Astro Boy

Few characters have made as powerful or as lasting an impression on international popular culture as Astro Boy.

The little robot first appeared in 1951 as a character in the celebrated artist and animator Osamu Tezuka's legendary manga (Japanese comic book) and became an ... moreinstant icon. He was subsequently featured as the star of his own television series in both black-andwhite and in color, eventually airing in over 40 countries.

Astro Boy created the standard for a new form of animation that has become world famous as anime. Now for the first time, Astro Boy will be brought to life on the big screen. Created with breathtaking computer animation from Imagi Studios, the film "Astro Boy" is a thrilling tale of a true hero. The film is set to debut in theaters on October 23, 2009.

Here is an Anatomy of a Character, which takes a detailed look at the creation of Astro Boy's nemesis, The Peacekeeper. Captions written by director David Bowers.