139 Atom Stolen

[Little Brown Fox]

... Uh. I think it would've been wise to mention that I cannot watch videos on this computer- they haven't played right ever since we got DSL. (But with dial-up, it was usually at least an hour-long wait for it to load...)

[Takiko]

I thought they might "de-spike" him, but hey, he wouldn't be Astro anymore! How cool they did the same to Cobalt and Uran. And of course Uran has an impossible Barbie Doll figure!! Thanks Osamu!

Hmm, I'm haven't seen the Astro's Been Stolen manga story in a long time, but maybe some of it could be blamed on the animators. But by design, if Uran was made wider, she would look too much older. However, maybe she would've been less of a Barbie doll if she had had a flatter chest?

Oh YEAH! You mean like THIS?? LOL toooo funny! my first image -- hope I did this right....

It is long gone... But it was off-topic, so it's probably not going to get a reposting.

Anyhow, if Jeffbert is posting screencaps, I guess there is no translated copy of this episode, correct? Although Cobalt got to be included in this version. I wonder if the finishing bit where Astro and Uran and the 'voice over' is the same though. Thanks for posting, Jeffbert.

(And with my own side/personal note, I was at 34 posts for over a month and nothing bad happened. Yay! )

[AprilSeven]

@Takiko - hmmm I didn't realize that image was gone, I think I still have it at work, so I'll check and re-upload it (I turn the professor into Astro via Photoshop)

Yes, this is a Japanese-only episode, and one that doesn't survive intact (which is why there are storyboard illustrations in place of anime. Thank God for Jeffbert!!

It is in manga (but they don't include Cobalt) - Dark Horse Vol. 10. I had to pay almost $50 for it (it's one of the "rare" volumes), but I HAD to had this episode, as I wanted to see this story (and start building my manga collection).

And I have to laugh at how Tezuka tended to draw women - very exaggerated in the "Barbie Doll", super-hourglass shape . Men!!!

Of course, he also drew adult Astro as a stud-muffin too (big, broad shoulders and small hips, and strong jaw/face). Only Cobalt looks like a "regular, skinny guy."

[Dragonrider1227]

Okay, I need to ask since no one else did. Why do some of the screencaps look like rough sketches?

[AprilSeven]

If I remember correctly, Jeffbert said this ep was in such bad shape they used storyboard images to fill in, so I gather the audio was more intact than the animation. Too bad, I like the fact they included Cobalt here, (he was left out in the manga) - but I gather they didn't write him into the actual storyline of the anime.

[jeffbert]

That is correct, AprilSeven; this & at least 1 other episode have hastily drawn stills to compensate for the lost video. There is 1 episode with no images at all.

Oh, 125, Find the Bacteria (--, --) is the other ep like this.

[AstroBoyGF]

* growls in a sexy manor* astro when did you get even more cute and hunky?

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

This explains the story that I heard that many of the episodes only seen in Japan were lost. I suspect that Mushi had a 'fire' or something. Anyway when they restored them for the Japanese market they must have used the NBC dubbed versions to fill in what was missing in some of the Japanese ones. Only NBC cut some of them short. IIRC the White Comet (White Planet) episode runs quite a bit shorter than most of them because of NBC's edits.

[AprilSeven]

It's interesting to note that in the original manga, Cobalt is not included in the story. I can't imagine why he was left out - unless this manga (in Dark Horse Vol. 10) was created BEFORE he "existed"?

It's also pretty funny . . . in the manga, Astro's big concern was that he wouldn't get an allowance or get to play anymore!

hmmm , . . wonder what he got paid for an allowance?

"okay Astro, you saved the world last week, but you forget to take out the garbage, so we'll have to deduct a little bit!"

"No fair! I was busy!"

@AstroboyGF -- EXACTLY!!

[Toshio]

Frankly, what matters about Atom is being noble and righteous.

He is not a slave of the humans standards, so nobody can blame him if he refused to change bodies.

What he wish to cheerish the most is a world which humans and robots can live peacefully.

And he could teach to a 20 years old criminal in the future that his child looks doesn't change the fact that man commited a crime and need to be punished for it.

Even the 1980 series teached us that having a bigger body is not everything.
If Atom had changed his body and became a handsome looking man, then he would be crushed by Bora and Chochi Chochi Ababa The Third would be right.

After all, the adult and handsome looking Atom would not be able to enter inside Bora, so he would be crushed.

Bigger the size, easier the target, huh?

With his child body, Atom made Bora confused to the point he chopped his own arm, so Atom could enter and tear the giant apart from inside.

Way to go, kid Atom, you may be small, but you can teach anyone to never look down at others for their appearance or size.

I really love how the series teaches us that bigger bodies and handsome looks are not everything.

And the 2003 series did mention that only a smaller robot could enter in the enemy's defences and destroy their shield.
A handsome big guy like Blue Knight could not do that.

Even with a child body, Atom can still pursue his own dreams and ideals.
That's what make him fantastic!!

Kid Atom for the win and villains: beware!!
Because Atom is coming to teach you a good lesson.