So which version do YOU like?

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Laughing Dragon
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So which version do YOU like?

Postby Laughing Dragon » 14 years ago

This is probably going to be controversial, but of all the anime versions of Astro Boy - the 1960 version, the 1980 version, the 2003 version, and finally the feature film - I like the feature film the best. To me, Astro himself was never more appealing than he is in the film. His character design is wonderful - he looks very much like the Tezuka original, with a few noticeable changes - he's taller, he looks more boyish rather childlike, and he's missing a few eyelashes ;) The animators made the spiked hair actually work - they're smaller and more subtle than in Tezuka's drawings, but there's enough there to give Astro his signature "look". And Freddie Highmore's voice work can't be praised enough - his voice is just husky enough, yet also guileless enough, to give Astro real personality, one with depth, humor, emotion and angst. I've always been sympathetic to Astro, but never did he break my heart like he did in that movie! :wub: :lol:

I also like Cora and her gang a LOT. I like them better than Astro's friends in the original manga, who didn't really have much personality and seem terribly dated now. One of the reasons I'd love to see a sequel or possibly even a TV series is because I'd like to see more of Cora and learn more about her and her friends - especially to see how she and the others are coping with the surface-dwellers and Metro City denizens being re-united. I imagine there's a lot of cleaning up to do.

So there's my choice. Your mileage, of course, may vary...

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Postby AstroRex » 14 years ago

Oh, I have to agree with you, that I love the 2009 Astro from the movie. I recently purchased both seasons 1 and 2 from the 2003 TV show and I have already watched every episode from season 1, I must say that I really liked Astro in the 2003 series. He's very outgoing and courageous, plus he speaks his mind a lot. He is far from shy and timid, and I especially love the heroics and the battle scenes. But, when it comes down to his looks, I believe he has never looked better than in the 2009 movie!
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Postby sgupta » 14 years ago

I can't yet answer that! The 2009 movie sparked my interest and will always be my "first" Astro Boy...the one that made me fall in love with the character and story and want to eat up all the rest!

I just started on the 2003 series and so far am really loving it (both Japanese and English versions where possible, as they are quite different). After that I plan to view the 80's version (both Japanese and English audio) and then the American 60's version.

I have viewed the pilot of all the series, and here are my initial thoughts, though it will take viewing them all in completion to definitively say which is my favorite of course:

- 2009 movie; brought the character to life for me and was the most fun movie of the year! Love the universe and sparked my interest in Astro Boy and everything else!

- 2003 show; some of the cutest, most fun anime I've seen. I'm really digging it but still early in. Clearly there were some high production values involved - the animation is just beautiful with well written stories, lots of action, and lots of emotion!

- 1980's show; I have a sneaking suspicion this could be my favorite by the end of it. It was the last version Osamu Tezuka himself was involved in, it has quite nice animation, and I've just heard a lot of praise for it.

- 1960's show; Seeing the animation and what they were able to accomplish under such limited resources is amazing. Truly a masterpiece, and I can't wait to see the original early Astro Boy. From the pilot, seeing that early animation and Astro walking the first time gave me chills...

All in all, I think I'm going to find things I love about all incarnations!

I'm also looking forward to reading the manga, and may love that best of all! I'm sure Tezuka can go deeper with some themes than possible with a 30 minute series or a 2 hour movie.

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Postby MegaAstroFan75 » 14 years ago

The movie's not anime, it's CGI.

I'm a 2003 lover, even the dub. Great animation, great voice cast, and I'd have to say I think that's where he looks best, the 2009 was... making him too old. Plus the 2003 version is the only one where the Japanese links are kept. For example kokoro, and especially the fact they call Astro's original body by his correct name of Tobio. Not Toby, but Tobio.

I respect the 80's and 60's versions incredibly strongly, but I don't really like them. 60's isn't dubbed and the 80's dub cut out Atlas' origin with that stupid twp episode fusion (>_>) and Astro's voice was a little too high pitched for my tastes.


So all in all, I like 2003 best. Animation, characters, voices, all top notch. Plus its darker themes involving racism and prejudice, and the truly terrifying Dr. Tenma are very awesome.

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Postby Fauna » 14 years ago

I love both the 1980's and 2003 versions, but the problem with both is all the filler episodes, and occasional stark editing.

In 2003, I love how darkly Tenma is portrayed, and how he takes on a "tragic antagonist" role. The fluid animation, most of the english cast, and re-engineering of the character designs and scenery also made it wonderful.

