Ochanoyaji

Ochanoyaji is the slash ship between Hiroshi Ochanomizu and Shunsaku "Higeoyaji" Ban from the Astro Boy fandom.

Original Manga
Ambassador Atom

In this predecessor to the Astro Boy manga series where Ochanomizu is first introduced, the two are established as already being at least somewhat familiar with each other. When Ochanomizu is called to Ban’s classroom, he immediately lashes out at Ban, demanding a reason for being pulled away from his work. Ban retaliates, which starts a brief scuffle before they both refocus, seemingly feeling embarrassed about the fight. Afterwards, they’re quick to team up, cooperating quite well with each other, and when the Ministry of Science is bombed, Ban is distressed by finding what he thinks is Ochanomizu’s dead body under a pile of rubble.

Chapter 2: Frankenstein

Near the end of the story, when a newly-reformed Frankenstein walks out of the Ministry of Science with Astro and Ochanomizu in tow after rescuing them, Ban rushes towards him, crying out Ochanomizu’s name in sheer relief, and Ochanomizu’s relieved to see that Ban’s safe as well.

Chapter 5: Mission to Mars

As Ban and Ochanomizu walk into the airport with Astro and his parents and friends, Ban remarks happily about Astro getting to visit the United States, and Ochanomizu replies that he won’t have to worry about Astro either since he’ll be with him.

Chapter 6: Cobalt

Ban runs into Ochanomizu's laboratory to tell him that Astro's been found under the sea, only to be shocked to find the professor praying at a shrine. When Ban makes a remark about Ochanomizu, as a scientist, praying, he replies that it's the only thing he can do in the face of an H-bomb close to exploding that could kill tens of million which only Astro can deactivate. At that, Ban kneels and prays as well, but Ochanomizu turns and tells him to shut up once he starts getting overzealous.

Chapter 8: Fuhrer ZZZ

When Ban snoops on Ochanomizu examining a poisonous gas, Ban accidentally inhales some of the gas and passes out. Ochanomizu, concerned, tries to push the gas out of Ban's system, but when Ban comes to, the effects of the gas make him go into a feral state, snarling at Ochanomizu before throwing him to the side. Astro slams him to the ground to stop him from going on a rampage, which reduces his mental capacity to that of a baby's, waddling towards Ochanomizu and trying to suck on his nose like a pacifier. Ochanomizu opts to leave the gas mask he was wearing for Ban to suck on.

Chapter 12: Yellow Horse

Ban wishes Ochanomizu well on his trip to space, and Ochanomizu remarks that it's for the sake of science, but expresses relief that Astro doesn't have to come along this time, telling Ban that now he gets a chance to really teach him and giving him a pat on the back.

Astro Boy (1980)
Episode 4: Saving our Classmate

Ban is introduced when, at Ochanomizu’s press conference, he accidentally covers the view of the camera, then interrupts Ochanomizu in the middle of explaining the newly-established rights of robots to a reporter to exclaim that robots have the same rights as humans because they have personalities just like humans do, and that he’s terrible for not getting that in the first place. He then turns to Ochanomizu and asks if he’s right in an exaggerated cutesy voice, to which the other hesitantly answers that he’s about right, prompting him to turn to the reporter with a smirk. In the car ride back from the conference, Ochanomizu comments that Ban has a way with words, which makes Ban nervously apologize for his outburst. Ochanomizu then introduces Ban to Astro as an old friend of his.

At the end of the episode, the two are standing together behind Astro, watching him longingly look at the families gathered in front of him, and Ban turns to Ochanomizu and pats his shoulder. They look at each other, smiling, then huddle in. Ban asks about finding parents for Astro, and Ochanomizu replies that he should create them. They then see Astro’s newly-found friends run towards him, and at seeing his joy, they turn and smile at each other again as Ochanomizu lightly chuckles.

Episode 10: Rag the Robot President

Parallel to the scene in the manga chapter Mission to Mars, Ban and Ochanomizu are at the airport with Astro and his parents, and Ochanomizu tells Ban to take good care of Astro. Ban reassures Ochanomizu that since it's him, Ochanomizu has nothing to worry out, and Ochanomizu points and jokingly comments that he's exactly why he's worried, which Ban is startled by.

Episode 12: Damdam's Neck

Ban walks up to the reception desk of the Ministry of Science in a huff, saying that he wants to talk to Ochanomizu about how he took Astro out in the middle of the night and kept him out of school. He’s allowed into Ochanomizu’s office, and he immediately walks in, ranting in anger. Ochanomizu apologizes, saying he has an explanation, but before he can even start, Ban acts like he’s shocked by it, leaving him confused. Ban laughs, and explains that he trusts Ochanomizu enough to know that he wouldn’t take Astro out for nothing, and he was putting on an act because he wanted to hear about what happened. Ochanomizu just looks at him tiredly before they’re interrupted by a phone call.

Episode 14: Tomboy Uran

Ochanomizu is working alone on a secret project on the night of New Year’s Eve, before being interrupted by a call. He reminds the robot worker on the other end that he’s busy and doesn’t want to be bothered, and the worker tries to explain that Ban insisted on it, only to get pushed out of the way by Ban, who excitedly greets him. Ochanomizu dismissively replies, and Ban, while still gleeful, asks why, pulling out a bottle of alcohol, to which Ochanomizu asks what he wants. Ban says that he doesn’t want anything in particular, but asks Ochanomizu to toast with him while listening to the Passing Year’s Bells as he pours out a drink and proceeds to drunkenly sing. Ochanomizu tells him to go get drunk by himself, but he gives the video screen a sad look before he abruptly ends the call and again tells the robot worker to not allow any calls or visitors. It’s then revealed that he’s only so focused on his work because he’s in a rush to make a sister for Astro before New Year’s, and he starts to sing the song Ban was singing to himself as he works.

Astro Boy (2003)
Their friendship is retconned in this adaptation, and they barely interact with each other. However, they have one particular interaction in episode 34, Shape Shifter, in which they break down a case together, which shows that they're still just as capable of cooperating well with each other to solve problems as they were in previous iterations.

Fanon
This ship is considered a rare pair, as there is currently very little fan content for it.

However, some people have commented that their long-term friendship and closeness to each other, particularly in the manga, as they’re seen with each other the most compared to other characters, makes them come across like a married couple. Some of their moments in the 1980 anime made people see potential for a relationship between them as well.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

Trivia

 * There's a scene in the manga chapter Mission to Mars in which Ochanomizu accidentally gives Astro a photograph of his wife, and him having a wife (formerly or otherwise) is sometimes mentioned in or listed as a detail for other iterations. However, neither he or Ban express attraction to women on-screen in the 1980 or 2003 anime.
 * They both have a fear of thunderstorms in the 1980 anime.