The Takadanobaba district of Tokyo will introduce Astro Boy currency Wednesday as part of local revitalization efforts.
Community members said Tuesday that the currency will be measured in horsepower, the unit of measure of Astro Boy's strength. One horsepower of the currency will be equivalent to 1 yen. The bills will come in denominations of 10, 100 and 200 horsepower.
Osamu Tezuka (1926-1989), who created the famous robot character, began publishing the "manga" comic series in 1952. The animated version was first broadcast in Japan in the 1960s and remains popular worldwide to this day.
In the series, Astro Boy, known as Tetsuwan Atom in Japan, is assembled April 7, 2003, in Takadanobaba's Science Ministry.
Shops, nongovernmental organizations and Waseda University will offer the currency in exchange for citizens' volunteer and environmental activities, they said.
For example, stores will award customers with 10 horsepower if they carry a reused shopping bag.
