The very first episode of Astro Boy aired in 1963. Here we learn his origins in the year 2000. I loved this series as a kid, even though I was too young to understand it. Warning: the story is pretty sad. (via Everlasting Blort)
When I was little, Astro Boy was at the top of the list of my favorite shows, above Gigantor, Fireball XL-5, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits and Beany and Cecil (though I only watched B&C for when Dishonest John showed up) (I had a talking Dishonest John doll) ("Ehhhh, why don'tcha go /soak yer head!/" "You don't think I'm bad, DO you? Nyah-ha-ha!" and so on). The Honeymooners, The Flintstones, I Love Lucy, Lawrence Welk, Ed Sullivan. Shary Lewis and Lambchop... I didn't like anything Disney; the Mickey Mouse Club was creepy, and not good-creepy.
My mother worked in my grandparents' Italian restaurant, and I spent many happy hours in my grandmother's house across the back alley from the shop, lying on the couch or on the floor, eyes glued to the big round-corner teevee, memorizing everything, including the ads. When the adults came in I'd jump up, begin to recite. I was like four years old. Five.
Thanks so much for reminding me of Astro Boy. Until I saw this just now, after all these years the only thing I remembered was how an evil character was always capturing Astro Boy and pulling his arms and legs and head off. I was /horrified/. Then the old professor would rescue him and put him back together and he'd fly up into the air with little fires for feet! But the whole origin story and everything else was just gone.
It's odd, because my memory for detail of The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits shows is still pretty sharp. Hmm.
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When I was little, Astro Boy was at the top of the list of my favorite shows, above Gigantor, Fireball XL-5, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits and Beany and Cecil (though I only watched B&C for when Dishonest John showed up) (I had a talking Dishonest John doll) ("Ehhhh, why don'tcha go /soak yer head!/" "You don't think I'm bad, DO you? Nyah-ha-ha!" and so on). The Honeymooners, The Flintstones, I Love Lucy, Lawrence Welk, Ed Sullivan. Shary Lewis and Lambchop... I didn't like anything Disney; the Mickey Mouse Club was creepy, and not good-creepy.
My mother worked in my grandparents' Italian restaurant, and I spent many happy hours in my grandmother's house across the back alley from the shop, lying on the couch or on the floor, eyes glued to the big round-corner teevee, memorizing everything, including the ads. When the adults came in I'd jump up, begin to recite. I was like four years old. Five.
Thanks so much for reminding me of Astro Boy. Until I saw this just now, after all these years the only thing I remembered was how an evil character was always capturing Astro Boy and pulling his arms and legs and head off. I was /horrified/. Then the old professor would rescue him and put him back together and he'd fly up into the air with little fires for feet! But the whole origin story and everything else was just gone.
It's odd, because my memory for detail of The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits shows is still pretty sharp. Hmm.
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