Run, Cronos!
1976/04/09
STORY
This is a folk tale-like Sci-Fi story featuring the exchange between a young boy and a horse.
A boy named Itaru loses all his family members except his father and has his leg damaged due to the volcanic eruption caused by a spaceship that crashed on the Earth. One of the aliens on the ship feels bad for the boy, so he feeds his pony some intelligence booster and names the pony Cronos. Soon, Cronos becomes a big, bright horse, becoming Itaru’s good friend.
DESCRIPTIONS
1976/04-09 Serialized in Chuichi Jidai (Obunsha)
In "Jungle Emperor," Tezuka created various stories that feature the friendship between humans and animals. He also explored themes of exchange with aliens, which may remind readers of "W3." Through his career, Tezuka evolved many animal characters in his works, including birds, cats, and slugs. And in this work, he notably introduced an alien with a horse-like face, a unique creation of his own.
Tezuka consistently warned audiences about the unfairness and contradictions present in our society. The aliens in this story regard humans on Earth as low-intelligent beings, claiming there is no need to compensate them—an observation that carries Tezuka's implied sarcasm. Conversely, the alien who cares for Itaru, despite fearing punishment, illustrates the beauty of humanity even within a civilized society.
This work is highly recommended for young readers.
