The 1963 black & white version of Astroboy was the first anime to cross the Pacific and penetrate American television. It was highly successful as it drew the highest ratings at that time. It was later taken off the air in 1966 as it completed its 104 episode run (193 episodes in Japan) and was losing its popularity due to its non-colour and "depressing" themes and story lines. In 1980 however, Astroboy was reborn in Japan and was brought back to North America in 1982 in a 51 episode colour series (52 episodes in Japan).
It is the year 2030. A brilliant robotics engineer creates a robotic boy with robotic powers in the image of his own dead son. The show examines the robotic boy's adventures as he comes to terms with living among humans.
Astro Boy (2003) tells the story of a youthful robot boy - Astro -modeled after the deceased son of a research scientist, Dr. Tenma. Originally intended to be kept a secret, the atomic-powered robot becomes a reluctant superhero who fights for justice and peace for humans and robots alike. Created in Metro City he lives among a 'retro-futuristic' society populated by humans and robots. His creator Dr. Tenma, head of the Ministry of Science, builds Astro in his son's image. Astro never can fill the void that Dr. Tenma feels over the loss of his son. Astro Boy (2004) is a show that you can't miss. Tenma shuts down Astro, burns down the Ministry of Science and flees. Some time later, Astro is discovered by Dr. O'Shay, the new head of the Ministry. Dr. O'Shay takes in Astro and serves as his mentor. Driven by the belief that robots and humans should be friends, Dr. O'Shay is Astro's greatest ally. He provides Astro with a home, enrolls him in school and creates a robot family for him. Astro possesses superb strength, including jet-rocket feet and arms that allow him to fly at extreme speeds. However, the secret to his victories is not his super-powers; the quality that makes him superior to other robots is his artificial brain, the most advanced in the world. This unique quality, termed kokoro in Japanese, allows Astro to experience all of the same emotions as humans. He's clever, resourceful and has a strong sense of justice, always attempting to reason with his adversaries. Mankind's only hope of surviving the onslaught of rebellious robots is a robot himself...the fearless, selfless, incorruptible champion known as Astro. In his quest for peace and justice, Astro often goes it alone, but he is occasionally aided by his robot sister or even rebel robots that he is able to enlist. Astro also has human friends from school who often become entangled in his conflicts. Astro Boy (2004) is produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Tobio Tenma is a gifted 13-year-old boy who lives in Metro City, a futuristic city-state that floats above the polluted surface of earth. Tobi's father, Dr. Tenma, is a famous roboticist and head of the Ministry of Science, but has a distant relationship with Tobi. Dr. Tenma meets the city's obstructive leader President Stone to demonstrate a new defensive robot called the Peacekeeper. To power it, Tenma's friend Dr. Elefun unveils the Blue and Red Cores, two energy spheres which emit opposing positive and negative energy. Against the scientists' warnings, Stone, desperate to win a re-election, loads the Red Core into the Peacekeeper, causing it to go berserk and Tobi, who snuck into the room, is accidentally disintegrated by the Peacekeeper before it can be shut down.
