by The unexpected metafictional performance in the final episode
One of the most famous works in the history of Japanese animation is “Astro Boy,” initially written by Osamu Tezuka.
The first anime was hugely popular from 1963 to 1966, with a peak audience rating of over 40%. The first anime was also the first 30-minute TV anime series in Japan and is known as the work that created the format of Japanese TV anime that continues to this day. It was also highly well-known overseas and can be said to have been the forerunner of works that symbolize the popularity of Japanese anime overseas. Set in the future of the 21st century, the story depicts the exploits of “Astro Boy,” a boy-type robot with human-like emotions and the power of 100,000 horsepower, and most of the stories were one-episode stories of good versus evil.
The final episode of “The Greatest Adventure on Earth” The final episode of “The Greatest Adventure on Earth,” which aired on New Year’s Eve 1966, was shocking. Astro Boy “kamikazes” into the sun. The spectacular final scene remains in the memories of many people. Let’s look back at the story of the final episode. Something strange happens to a sunspot, causing the temperature of the Earth to rise rapidly. Humans can no longer live on Earth and evacuate to space on a rocket. A provisional government of robots is in charge of the Earth.
However, a man named “Napoletan” tries to take over the Earth while humans are away and destroys the robot president. The president nominates Atom as his successor. Atoms cooperate with robots to implement one measure after another to cool the Earth (Pluto also appears).
However, Napoletan becomes angry and kidnaps Atom’s family, strips them naked, and hangs them over a pool of concentrated sulfuric acid to threaten Atom. Atom defeats Napoletan’s subordinates (robots that look like the KKK) and escapes from this predicament. Napoleon believed himself to be a human, but when he found out during his battle with Atom that he was a robot, he became devastated and gave Atom a device to suppress the nuclear fusion of the sun before committing suicide.
Feeling responsible as the government’s representative, Atom loaded a capsule containing the device onto a spaceship and headed toward the sun. However, the capsule he shot towards the sun collided with a meteorite and went off-orbit, so Atom shot out into space and plunged into the sun with the capsule. Eventually, the sun returned to normal, and humanity returned to Earth. Dr. Ochanomizu lamented that Atom did not return, and Atom’s family thought of Atom as they watched the sunset. Atom’s (?) greeting to the viewers The final episode continued a little longer. After this, all the main characters except Atom gathered together, and Dr. Ochanomizu greeted the viewers on their behalf.
“Everyone, this is the end of Astro Boy for now. We are all delighted to have had such a great time with you over the last four years. If Astro Boy returns from the sun, we’ll meet again. Until then, all the best!” What’s interesting is how Astro Boy’s absence in the show overlaps with the end of the show. It’s a very metafictional production. After that, when the new show Goku’s Great Adventure, which will start the following week, is introduced, Goku appears and tries to show the trailer, but when he finds out that it can’t be shown because it’s still Astro Boy time, he gets angry and transforms into Astro Boy in a fit of desperation, saying “Goodbye, really goodbye!” and says goodbye to the viewers.
The children in the audience were probably happy to see Astro Boy again, but in reality, it was a fake Astro Boy that Goku had transformed into. Osamu Tezuka wrote and directed the script and direction of the final episode.
