My little Astro Dog

Since Fifi arrived in my life, much spare time of mine is systematically spent in having walks with her, and in find out places in Paris where she can meet up with other dogs. And I have to admit that it is really pleasant to look at Fifi while she is playing: she keeps always a very kind behavior, immediately able to strike up friendship with all other dogs!

  

I do not know if because of her funny, pointed, movable hears, or because of her happy and melancholic look at the same time, but Fifi remembers me Astro Boy indeed. As you maybe know, Astro boy is maybe the principal chef d'oeuvre de "Godfather of Anime", Osamu Tezuka. Created during 1950s, and turned in a TV program during 1960s, Astro Boy is a kind of Pinocchio of the future, created from the mind of a mad scientist that, after the dead of his beloved son, aimed to replicate him with a robot. The Astro Boy's anime tells the story of a boy-robot in a fictional future in which men and very advanced technologies coexist, even if not without difficulties.

Actually, his father-creator realized soon that the Astro Boy could not replace completely his son; in particular, the incapacity of Astro Boy to grow like all other children became insupportable for the scientist who took decision to sell out Astro Boy, as mere thing, to an evil circus manager. After some times, Astro Boy was "saved" from this circus by another scientist, who instead remarked his unique and special "human" behaviors and emotions, which other robots have not, such a natural inclination to be kind and warm, to be altruist, to fell happy or sad depending on situations. In a certain way, Astro Boy is a deep exploration in what human beings are and in what to be human means, told from the standpoint of a "non-human". I am sure that you have already seen the 1980s version of Astro Boy, but recently I found out also the original series from 1960s on youtube. And now I am addict!

  

Going ahead with my thought about Fifi, her pointed hears, and her similarities with Astro Boy, I get the inspiration to crave a couple of stamps with the shapes of Astro Boy: one done with the old-school version, and also another one done following the Astro Boy Tezuka Moderno, its ultra-kawaii version, which appeared recently in the comics stores. I hope you like them!