The Astro Boy Novel was released near to that of the film. Though it sticks closely to the plot, there many changes scattered throughout the book. These changes I view as the original script of what was supposed to be the movie but never came to be.
The following thread features differences between the Astro Boy Novel and the Astro Boy Movie. The changes include:
*New scenes (this can vary from a long sequence to just a single shot)
*Alternate scenes (that resemble close to a film scene but plays out different)
*Changes (little things such as actions or objects)
*Changes in dialogue (if something is said similar or different from the movie)
These will all be color coded for:
Blue = for what should’ve stayed in the movie.
Red = for what should've stayed in the imagination.
Black= Undecided or didn't mind.
SUPER BOLD LETTERS =If I really am stating my point! XD
Of course these are just my personal views, since we all have our own opinions, so don’t assume because something is in red or blue that’s the final word, you might entirely disagree with them.
Given there is so much to take in, I can’t write out every single change down to last detail (that to mostly do with dialogue) so I will only note the most important or significant changes…or ones I personal just love!
I’ll also point out a few other changes from the Astro Boy Movie Comic, Video Game and even the Japanese dub, although mostly it will be sticking to the Novel.
Let us begin…
~
-Alternate introduction scene:
Book begins straight in the classroom, featuring the bored reactions from the students to the digital film. (When you try and put the intro sequence into the context of a book, it’s no wonder there needed to be a change here.)
-Instead of saying “We don’t really know what happens these days on the strange and mysterious Surface we left behind.” The female narrator says “The Surface, a desolate wasteland populated by warlike tribes of primitive scavengers. It’s survival of the fittest for its unlucky inhabitant.” (*sings* always look on the bright siiiide of life)
-When the robot is run over, instead of another coming to sweep it up, a garbage truck sweeps its remains up. (Really shows it sucks having no rights. If you pause this scene in the movie, the vehicle the other second robot comes from is the garbage truck. Concluding they might’ve already animated this, then changed it last second.)
-New scene:
Robots construct themselves and the female narrators says "You see, robots are not only expendable, they’re incredibly cheap to make. One robot is created. Then that guy makes himself a buddy. Pretty soon all those robots making robots adds up to a whole bunch of robots eager and willing to serve you and me!" (Again really bring up how humans view robots as mere tools or even slaves. Shame on you Imagi removing the issues.)
-Toby’s hair is black, not brown. (Baaaad! His brown hair made him different from Astro)
-Toby pretends not to be proud of his dad. (Inside he might be proud of his dad, but to a viewer in a movie we don’t tell that, makes sense why this would be change.)
-Instead of saying “Our friends the robots help us” the female narrator says “Our friends the robots serve us”. (Seeeeerve, go make coffee!)
-Students do exams on paper, not digital screens (apparently their I-pads were malfunctioning that day.)
-Mr. Moustachio says “You have three hours to complete the quiz. Begin.” (Just proves what a smarty pants Toby was for finishing in about 30 seconds. Good on ya kid! ^_^)
-New scene:
Orrin’s introduction where he practices on how to welcome Master Toby (I thought this was a great way to introduce Orrin. Can’t recall if I saw it on the internet or the making of the movie, but this scene was animated but likely cut for time.)
-Instead of saying “But, you promised” Toby says “I guessed as much” (I like that Toby’s attitude comes up here, but I think it’s better the way it stayed.)
-The soldiers uniforms are black not grey (Here come the men in black, galaxy defenders. Perhaps they changed the color as the soldiers wind up turning good guys at the end)
-Instead of saying “Hold that kid!” a soldier says “Hold that kid! Get him!” (O_o…what was the point of that?.)
-Instead of sayings “This is outrageous! What are you intending to do with it” Elefun says “This is outrageous! Unprecedented! What are you intending to do with them?” (Did Imagi worry kids wouldn’t know what unprecedented means…? Actually, what does it mean? *gets dictionary*. )
-Toby is locked in a holding cell, not a storage room.
