Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 4:47 am
To the best of my understanding:
In the case of One Piece, 4Kids had the license, aired it on their Saturday Morning block on Fox, aired reruns on Cartoon Network, and then gave it up. Funimation picked up the license after that because both Toei and Cartoon Network expressed interest in getting the show back on the air Internationally.
So for anything like that to happen with Astro Boy, the license would have to either expire or be given up. Sony Pictures has the rights to Astro Boy 2003. They invested their own money into the series in the first place. It's highly unlikely they'll give it up. In fact, they are still using the show as it is now available for 100% legal viewing online via a few different websites.
So in other words: Astro Boy 2003 uncut box set released by Funimation = not going to happen.
And it's pretty clear that Sony has no interest in doing so themselves. They really should have done it right in the first place, but since they didn't, I doubt they'll change their mind.
Personally, I just want Sony to release a freakin' Cyborg 009 box set already!
Sayonara.
In the case of One Piece, 4Kids had the license, aired it on their Saturday Morning block on Fox, aired reruns on Cartoon Network, and then gave it up. Funimation picked up the license after that because both Toei and Cartoon Network expressed interest in getting the show back on the air Internationally.
So for anything like that to happen with Astro Boy, the license would have to either expire or be given up. Sony Pictures has the rights to Astro Boy 2003. They invested their own money into the series in the first place. It's highly unlikely they'll give it up. In fact, they are still using the show as it is now available for 100% legal viewing online via a few different websites.
So in other words: Astro Boy 2003 uncut box set released by Funimation = not going to happen.
And it's pretty clear that Sony has no interest in doing so themselves. They really should have done it right in the first place, but since they didn't, I doubt they'll change their mind.
Personally, I just want Sony to release a freakin' Cyborg 009 box set already!
Sayonara.