First, I would like to start this post out with a few disclaimers:
- I am not an O’shay hater, I just have a few nit picky complaints that I’d like to discuss in this post. Also, THIS IS NOT A DIG AT O’SHAY FANS!!! You are allowed to enjoy O’shay as a character and take everything I say in this blog post with a grain of salt.
- Speaking of “O’shay”, I will be calling him as such, but I am aware he has other names.
- I am ONLY referencing the 2003 dubbed reboot, as it would be silly of me to reference the subbed version considering I only saw half of it years ago.
- I am aware that the 03 series is the 03 series and that changing fundamentally how characters act would change the plot entirely, perhaps even render it nonexistent, but again, this is all just surface level grain of salt critiques— then again, have any of you seen Steven Universe?
... Alright, now onto the actual post:
Intro
I’m sure many of you are wondering why I’m making a blog post here about Astro Boy when a month or so (I’ve honestly lost count) ago I said I was leaving the fandom for good. Well, apparently, even when I say I’m done, Astro Boy still continues to live rent-free in my head while I’m sitting in my dining room procrastinating on cleaning the kitchen; So I might as well take the opportunity to put my thoughts to digital paper. Also, I’ve been toying with the idea of bringing my YouTube channel back, so technically when that happens I wouldn’t have fully left the fandom. Take that as you will, I guess.
Regardless, as the title and disclaimers imply, today I’ll be talking about the few things I take issue with about O’shay. Now again, this isn't an all-out dig at him– I actually like O'shay fair enough; But can we do better than O'shay (AKA can O'shay be improved upon?)– Yes! In fact, considering every fanfiction I've ever written– I like a good transformation. But every transformation requires not only self awareness, but also the evidence to show what exactly needs to be improved on, thus, we begin.
Destined Destiny
Perhaps one of my biggest issues with O'shay, and the reason I have 4 disclaimers instead of 3, is the fact that he, like Tenma, has set up a "destiny" for Astro to go after from the start. Of course though, the show leads us to believe that O'shay's is better than Tenma's because it's more "humanitarian" whereas Tenma's is more "uncharitable." But do keep in mind that both were:
- Forced upon Astro without consent, and
- Required basically the same amount of effort put in and trauma endured
Think of it like this, being a billionaire CEO with employees all on food stamps is bad, but joining the military and killing innocent lives in the Middle East all in the name of "freedom", isn't that great either. And that's the problem!
Goals we ourselves don't set can do a number on us. Everything we do has to revolve around that goal, and if we don't measure up– we feel like we've failed whoever set the goal up. Compare that to a goal we set up– assuming we know our limits and haven't been tainted by capit– *ahem* """hustle culture""" – our goals are reasonable and attainable. We're able to know what we can and cannot work towards, and find a sweet medium where we feel we can actually make progress, but not feel as if what we wish is impossible.
Astro the minute they were "born" (brought to life? created?) they had shoes to fill, whether they were O'shay's shoes or Tenma's.
Even if, as I know some may argue, O'shay gained Astro's consent, my second point will render that useless.
O'shay's Sense Of Security
One of the things I made a point to highlight back in my days of writing Vivid Insomnia, was O'shay's "narcissism". The series as a whole revolved around Astro's "journey to happiness" and one of the many blockades that made such a journey difficult was just how unwilling O'shay was to providing basic emotional support, the series sites he was more driven by (ironically) his own goal of leaving a legacy and believed that taking the time to help Astro and to an extent Zoran (different character, not Uran) would've "ruined his reputation" because apparently having mentally ill children and doing something about it is bad???
I don't know, I feel like I was really on some shit the entire 7 years I spent writing V.I., and I can't say for sure I'm proud.
The point is, I would argue that what I mentioned above is a more "extreme" version of the second point I'm about to make. At no point in the show is Astro seen seeing a mental health professional of any kind– nor is there any mention of O'shay being emotionally available when shit hits the fan, regardless the scale.
When O'shay's plan backfires, or when he realizes he forced Astro to bite off more than they should have AT THE AGE OF 9– what is he to do? By the shows standards, it seems to be nothing.
Do I think this is on purpose, though? No!
To me, it seems to come down to either ignorance or stubbornness that, with some self awareness and education, could be remedied.
So, regardless if O'shay gains Astro's consent– or even doesn't set out a destiny for them, he seems to be complacent in the shortcomings his plan has, or what would come about if Tenma had his way and full control over "Astro's fate" and "what they were destined to become."
