Astro Boy

''This article is about the manga series Astro Boy. For other uses, see Astro Boy (disambiguation)''.

Astro Boy (known in Japanese as "Tetsuwan Atomu" 鉄腕アトム, or Mighty Atom) is a manga series written by Osamu Tezuka, originally serialized in Shonen from April 3, 1952 until March 12, 1968. The series was eventually collected into 23 Tankōbon volumes by Kobunsha containing all 112 chapters.

Setting and Themes
Astro Boy was originally conceived during the 1950's. Thus the series was Tezuka's own prediction into the future of the 21st century. In the world of Astro Boy, technology evolved in the fields of robotics and mechanical engineering, whereas unlike in our contemporary timeline computing and microprocessors took a back seat. This is how Tezuka imagine a world where humanoid robots would exist alongside humans and various governments and organizations in this world to accommodate such a vision for the future.

Astro Boy was also developed simultaneously along with the beginnings of the space race between the United States and Soviet Russia. The excitement created by the future potential for space travel likely inspired Tezuka to explore the solar System and Universe and to have characters in the Astro Boy series interact with various alien civilizations throughout the universe.