In 1980, I enjoy it for the nostalgia that drives me back to my early childhood, and the dark yet sometimes cutesy themes. The animation is great, compared to the other anime of its time. Tezuka (and some animators from Lupin III & Macross) had a hand in its production, and this is the best appearance of my favorite Tezuka villain, Skunk.


(Also everyone, that episode edit wasn't the fault of the American studio. Skunk's voice actor, Jay Rath, admits they dubbed the whole two episodes and are confused about how it got edited.)
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Postby Uran-chan » 14 years ago

Both the 1980 and 2003 i really don t like much the 2009 it doesn t get my interest and i don t like Matured Astro i liked astro innocence and childish ness in the 1980 s and 2003 well i admit astro really fit to Cora than Briana in the 2003 series i also hate what they did to Dr tenma :tenma: and Dr Oshay
One of the most thing i don t like the movie is her sister is not there
I Didn t also like hes new enemy the peacemaker or keeper i forgot.....
and the He isn t powered by the Kokoro or the heart thing in his cheast in the 2003
i liked the Kokoral the most more than the Blue Core
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Postby sgupta » 14 years ago

"MegaAstroFan75" wrote:60's isn't dubbed


I might be misunderstanding you, but the 60's version is indeed dubbed (104 episodes, though yes, there are more in Japan that never got dubbed into English unfortunately [or subbed for that matter]).

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Postby Dragara » 14 years ago

2009 all the way baby! XD But yeah, the reasons why I like the movie above all:

1. It was the VERY FIRST thing I saw Astro Boy-related (besides occasional commercials when they played it on Adult Swim) and it just captured my interest and made me love Astro! <3

2. I do love anime and most of it has great animation, and for the most part, I prefer 2D to 3D animation, but I just thought the movie had GORGEOUS animation and character models. And the environments were amazing too. I'm usually not one for for things like cities, but Metro City was beautiful to me.

3. I REALLY like Astro's appearance in this version. I mean, I do like Astro being cute and adorable, and he has his cute moments in the movie, but I just really like him more mature. I mean, the older desgins probably wouldn't have worked (at least not as well as the design they used) for multiple reasons. Mostly, those EYELASHES (imagine those things in 3D >.>). I know that his appearance emphasized that he was young and lovable, and that long eyelashes were much more common in older cartoons (although there are some new characters with really long eyelashes that I like *COUGHSPONGEBOBCOUGH*), but I don't love Astro with them. :/ Also, the huge eyes, bubble shorts (they're so frigging round O.o), and rosy cheeks might not have been as popular with kids today. I definitely would have liked the movie a lot less if they had used something more similar to the older designs. I personally just find the current design more attractive, if you will. 'Cause I truthfully have a little bit-OK, HUGE-crush on 2009 Astro. :wub: He gives real meaning to the song "Astrosexy". XD And yes, I know most of his fans who have been with him since the beginning and what-not probably don't want to think of him as sexy, or something like that, but I do. 'Cause I'm a teenage girl. X3

4. IT INTRODUCED CORA. I know that there are a ton of problems with AstroxCora, but I support it anyway! And you can't stop me! X3

5. The story was just really touching to me. I know some people like to dismiss it as "robot Pinnochio" or whatever, but I see it as so much more than that. And I do admit that, according to what I've read, since I've only seen about the first twenty episodes of the 2003 series (and that was in the totally screwy American order too O.o), the mangas and animes have really good stories as well, what with the happy and playful exterior with lots of underlying problems regarding the real world that make it not just a little kids' show. Tezuka was trying to send important messages out to the world through his creations, I believe. And the movie kept a lot of that. Happy and playful, but with serious and dark overtones. I mean, racism, prejudice, struggling to fit in and find the place where one belongs, all that stuff. It's all there.

6. This was just my most favorite movie of all time. :3
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Postby dannavy85 » 14 years ago

I bet Dragara melts when he droops those eyes.... :heart:

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Postby Dragara » 14 years ago

"dannavy85" wrote:I bet Dragara melts when he droops those eyes.... :heart:

"You are in my power! Melt before my blinding cute-full-ness!


YES. ZOMGSAREAMINDREADERORSOMETHINGGGGGGG?!?! XD
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Sir, we're not putting something that dangerous into something... that dangerous! ~Dr. Tenma, Astro Boy (2009 film)


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