Astro Boy: The Beginning on DVD

To coincide with the Astro Boy animated movie set for release this fall, The Right Stuf will be coming out with a special DVD containing the first 5 episodes of the original 1960's Astro Boy anime.

The episodes included are:

1. Birth of Astro Boy,
2. Colosso
3. Expedition to Mars
4. The Sphinx
5. Cross Island.

This DVD will be available on October 6th. Click the link below to read the entire press release.

NOZOMI ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES ASTRO BOY: THE BEGINNING DVD FOR OCTOBER 6, 2009

Thursday, 16 July 2009
Right Stuf announcing the release of Astro Boy: The Beginning. - contains five original Astro Boy Episodes

GRIMES, IA, July 16, 2009 – Anime producer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc. and Nozomi Entertainment are pleased to announce the ASTRO BOY: THE BEGINNING DVD will be released on October 6, 2009.

This DVD single will feature the first five episodes of the original 1963 Astro Boy series, as it aired on television, with an English-language audio track.

One of the “50 Best Anime Ever”
“as entertaining now as when it first aired”
- Anime Insider

Based on Osamu Tezuka’s acclaimed manga (comic), Astro Boy was both the first modern, 25-minutes-per-episode anime series created specifically for television and the first anime series to air on TV in the United States, during the 1960s. The original boy-robot continues to be an icon to fans wordwide and also inspired the new CG-animated Astro Boy movie, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 23, 2009.

Frederik L. Schodt – Order of the Rising Sun recipient and author of The Astro Boy Essays: Osamu Tezuka, Mighty Atom, and the Manga/Anime Revolution – describes the series’ everlasting appeal among fans of all ages:

“It all started with Astro Boy. By animating his hugely popular “Mighty Atom” manga in 1963, Osamu Tezuka created the template for Japan's modern and gargantuan manga/anime industry. Today the series is still entertaining, charming, and fascinating for the sophistication of its ideas. But it also reveals how the anime boom began, and is a must-watch for all true anime fans.”

Visit astroboy.rightstuf.com for more information about Astro Boy and to view the trailer, download desktop wallpapers, and listen to an interview with Mr. Schodt about the significance of Dr. Tezuka’s works worldwide, the differences between the Astro Boy manga and its anime adaptations, and Tezuka’s relationship with his best-known creation.

ASTRO BOY: THE BEGINNING

The original boy-robot with 100,000 horsepower strength and courage! Endowed with super strength, rocket-powered flight, a selfless heart and a kind demeanor, Astro Boy fights a never-ending crusade against the forces of evil! Contains episodes 1-5 of the original Astro Boy series: 1. Birth of Astro Boy, 2. Colosso, 3. Expedition to Mars, 4. The Sphinx, and 5. Cross Island.

ASTRO BOY: THE BEGINNING DVD
Pre-Book: 8/25/2009
Street Date: 10/06/2009
Runtime: Approximately 110 minutes, Mono, Black and White
Genre: Adventure / Sci Fi / Retro Television
Suggested Rating: All Ages

Format: DVD (English Audio)
Catalog #: RSDVD0999
ISBN: 1-57032-780-7
UPC: 7-42617-0999-2-2
SRP: $12.99

Discs/Set: 1
Case Qty: 30

DVD Features:
Scene access and English-language audio.

* Cover Art: http://outgoing.rightstuf.com/sleeves/rsdvd0999.jpg
ASTRO BOY © Tezuka Production Co., Ltd./Mushi Production Co., Ltd.
* To view this image, cut and paste the URL into your Web browser.

** Product specifications and content may be subject to change.

ABOUT RIGHT STUF, INC.
Currently celebrating its 21st year in business, Right Stuf, Inc. was one of the first players in the U.S. Japanese Animation ("anime") industry, as both an anime producer/distributor and a retailer. Right Stuf works to promote knowledge of its own products, as well as the anime and manga industry, in general, through its online storefront at RightStuf.com and a variety of media including podcasts and special publications.

Nozomi Entertainment, Right Stuf’s production division, is dedicated to the highest quality releases. True to the Japanese word that inspired its name, Nozomi’s focus is on “what fans want.” By focusing on a limited number of anime properties each year, the Nozomi production team ensures each release receives the care and attention to detail it deserves.

From anime classics like Astro Boy, Kimba and Gigantor to modern comedies, dramas and favorites such as The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, His and Her Circumstances, Gravitation, Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, Ninja Nonsense, To Heart, The Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye, Emma: A Victorian Romance, Maria Watches Over Us, ARIA and Gakuen Alice, Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment produce quality programming for fans of all ages and interests. For more information, visit www.rightstuf.com and www.nozomient.com.