Which is the Best Astro Boy anime?

[DrFrag]

60s series - good emotion, great humour, poor animation
80s series - excellent emotion, good humour, good animation
2003 series - poor emotion, poor humour, excellent animation

My favourite is the 80s series because the emotional content is so strong. I think that's what makes a good anime - its ability to make you care about the characters. It's also the series I grew up with, so that probably affects my choice too. You're right about the 2003 series. If Tezuka had been alive I'm sure it wouldn't have turned out that way.

[Astro Forever]

The 1963 series, well, I've seen a few episodes and (shame on me.... ) I was bored, but then jeffbert has posted tons of funny pictures here. Is it that I didn't watch the best episodes or that it's just not appealing to me? I don't know.

The 2003 series could have been great, if only........ Well, it had its moment, especially the ending, and I loved what they did with Tenma.

I vote for the 1980 series, but like DrFrag, it was through this one that I discovered Astro, so I don't claim to be unbiaised!

[DrFrag]

The 1963 series, well, I've seen a few episodes and (shame on me.... ) I was bored, but then jeffbert has posted tons of funny pictures here. Is it that I didn't watch the best episodes or that it's just not appealing to me? I don't know.

I think you have to watch it with a different frame of mind. At least, I did anyway. I started with Kimba, which was made a few years later but in colour. The old style animation wasn't so jarring, and it held my attention long enough to learn about the characters and situations and get me interested. But it's also different buying the DVD boxset and being hit with all the episodes to watch at your leisure. It's too much at once with no pressure to watch. If it was coming on TV once a week there'd be more anticipation.

[Astro Forever]

I think you have to watch it with a different frame of mind. At least, I did anyway. I started with Kimba, which was made a few years later but in colour. The old style animation wasn't so jarring, and it held my attention long enough to learn about the characters and situations and get me interested.

Aaah, Kimba... I watched the sequel as a child and never realized it was old back then. (It's out on DVD, but unfortunately the original dubbing appears to be lost forever, which diminishes my interest. But I digress...)

I think the old style animation doesn't help, but I felt I didn't find the stories that interesting. My interest for it seems to lie more in the historical side - how the stories developed to make Astroboy what it turned out to be. The manga may be more approporiate for that anyway.

The boxes are available here but I find them so expensive considering I'm really not sure I'd appreciate them.

But it's also different buying the DVD boxset and being hit with all the episodes to watch at your leisure. It's too much at once with no pressure to watch. If it was coming on TV once a week there'd be more anticipation.

Good point.

[Kirben]

My favourite would be the Astro Boy 2003 series, based on what I have seen of the original Japanese version. There is more of a story throughout the series, and it is a completely different take on the purpose of Astro Boy's creation. With Astro Boy been the only free thinking robot, it makes the humans vs robots focus more interesting. The animation is beautfiul, and the music is wonderful too.

Are peoples views on the 2003 series based on only the English version? as the English version destroyed the series in terms of edits, music changes, script changes and poor choices of voice actors (especially astro boy).

[DrFrag]

Are peoples views on the 2003 series based on only the English version?

Mine is.

[Strange Wings]

Not mine. I watched a few scenes of the '03 series with Astro talking in his english voice, that did it for me to avoid watching any more scenes of it dubbed like that.
However I grew very fond of Astro's original '03 japanese voice. It's becoming cuter the more you listen to it, especially when he uses to say: "Aa, sugoi desu ne?!"

[Astro Forever]

Are peoples views on the 2003 series based on only the English version? as the English version destroyed the series in terms of edits, music changes, script changes and poor choices of voice actors (especially astro boy).

I've seen the French version, but except for the voices (which are great), it has the same problems than the English version.

It's becoming cuter the more you listen to it, especially when he uses to say: "Aa, sugoi desu ne?!"

Which means...?

My favorite "Japanese" line of Astro, so far: in Save the Carolina 3, after Alvin asks him to take him as he takes off to save Gen: "huuuuuuuuh"?