Jetter Mars

Lore & Background

Jetter Mars was conceptualized by Osamu Tezuka and directed by Rintaro, produced by Tezuka Productions and Mushi Production. Unlike the vast majority of Tezuka's characters, Mars was not first published in comic book form; the character bears physical resemblance to Tetsuwan Atom. Initially, the series was planned as a sequel to Tetsuwan Atom called Mighty Mars, with a pitch by Tezuka involving Dr. Ochanomizu seeking Dr. Tenma on Mars to rebuild Atom. Tenma instead shares blueprints for Mighty Mars, a more human-like robot with amplified abilities. The Astro Boy aspects were later removed, and the character's name changed to Jetter Mars, named after the Roman god of war, with abilities stripped down to super strength, flying, searchlight eyes, and super hearing.

The story is set in the year 2015. Two scientists, Professor Kawashimo and Director Yamanoue, construct a highly sophisticated robot. Kawashimo creates its advanced AI with the personality of a young boy, while Yamanoue designs the body for war. Mars struggles between enjoying acts of destruction and feeling remorse when hurting people. With the help of Kawashimo and his robot daughter Miri, Mars learns kindness, while Yamanoue trains him for battle. The series uses Tezuka's Star System, featuring many of his characters in various roles, including Tezuka himself as a character. Some episodes mirror classic Tetsuwan Atom stories, such as 'The Artificial Sun.'

Reader's Guide

Jetter Mars holds significance as a lesser-known work from Osamu Tezuka's conceptual portfolio, representing an attempt to create a new robot hero distinct from Tetsuwan Atom. Its mixed reception in Japan—some viewers wanted the original Atom, while others accepted Mars as a different character—led Tezuka to lose interest, resulting in only 27 episodes. The series is notable for its use of Tezuka's Star System, populating the cast with familiar characters from his other works. The manga adaptations, primarily by Ikehara Shigeto in TV Land magazine, were published to promote the show, with some chapters compiled into a paperback in 2019. The series' legacy includes its exploration of moral values and humanity, typical of Tezuka's works, and its avoidance of graphic violence. Jetter Mars remains a curiosity for fans of Tezuka and classic anime, illustrating the challenges of creating a successor to a beloved icon.

Did You Know?

• Jetter Mars was originally planned as a sequel to Tetsuwan Atom called Mighty Mars, with Dr. Ochanomizu seeking Dr. Tenma on Mars to rebuild Atom.
• The character's name was changed from Mighty Mars to Jetter Mars, named after the Roman god of war, and his abilities were stripped down to super strength, flying, searchlight eyes, and super hearing.
• The series used Tezuka's Star System, featuring many of his characters from previous works in various roles, including Tezuka himself as a character.
• Some episodes of Jetter Mars closely mirror classic Tetsuwan Atom stories, such as 'The Artificial Sun.'