Why aren't there more 80's episodes?

[AprilSeven]

Doe anyone here know why the 1980 anime only had (approx.) 51 episodes?

Considering that the 1960's original ran for almost 200 - I'm surprised they didn't continue, or was it because Tezuka didn't want to simple redo all his old stories in color, and he wasn't interested in writing more new material for Astro?

But - other than Atlas - it seems "unfinished" compared to both 1960's and 2003.

Maybe he was planning another series but became ill?

[ASTROBUDDY]

The remake series, "Shin TetsuWan Atomu" had 52 episodes. It did not do that well in the ratings in Japan, so 52 episodes, which was considered a full season was all that was made. As you know when dubbed into English the first two episodes were combined and edited into one episode thus leaving 51 episodes. While it has many admirers now, when initially aired in Japan it was considered a failure because it did not get the ratings that were expected.

I

[Novacain]

I always wondered why the 80's series ended the way it did. Though I'm not sure the order of episodes outside of the Canadian version, I've always found it strange that they ended the series with Astro's first Love. In a sense, it is appropriate, since the show started with a tragedy. But it's also sad it ended with one.

I didn't know the 80's series did so poorly in Japan, thanks for the info ASTROBUDDY!

[AprilSeven]

That IS interesting . . . So Tezuka responded to his public's pleading to make Astro younger and more childlike, but the original anime actually did better!

Maybe people liked his bigger family from the 60's? I wonder if the two final years in Japan were considered as successful as the first two...(the ones that were dubbed in English).

I also wonder how the 2003 series was received in Japan compared to the 80's - that only ran for 50 episodes, too. Perhaps Tezuka tinkered with Astro too much, and his original incarnation was actually the most appealing (or maybe it had to do with the time in history that he appeared.

[ASTROBUDDY]

To AprilSeven: First the public did not plead with Tezuka to make Astro Boy younger. It was just that the younger he made Astro Boy appear the more his popularity seemed to grow.

It should be obvious to you that the first series was the most popular by the number of episodes that were made. To this day I think that only Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon and Gatchaman have as many episodes as the original TetsuWan Atom.

Astro Boy did well until its final season, 1966 coinciding with the publication of the episode known as "The Blue Knight". As I remember reading, at the suggestion of one of his editors, Tezuka wrote a story where Atom goes against humanity. That episode was "The Tale of the Blue Knight".

After this tale was published Astro Boy's popularity declined. Of course there are other factors, but that story is thought of as being a main contributor to Astro Boy's decline in popularity.
To Novacain: I want to clarify, that because the 1980s series did not do as well as expected it was considered a failure; not that it did poorly.

I believe the 2003 series did well judging by the number for ratings I read in Newtype magazine in English. The series was intended as a way to spark interest in the Atom character for its 40th anniversary.

I

[Prettywitchiusaka]

My personal guess would be that since the 03 series was a reboot of Astro Boy, they wanted to create a story that would both celebrate the character and his mythos (as well as gain new interst for younger people), and to have a cohesive story witha defined beginning, middle and end. Not due to lack of interest, but as a formal introduction to Astro Boynin general.

[Executor]

I would have liked the 80's series to have continued. Personally, of the three animes, I feel it has the most presence for some reason.

[ASTROBUDDY]

My personal guess would be that since the 03 series was a reboot of Astro Boy, they wanted to create a story that would both celebrate the character and his mythos (as well as gain new interst for younger people), and to have a cohesive story witha defined beginning, middle and end. Not due to lack of interest, but as a formal introduction to Astro Boynin general.

Yes, the 2003 series was part of the Atom Dream Project which was made to celebrate and commemorate the birth year of Atom as well as the 40th anniversary of the original series and was conceived as a finite series with a specific number of episodes. Yes it was meant to "reboot" the Atom mythos for a whole new generation as well. I believe that is why only a few of the original episodes were remade and new characters were introduced, along with all new stories.

I

[AprilSeven]

I've seen graphics for the Atom Dream Project but never found anything to describe what it was (was always in Japanese). Do you happen to know if "the Dream is over", Astrobuddy, or if this is some kind of ongoing effort? I'm guessing those recent (well, made in the 21st century) Atom movies were also part of the Dream Project?

[jeffbert]

I believe Schodt mentioned (in ESSAYS) that Tezuka felt he had lost control over the 1960s series, & ended it out of frustration. On the other hand, I think 193 episodes were proposed from the very start.

In the 1980s series, Tezuka actually had very little to do with it. The two episodes that most show his touch are SPACEPORT R-45 & GADEM (ROBOT VIKINGS). He was continually writing & drawing manga, & as far as anime goes, he cared little for anything other than the few movies he made.