Astro Boy News & Artwork

After giving it some thought, I've decided to post about new Atom: The Beginning chapters once they become free to read without a Hero's Web website account. This occurs for a 2 week period, 4 weeks after a chapter is published (if that makes sense).

So, I will make a post to inform you all about boot_145 (released on June 11, 2026) becoming free to read on July 9, 2026, when it should become free to read without a website account for a limited time.

Source: Hero's Web (new website)

On June 11, 2026, boot_145 (Chapter 145) of Atom: The Beginning was published on the new Hero's Web website, which opened on June 1, 2026.

With this new Hero's Web website, the two newest chapters of Atom: The Beginning now require a site account and monetary payment to view them (I'm not sure what "C 90" indicates; if anyone can figure this out, let me know).

With this update, being that I am not in Japan, I may no longer be able to provide chapter update posts for Atom: The Beginning for several weeks at the earliest, barring a native Japanese reader of Atom: The Beginning providing details on what occurs in new chapters of Atom: The Beginning as they release. And even then, should I miss a chapter for a while, I may not be able to access certain chapters after a certain period of time.

I will try to figure out the best course of action in regards to making new blog posts about Atom: The Beginning for you all in the coming days.

Otherwise, I will say that it's been a blast for the last several years to read new Atom: The Beginning chapters as they release and to share new chapters with you all. I believe this has gone on since 2020 (before then, I think you had to pay to view new chapters as well).

Source: Jiji

A couple anime production materials recently found at the Tezuka Productions building in Japan. These materials have not been included in any book cataloguing Tezuka's works (as of June 2026).

The first image is character sheets for the 1979 TV film, Marine Express. The second image is a character sheet for the character Black Jack from the 1980 film, Phoenix 2772: Cosmozone of Love.

A very happy 90th birthday to Atom's (Astro Boy's) original voice actress, Mari Shimizu!

Born on June 7, 1936 in the city of Urawa (now part of Saitama, Japan), Mari Shimizu began voicing Atom in 1963 for the 1960s Astro Boy anime.

A childhood acquaintance of Mari Shimizu (and future Mushi Production executive) recommended Shimizu to Osamu Tezuka, noting her previous role in a Pinocchio stage play and the inspiration Pinocchio has on Astro Boy (Shimizu was part of Haiyuza Theater company as an actress and later worked as an apprentice and production assistant for stage, film, and television actress Misako Watanabe). Shimizu had not read manga nor heard of Astro Boy before voicing Atom in the pilot episode of the 1960s Astro Boy series.

Mari Shimizu voluntarily retired from voicing Atom on April 6, 2003, wanting to have a younger voice succeed her. Makoto Tsumura succeeded Shimizu and began voicing Atom in 2003 for the 2003 Astro Boy series. Tsumura is still the main voice actress for Atom to this day (as of June 2026).

Sources: Amazon Japan, other online and in-person retailers

Released on June 5, 2026 in Japan, Atom: The Beginning Volume 26 is now available to purchase!

Source: Hero's Web

boot_144, the 144th chapter of Atom: The Beginning, is available to read for free in full from May 28, 2026 to June 11, 2026!