Just in time for the upcoming Astro Boy movie animated movie from Imagi, the classic 1960's anime that started it all will be making its return to DVD, this time in the form of affordable mini-sets. 2 sets, each containing 5 disks, will be released this fall. But they won't be alone! Also set for release at the same time is a mini set for Tezuka's Kimba the White Lion anime.
Each set contains at least 25 episodes and retails for about $50 US. They feature the same remastered footage that was found in the previously released Ultra Edition DVD collections, but will likely not contain any of the special features. These episodes are in English only, so there is no Japanese audio with subtitles, however that can be forgiven in this case because the original Japanese episodes are pretty much impossible for anyone to obtain.
The original release date was going to be September 29th, but now all 3 of these DVD-Mini sets are currently scheduled for release on October 6th. Start saving your pennies now for a major does of retro Tezuka anime this fall from The Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment!
Click the link below for full press releases, including cover art, UPC codes, and all the details on these sets.RIGHT STUF’S NOZOMI ENTERTAINMENT Announces
ASTRO BOY DVD Mini Sets 1 & 2 for October 6, 2009
GRIMES, IA, June 23, 2009 – Anime producer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc. and Nozomi Entertainment are pleased to announce ASTRO BOY DVD Mini Set 1 and ASTRO BOY DVD Mini Set 2 will be released on October 6, 2009.
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.”
Each mini set features episodes from the original 1963 Astro Boy series, as it aired on television, with an English-language audio track.
Visit 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.
About ASTRO BOY
In a future where science fiction is reality, Dr. Boynton creates a super-robot in his deceased son’s image. Named Astro Boy, the robot can swim oceans, leap over mountains and even fly into space – but he can’t replace the doctor’s son. Abandoned and disowned, soon Astro Boy is befriended by Dr. Packadermus J. Elefun of the Institute of Science, and together, they embark upon an amazing adventure. 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!
ASTRO BOY DVD MINI SET 1
Pre-Book: 8/25/2009
Street Date: 10/06/2009
Runtime: Approximately 550 minutes, Mono, Black and White
Genre: Adventure / Sci Fi / Retro Television
Suggested Rating: All Ages
Format: DVD (English Audio)
Catalog #: RSDVD0715
ISBN: 1-57032-773-4
UPC: 7-42617-0715-2-2
SRP: $49.99
Discs/Set: 5
Case Qty: 16
DVD Features:
Contains episodes 1-25 of the original Astro Boy series! Scene access and English-language audio.
* Cover Art: 
ASTRO BOY © Tezuka Production Co., Ltd./Mushi Production Co., Ltd.
ASTRO BOY DVD MINI SET 2
Pre-Book: 8/25/2009
Street Date: 10/06/2009
Runtime: Approximately 594 minutes, Mono, Black and White
Genre: Adventure / Sci Fi / Retro Television
Suggested Rating: All AgesFormat: DVD (English Audio)
Catalog #: RSDVD0727
ISBN: 1-57032-770-X
UPC: 7-42617-0727-2-7
SRP: $49.99
Discs/Set: 5
Case Qty: 16
DVD Features:
Contains episodes 26-52 of the original Astro Boy series! Scene access and English-language audio.
* Cover Art: 
ASTRO BOY © Tezuka Production Co., Ltd./Mushi Production Co., Ltd.
** 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 UsARIA, 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.
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RIGHT STUF’S NOZOMI ENTERTAINMENT Announces
KIMBA: THE WHITE LION DVD Mini Set 1 for October 6, 2009
GRIMES, IA, June 23, 2009 – Anime producer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc. and Nozomi Entertainment are pleased to announce the KIMBA: THE WHITE LION DVD Mini Set 1 will be released on October 6, 2009.
“truly worth watching” – Anime News Network
“Justifiably beloved by many” – Anime on DVD at Mania.com
The mini set features the first 25 episodes of Kimba: The White Lion, as it aired on television in the United States, with remastered video (from the previous Ultra Edition collection) and an English-language audio track.
From Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Astro Boy and one of Japanese animation’s great pioneers, Kimba: The White Lion was one of the first anime classics to air on American television, in the 1960s, and the very first Japanese animated series to be broadcast in color.
Visit kimba.rightstuf.com for more information about Kimba and to view the trailer and download desktop wallpapers.
