The Bottom Line
In "The Greatest Robot on Earth," Astro Boy encounters Pluto, a powerful robot who is out to defeat the most amazing robots in the world, including Astro. As robot after robot is destroyed by Pluto, Astro begs his creator to make him more powerful to defeat Pluto. However, Astro finds out that great power is meaningless without compassion.
Initially, it seems like a robot vs. robot action story, but "The Greatest Robot on Earth" sneaks in some meaningful themes about war, the arms race and pacifism. It flows a bit abruptly, but it's worth reading as an example of Tezuka's most iconic character at his best.
Pros
- Tezuka delivers a fast-paced story with lots of dynamically-drawn fight scenes
- Over time, Pluto becomes more sympathetic and interesting than just a 'bad guy'
- A kid-friendly allegory about the senselessness of war and the pursuit of power
- Asks young readers, should you obey orders or follow your conscience?
Cons
- The action goes a little too fast -- characters are quickly introduced, then killed off
- Astro and Uran often act more like spoiled, self-centered kids than heroic robots
- The Sultan is a childish, one-dimensional villain built around old ethnic stereotypes
- With no intro in Volumes 1 & 2, Astro's parents and sister Uran show up almost out of the blue
Description
- Original Title: Tetsuwan Atomu (Japan)
- Author & Artist: Osamu Tezuka
- Publishers:
- Dark Horse (US)
- Akita Shoten (Japan)
- ISBN: 978-1569716786
- Cover Price: $9.95 US
- Age Rating:
Not rated, but suitable for Y – Youth Age 10+
for action and some violence
More about content ratings. - Manga Genres:
- Shonen (Boys') Manga
- Action / Adventure
- Anime Tie-In
- Mecha / Robots
- Science Fiction
- US Publication Date: April 2002
Japan Publication Date: 1951 - 1975 - Book Description: 208 pages, black and white illustrations
- More Manga by Osamu Tezuka:
Guide Review - Astro Boy Volume 3
Often described as one of the most popular Astro Boy stories ever, "The Greatest Robot on Earth" is the main feature in Astro Boy Volume 3. As Tezuka describes it, "I drew this story when the Astro Boy TV series was at the peak of its popularity, and I was really enjoying my work." And this enjoyment really does come through, as Tezuka draws scene after scene of dynamically drawn fight scenes.
Tezuka also introduces a diverse, United Nations of robots for Astro and Pluto to meet, befriend and/or fight. Brando the wrestling robot from Turkey. Mont Blanc, the Swiss robot mountaineer. Gerhardt, the German detective robot, all remind readers that Astro is not the only amazing robot on Earth. Through their various powers and personalities, each robot offers different perspectives on the roles, responsibilities and limitations of robots in this futuristic world.
Compared to most modern shonen manga, "The Greatest Robot on Earth" is a fairly simple and somewhat abruptly-paced story. Characters are introduced, and quickly killed off, just as we're getting to know them. The amount of characters and conflicts that Tezuka packs into this 180-page story could be stretched out into 10 volumes of say, Naruto.
It helps to remember that Astro Boy was created for a younger, less sophisticated audience who craved fast-paced action and fight scenes. At the time, heavy character development would have dragged out this story beyond many young boys' attention span, so Tezuka's choice makes sense in this context.
But what makes this story so iconic in the Astro Boy canon is how it raises many interesting questions about senseless quests for power for its own sake, and following orders instead of following your conscience. And when you think about it, that's pretty deep for a kids' comic from the 1950's.
