Is there a board FAQ?

[jayrath]

As an infrequent visitor, maybe I've just missed it -- but is there a FAQ on all the different series and movies?

I've tried to gather what I can. There are the printed versions. There is the original B&W series, the 1980 color series and its U.S. redub, a re-redubbed Canadian series which some think was a better job, and a 2003 series so far not dubbed into English? But which -- and I agree -- some believe had better character design? And the movie, of course.

In other words, we all love Astro, but my Astro might be a little different than yours. A FAQ quickly sketching out the major differences of each, and where (or if) each is available on DVD, which are available in which languages, etc., would be a great help! To me, anyway.

[Fauna]

There hasn't been such a thing yet, since this site seems dedicated to only the 1980's version as-of-yet (the "online stores" page still has links to sites that sold official VHS copies!), but DrFrag used to have a pretty informative site on all of the characters and TV series, which held on until early 2007 or so. If he still has his server, we could ask...

Oh! The 2003 series was already dubbed into english...the lot of us have been meaning to ask your opinion on Wally Wingert's version of Skunk. (Here's the newer version of the Light Ray episode, otherwise called Denkou!)

[jayrath]

Really? This site is more or less for the 1980 version? (blushes!!!)

I haven't seen or heard any other versions but the new movie and the first b&w series. All actors have to make their own choices, and I'm sure all Skunks are equal. All I can say is that I fought hard to lower the pitch of "my" version of Skunk. It didn't seem right for an 8-foot-tall villain to have a screechy, high-pitched, hollow, wheezing voice -- which I was often told to create. That made for some unfortunate contiuity errors which I still regret. I imagine it was to follow the Japanese version, which I also have not seen.

The laugh, of course, was key. I had to drop artificially into a low register to bring it up.

FYI, I asked the producers of the new movie if I could somehow take part. Still waiting to hear back. Sequel . . . ?

(Jesus, who would not be better than Nicholas Cage in any part!)

[MangaBottle]

Jayrath -- I've found this site to contain a lot of info, but there are still gaps: http://tezukainenglish.com/?q=node/70
The info available to English-speaking Astro Boy fans is painfully scant, I'm afraid

[jeffbert]

I created indices of both the manga & the B&W anime on that site:

B&W:
http://tezukainenglish.com/?q=node/249

Manga:
http://tezukainenglish.com/?q=node/208

Both have links to the same reviews, just that they are numbered differently. In my reviews, I detail the differences between the various versions. I have yet to add full data for the Jetter Mars version (which I have), & likewise the live action version ($380 is a turnoff!).

[DrFrag]

DrFrag used to have a pretty informative site on all of the characters and TV series, which held on until early 2007 or so. If he still has his server, we could ask...

There are remnants of it on the Internet Archive.
http://web.archive.org/web/20070406233321/http://astroboy.cjb.cc/
It's a bit out of date now.

I still have all the files, but they're mostly PHP so not much use to anyone without web serving software.

I've thought about putting it back online, but it's a lot of work and I'd have to pay for hosting so I just can't get inspired.

[fafner]

If you don't mind me handling the work, you can send me a private message. It would be too bad that it stays offline even though you still have the files