About KIMBA: THE WHITE LION
Kimba's enchanting adventures of friendship, jungle survival and harmony return… Ready to be introduced to a whole new generation of fans! Join Kimba along with his pals Pauly the Parrot, Daniel Baboon, and a charming assortment of other loveable characters, as he follows in the footsteps of his late father, the great lion king, making the jungle a safer, better place for everyone to live. Each masterfully restored episode is presented in order according to Osamu Tezuka's original storyline. Contains episodes 1-25 of the original Kimba series!
KIMBA: THE WHITE LION DVD MINI SET 1
Pre-Book: 8/25/2009
Street Date: 10/06/2009
Runtime: Approximately 550 minutes, Mono, Color
Genre: Adventure / Retro Television
Suggested Rating: All Ages
Format: DVD (English Audio)
Catalog #: RSDVD0716
ISBN: 1-57032-774-2
UPC: 7-42617-0716-2-1
SRP: $49.99
Discs/Set: 5
Case Qty: 16
DVD Features:
Scene access and English-language audio.
* Cover Art: 
KIMBA © Tezuka Production Co., Ltd./Mushi Production Co., Ltd.
** 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 and ARIA, 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.
Source: ToonZone - TV Shows on DVD
Monday, June 29, 2009
60's Astro & Kimba DVD Mini-Sets This Fall
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Astro Boy 2003 DVD Singles Delayed
Gasp! Oh no! Whatever shall we do? The effortless repackaging of Sony's 2003 Astro Boy anime on single DVDs has been delayed from its originally scheduled August 18 release date.
While a new date has not been officially announced, a distributor is currently listing September 15 as the day these disks will go on sale.
Anyway, don't expect the delay to be because of any legitimate reason, like adding the original Japanese audio or resorting the full picture to widescreen. It's more likely they are just delaying these disks to gain better market positioning for the upcoming animated movie by Imagi.
Thanks to TV Shows on DVD, we have a look at the front and back cover art for these disks. I've mirrored the images right here in the link below. As you can see, the specs indicated that there is no Japanese audio, no widescreen, and thus there shall be no buys from this ninja. Oh well.
Click for larger views.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Soaring to New Heights
A great new article about the upcoming Astro Boy animated movie from Imagi has hit the web. It seems to have a unique focus meant for readers in Brazil and Argentina.
There is some discussion of how dark the movie is going to be, the challenges in getting it right, and some of the technical issues used in bringing Astro Boy to the world of animated film.
You can read "Animation to soar to new heights with 'Astro Boy'" on Google News or click the link below for an archived version right here.Animation to soar to new heights with 'Astro Boy'
By Paula Bustamante
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Astro Boy, the mythical Japanese cartoon character that has captivated generations of young people worldwide, will come out this year as an animated film by British director David Bowers.
"Without a doubt, this experience has been one of greater creative freedom. A lot of my robots, for example, were inspired by pre-Colombian characters," said Luis Grane, the film's Argentine character designer.
The animated feature is based on the popular Japanese cartoon series by Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989), known as the "god of manga" in its heyday in the 1960s.
"The biggest challenge with recreating Astro Boy was the protagonist, because he had to meet the approval of not only the director, but also Tezuka's son," said Grane, who worked for six years at US film studio DreamWorks before collaborating on "Spider-Man 2," "The Matrix" and animation powerhouse Pixar's "Ratatouille."
"Without a doubt, Astro Boy required more time. We had to negotiate with Tezuca's people, the size, the clothes, everything," added Grane, who jokingly did not rule out creating a cartoon in the future on Argentine football star Diego Maradona, known as the "Hand of God."
The Astro Boy film is being crafted at Imagi Animation studios on the outskirts of Los Angeles, where a few scenes were shown to reporters from the project, the largest animated feature undertaking since "TMNT," the 2007 Ninja Turtles blockbuster.
Bowers, of "Flushed Away" fame, said the feature, which debuts on October 23 in the United States and between January and February 2010 in Argentina and Brazil, follows the original story.
"With Astro Boy we're being really faithful to the story, we're working with Macoto Tezuka, Osamu Tezuka's son, who we brought on to make sure we're doing everything right," Bowers said.
"To me it's a family film and like a lot of family films has darker elements, because the story of Astro Boy is pretty sad and dark.
