``Fantastic Voyage'' Influential works from Tezuka's manga to sitcoms (Part 2)

PAGES

2021.03.11Takayuki Oguchi

“Fantastic Voyage” Synopsis

An unimaginable treatment is attempted to save the life of a scientist who suffers from severe cerebral hemorrhage. The idea is to send surgeons down to the size of bacteria to the affected areas that have been diagnosed as inoperable, and to operate from inside the body. The time limit is 1 hour, will the strategy be successful?

　Continuing from the first part , I will talk about the 1960s science fiction masterpiece ``Fantastic Voyage''. This time, we will explain the works that are said to have influenced this film, the problems with scientific research, the influence it had on real-life medicine, derivative works and works that inspired it, and plans for a remake.

Index

Influence theory of “Astro Boy”

When this ``Fantastic Voyage'' is talked about in Japan, the topic that is almost always brought up is ``It was inspired by the 88th episode of `` Astro Boy ,'' `` The Bacteria Squad Volume '' (*1). This theory suggests that

Osamu Tezuka, the original author of Astro Boy, clearly confirms this rumor, saying in a conversation with Mitoshi Ishigami in the April 1978 issue of ``Quarterly Movie Treasure House 6: SF Boy's Dream.'' talking.

Tezuka: In the case of ``Fantastic Voyage Zone,'' I'm proud to say that it was completely influenced by ``Astro Boy.'' One day, a man named Dodd from NBC International suddenly said, ``Mr. Tezuka, as long as ``Astro Boy'' is being screened, all rights belong to NBC in the United States. It's my right, and I've sent you the script anyway, so I'll keep an eye on what happens next and let you know.'' At that time, I heard the name of the producer or something over there. It was, wasn't it?

At that time, I never thought I would use it, so I used it as a reference, and even before and after that, I had received a letter from Kubrick who was working on ` `2001: A Space Odyssey, '' so I said, ``Everyone should watch it.'' I felt a sense of superiority, so I closed my eyes. Thinking about it now, I probably should have taken some instead of turning a blind eye.

"Astro boy"

Ishigami: No, no, that's already...(lol) ``What's `` Star Wars '' and `` Close Encounters of the Third Kind of the Third Kind''? Look at the title, it's already ``Fantastic Voyage'' and ``2001: A Space Odyssey.'' That's what we wanted to say, ``Isn't Osamu Tezuka in there?'' (laughs)

Tezuka: But, in the case of ``Fantastic Voyage'', it wasn't my script entirely, it was plagiarized. Since it's plagiarism, there's nothing to complain about.

Ishigami: In Japan, that was the ``Bacteria Squad'' volume of ``Astro Boy''.

Tezuka: Yes. The other side saw that. Did you see that?

Ishigami: Of course I saw it.

Tezuka: There are some similarities, right? The mood around the place where you can hear the heartbeat, the place where it passes behind the ear, etc., is exactly like that.

(snip)

Ishigami: And the result is the ``Fantastic Voyage.'' Why are you being careless about that right again? (lol)

Tezuka: I wonder what you did.

Ishigami: Even as fans of science fiction movies, we are so frustrated by this.

Tezuka: And from Dodd. He said, ``Mr. Tezuka, we have sent this as our right, so please leave the rest to us.'' At that time, I should have pursued it a little more persistently.

Ishigami: At least it should be in the title, like Suggested by Osamu Tezuka's Comic, of course.

Tezuka: However, since NBC owns the rights, originally their name comes first. I don't know if I can give that much detail, but I think they should at least mention NBC's name. There's nothing I can do. Even for me, there's nothing I can say about it.

In fact, the ``Bacteria Squad'' episode of ``Astro Boy'' was aired in Japan on September 26, 1964, and ``Fantastic Voyage'' was released in the United States on August 24, 1966. The question is, ``Did the people involved in ``Fantastic Voyage'' really watch ``Bacteria Squad''? ”, but this is not clear at all. The "man named Dodd of NBC International" mentioned in Mr. Tezuka's remarks is probably Jim Dodd of NBC Enterprises. He was actually involved in airing Astro Boy.

By the way, according to Fred Rudd, who was in charge of dubbing for Astro Boy, in his book, `` Until anime became ``ANIME'' - ``Astro Boy'' travels to America '', NBC released the first of 193 episodes. Only 52 episodes were aired in New York from the fall of 1963 under the title ``ASTRO BOY.''

Basically, in Japan, episodes are aired all at once every week from the first episode to the final episode, but in the United States at the time, only 52 episodes were aired in the first season, which was then repeated many times over the next three years. Moreover, it is not aired nationwide at the same time, but at different times on each affiliated station.

Due to these differences in customs, a discussion was held between Mushi Productions, who wanted customers to purchase episodes after episode 53, and NBC, which was reluctant to purchase them. I decided to buy it. ``Bacteria Squad'' is part of this second season, so the specific airing date in the United States is unknown.

However, with this alone, it is impossible to confirm or deny that the ``Fantastic Voyage'' was influenced by Atom. However, is there a possibility that the Tokyo Olympics, which were held from October 10th to 24th, 1964, are related? In other words, either Otto Klement or Jerome Bixby , who wrote the original idea and screenplay, came to Japan about two weeks before the Olympic opening ceremony and happened to watch "The Germ Squad" at a hotel and got the hint. can also be considered.

If you're an avid Tezuka fan, you'll probably say, ``Isn't there a manga that served as the basis for this work, such as `` The Vampire Demon Group '' (48) and `` The Monster on the 38th Parallel '' (53)? Even if you haven't seen ``Bacteria Squad'', the possibility (though it's extremely hard to imagine) that you got ideas from these works cannot be completely ruled out.

However, the miniaturization of humans is a common theme in Hollywood movies. For example, movies in which a mad scientist invents a matter-reducing device include Tod Browning's ` `The Devil's Doll '' (36) and Ernest B. Schoedsack's `` Doctor Cyclops '' (40). There is also Jack Arnold's `` The Shrinking Man '' (1957), based on a novel by Richard Matheson that elevates the horror of a body endlessly shrinking due to the combined effects of radioactive fog and pesticides into a philosophy. As for TV dramas, there was a sci-fi spy series called `` Shrinking Human Hunter '' (1959).

If we expand the scope further to include fantasy, we can find inspiration in director George Pal's Tom Thumb (1958) and the special effects representation of dwarfs used in Disney's live-action fantasy The Four Wishes (1959). You can find as many works as you like.

*1 The story of the 88th episode of ``Astro Boy'', ``The Bacteria Squad Volume,'' is ``A sole survivor is discovered after returning from Venus and crash-landing on a rocket.However, inside his body is a universe plotting an invasion of Earth.'' Humans were hiding there at the size of bacteria. When we examine the spaceship discovered inside the rocket, we find that they used a material reduction liquid. Atom and the bearded man were bathed in the reduction liquid and were micronized for 70 hours. Atom sets out to explore the body of a survivor. However, he is captured by the aliens inside the body and used as research material to investigate human weaknesses. However, with the help of an alien rebel army, Atom suppresses the activity of white blood cells. The aliens are wiped out at once by the swarm of white blood cells, Atom and his friends are able to escape successfully, and the astronauts also recover.'' Even though the rebel aliens who helped Atom and his friends were sacrificed, I find it questionable that the script does not mention this at all.

However, the realistic background images, such as the depiction of cells on the inner walls of organs, are made in black and white, and I feel that there is a medical obsession with them. In fact, I don't know how much Osamu Tezuka himself was involved in directing this episode, but as a medical doctor he probably gave advice.

Influence theory of “Cute Witch Ginny”

PAGES