly bad, and interesting moral questions are brought into the stories.
Astro Boy is set from 2003; that is the year he was built in the stories. The 2003 Osamu Tezuka imagined is definitely not the 2003 we got, but seeing his predictions of humanised robots and flying cars everywhere was very cool.
February 28, 2025
I got about half way through before I had to stop. I've read lots of manga but this book us so small it's hard to read. I enjoyed the little intros by the author, they were interesting. Obviously, this is vastly different to the Astroboy I watched as a children. There are some very funny moments in here which is usually some completely random thing the characters say. At times though, Astro is completely frustrating, he just does stuff and doesn't think about things. In "The Hot Dog Corps", I feel like he doesn't realise that ALL of the hot dog corp were once dogs, not just Pero and he seems ok with obliterating them all except Pero. That story was heartbreaking by the way. And he just agrees to go off with a pair robotic pants! He doesn't seem to have any critical thinking skills.
I just don't want to squint at the book for another 300 pages.
I just don't want to squint at the book for another 300 pages.
February 2, 2019
I have thoughts about this book. I picked it up because I wanted to read a manga and I was stuck with the kids in the children's section and this is what they had and I knew it was a classic and I thought, "Why not?"
The copy of this book that I read is like a small brick: 17cm by 11cm for each individual page, but the total book is 6 cm thick. Because the page size is so small for a manga, I literally had to use a magnifying glass to read the words. So not my favourite reading experience.
This is an omnibus, so it has a selection of stories from Astro Boy from a number of years and not in chronological order. The premise is that Astro Boy is a robot in Japan in a time where robots are everywhere and are sentient. None of the stories particularly thrilled me, but they weren't terrible.
The copy of this book that I read is like a small brick: 17cm by 11cm for each individual page, but the total book is 6 cm thick. Because the page size is so small for a manga, I literally had to use a magnifying glass to read the words. So not my favourite reading experience.
This is an omnibus, so it has a selection of stories from Astro Boy from a number of years and not in chronological order. The premise is that Astro Boy is a robot in Japan in a time where robots are everywhere and are sentient. None of the stories particularly thrilled me, but they weren't terrible.
Read
March 15, 2025Pretty cool reading some Astro Boy comics for the first time! Astro Boy is a more foundational work than I thought, noticed clear inspirations in these stories and their bent to so many things that would come later, clearly owe the whole Mega Man series to Tezuka (bless 😇), Genndy Tartokovsky’s output, Westworld, and of course “Pluto”.
Overall just really charmed by the way the stories treat you, the reader, like a kid and an adult at the same time, merry prankster jokery frequently married to harsh things happening to good “people”, robots treated as analogues to the second-class human citizens of the real world but also frequently punching each other to smithereens in thrilling whiz-bang-pow panels. It is many things at once. Great and bewildering.
Overall just really charmed by the way the stories treat you, the reader, like a kid and an adult at the same time, merry prankster jokery frequently married to harsh things happening to good “people”, robots treated as analogues to the second-class human citizens of the real world but also frequently punching each other to smithereens in thrilling whiz-bang-pow panels. It is many things at once. Great and bewildering.
April 10, 2022
My first experience with a manga series and i’m proud to say this was a very fun experience.
Going through the adventures of Astro Boy it brought me back to childhood with big action scenes and simple dialogue. Considering I haven’t read comics/manga in years (or never, as I cant remember my childhood pretty well) it felt refreshing with Osamu Tezuka’s large inspiration of American media.
Although Tezuka is no longer here with us, he contributed to a major part of growth in children and adults, as well as the influence of Japanese manga and what it is today.
Going through the adventures of Astro Boy it brought me back to childhood with big action scenes and simple dialogue. Considering I haven’t read comics/manga in years (or never, as I cant remember my childhood pretty well) it felt refreshing with Osamu Tezuka’s large inspiration of American media.
Although Tezuka is no longer here with us, he contributed to a major part of growth in children and adults, as well as the influence of Japanese manga and what it is today.
August 28, 2025
Pales in comparison to other the other Tezuka I’ve read. I appreciate its significance, but there’s not much going on here. The art is mostly unsurprising, page layouts are boring, plots are tedious and lack imagination. The characters spend most of the panels catching up to what the reader already knows, which is never enjoyable or compelling to read/see. Feels perfunctory, even lazy at times. But Astroboy is too cute for two stars.
May 2, 2021
Απίστευτο Astro Boy! Είναι τόσο Astro όσο...μπόι του λείπει (μπανταμτσσσς). Εντυπωσιακό το πόσο σε κρατάει ένα τόσο παλιακό manga, αλλά μιλάμε για Tezuka τώρα. Σ'αυτόν τον τόμο υπάρχει και η ιστορία "The Greatest Robot on Earth", που ενέπνευσε και τη σειρά "Pluto" του Naoki Urasawa. Φοβερή ιστορία, ανατριχίλα πραγματικά.
April 7, 2022
Che vuoi dire a Tezuka? A tratti s’intuisce che il pubblico di riferimento sono i più giovani, altre volte colpisce la naturalezza con cui porta avanti temi più “politici”. Nonostante alcune pagine che oggi non sarebbero prodotte, “Astro Boy” è un classico godibile anche a distanza di decenni dalla prima pubblicazione.
July 9, 2023
Magnífic!!! Llegir “Pluto” de Naoki Surosawa basada en l’historieta “Astroboy el mejor robot sobre la faz de la Tierra” en va despertar l’interès per llegir i conèixer una de les obres magnes del mangaka Osuma Tezuka.
Expectatives complertes i amb ganes de seguir llegint noves aventures d’Astroboy.
Expectatives complertes i amb ganes de seguir llegint noves aventures d’Astroboy.
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