Astro Boy, known in Japan as Mighty Atom , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka. It was serialized in Kobunsha's Shōnen from 1952 to 1968, with its 112 chapters collected in 23 tankōbon volumes by Akita Shoten. Dark Horse Comics published an English translation in 2002. The story follows the eponymous Astro Boy, an android young boy with human emotions who is created by scientist Umataro Tenma in the likeness of his son Tobio after the latter's death in an accident. Eventually, Astro is sold to a robot circus run by ringleader Hamegg, but is saved from his servitude by Professor Ochanomizu. Astro becomes a surrogate son to Ochanomizu who creates a robotic family for Astro and helps him to live a normal life like an average human boy, while accompanying him on his adventures.