Astro Boy - The Complete Series

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Product description ------------------- Blast off with the all-new ASTRO BOY a state-of-the-art update of Tezuka Osamu s classic series that started the anime explosion. Filled with exciting action humor and drama ASTRO BOY tells the story of a young robot boy modeled after the deceased son of a research scientist. This atomic-powered robot becomes a reluctant superhero who fights for justice and peace for humans and robots alike! For the first time on DVD this collector s edition contains the entire 50-episode series on 5 discs with 29 episodes never-before-aired in the United States.System Requirements:Running Time: 1009 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 043396047181 Manufacturer No: 04718 .com ---- When Osamu Tezuka created Tetsuwan Atom (literally Iron-arm Atom) a.k.a. Astro Boy, he set his birthdate as April 7, 2003--51 years after the initial manga and 40 years after the groundbreaking television series debuted. Sony produced this third incarnation in 2003, and a few episodes aired on American TV in 2004. A combination of drawn and computer-generated animation, the new version is far more lavish than the initial black-and-white series or the 1980 color remake. The artists strive to preserve Tezuka's drawing style, keeping Astro's outsized eyes and Dr. O'Shay's pickle nose. Spaceships and other robots float effortlessly by, but Astro's legs shoot old-fashioned rocket flairs. The newly born Astro is a complete innocent, but as he explores various aspects of the world, he develops a strong sense of purpose, aiding those in need. His state-of-the-art brain includes kokoro, which can be translated as "heart," "spirit," or "will," which makes him more human. The conflict between humans and robots--which some critics have interpreted as a metaphor for racism distinguishes--escalates into a battle at the city of Robotonia in Antarctica. Astro strives to make peace between the hostile factions, although many of the conflicts were sparked by Dr. Tenma, who originally created him. Although visually appealing, this lush reinterpretation lacks the gritty charm of Tezuka's low-budget original. The only extra is a short "remaking of"; the dialogue is dubbed in English, Spanish, and Portuguese--but not Japanese. (Unrated, suitable for ages 8 and older: cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon