The Museum Where Robots Sleep: The Farewell and New Beginning of Iron Man No. 28, 1963–1965

Iron Man No. 28, controlled by the young detective Shotaro Kaneda, is a giant robot that, despite possessing immense power, does not judge right from wrong on its own but obeys the commands of whoever holds the controls. The story continually explored the question of who uses science and technology, and for what purpose. In “The Glorious Champion,” the final episode of the first season of the black-and-white TV anime series that began in 1963, a competition is held where the finest robots from around the world gather. Iron Man emerged victorious from fierce battles and was recognized as the world’s number one robot. Afterward, Tetsujin was honored for his achievements and put on display in a museum, while Shotaro’s control unit was locked away in a vault. With the dangerous power that could be used for war or crime now sealed away, Tetsujin entered a peaceful slumber. For Shotaro, it was a farewell to his trusted partner and the moment his boyhood adventures came to an end. H owever, the show later resumed, and Tetsujin once again set out to solve cases. The farewell at the museum was not a definitive ending, but rather a temporary pause leading into a new story. A world where fighting was no longer necessary was precisely the kind of peace that Shotaro and Tetsujin had sought to protect.