But Vash's true challenge is in saving the world from his 'brother' Knives, and it's this conflict that brings out Vash's real heroism. He's the greatest gunman on the planet, and all the criminals he faces don't stand a chance against him. As a 'Plant,' he's a being with power that few can comprehend. But in reality, he's humanity's secret guardian angel on the distant, wild planet of Gunsmoke. Vash is called 'the humanoid typhoon' because utter destruction tends to follow him wherever he goes, and there's a huge bounty on his head. He's a character who suffered countless scars and wounds to his own body to protect others, even the very villains he was trying to stop, and his vow to never take a life provides plenty of drama in Trigun as his enemies use his virtue against him. He's gifted with superhuman fighting abilities, but also a superhuman capacity for compassion and kindness. Vash the Stampede (Trigun)Įver the reluctant fighter, Vash was a living contradiction. Astro, a boy who was both more than human and less than human, guided kids through complex morality tales where the characters had complicated motivations, social problems didn't always have easy solutions, and people had the capacity to perform both great acts of kindness and of evil. Tenma goes insane from the grief of losing his son). But beyond those long lashes and that cute smile is a character who portrayed stories for Japanese children who had seen war (even Astro's 'father' Dr. Out of that grief was borne the bright-eyed robot boy named Astro, who then became destined to use his X-ray vision, rocket-booster feet, and 100,000-horsepower arms to protect humanity from itself.Īstro Boy's design is quite childish, and there's no question that he has appeal with kids. Tenma to replace his own son, who had died in a car accident.

In the original story, Astro was created by Dr. Created by Osamu Tezuka, the 'father of manga,' the original Astro Boy was a mix of the classic Pinocchio tale with the science and zeitgeist of the post-war Atomic Age (in Japan, Astro's name is Tetsuwan Atom).

One of the oldest anime characters in existence, Astro Boy first appeared on television screens in 1963, helping to usher in the phenomenon now known worldwide as anime.

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