Astro Boy ISN'T for children!

[Alittleacorn]

(It's amazing what you can find on the internet)


And I mean that in a good way.

With all the issues that come up in Tezuka's manga's such as robot rights, war and death, it's not something you get in a kid's show (I won't say comic, because the only comic I read other than manga was Sonic XD). In Japan it's acceptable but overseas children are more wrapped in cotten wool so it's not.

What I mean is if Astro Boy can't be accepted into western culture as a kid show, then it should be leveled up to a PG13. So what if it doesn't get broadcasted on tv, a whole bunch of anime's are dubbed into english and come out on dvd, and they have no problems.

It's because these silly things of protecting kids from violences nowadays that ruined the 2003 English dub, and the 2009 movie too (Yet despite this, they go and let their kids buy Grand Theft Auto: Killing Spree). Why the anime and movie go wrong? Because they were directed only at children, when they should've been made for all ages, just like the manga is.

If there's ever a new anime dubbed over to English, or second instalment to the movie, they gotta step up the game or it's prone to be another failure.

[Dragonrider1227]

The points you make are the points I often make when taking about Astro Boy
Oh, and Tenmaneitor XD

[Anime Girl]

LOL! Tenmaneitor!

[karl0s]

The world has gotten too politically correct, although I admit I don't know what the world was like in the 80's, it seems back in the 80's people weren't so soft and the anime from then could show a bit of violence/death. It wasn't that bad anyways, it not like they show people exploding with heaps of blood and guts.

And happened to the 03 Engish dub?! Astro rarely ever fights back against the people/robots trying to destroy him, just goes to show how soft the world is and how afraid people are to show a bit of violence on TV. They even cuts scenes of Astro playing with toys because it made him look like less of a hero. What the hell? Half of Astros personality is his boy-ness, and that was lost when they cut the scenes.

But I hope the Tenmaneitor is in the movie sequel, and I hope he uses the gun

[jayrath]

Astro isn't for children?

Maybe not your Astro, but my Astro is for the whole family, and he always looks for peaceful solutions first.

[Alittleacorn]

Astro isn't for children?

Maybe not your Astro, but my Astro is for the whole family, and he always looks for peaceful solutions first.

I know, but this is just how I feel, and I meant the recent Astro's not the earlier ones. It's like the 'Escape from Metro City' scene in the movie. On the dvd on the making of that part, they speak about having those jet planes firing at Astro. They also spoke into great detail how the only the lights would be coming from the flare of Astro's rocket's and the bullets of the guns. See here:


Although this doesn't happen, instead it's this green jello they use to capture Astro (which is actually really funny, gotta love the 'I'M GETTING MARRIED' joke.) But still, it would've built suspsense to the scene if Astro was getting fired at, as if he was literally flying for his life.

But this is understandable for modern times, that it might upset people. What gets me however is although Astro can't be shot at, he can be chased down by giant robots with buzzsaws for hands and electrocuted by a Ham & Egg breakfast meal.

What I'm trying to to say is, when there's serious moments in the movie, they try to dumb them down and take a lighter approuch to it. Nobody gets seriously hurt, nobody dies (except Toby...poor wittle Toby) and they live happily ever after. When in Tezuka's manga's that wasn't always the case. People did get hurt and people died and robot rights was more of a spoken issue, while instead it was softened to a lighter note in the form of the RRF, that it was more of a joke than a serious issue about these robots wanting their rights (but, they were funny XD).

Although I am happy they kept in Toby's death and Tenma abandoning Astro, but the movie still feels too colorful and bright. Although this is all my personal view, nothing's set in stone ya know. :3

I guess...I just like dark plots more, I can't help that. XD

[Strange Wings]

The world has gotten too politically correct, although I admit I don't know what the world was like in the 80's, it seems back in the 80's people weren't so soft and the anime from then could show a bit of violence/death. It wasn't that bad anyways, it not like they show people exploding with heaps of blood and guts.

And happened to the 03 Engish dub?! Astro rarely ever fights back against the people/robots trying to destroy him, just goes to show how soft the world is and how afraid people are to show a bit of violence on TV. They even cuts scenes of Astro playing with toys because it made him look like less of a hero. What the hell? Half of Astros personality is his boy-ness, and that was lost when they cut the scenes.

Neither I could bear with the voices of the '03 english dub, thus I aimed for the original japanese version from the start.

As for the removement of violent scenes, the Japanese people basically do look upon life differently, for them, life & death are the same, hence they tend to treat scenes of violence and death more permissive in contrast to the western world.
IMO, there's nothing wrong with having children to be aware that death belongs to life, it's just a question of how to convey this message; it has to be done carefully & with a lot of thought, and Tezuka handled this delicate task like no-one else before or after him.
It's easy to bluntly put violent scenes inside a story; however to use themes of violence & death in an educational way, to use them in the sense for conveying love & care for life, is one of the most difficult challenges in creating Manga & Anime.

As Jay already stated: The show of Astroboy doesn't bear any age limit, it stays appealing to people of age of 5 up to 90 years.
The removement of 'violence' or scenes of death in Astroboy is just a stupid act of ignorance, an act of closing one's eyes from the reality of life.
At the same time, the same kids, being denyed from viewing the omitted 'violent' scenes in AB, are able to watch the news reports on a daily basis. Violence and death in real life appear to be reasonable for children to watch, unlike violence shown in anime or manga.

[jeffbert]

America was always leaning toward keeping the wool over the kids' eyes; 1st the Hayes Code, & when that ended in the late '60s, GI Joes were given civilian pursuits. I had 2 Desert (Rat) Patrol jeeps, 1 jeep with a cannon on it, tons of weapons, etc. Then the ADVENTURE TEAM themed sets came out, & Joes traded in machine guns and army jeeps for snowshoes and dog sleds. Eventually they had 3 1/2 inch figures & war themed sets, but somehow the violence was gone. I watched the GI Joe cartoon once, & though bullets and laser beams were everywhere, nobody even needed as much as a bandaid.

BTW, in the '60s, there were 2 tv shows: COMBAT & the short-lived RAT PATROL. I am guessing that the GI Joes of that time were modeled on the characters and adventures in these shows, & in films. I think parents have become less interested in what their children watch, & programs are just dulled-down so they will not be surprised by their kids' questions or behaviors. That is, since few modern parents actually watch TV with their kids, or even know what they watch, producers of so-called children's programming simply use bright colors and goofy names & voices to attract audiences, rather than content that addresses any serious issues.

[fafner]

I watched the GI Joe cartoon once, & though bullets and laser beams were everywhere, nobody even needed as much as a bandaid.

You know, that's what frightens me the most in handling violence in fiction: "clean" violence. Publishers will censor blood and gore so children are not under shock, but will leave "clean" violence. Shoot bullets and lasers into a crowd and no one is hurt, that's what children will learn. So they will think they can take daddy's hand gun accidentally left acessible and shoot a friend without realising it will actually injure or kill him/her.

Remove ALL violence, or none. Otherwise children learn weird things

[Strange Wings]

^^
*cough*

The A-Team.

*cough*



A few competitors for the Tenmaneitor:


The Atomunator!


The Jumponator!