Astro Boy Episode 2: Rocketball

[Haruka-chan]

oh i quite enjoy Cardcaptor Sakura but because subbed and dubbed episodes were released on separate DVDs i had to buy US DVDs to get the subs (at the time Madman, the Oz company releasing anime, would not release sub only as they didnt think there was a large enough market). Not particulary enjoying paying AU$70 a DVD i decided to find out why they couldn't put subbed and dubbed together on one DVD.

So a bit of research and that was the information i came up with.

If not, they might need to redub it after editing, so that no dialog necessary for understanding what was happening would be missing on the final product.

Well either way i gather that all dubbing for an episode is done at one time. If this is not the case the chances of the dubbing company going back over it for a DVD is unlikely.

[wicked fierce]

There were a few parts that made me roll my eyes. I'm starting to hate Astroboy now. Like when they told him he had five seconds to get ready and he responds with a, "Ten!". <_<

As much as I like the old series, I really don't think I can get into this new one. It's not even Astroboy anymore. Names and personalities are changed...they should have just called it something else. If they want kids to like it they should bring Atlus in and have him decapitate people.

[jeffbert]

Speaking of Atlas, one of Atom's habits is to first try reasoning with the attacker, and only after this has failed does he use force. Episode 6 is the first of a two-part battle against Atlas. It should be intersting to see how WB keeps Astroboy's bad-boy image and yet also keep these episodes in their original form. If WB simply cut those scenes, there would not be much left. Maybe WB is going to splice 6 &7 into one episode, only showing Atom as a fighter. :wacko: But there are plenty of other episodes in which his negotiating skills are emphasized. If they make him a bad-boy, how will they deal with the Space Camp adventure? For those who have not seen it, it shows how Atom expresses embarassment, and thus makes him the comic-relief.

[Dragonrider1227]

It's not neccerally a "bad boy" image. A kid can be more of a smart mouth without actually being a bad boy.

[jeffbert]

Ok, perhaps Bad-boy is the wrong term. Perhaps Smart ass is the one I am wanting. Whatever it is, it follows from the discussion DAMN KIDS WB, yeah.

[Jarx Xun]

Astroboy Kids WB page

If you read Atlas' bio it says he's a malfunctioning robot that his owner wanted repaired... Here's a quote:

"Atlas is originally a kind robot that is mistreated buy his millionaire owner, which causees him to malfunction."

Ok I guess that's what happens but then it goes on to say:

"The millionaire hires DR. Tenma to repair the robot..."

Ok so does this mean Atlas was not a human before? You know the same deal as Tobio?? I think thatt's a but strange. Why would they change the story like that?

[jeffbert]

That may be how Kids WB presents him, but he was just as Atom, a robot created by Tenma to replace a dead son (See Episode 6 of Fansub, anapan's ftp; see Astroboy.jp Atlas page). Tenma's client wanted a robot that could pass for his son, so that he could take over the family business when papa retired. However, this man was no better a father to his son, than Tenma was to Tobio. He just 'did' not have time to spend with his boy. Tenma probes the dead boy's mind for memories so he can make a robot that behaves just like the boy he is to replace. Finding an interesting subject, Tenma creates a robotic body that can accomodate the unfulfilled desires of the boy. Hence, he creates a robot that can transform from a human-appearance to a fierce and violent flying robot.

This makes me wonder about whether I was right in thinking that Kids WB is trying to make a whole different Astroboy from what Tezuka has made. -- I just checked the hero's bio at Kids WB Astroboy pages (requires apple Quick Time), and it does say he tries to reason with his foes before he fights them.

[Jarx Xun]

Yes I gathered the same from the japanese version I saw. That he was human that died and the father wanted to replace him...