Atlas

''This article is for the character "Atlas". For other uses, see Atlas (disambiguation)''

Atlas is a powerful but dangerous young robot. He is rebellious and refuses to be controlled, especially not by humans. In many ways, Atlas is Astro's opposite, often being Astro's rival. Atlas appears in various forms throughout the Astro Boy franchise, but has an especially prominent role in the 1980 anime series and 2003 anime series.

Origin
Atlas originally debuted in the 1958 manga chapter, "Atlas". In his first appearance, Atlas was built by a South American scientist who wanted to enact revenge for his mother, who was enslaved by colonists and unfairly killed. This first story has set a precedent for Atlas' incarnations, and he most often appears in the Astro Boy series with tragic circumstances.

In the 1980 series, Atlas was reworked to be a much more prominent character compared to his first appearance. The series also established Atlas as Astro's half-brother. Atlas' creator in this series, Count Walpur Guiss, plagiarized Dr. Tenma's blueprints for Astro and adapted it into Atlas' child version. The only difference between Atlas and Astro is how Atlas has the Omega Factor, a dangerous circuit that gives Atlas maximum power and the ability to rebel. Atlas remodeled himself into an adult body, but he is still able to page Astro remotely through their similar electronic brains. Atlas's status as Astro's older brother also caused the character Cobalt, Astro's brother built by Dr. Ochanomizu, to be retired to avoid redundancy.

Manga and 1963 series
In his first appearance, Atlas has a simple, streamlined body without much detail. He resembled a young teenage boy, relatively close to Astro's age. On his head are several black pistons that resemble bantu knots, a Black hairstyle that originated in Zulu. Much like Astro he is capable of flight, but the means that he does so differ between adaptations. In the manga, Atlas has a small jet turbine mounted on his lower back, which allows him to fly through the air, and also use as a defensive weapon similar to Astro's rear-mounted machine guns. In the 1963 anime series however, this jet turbine is absent, and he instead possesses a pair of retractable jets on the sides of his neck.

1980 series
Atlas has two forms in the 1980 anime series. Initially, he is a child robot who appears very similar to Astro's design. Atlas is orange with molded yellow hair, and wears a black and gold toga with matching boots. As an adult, Atlas resembles an ancient Roman soldier, now much larger and stronger. He is equipped with an electrical sword, a black cape, and long pleather gloves.

2003 series
In the 2003 series, Atlas is the robotic recreation of a human teenage boy who died in a space shuttle accident. As a human, Daichi Tokugawa was an eighteen-year-old Japanese human with red hair and green eyes. As a robot named Atlas, his face is more angular, and he is equipped with bulky red and blue armor housed within his body that can be equipped through shifting his internal mechanisms. In this form, he has five small electrical bushings on his head, resembling his head pistons from his original 1958 version.

Chapter 57: "Atlas"
In "Atlas", Atlas is a robot built by Dr. Ram, an Inca scientist. Dr. Ram was discriminated against by European and East-Asian colonists, and his parents were forced to perform manual labour, something that wound up accidentally killing Dr. Ram's mother. Ram creates Atlas and equips him with the Omega Factor to increase Atlas's powers as much as possible. Dr. Ram then takes Atlas to Japan in order to show him off.

At a robot fighting coliseum, Atlas attacks and kills numerous robots, until Astro steps up to try to fight him. Atlas is unable to finish the fight and decides he and Astro will settle it another day. Atlas later goes on to attempt to kill a whole village of humans. Astro is able to save the village, but Atlas knocks Astro's head off. Dr. Ram traps Astro in an electromagnetic field, and while Astro is trapped, Atlas is given a goes on a crime rampage. Professor Ochanomizu is able to clear Astro's name after the boy sends out a radio signal for help. Astro escapes and has to fight Atlas, but Atlas is ultimately destroyed by an electromagnetic field built by Dr. Ram.

Chapter 85: "Astro VS Atlas"
This chapter was originally published in 1981, and loosely adapts Atlas's origin in the 1980 anime series. Underground criminals Count Walpur Guiss and Skunk Kusai build a bootleg version of Astro Boy called Atlas.

While Atlas has all seven of Astro's special powers, Guiss fears they won't be enough to completely overpower Astro. Guiss gives Atlas an additional 8th power that allows him to urinate pellet bombs. This power can be used by flying over his opponents and peeing on them, showering them in explosives. After a short-lived comedic fight with Astro, Atlas attempts to use his eighth power. Astro is disgusted and tells Atlas that he must pee in a toilet. Atlas flies back into Guiss's castle to use his toilet, but winds up blowing up the entire house. Atlas and Astro work together to apprehend Skunk and Guiss and take them to the authorities.

1960s series
In the 1963 anime series, Atlas appears exclusively episode 26, "Atlas". The episode is a faithful adaptation of the original manga story, but Atlas's creator is redesigned to no longer be an offensive caricature. Atlas and Astro Boy's rivalry is explored a bit further, but due to his death, Atlas does not appear in any other episode of the 1963 series.

Atlas' abilities in this series include:


 * Super strength
 * Flight: Two airplane-like jet wings launch from his ears, allowing Atlas to fly through the air
 * Omega Factor: This circuit-altering device allows Atlas to hurt robots and humans alike
 * Overheating: He can heat his body up to temperatures hot enough to melt steel

1980s series
In the 1980s series, Osamu Tezuka chose to completely rework Atlas, giving him a much larger role in the anime series. Dr. Ram is replaced by Count Guiss in the role as Atlas's misanthropic creator. Atlas is first built as a child robot adapted from Astro Boy's blueprints. Guiss and Skunk Kusai split duties in caring for the boy robot; Skunk is tasked with teaching Atlas about crime, while Livian handles Atlas's maintenance. Livian is the only kind individual in Atlas's childhood. He is especially horrified when Guiss dismantles Livian for accidentally dropping an antique gargoyle. Guiss attempts to flee the infuriated Atlas, but Atlas runs Guiss' car over the edge of a cliff. Atlas leaves his creator for dead, returns to the villa, and begins to rebuild himself and Livian.

Atlas soon returns to Japan in his "adult" form, a 2.5 meter tall gladiator robot, and he seeks out Skunk Kusai. Skunk is amazed by Atlas's new appearance and powers, but Atlas quickly loses interest in Skunk's robberies, considering it to be "boring" and below him. Together, Livian and Atlas rule over a crystal palace spacecraft, with Livian being the only person that Atlas trusts and will not harm.

Unlike Atlas's prior incarnation, he was not a naïve robot simply carrying out the commands of his human creator. With the Omega Factor installed, Atlas is aware of the repercussions of his actions. He is willing and able to threaten or even harm humans, and to make decisions that infringe on the Laws of Robotics. In Atlas' last appearance in the series, "Atlas Forever", Astro and Atlas finally learn that they are brothers. At the end of the episode, Atlas and Livian sacrifice themselves to save the earth.

Atlas's abilities in this series include:


 * Astro's seven special powers: Atlas was first built from Astro's blueprints and is equipped with similar powers
 * Electrical sword: Atlas's sword can connect to and charge from his battery. He can electrify his sword to shoot beams or to cut through heavy metals
 * Radar paging: The radar system in Atlas's chest can page Astro and Livian, due to their similar internal mechanisms.

Atlas's original origin story is greatly cut down and re-edited for the 1985 Canadian dub. Skunk Kusai is now Atlas's sole creator, who rejected him as a child. Livian, redubbed as "Selena", is an independent robot built entirely by Atlas. Count Guiss appears briefly but is re-edited to be an interloper who kidnaps Livian.

Other appearances


Atlas has occasionally appeared in other Tezuka works via the Osamu Tezuka Star System. His most prominent role outside of the Astro Boy series is in the 2001 film Metropolis, where he plays a human revolutionary leading an anti-bourgeoise coup d'état against Duke Red.

Atlas has most often appeared in modern media with his 1980 series design. He appears in his child form in Astro Boy: Edge of Time and in Tetsuwan Atom for the Super Famicom. Meanwhile, in Tetsuwan Atom: Tap Tap Rush, Atlas is a boss in his 1980 adult form.

Shibuya Productions officially confirmed that Atlas will appear in the upcoming Astro Boy Reboot animated series. However, the series has entered a production standstill at this time of writing, and it is unclear when or if the series will actually air.

Gallery
See Atlas gallery subpage.