Watch and Read: Spotlight on Media Tie-ins
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Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 10/05/2009
Rocketing Back to Fame: Astro Boy
Originally created as a comic-book character by groundbreaking Japanese manga artist Osamu Tezuka (1928–1989) in the 1950s and later featured in an anime television series, this endearing, doe-eyed robot soars back to the forefront of pop culture with a new computer-animated film. Astro Boy (PG), produced by Imagi Studios and directed by David Bowers, premieres in theaters on October 23, 2009.
The story is set in futuristic Metro City, a thriving metropolis that hovers above the surface of a wasted and desolate planet. In this utopia, life has been made easy with the assistance of robots that perform the tasks humans no longer want to do. When Dr. Tenma (voiced by Nicolas Cage), the scientist responsible for the development of many advanced robots, loses his 13-year-old son, Toby, in an accident, his grief drives him to create his most remarkable invention of all: a robot designed to look and act like his son.
Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore) possesses an astounding array of abilities including super strength, X-ray vision, extraordinary speed, and those amazing jet-fired feet that allow him to fly. Rejected by his father, Astro Boy embarks on a journey of self-discovery during which he encounters numerous challenges and meets various individuals who help him to define his superpowers, explore what it means to be human, and figure out just where he fits in. When Metro City is threatened by a formidable adversary, Astro Boy must look within to discover if he has the wherewithal—and the heart—to become a hero and save everything he holds dear.
The voice cast also includes Kristen Bell, Samuel L. Jackson, Nathan Lane, and Donald Sutherland. The animation honors the stylized look of Tezuka’s manga-style characterizations (Astro Boy retains his large, expressive eyes and familiar gelled-into-peaks hairstyle) while extending this universe with colorful detail and gloriously imagined settings. Kids can get a taste of the action and the movie’s visual veneer at the Web site, which provides videos, character summations, and games. A pictorial “Timeline” option gives youngsters a sense of historical perspective, allowing them to scroll through the years from the 1928 birth of Tezuka (aka the “God of Manga”) through the character’s first comic book appearance, various TV series incarnations, and big-screen premiere.
Book Tie-ins
Price Stern Sloan presents several tie-ins that feature colorful artwork from the movie. Our Friends the Robots describes Metro City in storybook format, detailing the various jobs the machines perform and delineating Astro Boy’s adventures and attitude toward his mechanical cohorts. In I Was Made Ready, the protagonist introduces himself in an easy-to-read first-person narration, relating his realization that he’s “not a normal kid at all,” but “a robot with awesome superpowers!” and then recounting the plot’s highlights. Clear, bright-hued images and straightforward text make these books appropriate for both beginning readers and for sharing aloud (PreS–Gr 2). Kids who want a more detailed retelling will rocket through the lively dialogue and concise descriptions in Tracey West’s action-packed novelization. An eight-page inset introduces the main characters with full-color film photos and captions (Gr 2–6).
The imaginations of both movie fans and graphic novel devotees will soar with two comic-book adaptations based on the film from IDW Publishing. These inviting offerings combine easy-to-follow story lines with colorful artwork, and both feature an art gallery bonus section. Written by Scott Tipton and David Tipton, Astro Boy Movie Adaptation retells the plot with well-chosen snippets of dialogue and perfectly paced narrative panels. E.J. Su’s illustrations reflect the look of the animated feature, and the characters will be easily recognizable to movie viewers. Done in vibrant shades of green, purple, and yellow, the artwork is both eye-catching and attention-riveting. Bright monochromatic backdrops keep the focus on the action and make for a story line that moves at light-speed.
While the Movie Adaptation reveals the origins and abilities of Astro Boy, the Movie Prequel (IDW), set after the events depicted in the film, stars this charismatic character in an edge-or-your-seat superhero-style escapade. When groundquakes threaten the safety of Metro City, Astro Boy plunges into a subterranean adventure that puts him in the midst of a battle between two alien races that are fighting for ownership of a life-supporting power source. While engaging in frequent skirmishes that require him to deploy his full arsenal of superpowers, Astro Boy must evaluate his new acquaintances and ascertain just who is an ally and who is a foe. Scott Tipton’s volatile tale is illustrated by Diego Jourdan’s bright-hued, visually dynamic panels (Gr 4 Up).
Readers interested in exploring Astro Boy’s true roots will enjoy perusing Osamu Tezuka’s original manga stories, which are available in English translation from from Dark Horse Manga. Astro Boy: Books 1 and 2 begins with “The Birth of Astro Boy” (first published in 1975), a tale that explains the character’s origins, and then presents “The Hot Dog Corps” (originally serialized in 1961) and other collected stories. A thoughtful introductory note acknowledges the fact that some of Tezuka’s works depict non-Japanese characters in a negative way, and makes clear the reasoning behind the decision to reproduce the art as it was created. The sharp black-and-white panels are filled with fine detail, brisk action, and upbeat humor. The tales have an inviting playfulness and warmth, and the protagonist comes across as an innocent, resourceful, and loyal hero. Whether or not they are aware of Tezuka’s role as the founding father of a genre, manga and anime fans will love the spirit and spunk of his most famous character. Other Astro Boy adventures are available from Dark Horse (Gr 6 Up).
Pub Info
MAYER, Kirsten. Astro Boy: The Movie: Our Friends the Robots. Price Sloan Stern. 2009. pap. $3.99. ISBN 978-0-8431-8933-9.
KELLY, Sophia. Astro Boy: The Movie: I Was Made Ready. Price Sloan Stern. 2009. pap. $3.99. ISBN 978-0-8431-8936-0.
WEST, Tracey, adapt. Astro Boy: The Movie: The Novel. Price Sloan Stern. 2009. pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-8431-8934-6.
TIPTON, Scott & David Tipton. Astro Boy Movie Adaptation. illus. by E. J. Su. IDW Pub., dist. by Diamond Book. 2009. pap. $17.99. ISBN 978-1-60010-517-3.
TIPTON, Scott. Astro Boy Movie Prequel. illus. by Diego Jourdan. IDW Pub., dist. by Diamond Book. 2009. pap. $17.99. ISBN 978-1-60010-518-0.
TEZUKA, Osamu. Astro Boy: Books 1 and 2. illus. by author. tr. from Japanese by Frederik L. Schodt. Dark Horse Manga, dist. by Diamond Book. 2008. pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-59582-153-9.
