Who created the manga character Astro Boy?

Osamu Tezuka created Astro Boy, originally known in Japan as Mighty Atom, which debuted as a manga in 1952.

The story is set in a future world and follows a powerful robot built by the scientist Dr. Tenma after the death of his son. Astro Boy is later adopted by Professor Ochanomizu and uses his abilities to fight villains and defend humans and robots.

Tezuka’s work helped establish modern manga storytelling, including cinematic panel layouts, recurring characters, and long-form narratives. Astro Boy’s large eyes and expressive design also influenced the visual language associated with later Japanese animation.

The first television adaptation aired in Japan in 1963 and became the first major Japanese animated television series exported internationally. The character’s English name, Astro Boy, is therefore better known globally than the original Japanese title, Mighty Atom.