Astro Boy Movie Japanese Trailer

Here is the final trailer for the Japanese release of the CG animated Astro Boy movie from Imagi. Whether you speak the language or not, the trailer is pretty clear and easy to follow, and really makes the movie look great. You can tell that the Japanese marketing is more focused on the story instead of the action. Be warned, however, because seeing this trailer after seeing the English trailer might just give away a lot of the movie! Watch out for spoilers!



The Japanese release features the voices of Aya Ueto as Astro and the legendary Megumi Hayashibara as Cora. Also listed as part of the cast are Atsushi Abe (Zane), Mika Kanai (Widget), Shinichiro Miki (Sparx), Kenta Miyake (Robotski), Kenji Utsumi (Ham Egg), Takaya Hashi (President Stone), Rikako Aikawa (Freezer), Yasuyuki Kase (Chief Heckler), Tomohiro Nishimura (Dr. Ochanomizu), Nami Miyahara (Sludge), and Kousei Tomita (Hige-oyaji).

Continue reading "Astro Boy Movie Japanese Trailer"...

Give Black Jack some Color

Black Jack has never been known as a colorful fellow, but that shouldn't stop you from trying to add a splash of color to his story.

The cover designer for Vertical's English language release of the Black Jack manga has opened up a contest to anyone for cover submissions. Pick your colors, lay them out, and you could win yourself a copy of every single volume of Black Jack.

You can read more on Jacket Mechanical, and get a look at what's been done so far on Black Jacket Mechanical. Contest closes September 7th, so get coloring!

Continue reading "Give Black Jack some Color"...

Astro Boy Movie Final Posters

Take a good look at this, the final North American theatrical poster for the Astro Boy movie coming this October from Imagi. It's a cool scene featuring many characters.

And this is the final poster for the Japanese release of the film.


Sources: BSC - Teaser Trailer.com

Continue reading "Astro Boy Movie Final Posters"...

Wired goes behind the scenes with Astro

How awesome is Wired Magazine?

You have got to check out this incredible article on Wired.com covering the upcoming Astro Boy movie by Imagi. Included are some enlightening production images of the film's process, including preliminary models and sketches.

Plus, we've got this excellent render of Astro with his arm cannons. I know a few readers are going to go crazy over this shot.


But what sticks out most to me is this quote from director David Bowers.

"The first time we met, (Nicolas) Cage went into incredible detail about the '60s version, including the very specific sound Astro's feet make when he walks," Bowers says. "So we went to the Tezuka archive and found the sound effect, and we use it a little bit in our movie as an homage."

Yeah. All of you people out there complaining about Nicolas Cage being in this movie can now go ahead and get real. Nic Cage gave us fanwank.

You can read "Astro Boy Gets the Hollywood-Blockbuster Treatment" on Wired.com or click the link below for a loosely archived version of the article and the unique pictures originally presented with it.

Astro Boy—the beloved '60s Japanese anime series—is launching on the big screen on October 23! Woo ... wait a minute. Haven't we been here before? The Technicolor hemorrhage that was Speed Racer recently taught us that anime doesn't necessarily benefit from the Hollywood-blockbuster treatment.

Astro Boy, however, promises to be different. For starters, it's not live-action; it's CG produced by Imagi Studios, Hong Kong's version of Pixar. The company's founder, Francis Kao, not only secured the movie rights but also hired the son of Astro Boy creator (and god of manga) Osamu Tezuka as a creative consultant. "I was encouraged to expand on the universe," says the flick's director, David Bowers. "But at its core the movie is still faithful to the original." Case in point: Our favorite rocket tyke sports a windbreaker and slacks (good-bye red undies and go-go boots), but his original powers (x-ray vision and turbo butt) remain unchanged.

Even Nicolas Cage, who voices scientist Dr. Tenma, was a stickler for accuracy. "The first time we met, Cage went into incredible detail about the '60s version, including the very specific sound Astro's feet make when he walks," Bowers says. "So we went to the Tezuka archive and found the sound effect, and we use it a little bit in our movie as an homage." We hear that.

Behind the Scenes Slideshow

Get ready for Astro Boy. They call him the Mickey Mouse of Japan, and this fall American audiences will get a chance to see the iconic anime character on the big screen in an English-language movie.

The film, set for an October 23 release, features a big-powered voice cast, including Freddie Highmore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) along with Samuel L. Jackson, Charlize Theron, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Eugene Levy, and Donald Sutherland.

But make no mistake: Astro Boy himself is the star. Created by Osamu Tezuka as a manga comic book character in1951, the boy robot hooked more fans when he starred in a 1963 TV series. Inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame in 2004 and immortalized on Japanese postage stamps, Astro Boy, complete with a high-crested haircut, jet-powered boots, and mighty cannon arms, commands center stage in director David Bowers' adaptation.