(Soldier: Take a good look boy, there’s no get out jail card...hey where’s my card!? Toby: Mwahaha! *runs away*
Soldier: Rotton kid!)
-When the soldier says “You’re like 13 years old, it’s time you grew a back bone” instead of Toby saying “Thanks for the life lesson and thank you for this” he says “And you’re, like, twenty-two. It’s time you grew a brain!” (Did Imagi worry kids would form a rebellion against parents? I mean come on! That line was funny!
) -Instead of saying “As one friend to another don’t do this Temna!” Elefun says “How could you be a party to this, Tenma?”
(Tenma: Yes because I LOVE parties! *twirls around dancing*
Elefun: o_o…*shrugs and dances too*
Female scientist: *facepalm* oh my gawd...)
-Instead of saying “Huh, it’s like a video game!” President Stone says “Ha! It’s like a stupid video game!” (Did Imagi worry kids would form a rebellion against them and every other gaming fan!? YES!)
-The tubby General is name is Heckler (That’s…useful information o.O)
-Weapon drones cry out in pain when destroyed by the Peacekeeper (This from the Japanese dub of the movie, really zaps the humor of the scene but lovely lol.)
-When a missile blasts nears President Stone he says “What the heck is doing!?” (I saw this animated in an Astro Boy show reel, but it must’ve been cut for use swearing or close to it)
-Instead of firing a beam from the Red Core, the Peacekeeper fires its arm cannon at the glass, with the same result, killing Toby. (I like my violence *to an extent*, so I would’ve preferred this stayed in. Actually I would’ve preferred the Peacekeeper fired at Toby too and there’d not just been a hat left, but can’t win them all.)
-While Tenma mourns his son, President Stone focuses on the Peacekeeper saying “With the Blue Core, it would have worked perfectly, right?”
(Tenma: Do I care what you say!? MY SON IS DEAD!
Toby: Er Dad, I’m right here
Tenma: *sob* I can still hear his voice on the wind
Toby: What, Dad! I-
Tenma: MY ONE ANY ONLY TOBIOOOOO!
Toby: Oh for crying out loud I’m out of here!)
-Elefun gasps at seeing the incomplete Astro robot that’s shape is like Toby’s. (I like it, shows Elefun has no idea what Tenma’s been up to. Then seeing this skeleton of a machine and figuring out what he wants core for, moving moment.)
-The lasers that create Astro’s skin are green not blue. (Meh, got to stay with the blue of things.)
-Elefun grips Tenma by the shoulders when warning him of the core’s effects. (But he’s so short! How!?
Elefun: *wanders off*…*returns with step ladder* sigh *climbs up ladder and grips Tenma’s shoulders* ahem…The core is unpredictable!
Tenma: I’ve already activated him
Elefun: Darn it!
Toby: BUT I’M NOT DEAD!)
-When Astro hits the ground from being charged, he lands on his back. (Guess it had more effect if you couldn’t see his face when he awoke.)
-Tenma wraps Astro in a blanket after he is born. (And over in Japan, fans chase Imagi workers down. On show reels you can tell how uncomfortable they were animating Astro in just his trunks, *they’d stick the shirt texture on his skin or give him long pants.* it’s completely understandable why they’d do this, and it’s fine too having Astro wear clothes like a normal person through most the film, but when you’re talking about this ironic scene then covering up his costume like that, it’s literally an insult to Tezuka!)
-In the comic Tenma is holding Toby’s hat when Astro wakes (I think that says all it needs to :cry
-Tenma says “Come downstairs for breakfast” after hugging Astro in the morning. (Don’t mind, they could’ve had the end as it did or carry on.)
-Orrin is unaware Toby died or that Astro is a robot (I dunno, on one hand I like this and then another I don’t. It makes sense why Orrin gets so nervous at Toby being so nice to him, but the it also makes sense for him to be nervous because he’s not Toby. But It does make you wonder why a servant robot got Astro’s X-ray vision.)
That’s the end of part 1, I’ll do some more soon =3
Astro Boy|鉄腕アトム [sigpic][/sigpic]
