Here Comes Astro Boy!
Actor Freddie Highmore voices the famous boy robot in a new animated adventure, in theaters now
By Vickie An
Look, up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a . . . flying boy? Yes, but not just any boy -- Astro Boy. The famous Japanese cartoon character soars into movie theaters in an all-new animated tale, now playing.
KELVIN JONES
Actor Freddie Highmore gets animated as the voice of Astro Boy.
The movie is based on the popular Japanese manga, or comic books, created by the legendary Osamu Tezuka in the 1950s. The futuristic series followed the adventures of a crime-fighting robot named Astro Boy, built by scientist Dr. Tenma to replace his lost son, Tobio. Tenma packed Astro's body with amazing abilities, like super strength and super speed, to name a few. Yet, he still experiences human emotions.The manga was an instant hit, and was later made into a string of TV cartoon series (called anime in Japan) in the 1960s, the 1980s and in 2003, all of which aired around the world. Astro Boy creator Tezuka is often credited as the "Father of Anime," and the little robot himself is known as the Mickey Mouse of Japan.
Now, Astro Boy has been reinvented again for the big screen. Actor Freddie Highmore, of The Spiderwick Chronicles, gives voice to the robotic wonder. TFK chatted with the young star about what it's like to play such an iconic character.
TFK:
Were you familiar with Astro Boy before you got the part?
Freddie:
I became most familiar with him at the time that I was asked to do the role. We were doing a promotional tour in Japan, and just riding in from the airport, we passed Astro Boy stores and murals of him. One subway station was covered in this massive Astro Boy picture, which was amazing. At that moment, I saw how much excitement there is for the character.
TFK:
Did you do anything to prepare for the part?
Freddie:
I read a few of the manga comic strips. I never got to see the 1960s cartoon of Astro Boy--obviously, since I wasn't born yet! But I think what we've done with Astro Boy is we've brought him up to date in terms of his look and where he lives, Metro City. It's still an incredibly modern place, but modern for today's society rather than for back then. The animation is sleek and slick.
TFK:
What similarities, if any, do you think you share with your character?
Freddie:
I think everyone has something in common with Astro Boy, and I think that's why it's been so successful in the past. Everyone knows the feeling of being different. Astro is obviously human, but stuck inside a robot body. Everyone can relate to wanting to be accepted. The Astro Boy story reminds me a little bit of Pinocchio in that way. Pinocchio thinks like a human, but he's made of wood and he just wants to be like every other kid.
TFK:
Except that Astro has super strength, x-ray vision and can fly . . .
COURTESY SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT
Astro stands tall with his new robot friend Zog.
Freddie:
[Laughs] Yeah. He thinks like everyone else, but he is a true super hero. He can fly and drill his way through solid rock. He's powered by this blue core of pure positive energy, so he just wants what's best for the world. He doesn't have any rottenness in him.
TFK:
What do you think makes a hero?
Freddie:
It's important for a hero to be someone who is realistic. I think Astro is a hero because people can relate to him and the fact that he's just got goodness in him. He wants to make the world a better place and to achieve that through non-violence. That's really admirable.
TFK:
Who's your hero?
Freddie:
I think in terms of acting, Johnny Depp would be my hero. I'm incredibly lucky [to have worked with him] and he's become a great friend as well. I look up to him, and I think he's a fantastic guy and a fantastic actor.
TFK:
What's your favorite Astro Boy power?
Freddie:
I'd love to be able to fly. I'm not sure I could use the butt machine guns that he has to the same effect that he does in the film! I think flying is the one that everyone would choose, just to be able to go wherever you want without a car and avoiding all the traffic jams.
TFK:
If you could build a robot, what would its abilities be?
Freddie:
If it could only have one, I'd love it to be able to transport me around the world. Then I wouldn't need to fly. You know, if it could just grab hold of you and fly a million miles around the world, it would be fantastic. No more long airline flights from London to Los Angeles. You would be there in a matter of seconds and you could be home by evening. It would be great.
TFK:
What would you like audiences to take away from the film?
Freddie:
I hope that it raises the question as to what makes us human beings. Is Astro human even though he has these amazing abilities that only a robot can have? I think it's quite a deep question. But I think everyone who sees it will have that going over his or her mind. Also, I just hope that everyone gets something out of it. There's humor, action and emotion. You laugh one moment and then you cry the next. It's really a rollercoaster.
TFK:
Do you feel the film lives up to the vision of Astro Boy that Osamu Tezuka created?
Freddie:
Definitely. There's so much Astro Boy material that we couldn't use everything, but I think we've done it justice.
Max-I definitely don’t like to watch Astro Boy, but this time in October, The new Astro Boy movie came out in America. I think it is a good movie, but I still can’t watch it now!
I know that Astro Boy is made by Japan, and he and his friends go to fight crime. I have an Astro Boy pencil case, and I know that there are three friends to help him. But there is also some changes in the original and movie edition! I know that he is half naked in the original, and he didn’t wear any shirts. And I don’t know a fun thing in the original, he can shoot laser out from his bottom! He also has many new friends, like Zog the big robot etc. But why does the movie come out from America? I don’t know, but never mind. Let’s enjoy the movie of Astro Boy!