"We worked very, very hard to make sure that it was emotionally, dramatically terrific and as well to be respectful with this important Icon for the Japanese culture."
While Bowers and Timothy Harris took just six weeks to complete the screenplay, production has been underway since 2007 in co-operation with hundreds of animators in Hong Kong, who help the team work 24 hours a day.
Like Grane, Spain's Pepe Valencia joined Imagi Animation in 2007 to work exclusively on "Astro Boy," for which he serves as director of photography.
"With fewer technological resources than the major studios, 'Astro Boy' allowed me to create my own style, my own visual language to help bring the same rhythm as an action film, said Valencia, who headed digital design for "The Polar Express," "Monster House" and "Superman."
The cinematographer's technical acumen is on display in "Astro Boy," with scenes showing the protagonist flying at full speed, facing villains or disappearing in the skies, all executed with camera movements often facilitated by meticulous computer work.
"I have not been inspired by anything or anyone in particular. I just wanted to test my new experiences and techniques learned on the job," said Valencia, who is launching his own preview film studio.
The film recounts the beginnings of the boy robot with human feelings who undertakes a journey in search of his identity before returning to futuristic Metro City to reconcile with his estranged creator, genius scientist Tenma, who is voiced by Nicolas Cage.
Joining Cage in the cast are Kirsten Bell (Cora), Nathan Lane (Ham Egg), Donald Sutherland (General Stone) and 17-year-old Freddie Highmore, known for his title role in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," as Astro Boy.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
High Voltage Astro Game Interview
Here is a great video interview from E3 with a producer from High Voltage Software, who is talking about the upcoming Astro Boy video game, which is set for release this fall from D3 Publisher.
There is a fair bit of detail about the game's features, inspirations, and challenge level here. One thing that's quite interesting is that Astro will have the ability to absorb his enemies' projectiles, which he uses to heal himself.
Check out the video below! Thanks to TRUEGAMEHEADZ!
Source: Nintendo Raw
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Dr. Tenma
Hey, today was Father's day, after all.
Dr. Tenma is the scientist who created Astro to replace his dead son. He's portrayed differently in different versions of the story. Sometimes he is a cruel father who purposely abandons Astro after realizing that a robot can never replace a human child. Other times he is shown in a more regretful light, accidentally losing Astro after getting frustrated with him. In the 2003 anime series, Tenma is the main villain, and a very over-the-top one at that. His portrayal develops into a truly crazed mad scientist who wants robots to conquer the world, and wants Astro to lead them. He even plays the pipe organ in his secret lab! That's pretty evil right there.
It is said that in the upcoming CG animated movie from Imagi, the story is set up so that Dr. Tenma doesn't come across as that bad, and will have a more sympathetic tone in his portrayal. So I wouldn't expect any pipe-organs in that (though they could surprise us, I suppose).
My personal favorite portrail of Dr. Tenma is the "Astro Boy: Omega Factor" video game for Game Boy Advance. In it, Tenma starts out as something of a mysterious villain who makes Astro fight other robots, but eventually Astro discovers that Tenma abandoned him because he knew that Astro was destined for greater things, to act as the bridge between robots and humanity, going much further than just acting as a replacement for his dead son. But you'll have to play the game to see how that happens!
You can read more about Dr. Tenma on Wikipedia.
What is your favorite take on Dr. Tenma? Should he be a misunderstood genius who made a mistake, a mean old scientist who doesn't care about his own creation, or a crazy supervillain who wants to see the world burn? Perhaps you'd like to see other takes on the character. I'm interested in reading what you thinj, so hit up the comment section below and leave your feedback!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
New Astro Movie Images
Two new images of the upcoming CGI Astro Boy movie from Imagi have hit the Internet in a big way. Click for a closer look.
Here's a close up of Astro trying out his arm cannons.
And here we see the Peacekeeper, looking like he's crashing President Stone's press conference.
It's looking good!
Source: Sci-Fi Wire
Tezuka's Dark Masterpieces
I recently stumbled upon this great article about two of Osamu Tezuka's darker, more adult works of manga, Apollo's Song and MW. It's a great introduction to who Tezuka was and to the nature of these mature stories, which have now become available in English.
The article is from last year and for some reason has only now popped up on my radar, so it's a little outdated. No matter because the information within it is a great read.
