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I guess maybe we should start a guide on the differences between each version of Astroboy 1980. THIS ALSO INCLUDES ASTROBOY "Manga"'s version, considering their versions different then the actual english version (Madman) but not the same as the original, but close.

Anyone like to start off with episode 1?

Here's an Example:

Originally posted by Episode xx (Don't remember Episode name)


US -
After Astro heads out, the scene immediatly switches over to one of his friends playing the drum.

JPN -
It shows a scene of Atom walking out to the audience, hearing them cheer on, seeing signs of his name, and runs off embarrassed.

CND -
Unknown

Manga -
Same as JPN, but Astro running away isn't exactly explained (due to an absent line)

Like that.

EDIT: One add on. The french version, to my knowledge, is the same as the CND version, so you can use this as reference for checking.

I think this is a fanstastic idea!

But do we have to go in order? Because I never watch the episodes in order. Also one could forget something or notice something new later, and then somebody might want to add something to somebody else's post. :huh: Moreover, I don't know of a single person who has every possible version. However it would be worth it to try as much as possible to focus on one episode before going on with the next one.

Somebody had asked this for the Canadian version some time ago and I had posted some information about episode #1 in this thread.

We should have a good laugh at some of the changes to this version!

I suggest taking into consideration not only the differences in the video, but also some of the dialogs. Those are sometimes interesting! Maybe the different names could be interesting as well.

So, who's starting? :huh: I'm not sure I want to go on with the huge list of everything missing in the non Japanese versions of episode #1, lol! Maybe a link to fafner's page could be enough, since everything that's missing is there?

Okay, I'll give it a try if there's nobody else who will! I'll refer to the characters by their US names, but I'll try to give the names for each version. I haven't seen the English Canadian dub however, so obviously I can't add those.

I'm sure there are things that will be missing, so help please! I don't know if I'm supposed to add them here in my post or if they will just remain in the next messages though...

Originally posted by Episodes 1 and 2@The Birth of Astroboy/Astro vs Atlas

Characters (Japanese, US, French, English Canadian if available):

Dr. Tenma, Dr. Boynton, Professeur Balt(h)us
Tobio, Toby, and in French, Thomas for the boy and Tommy for the robot (I think... :unsure
Jump, Jump, Plume (which means "feather")
Miss Honda, Miss Ford, Myriam (why not Miss Renault or Peugeot? )

US -
The first two Japanese episodes have been merged into a single episode by the Japanese themselves. Therefore, all the scenes relevant to the young Atlas birth and upbringing have been cut and a few rough transitions:
1- Why do Astro's eyes start flashing?
Because that's when Atlas was born (we first see Atlas as Astro sits at the top of the building structure).
2- Why do the ship suddenly faced icebergs?
Because Skunk made the ice field explode in an attempt to sink the ship.
3- Why is Astro so weak after breaking the icebergs?
Really because he just fought Atlas (who decided to spare his life and put Astro back on the ship).

JPN -
To see what's exclusive to this version, please visit fafner's page.

CAN/French -
This edit seems to have been made from the US version, therefore any differences between the original Japanese and the US version will be found here as well and I'll list only the differences between the US version and this one. To avoid confusion, I'll call the human "Toby" and the robot "Astro" even though Astro was not yet called Astro, well you know what I mean...

For this episode, I have to cheat a little as the the beginning of the circus episode has been included at the end! Here is what is missing:

1- When Boynton orders his assistants to change to design in order to make a boy robot, his assistants wonder why; one says "After all, this is a kids show, isn't it!" and then Boynton gets mad and passes through the phone screen, telling them to shut up! :wahah: I created an animated gif of this:



2- When Toby has his car accident, we see Jump sniffing Toby's cap on the ground, which makes the scene more moving.

3- When Astro's eyes start flashing, we don't get any explanation for it in the regular English version. But in the Canadian version, a little flashback of Astro crashing into the electric wires a little earlier has been added while Boynton speaks to Miss Ford (his assistant) on the phone. Boynton explains that Astro's condition might be attributable to a short-circuit, in an attempt to explain an otherwise incomprehensible event to the viewers.

4- Boynton, Miss Ford and another man search for Astro in a robot car; the two other scientists want to destroy Astro because they think he is too dangerous. As they are fighting in the car with Boynton, they succeed in shooting Astro, who falls to the ground. His clothes are destroyed. We never see Astro getting shot in the Canadian dubbing.

