Kids’ WB! is bringing an icon of anime to a new generation of kids in the United States. Astro Boy is set to debut with 26 episodes on the network’s Saturday morning schedule in the 2003-2004 season. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan and Tezuka Prods., and distributed in the U.S. by Sony Pictures Television.
Astro Boy was created 50 years ago by Osamu Tezuka, who is widely regarded as the “father of manga.” Based on those original comic books and subsequent animates series, the new show chronicles the adventures of an atomic-powered robot who must fight for justice and peace in a society that scorns his kind.
The original Astro Boy animated series debuted on Japanese television in 1963. It then became one of the first Japanese shows to be imported to the U.S. The series debuted in September of 1963 on WNEW, N.Y. and was shown in more than 40 cities. In 1965, Astro Boy spread out to other countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Australia. A second series ran on NTV from 1980 to 1981.
The new Astro Boy debuted in Japan on FUJI TV on April 6, 2003.
