Astro Boy (1963)
Genres: action, adventure, science fiction
Themes: mecha
Objectionable content: None
Number of episodes: 193
Vintage: 1963-01-01 to 1966-12-31
Astro Boy (1980)
Genres: action, science fiction
Themes: mecha
Objectionable content: None
Plot Summary: Creating a robotic boy in the image of his recently deceased son Tobio, Professor Tenma thought nothing could go wrong now that his beloved child had been “reborn”… that is, until he comes to realize that this invention could never replace his son. Before long, however, the robot is kidnapped and spirited away to a robot circus in America, where he is soon rescued by Dr. Ochanomizu, and taken into his care. Tobio is given the new name Tetsuwan Atom, and transforms into Japan’s crime-fighting hero, although his anti-violent pacifist views and overall childlike naivety tend to clash with his battles often.
Number of episodes: 52
Vintage: 1980-10-01 to 1981-12-23
Astro Boy (2003)
Genres: action, science fiction
Themes: androids, mecha
Objectionable content: None
Plot Summary: Astro is a robotic boy that possesses super human powers and an artificial intelligence system that is unparalleled to any robot. His creator, Dr. Tenma, created him to replace his late son, Tovio. Dr. Tenma soon destroys his laboratory, after the creation of Astro, and shuts down Astro. Soon after, Dr. O’Shay, the head of the Ministry of Science revives Astro, and tries to give him a normal life as a 6th grade student that helps the police agency keep renegade robots and bigot humans from causing harm. Astro faces extreme racism for being a robot, and he must discover the truth about his creator Dr. Tenma.
Number of episodes: 50
Vintage: 2003-04-06 to 2004-03-28
Atom The Beginning
Genres: science fiction
Number of Episodes: 12
Vintage: 2017-04-15
Plot Summary: In Japan after a great calamity, there were two geniuses who dreamed of the future. One was Umatarō Tenma. The other was Hiroshi Ochanomizu. The two labored day and night in robot research — Tenma to create a “god,” and Ochanomizu to create a “friend.” Thus a robot, A106, was born from their collaborative friendship. (from manga)
Pluto
Genres: drama, mystery, psychological, science fiction
Themes: androids, conspiracy, crime, detectives, police, robots
Objectionable content: Significant
Plot Summary: Based off of a story arc from Osamu Tezuka’s Tesuwan Atomu, Pluto follows the Europol detective Gesicht as he tries to uncover the mystery behind a string of robot and human deaths. The case becomes much more puzzling when evidence leans toward the murders being the work of a robot, which is something that hasn’t happened for 8 years.
Number of Episodes: 8
Vintage: 2023-10-26
Astro Boy: Hero of Space (movie) Vintage: 1964-07-25
Astro Boy: Shinsen-gumi (movie) Vintage: 2001-07-20
Astro Boy (U.S. movie) Vintage: 2009-10-10
I finally saw a commercial for this movie tonight. Looks like it’s CGI - but it looks like it might be good, the kids will like it at any rate.
Any opinions? There doesn’t seem to be a thread already, I did search.