Here's a look at Astro Boy in the making.

Production designers developed the film's look by borrowing from architect Isamu Noguchi. His abstract works inspired the filmmakers to use simple shapes that they then brought to life through advanced computer lighting, texturing, and modeling techniques.



This pencil sketch captures the essence of Astro Boy as imagined by director David Bowers, who made Hugh Jackman's animated rat movie Flushed Away.




Renderings were produced by Hong Kong-based animation outfit Imagi Studios. Founder Francis Kao said, "We worked very closely with Tezuka Productions and with the creator’s son, Macoto Tezka, to ensure we got everything right.”







Cartoon characters with saucer-shaped eyes didn't start with anime. In the course of prepping the film, Bowers learned that Tezuka was influenced by Disney's Pinocchio character.

The sickly green background is no surprise: Astro Boy inhabits a world in which pollution has ruined Earth's atmosphere.



Animators for Astro Boy drew inspiration from 19th-century woodblock artist Katsushika Hokusai, whose landscapes eliminated visual clutter in favor of a stripped-down image.

Continue reading "Wired goes behind the scenes with Astro"...

Hot Toys' Astro Vinyl + Collectible Figures

A good detailed look at non-final versions of the exciting products from Hot Toys based on the Astro Boy CG movie can be found here.

Shown at the right, we now know that the diorama figure is 12.5 inches tall, has some limited articulation, and is made of vinyl. This figure is looking like a real winner.

And here are the specs for the other product, the fully articulated Astro Boy collectible figure.

- Approximately 9 inches tall
- Over 22 points of articulation
- 2 sets of interchangeable posing hands
- Open chest with positive "blue" energy inside
- Battery-operated illuminated eyes for X-ray vision mode
- Interchangeable arm cannons
- Interchangeable rocket boots
- Figure display base featured with Astro Boy movie logo.

The final products are subject to change, but these shots really show off that they are on the right track and set to do some great things with the Astro Boy movie license.

Continue reading "Hot Toys' Astro Vinyl + Collectible Figures"...

And I shall call it... Mini Manga

Ever wish you had more room to store and display your ever expanding collection of manga? Well, you could get a new book shelf, but here is a much more unique solution to the problem. Just buy smaller manga! Much smaller!


This extensive collection of manga volumes by Osamu Tezuka includes titles such as Black Jack, Phoenix, and Jungle Emperor, and each book is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand while still being readable.


This set includes 200 comic books measuring at 50mm x 68mm. There is even a bookcase to hold them all.


You can purchase the Osamu Tezuka Mini Manga Collection at Japan Trend Shop for the price of $1,113 US. It's a lot of money but it's a cool collectible and a quick, easy way to obtain a bunch of Japanese Tezuka manga all at once. They've even got a video showing a person reading one of these tiny books.

Mr. Bigglesworth not included.

Continue reading "And I shall call it... Mini Manga"...

Astro Bread

Here is an interesting find. It's a commercial for what seems to be some kind of bread in China, and there is an Astro Boy movie promotion going on.



This was uploaded on YouTube by tongmanhongz. Through the miracle of Babelfish, we can translate the Chinese text description into English and open the door towards more information!

The big prize on 4th 3 night of Osaka Atongmu roam the travel company “the hand tomb to govern the insect museum” the admission ticket two prizes to limit the quantity collects the Atongmu model coverall three prizes in October, 2009 brand-new Atongmu CG animation big movie ticket Garden

Oh yeah! I can't wait for the Atongmu CG animation! Then I will use the hand tomb to govern the insect museum!

Clearly, the translation is slightly inelegant. Amusing though.

Continue reading "Astro Bread"...

Video Game Video Coverage + Release Date

Found some cool videos featuring the upcoming Astro Boy video game. First is an interview with High Voltage producer Cameron Rains.



And here is a video with Freddie Highmore and Kristen Bell talking about reprising their film roles for the game. This video originally comes the Astro Boy Video Game Facebook page. I uploaded a copy to my YouTube account simply for the sake of posterity.



We also have an actual release date: October 20th, 2009. Three full days before the release of the movie, you can play the game.

Continue reading "Video Game Video Coverage + Release Date"...

Astro Movie Comic Adaptation #1 Preview

The first issue of the comic book adaptation of the upcoming animated Astro Boy movie will be released this week on August 19th, by IDW. You can see the retailer incentive cover version on the right.

Thanks to USA Today, you can check out an exclusive preview of the first 10 pages of the issue.

The artwork by E.J. Su looks absolutely awesome and totally full of personality. Ban Shunsaku aka Mustachio makes an appearance! Sharp eyed readers will spot several cameos from other Tezuka characters as well. I'm not sure if these will be in the movie too or if they're just fun Easter eggs for the comic, but either way it's totally cool.

