This version originally premiered on Fuji TV, on New Year's Day 1963, but was eventually moved to the NHK network. It was the first anime to be broadcast outside Japan. It lasted for three seasons, with a total of 193 episodes. At its height it was watched by 40% of the Japanese population that had access to a TV. In 1964 there was a feature-length animated movie called Hero of Space released in Japan. It was an anthology of three episodes; The Robot Spaceship, Last Day on Earth and Earth Defense Squadron. The latter two were a special treat for Japanese fans since the theatrical versions were filmed in color.
For the English version, the producers, NBC Enterprises, were forced to abandon a literal translation of the name "Mighty Atom" due to potential legal threats from DC Comics, who already had a superhero comic by that name. They settled ultimately on "Astro Boy." Of the 193 episodes created in the series, 104 were adapted into the English version by Fred Ladd. The manga was not translated into English until Dark Horse Comics published it in the 2000s, although Gold Key Comics published an unauthorized version in the United States.
Billie Lou Watt — Astro Boy/Astro Girl/Mother
Ray Owens — Dr. Elefun/Dr. Boynton
Gilbert Mack — Mr. Pompus/Father
The Right Stuf International has released 2 11-disc DVD collections of the series' entire American run. The video and audio quality varies widely since the company was forced to make do with the best available sources they could find. This is due to the fact that the original masters were destroyed in 1975. According to Ladd, the masters were destroyed by NBC after the network had attempted to return them to Mushi Productions. Mushi, going through bankruptcy at the time, pleaded inability to take them, and so they were burned by NBC. Due to this, the show as currently seen consists of the English version (even in Japan, where it is shown with Japanese subtitles) supplemented with copies of some episodes taken from the masters, including the first episode, found in private archival collections.
For the English version, the producers, NBC Enterprises, were forced to abandon a literal translation of the name "Mighty Atom" due to potential legal threats from DC Comics, who already had a superhero comic by that name. They settled ultimately on "Astro Boy." Of the 193 episodes created in the series, 104 were adapted into the English version by Fred Ladd. The manga was not translated into English until Dark Horse Comics published it in the 2000s, although Gold Key Comics published an unauthorized version in the United States.
Billie Lou Watt — Astro Boy/Astro Girl/Mother
Ray Owens — Dr. Elefun/Dr. Boynton
Gilbert Mack — Mr. Pompus/Father
The Right Stuf International has released 2 11-disc DVD collections of the series' entire American run. The video and audio quality varies widely since the company was forced to make do with the best available sources they could find. This is due to the fact that the original masters were destroyed in 1975. According to Ladd, the masters were destroyed by NBC after the network had attempted to return them to Mushi Productions. Mushi, going through bankruptcy at the time, pleaded inability to take them, and so they were burned by NBC. Due to this, the show as currently seen consists of the English version (even in Japan, where it is shown with Japanese subtitles) supplemented with copies of some episodes taken from the masters, including the first episode, found in private archival collections.
