Astro Boy Super Alloy - BE@RBRICK
Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy is one of the most recognizable manga and anime characters in the world. The series brought Japanese animation overseas for the first time and brought Tezuka's career to the next level. Medicom Toy recreates the world-famous robot boy in the "Super Alloy BE@RBRICK Astro Boy" figure. This BE@BRICK highlights Astro Boy's classic design and adds a realistic element of robot-like metal.
Astro Boy and BE@RBRICK Collaboration Background
Medicom Toy began a collaboration with Tezuka Productions to create Astro Boy merchandise in 2012. The first BE@RBRICK in this collaboration came out in 2017.
Collaboration Planning and Launch
The first Astro Boy merchandise from Medicom Toy came from a multi-partner collaboration. In 2012, artist KAWS released an Astro Boy themed collection through his Original Fake label partnership with Medicom Toy. The line included clothing, prints, and figures depicting Astro Boy in the iconic KAWS art style. After the label closed in 2013, Medicom Toy's next Astro Boy figures were released in 2016. The 400% and 1000% size traditional BE@RBRICK Astro Boy figures went on presale in October that year. In 2017, the design received a Super Alloy diecast figure version. Outside of the BE@RBRICK line, Medicom Toy continues to make Astro Boy figures, including a MAFEX figure exclusively sold at the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum.
Super Alloy BE@RBRICK Astro Boy
This articulated, diecast figure shows off Japan's most famous robot in an appropriately metallic form. Osamu Tezuka's distinct art style has been perfectly recreated on the bear-shaped figure model. The figure's ears feature a mainly white background to highlight Astro Boy's iconic pointed hairstyle. Astro flashes an open mouth smile, conveying his cheerful and childlike personality. His eyes take inspiration from the simplified, all-black design depicted in the 1960s anime. He wears his classic outfit, including his teal belt and red boots. A cast mold embossing on the back features the Osamu Tezuka and BE@RBRICK trademarks.
- Product Name: Super Alloy BE@RBRICK Astro Boy
- Series: Super Alloy BE@RBRICK
- Manufacturer: Medicom Toy
- Specifications: Painted & articulated die-cast figure
- Height (Approx.): 145mm | 5.7
About Astro Boy
Astro Boy, known as Mighty Atom in Japanese, is an iconic anime and manga series by creator Osamu Tezuka. The original manga series began publication in Kobunsha's Shonen magazine from 1952 until 1968. The follow-up series include a serialized newspaper manga ran from 1967 until 1969 and two short-lived manga publications in the 1970s and 1980s. The first tv anime premiered on New Year's Day in 1963 and ran for four seasons over 193 episodes. Astro Boy proved popular in Japan and became the first anime broadcast outside of the country. A full-color remake of the series aired in 1980. The series received a third remake in 2003 to commemorate Astro Boy's birthday as mentioned in the manga, April 7, 2003. Astro Boy became Tezuka's most famous work. Production techniques used in developing the first anime series served as the framework for the industry still used today.
About the Character Astro Boy
Astro Boy is the protagonist of the manga and anime series of the same name. Considered a modern, reverse Pinocchio, Astro Boy is a nearly perfect robot who strives to become more human. In the series, Astro Boy was created on April 7, 2003, by Dr. Umataro Tenma. Dr. Tenma designed Astro Boy to look as close to human as possible, serving as a replacement for his deceased son, Tobio. Astro Boy possesses incredible intelligence and strength beyond that of other robots. His abilities include the famous "100,000 horsepower" and his jet-powered flight. In terms of personality, Astro Boy is naive and innocent but possesses a strong sense of right and wrong.
In pop culture, Astro Boy is considered one of the greatest comic characters of all time. In the 1950s, Astro Boy proved to be a national sensation and became Osamu Tezuka's first big success. Tezuka created Astro Boy as an exploration of prejudice and exploration of nuclear power and peace. Today, Astro Boy is the official company mascot for Tezuka's legacy company, Tezuka Productions.
Other Important Astro Boy Characters
The Astro Boy series involved strong family themes as well as scientific motifs. Astro's two father figures serve as important characters in all story versions.
Dr. Umataro Tenma
Dr. Umataro Tenma is a robotics engineer who created Astro Boy in the likeness of his late son, Tobio. Tenma regretted his neglectful relationship with his son and wanted to create a second chance at fatherhood with a robot son. While at first pleased with Astro, he grew to resent him after Astro failed to grow like a human child. In most manga retellings, he ends up selling Astro to Hamegg, the owner of a robot circus. The prominence of his role varies between different versions of the story. In some cases, Tenma regrets his actions and repeatedly tries to get Astro back. In others, he is preoccupied with his job at the Ministry of Science and only periodically returns to aid Astro.
Dr. Ochanomizu
Dr. Ochanomizu is a kindly robotics engineer who acts as Astro Boy's true father figure. Despite his role as the head of the Ministry of Science, Ochanomizu is kind and humble. In every Astro Boy series, Ochanomizu goes to great lengths to rescue Astro from abandonment after Tenma leaves him. In most cases, this kindness results in him creating a robot family unit for him. A strong believer in robot rights, Ochanomizu strives to create a world in which humans and robots peacefully coexist. Ochanomizu's approach to robots serves as a stand-in for Tezuka's own ten rules of robotics.
Links
Super Alloy BE@RBRICK Astro Boy
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