I only read the first 5 pages because I don't want to spoil too much of the movie. But I really like what I'm seeing thus far.

Continue reading "Astro Movie Comic Adaptation #1 Preview"...

Astro Party!

Thanks once again to the incredible Felix Ip, take a look at the recent party held at the Imagi HQ in Hong Kong after completing their work on the CG animated Astro Boy movie.

That totally cool shirt is the Crew Tee based on one of Felix's paintings.

Congratulations to everyone at Imagi for overcoming all obstacles and finishing a movie that has already got a lot of people buzzing with anticipation!

Continue reading "Astro Party!"...

Comic Con 2009 Wrap Up

Now that the dust has settled and all the news and reports about the upcoming CG Animated Astro Boy movie from Imagi to come from the 2009 San Deigo Comic Con seem to be out there, I'm creating this post to act as a hub to all the previous posts regarding the event. It was a crazy time with lots of news and interviews to be found, so this should serve as an easy way for everyone to catch up on everything in one spot.

Click the link below for the entire list of Astro Boy movie coverage from Comic Con!

Astro Movie @ Comic Con 2009 - First news about the Astro-related convention panels.

San Diego Comic Con Coverage - Reports on the Astro Boy panel, including first confirmation that Sam Jackson and Charlize Theron are in the movie.

Video Coverage from Comic Con - Video interviews with Freddie Highmore and Kristen Bell. But mostly Kristen Bell.

David Bowers Interview from Comic Con - The director speaks on making the movie and setting its tone.

Freddie at Comic Con on Video - Astro's voice Freddie Highmore speaks at his very first Comic Con.

Breakfast With Imagi - Important Imagi folks sit and talk about the Astro movie's production.

More Comic Con Interviews - Freddy and Kristen talk on video.

Even more Comic Con Interviews. - Links to some really detailed interviews with Freddie, Kristen, and director David Bowers.

Again, more Comic Con Interviews - Kristen Bell speaks on video about the movie's social messages.

Please let me know if I missed anything important!

Continue reading "Comic Con 2009 Wrap Up"...

Astro Boy Video Game Interview @ Examiner

High Voltage Software producer Cameron Rains recently answered some questions about the upcoming Astro Boy Video Game with Examiner.com. Here's a sample:

Prior to working on Astro Boy: The Video game, I had spent a recreational amount of time with Tezuka’s manga as well as the Treasure GameBoy Advance title, Astro Boy: Omega factor. From reading the manga, I always thought that Astro would make a great game character and Treasure’s title definitely drove that point home. The team was really inspired by the film and especially the manga to create a fun, intuitive game with a strong replay value and amazing characters.

Check out the entire interview here.

There are some good questions but I think that we can do better! There are a few days left to get in your questions about the Astro Boy video game for an interview right here on AstroBoy World. Don't miss this excellent opportunity!

Continue reading "Astro Boy Video Game Interview @ Examiner"...

Theatrical Trailer Online!

Here it is, folks! The much talked about complete theatrical trailer, first shown in uncompleted form at the San Diego Comic Con, has hit the Internet.

The trailer is available exclusively on MSN Video, but there is no option to embed that version here. Luckily, someone on YouTube seems to have an official copy. Hopefully it'll stay online!

I'll say no more. Just watch!



Thanks to all the billions of people who sent me the news! I hope you liked it as much as I do!

Continue reading "Theatrical Trailer Online!"...

EXCLUSIVE! Your Questions on the Astro Boy Video Game!

UPDATE: Questions have been sent!

All right, Astro-fans! Consider this a call to arms!

I've got the opportunity to make a list of questions about the upcoming Astro Boy Video Game and have them sent to be answered by one of the game's producers. But I'm not going to hog this privilege to myself!

So I am asking you, the fans and readers of AstroBoy World to make this list of questions the best it ca be!

Send in your questions about the Astro Boy video game to Astroboy @ SykoGrafix.com with "Video Game Question" in the subject line. I will pick the best questions, gather them together, and send them off to my contact who will (hopefully) have them answered by a producer. I'll share the results with all of you here!

A few points to consider.

• Questions about the game only, no suggestions. It's a little late for suggestions at this point.
• Please send your questions via e-mail only! Not by leaving a comment here on the site.
  
• Take a look through the "Games" tag here on this site to familiarize yourself on what we know about the game at this point, so they you can ask a really good question that isn't already answered.
• Try not to ask any questions that obviously can't be answered, including serious spoilers.
  
• There are no guarantees that your question will be selected, and even if it is, there are no guarantees that it'll be answered at all. But, we're going to give it a try!
• Don't have a question? Help spread the word! Ask your friends, post on anime and video game message boards, and get as many other people you can in on the action.
  

