Film Name: 阿童木 / Astro Boy
From the perspective of a cartoon character’s lifecycle, only those deemed outdated or on the verge of obsolescence—yet still holding potential to remain relevant or whose creators refuse to let them fade—will be remade. This prevents losses that would result from their complete obsolescence. This statement may sound a bit convoluted, but it’s a rule of thumb. Therefore, my view is that Astro Boy’s adaptation into a film is by no means a sign of its growing market value, but rather an indication that it is gradually losing its market value. Note that I’m referring to market value here, not artistic value.
Forgive me, born in 1983, for saying things that may hurt the hearts of many older brothers and sisters who cherish nostalgic feelings for Astro Boy. This animated series entered China in 1980, before I was born. I have almost no memory of its massive popularity back then and hold no particular emotional attachment to the character. Yet this generational disconnect I feel toward the Astro Boy image is precisely why it must be remade. Astro Boy needs new audiences for a new era—it needs to be loved, recognized, and idolized by new children, not just by grown-ups filled with nostalgia. Undeniably, the nostalgic crowd is one of the core audiences this film aims to attract, but its greater target must be children. Otherwise, Astro Boy has no future.
Astro Boy first appeared in manga in 1952; in 1963, it was adapted into a TV anime series that achieved an average viewership rating exceeding 30%; in 1980, the second Astro Boy TV anime series debuted in color—though Japan still sold the 1963 black-and-white version to China at the time; in 2003, the Astro Boy TV anime was remade using more modern technology; In 2009, an Astro Boy animated film was released. This essentially outlines the history of Astro Boy’s adaptations, revealing that roughly every 20 years, it undergoes a major remake. Why? Because every 20 years, the original young audience grows up, while a new generation of young viewers who haven’t seen Astro Boy emerges.
Although I don’t have the ratings data for the 2003 Astro Boy TV series, I suspect they weren’t very good. Not only did they fail to match the records set back in the day, they likely didn’t even reach the average level of TV animation at the time. The subject matter of Astro Boy, and even the character’s design itself, carry distinct traces of the 1950s and 1960s. While it was cutting-edge and sci-fi when first introduced, it now feels somewhat outdated. In today’s era of intelligent, versatile, and high-powered robots, what does 100,000 horsepower even mean?
The 1963 Astro Boy TV anime defined his seven superpowers as follows:
1. Can complete any complex calculation within one second
2. Speaks 60 languages
3. Hearing 1,000 times more sensitive than humans, capable of detecting ultrasonic waves up to 20 million hertz
4. Eyes emit X-ray vision
5. 100,000 horsepower atomic power
6. Jet propulsion in his feet
7. A gun mounted on his buttocks, firing 500 rounds per second
The second Astro Boy TV anime series in 1980 defined his seven superpowers as:
1. An electronic brain implanted in his chest, mastering 160 languages
2. Hearing 1,000 times more sensitive than a human’s
3. Eyes that emit X-ray vision
4. 100,000 horsepower hydrogen fuel nuclear propulsion
5. Jet engines in arms and feet for aerial flight
6. Waist-mounted gun firing 600 rounds per minute
7. Hands transform into laser guns
The 2003 version largely mirrored the 1980 definition, while the 2009 animated film featured these seven powers:
1. Ability to understand robot language, equipped with an artificial brain containing all of Toby’s memories and DNA
2. X-ray vision
3. Blue core heart, more powerful and safer than atomic energy
4. Superhuman strength
5. Jet propulsion in feet for aerial flight
6. Buttocks-mounted gun launchers
7. Arms transform into cannons
Although the 2009 film employed 3D CG technology, visually surpassing the original TV animation by a hundredfold; and despite its extensive use of special effects and highly dynamic cinematography, seemingly outshining the 1960s classic in presentation—from these core sci-fi elements, today’s Astro Boy appears to lack revolutionary changes compared to its predecessor. While this continuity with established tropes was necessary, it objectively carries some drawbacks. Concepts that felt novel and futuristic in the 1960s—like x-ray vision, jet boots, and arm cannons—now seem commonplace.
Consequently, the reasons why children today admire and idolize Astro Boy have significantly diminished—this is the character’s greatest challenge. Astro Boy isn’t a comedic Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck; humor can be timeless, but science fiction carries a strong sense of its era. This film attempts to compensate for the perceived lack of novelty in 1960s sci-fi by delivering a visual feast. Yet this cannot mask the immense challenges facing the character’s future development unless it dares to reimagine the Seven Powers, infusing them with contemporary sci-fi flair and forward-thinking elements. Certainly, the depth of Astro Boy’s narrative—exploring mechanistic themes—remains profound even today. Yet this alone cannot be the primary reason children are drawn to the character.
We observe three fundamental lifecycle patterns for cartoon characters:
One, like Detective Conan, extends its lifespan through continuous production, ensuring its audience remains unbroken; Another type is positioned for a short lifecycle; the third type extends its lifespan through periodic remakes—Astro Boy falls into this category.
Remakes are inherently driven by commercial strategy. Their purpose often extends beyond appealing to nostalgic consumers; more crucially, they aim to cultivate a new generation of consumers, which is vital for an icon’s continued survival. In Astro Boy’s case, while its textual value hasn’t become obsolete, even this timeless cartoon icon faces survival challenges. Remakes become a necessary tool in such moments. However, for a sci-fi-themed character like Astro Boy, remakes won’t yield significant impact unless the era-specific limitations of its sci-fi elements are addressed.
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