Professor Tenma created Atom, a robot boy, in 2003 after his son Tobio's death in a car accident. The robot's programming made him inclined to act forever good, but Tenma struggled with the reality of Atom never being able to grow up. Tenma sold Atom to Ham Egg, who owned a robot circus, and Atom subsequently met Professor Ochanomizu, who took him under his care and encouraged him to fight against evil.
