AstroBoy Online Forums

I found this forum the other week and decided to join, there isnt much in terms of Astro Boy in English on the net so here I am!

I was wondering what is with all the hate of the 2003 series? I do agree they altered it a bit but to me they compensated by replacing it with something good. To me all they did was make Astro older, not sassy or a wise-cracker. Unfortunatley, thats how american kids are these days and its a small price to pay to have astro boy in english as well as to be profitable. But I mean they did a wonderful job of portraying Dr. Tenma. I do not think he couldve been any better. They even kept some of the japanese names in as well. And in terms of the goofy child-like scenes or the classroom antics i do miss them (I have seen the 80's series) but in terms of total airtime (at most a minute and a half) its like were splitting hairs to me. If there were some 5 minute stints completley cut out, id be furious. But from what ive researched, only bits and pieces were cut. I can live without it as long as it is in english. I will only watch subs if thats the only option I have, but anime is so much more enjoyable with proper dubbing. And Astro Boy has been one of the few animes that have been dubbed respectfully. Sony America could have really screwed this one up.Too bad all the flash backs have that stupid haze

It could have been worse. 4Kids entertainment will completley demolish an anime, cutting out tons and reediting stuff to dumb it down. What i cannot forgive is the fullscreen conversion. It couldnt have killed them to leave it widescreen? I bet you though if it came out just a few months ago it wouldve been in widescreen with this HD phenomenon these past few years.

After seeing the the 1982 and 2003 editons i can say that the '82 is more faithful but the '03 is much more epic and despite the alterations, i really suggest you pick up the set for 30 bucks its a deal besides i doubt there ever will be a release in its proper form as Sony owns the series and the fact that it didnt sell well over here they only made that set (thrown it together cheaply) to attempt to make some profit. Unless Manga or Madman can find the bajillion dollars to purchase the rights, redub it, and all that red tape, just live with what we have. Better westernized Astro than no Astro at all. Were not japanese, so its slim pickings.

But get the 80's one first

Enough ranting ill just say this

Uran is priceless

Welcome, I hope you have a great time here. And be active. Any way, I’ve seen the all the 2003 version of Astro boy but not the 1980's or 1960's. I will soon. There is some every big Astro fans here so if you are a big fan you’ll love it. And I’m also a very activate person too on this forums. I post every day.

Welcome TetsuwanBoy! Nice first post!

I was wondering what is with all the hate of the 2003 series? I do agree they altered it a bit but to me they compensated by replacing it with something good. To me all they did was make Astro older, not sassy or a wise-cracker. Unfortunatley, thats how american kids are these days and its a small price to pay to have astro boy in english as well as to be profitable.

I don't know if it was profitable since IIRC, the US network didn't even broadcast the entire series. Would it have been worst or better with a different Astro? We'll never know. We know that the American team asked for a lot of changes, and since the result isn't all that great, there's a lot of "what could have been" going on. As you said in your message, "it could have been worse", but as a fan, I tend to think that "it could have been so much better" if the Japanese had done it all their own way. So it's not so much that I absolutely hate it, but more that as a fan, I felt it was frustrating.

As for making Astro older, I don't know. Maybe it's in part because I saw the series in French, where his voice didn't make him sound as old as in English (that entire French dubbing was grrrrreat!). However, I wasn't very impressed with some stories and I felt the moral of the stories were sometimes too obvious, which is why I felt that the 1980 series seemed a little more mature (but that is from the point of view of an adult fan, of course! ).

That said, I don't think it's because I'm reluctant to accept changes. I also loved the role they gave to Tenma (that's my main interest in the series, and it's only after watching the last episodes that I started to like it) and I'm fine with the Japanese names (or the Japanese influence in O'Shay's case). I would even have been fine with more changes in the character designs.

That said, I have to admit that I can hardly see how it could have topped the 1980 series in my mind.

Uran is priceless

Indeed!

And the 2003 rules!

Yeah, Zoran is cute.

Let me tell you the 1982 version is so authentic right down to redubbing over the main theme song AND ending song. I only have the greatest hits disc of the 80's one I want the the whole series but im saving for the Nintendo Wii and its going to take awhile. Its a shame how American tastes have dwindled into the youtube oversexed madness that is today. But the lack of Tezuka works in English bothers me. All these "anime" fans dont even know the origin of Japanamation and they dont even care! Makes me so mad

I love when Tenma tells astro not to eat the fork

oh and the line

"Toby say youre sorry"

"youre sorry"

then he removes a leg from the rocking chair
priceless

Well thank you all for your warm welcome.

I will try to stay as active on this board as I am a busy college student.

And one last thing. Did Manga Entertainment ever restore the Uran's Song on their DVD releases? I saw it somewhere on youtube but the quality was iffy.
Just curious.

"TetsuwanBoy" wrote:I love when Tenma tells astro not to eat the fork

oh and the line

"Toby say youre sorry"

"youre sorry"

then he removes a leg from the rocking chair
priceless

XD, I got to see that.

"TetsuwanBoy" wrote:And one last thing. Did Manga Entertainment ever restore the Uran's Song on their DVD releases? I saw it somewhere on youtube but the quality was iffy.
Just curious.

Which one? It's played in more than one episode.

The one titled "Uran's Twin"

I thought that was the only episode. Interesting

Oh and as for the few quotes i was doing i assumed some members knew what i was talking about. Indeed whoever hasnt needs to see the 80's editon, so i wont spoil any more!

Where Uran is singing?