Check out "Dark Masterpieces: Classic Works by Tezuka Now Emerge in English" on creators.com or click the link below to read an archived version.Dark Masterpieces: Classic Works by Tezuka Now Emerge in English
Osamu Tezuka played such a central role in Japanese comic books (manga) and animation (anime) that he is often called the Asian Walt Disney. Tezuka himself cited "Bambi" and other Disney works as inspiration, while his most famous creation, "Astro Boy" (1952-68), bears an uncanny resemblance to Mickey Mouse.
Fair enough. But if you pick up either "MW" or "Apollo's Song," both among this year's Eisner Award nominees, don't expect "Snow White" or "Little Mermaid" with a Japanese accent.
Instead, expect a revelation. Read separately or together, these graphic novels make a case for Tezuka as Disney's superior in producing page-turners that are also provocative morality tales.
Tezuka (1928-1989) died almost 20 years ago, but the bulk of this prolific artist's work has yet to be translated into English. His dozens of manga series ran the gamut from science fiction to historical epics, from works aimed at children to the risque "Cleopatra: Queen of Sex." His eight-volume "Buddha" is a triumphant master class in how to weave religious themes into a suspenseful, fast-moving biography. He could be a man of his times in the worst ways: The "African" characters in his early works are embarrassments — and in the best: His World War II childhood informs the five-volume "Adolf," a fierce critique of Japan in the 1930s and '40s.
But Tezuka could also be ahead of his time, as we see in "MW," written between 1976 and 1978, but only now published in English translation. Father Garai is a Tokyo-based Catholic priest with a male lover, Michio Yuki, a bank executive who moonlights as a mass murderer. Garai is guilt-stricken about betraying his vows of celibacy — but even more by his inability to halt his lover's crimes, which may be rooted in nerve damage caused when both men were exposed to a chemical weapon, MW.
"MW" is as melodramatic as a soap opera, but one told with Dickensian sweep. Chapters delve into office intrigue, party politics, Shinto ceremonies, Catholic theology and love affairs, both straight and gay. Garai, wavering between duty and desire, is a complex character, at once frustrating and sympathetic.
While Tezuka is often lauded for his universalism, "MW" also reflects the resurgent nationalism that led many to question Japan's subservience to the United States.
The chemical weapon of the title is stockpiled on Japanese soil by Nation X "to inflict mass casualties in Vietnam and Laos." At the story's climax, Yuki steals MW and hijacks a jet, intending to kill millions. Police track Yuki to Nation X's Japanese base, but are turned away by a general whose uniform looks suspiciously American.
"Forget it!" the general snarls. "The base is our jurisdiction! I can't let you enter!"
"Where's our sovereignty!" cries a Japanese detective.
While not as radical in its plot line or politics, "Apollo's Song" will never inspire a Disneyland ride. The book begins with millions of anthropomorphic sperm racing to reach "the queen." This 1970 work is about the long odds against perfect love — and the never-ending quest for the ideal partner.
The son of a bar girl and one of her casual liaisons, Shogo Chikaishi is a sadist who delights in tormenting couples. In a dream, a goddess reveals that Shogo will lose his heart to a woman, but death will prevent the consummation of their love — a fate they will suffer over and over, as they are reincarnated through the ages.
Shogo and his beloved, Hiromi, meet in a Nazi concentration camp. They are castaways on a remote island in present-day Tokyo, and in the not-too-distant future. When Shogo insists he cannot continue loving and losing, the goddess' words reveal that Tezuka sees his doomed characters as bittersweet stand-ins for all of us.
"Thou shalt see her again soon. In every era, in every world, she shall await you."
Vertical is the latest American publisher to sample Tezuka's wares (Dark Horse and Viz are other members in this fraternity). These are handsome editions, most featuring covers designed by Chip Kidd, a graphics guru for books. Earlier this year, Vertical expanded its Tezuka offerings with the first two volumes of "Dororo," a samurai-and-sorcery tale. The final "Dororo" is due next month, while "Black Jack," tales about a renegade doctor, will begin appearing in September.
Tezuka's work has some dated touches, and this may prevent "MW" or "Apollo's Song" from winning Eisners. But for crafting entertaining tales with strong, adult plots and characters, he deserves (and seems to have won) the ultimate prize: an enduring readership.
To find out more about Peter Rowe and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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