5- Most of the scenes of the robot car causing trouble and Astro fighting it has been cut. Unfortunately, almost all the fighting scenes have been cut (partially or totally) in every Canadian episode.

6- As Astro is at Boynton's bedside at the hospital, Boynton tells Astro that he is a "big boy" now ("grand garçon") and that he must leave alone while himself recovers; Astro will go on a cruise and promise Boynton to not try to find him for the next two months.

7- Since Boynton is supposed to remain in the hospital, we never see him on the ship. In the original episode, Astro messes up in the bathroom and the bedroom (here are animated gifs of these that I had made):





8- Both Boynton and Astro leave for dinner; again, Astro causes another mess (shown in the Canadian version), but a crucial scene is missing: Boynton then tells Astro that he is not his son, that he's a robot, which causes Astro to leave the dining room and then to meet the circus guy (Hamegg).

9- As Astro is weak after breaking the icebergs (in fact, he is weak for another reason, see fafner's link if you want to know more), he hears Boynton calling him, but Hamegg finds him first. Then, as Astro runs out of power in the box, he still hears Boynton calling him and says "I'm here", but of course Boynton can't hear him.

10- Astro then wakes up at the circus. We are still in the first episode of the Canadian dubbing, but the circus episode is supposed to be totally distinct. At that point, the episode's lenght is less than the more or less 17 minutes of a regular Canadian episode (instead of 21 for the "international" English episodes); I suppose this is why they merged the beginning of the circus episode with this one. In fact, as far as I know, the circus episode is the only one that hasn't been cut in the entire series in comparison with the original English version (if we combine the parts shown in the first two episodes, that is).

11- The second episode starts as Astro is cleaning the "white lion".

Manga -
Same as the US version, though unlike Madman, Manga didn't include the first two Japanese episodes as extras.

Originally posted by Astro forever@Feb 7 2006, 11:34 AM
JPN -
To see what's exclusive to this version, I... I was going to suggest fafner's page, but it's not online anymore! Fafner?!? What happened? It was great! Can you put it back online?

The page is still available: http://wotan.homelinux.com/astro/young_atl...tlas_story.html
Be sure to use the correct link, I'm sure you have used the (very) old one

Originally posted by fafner@Feb 7 2006, 11:53 AM
The page is still available: http://wotan.homelinux.com/astro/young_atl...tlas_story.html
Be sure to use the correct link, I'm sure you have used the (very) old one

Indeed! Thank you! I edited my post.

Hmm, the Canadian version killed Tenma, & put Tobio (Atom) on the ship alone. I guess that might be just as good as assuming that Tenma simply lost interest in Tobio (Atom), & never appeared again in the series. That was 1 thing I disliked about the 80s version. In the other versions, Tenma returns, both as a friend and as a foe.

I agree, jeffbert. He's an interesting character!

Originally posted by Astro forever+Feb 7 2006, 11:34 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Astro forever @ Feb 7 2006, 11:34 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--Episodes 1 and 2@The Birth of Astroboy/Astro vs Atlas

Miss Honda, Miss Ford, Myriam (why not Miss Renaud or Peugeot? )

[/b][/quote]

People, tell me if I'm off! I'm going from memory, so it could happen! It's so confusing sometimes with all those versions!

Originally posted by Episode 3@Robot Circus

Characters (Japanese, US, French, English Canadian if available):

Atomu, Astroboy, Astro
Hamegg, Hamegg, Roberto
Cathy, Cathy, Catherine
Tornado, Tornado, le foudroyant
Ochanomizu, Dr. Elefun, Professeur Albert Caudrine, Dr. Peabody

US -
We don't get to see everything of Tornado in fire, falling.

JPN -
Haven't seen it.

CAN/French -
Part of this episode was included in episode #1, therefore this episode starts as Astro is cleaning the "white lion". When Elefun is in the car (or maybe still at the circus?), he is asked about Boynton. He replies that Boynton died as a result of his injuries. At the end of the episode, while Astro is in the plane and Cathy says goodbye, she speaks to herself, saying "now he'll learn that Dr. Boynton is dead". But that's the only two allusions to Boynton's death that we ever hear. In the regular English version, we just never hear of what might have happened to him after the cruise.

Manga -
The missing part of Tornado's accident has been put back.