Astro Boy: The Complete Series

For many children of the '60s, the original Astro Boy was their first exposure to anime. In 2003, legendary animator Osamu Tezuka's iconic character was powered up to thrill a new generation, and happily, Astro Boy did not undergo an extreme makeover. He still has those saucer eyes, the Bob's Big Boy-physique, and retro-rocket-fueled jet boots. His scientist mentor, Dr. O'Shay, also seems his old self, having avoided any rhinoplasty to reduce his inflated proboscis. Astro Boy is still an innocent in a futuristic world where people and robots warily coexist, but unlike other robots, Astro Boy experiences human emotions. "Every robot has a purpose," he is told, and as this series unfolds, he will discover he has two: as a superhero and as a peacemaker between humans and robots. In the episode "Into Thin Air," for example, Astro teaches an unwitting wayward robot the difference between right and wrong. Dr. O'Shay and Astro Boy's nemesis is the evil Dr. Tenma, who created Astro Boy in the image of his late son but then abandoned him, a backstory that's played out in the episodes "Atlas" and "Astro vs. Atlas." Tenma also creates other criminal robot adversaries for the heroic Astro Boy. Richly animated, each episode has plenty of action, as well as thoughtful reflection on what it means to be human. Fans of this short-lived series will thrill to the prospect of seeing the 29 episodes (of the 50 compiled here) that didn't air in the United States, including the moving final episode, which reconciles Astro Boy with Dr. Tenma. Unfortunately, this DVD set--suitable for 8-up--is in English (no original Japanese track), with no extras beyond a "making-of" featurette. Recommended. Aud: P. (D. Liebenson)