I legally married Black Jack

April illustration from an Osamu Tezuka themed calendar (2007)

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The Wonder 3 controversy (W3事件)

In March 1964, Osamu Tezuka pitched a manga idea to Weekly Shonen Magazine that he hoped would turn into his third anime for his animation studio, Mushi Productions. The manga would be a spy thriller entitled Wonder 3, and would follow a detective solving crimes with an alien squirrel named Bokko.

However, in June of the same year, Tezuka learned of an anime in production at TBS (Tokyo broadcasting station) entitled Space Boy Soran. The anime followed a cyborg boy named Soran, who helped fight crime and save the earth with an alien squirrel named Chappy. Tezuka was shocked when he heard the news, as the pitch for Wonder 3 and the design for Bokko were not shown to the public.

Osamu Tezuka immediately opened an investigation at Mushi Productions, and found out several of his animators also worked at TBS. Several staff members of Mushi Pro were either fired of left as they were threatened to be arrested for industrial espionage. While it is not known to this day who exactly leaked the information, it was likely an accidental slip up from a former animator and not a malicious act.

Due to how far Space Boy Soran was into production compared to Wonder 3, Tezuka had to completely scrap the spy thriller concept and start from scratch. In the end, he made Wonder 3 about three aliens invading earth and taking the form of a rabbit, a duck, and a horse. Bokko from the original spy concept was kept, though she was redesigned to be a rabbit and not a squirrel.

Osamu Tezuka also changed the magazine Wonder 3 was published in from Weekly Shonen Magazine to Weekly Shonen Sunday, as the Space Boy Soran manga that was being produced the same time as the anime was running in Weekly Shonen Magazine.

Osamu Tezuka year of the rabbit greeting card (1975)

Happy new year!

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Wonder 3 tote bag (1960s)

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Wonder 3 children’s jigsaw puzzle (1960s)

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Thrush Wonder 3 Bokko sofubi figure (2019)

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Tezuka Moderno Wonder 3 postcard (2008)

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Osamu Tezuka manga museum Wonder 3 postcard (2000s)

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“To the guys in the 21st century, save the glass earth!!” Osamu Tezuka character telephone card. (2000s)

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Wonder 3 bubblegum advertisement (1960s)

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Tokyo Atom Wonder 3 Bokko sofubi figure (2021)

Wonder 3 magazine illustration by Osmau Tezuka (1965)

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