But The Bottom Of The Barrel Says "O'shay's The Best!"
Okay, maybe it does, but have you ever thought about why?
Now, as a certified Not A Fan of Tenma™ I can say with my whole chest he's an absolute dick. I think though even the biggest Fan of Tenma™ can admit he is kinda fucked up and did some fucked up shit. Nevertheless, What I hope we can agree on brings me to my biggest counterargument, and what will probably get me cancelled should the O'shay stans find this post and not read the disclaimers.
Tenma I'd argue is underground, not exactly at the Earth's core.... but pretty down there. O'shay? Well... he's just at sea level.
"What do I mean?" You ask. I mean Tenma has set the bar so low that it makes O'shay look like a saint despite him pretty much just being what every parent at their most basic should be.
He isn't providing anything special, or out of this world helpful, he is literally just providing Astro with the basics Mr. "Small Dick Huge Ego™" couldn't... because he has a Huge Ego™ (you've come to the wrong blog if you think I was going to joke about the former part of his nickname, just saying...)
And it shows! When he sets out to have Astro bridge the gap between two species that fundamentally don't get along, when he does nothing to remedy the trauma they've endured not ONLY during their time with him, but also their time with Tenma where he DIDN'T meet their basic needs and probably (assuming how abusive parents are) was in some way at some time emotionally abusive, and when he is pretty much at fault for why Astro's relationship is rocky with Uran.
Infrequent Insults
Imagine this, you have a friend that you rarely see. You care about them a lot, and assume they care about you a decent amount too– but for some reason... every time they show up, all they have to say to you is how "annoying you are" or how you "need to be more well-behaved." Now imagine this exact scenario but you're about 7, mentally about 7 and this "friend" is your 9-year-old sibling who mentally could probably pass as a 20-year-old.
Trauma ages you, a lot. Lots of people that undergo trauma find themselves leaps and bounds ahead of their peers. And I can speak from experience when I say, being significantly older than your siblings (even mentally), can be pretty straining. Like, I'm about to turn 20 this year and I find my little brother absolutely annoying, but he's 7; of course I'm going to find him annoying! We are not on the same wavelength and quite possibly never will be. And the same goes for Astro and Uran.
Astro thinks Uran is annoying because she's a child, and acts like one; whereas they are a child, but acts like an adult. The expectations they have for her cannot be fulfilled simply because she's a kid! Let it be known though this is all done without self awareness. Yes, Astro probably knows they're a kid, but what they may not realize is that they are mentally quantum leaps ahead all thanks to the suffering they've faced, and certainly they wouldn't wish that anguish upon her- despite it being the key she'd need to "be more well-behaved" like they are.
How does this come back to O'shay? Well, as I mentioned in my last point, because he has allowed Astro to endure so much and has also in turn done nothing about it, he's allowed Astro to be in a position where they find Uran acting like a kid to be annoying. Of course though, counter-arguments could be thrown about that Astro needed to be mature in order to handle everything, but might I remind you THEY ARE 9. To be quite frank, I don't give two hoots what potential Astro has/had that's so beneficial to the world– they are 9, let them be 9.
Conclusion
In summary, while I think O'shay is a decent character, and certainly not the worst out of everyone in the show– he definitely has things to reform. For starters, he shouldn't have set out a mentally weighing and traumatizing goal without consent, or at the very least been there emotionally to help with any downfalls or times when everything was chaos. Probably maybe shouldn't have fancied Tenma's plan either and just booked it or something, I don't know– think it'd be badass to see O'shay stick it to him for real instead of just sulking in anger. Third, he's just basic AF, the standard all parents should meet, however you word it, the sentiment is there, and that's partially why these improvements are much needed as it the core of why there can be anything said about enhancing his character. Lastly, he needs to take responsibility for the strain in Astro and Uran's relationship. Putting Astro through so much caused them to mentally age so much, that their sister to them became unrelatable and irritating. He never let Astro be a kid, and rarely seemed to help them work through all the stuff that caused the "aging."
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Hope this was interesting read. Again, this is all just nit picky stuff, and I'm not trying to diss anyone that's a fan. I also understand the nature of the show and why characters have to be who they are, but that doesn't mean I can't casually crititque them, especially from a point of view like mines (which we won't get into, that's a story for another time)
Do let me know what you think by clicking the contact page on the right, hopefully I'll remember which email is attatched to this blog and I'll get back to you in a timely manner.
Thanks!