Don't delay! Get in your questions as soon as you can. I hope to have enough good questions to send in about a week. Get cracking!

Click the link below to read the Astro Boy video game Fact Sheet.

ASTRO BOY: THE VIDEO GAME

FACT SHEET

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
In ASTRO BOY: THE VIDEO GAME, players become the iconic hero, Astro Boy, and take to the streets and skies on an epic adventure to save Metro City from the clutches of the evil President Stone and his robot army. Utilizing Astro’s entire arsenal of iconic weapons and abilities, players will battle hordes of fearsome foes including some never-before-seen enemies across Metro City and the mysterious Surface. Using an intuitive combat system that adds depth to gameplay, players will experience classic platform action and exhilarating flight combat levels as they use Astro’s unique rocket boosters to hover, avoid enemies and zip out of the way of danger. ASTRO BOY: THE VIDEO GAME offers numerous unlockable and collectible elements as players live the story solo or side by side with a friend in 2 player co-op mode. ASTRO BOY, the new CG-animated movie from Imagi Studios, blasts off into theatres everywhere on October 23, 2009 from Summit Entertainment.

KEY FEATURES:

• Become Astro Boy – Play as Astro Boy, the beloved character from the feature film and classic anime and interact with the much loved characters from the movie universe.
• Experience Astro Boy’s Iconic Weapons – Use Astro’s entire arsenal of iconic weapons and abilities— Strength, Flight, Finger Lasers, Arm Cannon, Butt Machine Guns and Drill Attacks.
• Unique 2 ½-D Graphics and Gameplay – Experience classic platform action and exhilarating flight combat that pit players against waves of enemies.
• Battle Fearsome Foes – Battle hordes of robot enemies and colossal bosses including some never-before-seen enemies across Metro City and the mysterious Surface.
• Two Player Co-op Mode – Live the story side-by-side with a friend in 2 player co-op mode for Wii™ and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.
• Numerous Collectible Items – The game offers numerous unlockable and collectible elements that include exclusive artwork, different versions of Astro to unlock and more.

ASTRO BOY, the new CG-animated movie from Imagi Studios, blasts off into theatres everywhere on October 23, 2009 from Summit Entertainment


Publisher: D3Publisher

Platforms: Wii, PlayStation 2 system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and Nintendo DS™

Developers:
● Wii, PlayStation 2 system, and PSP system versions created by High Voltage Software
● Nintendo DS version created by Art Co Ltd

Release Date: October 2009

Continue reading "EXCLUSIVE! Your Questions on the Astro Boy Video Game!"...

Again, more Comic Con Interviews

There sure have been a lot of these!

I'm doing my best to keep up with all the news on the upcoming CG animated Astro Boy movie by Imagi that has been coming out of Comic Con. There is really only so much that can be said at this point without sounding repetitive. Still, we get some new insight in this video interview from ReelzChannel with Kristen Bell, who talks about the ecological and social messages of the film.

Astro Boy Kristen Bell | Movie Trailers

I like the sound of this because it's very true to Tezuka's own viewpoints that he put in his stories without being blatant and hitting the audience over the head with them.

Also, MoviesOnline has a trio of interviews on the film. One with Freddie Highmore, one with Kristen Bell, and one with the two of them both together, (which is unfortunately mis-titled).

Continue reading "Again, more Comic Con Interviews"...

Astro by Hot Toys

If you are not familiar with Hot Toys, you are in for a surprise. They have created some of the most incredible high-end collectible action figures ever, featuring franchises like The Dark Knight, Iron Man, and Terminator. We're talking amazingly sculpted likenesses, tons of detail, and extra bonus accessories to add to the display value.

It was announced some time ago that Hot Toys would be working with the Astro Boy movie license, and now we've got our first look at what is in store. Hot Toys had a display at the Hong Kong Ani-Comi show, and Astro was there! Do keep in mind that the products shown in this image are not necessarily the what the final product will look like.

On the left is an articulated Astro figure with different attachments, including arm cannon, different hands, and removable boot blasts. On the right is a diorama of the suspended Astro before activation. Both of these products took stellar.

See more images at TOYSREVIL!

Continue reading "Astro by Hot Toys"...

Behind the Scenes at Imagi

Missed out on posting this until now due to all the Comic-Con news, but now all of that's cooled off so I can give this video the attention it deserves.

Thanks to Cinemovie.tv, here is a special behind the scenes look at the Astro Boy animated movie, directly within the Imagi's Los Angeles base of operations.



Only a little bit of new information, and some of the facts are wrong, but still cool to see the place where the film is coming together. Not to mention the packaged samples of new Astro Boy action figures!

Continue reading "Behind the Scenes at Imagi"...