The influence of English on Kalimán and Astroboy: comic strips that shaped new generations of readers on opposite sides of the world

Abstract

In this paper, we will contrast the influence of English in two comic books published in the mid-20th century: アトム大使 Atomu Taishi, in which Osamu Tezuka introduces Astroboy, and Kalimán. This article will explore the influences behind some of the linguistic decisions made in the writing of these comics to determine how the influence of American comics differed in the language used in these two works. We will trace a panorama that will take us from the importation of foreign products to Japan to the linguistic borrowings that were so representative in Osama Tezuka's work and that have now become part of popular Japanese fiction. In the case of Mexico, we will analyze in detail the translations of some American series that were published in the country shortly before the Kalimán comic began to be published. This will allow us to see more clearly the presence of English in both creations.