Astro Boy 26-30

been quite a while since I've watched any of these cartoons.  they sure are long- all of them run longer than 26 minutes, at least at this point in the series.  can you imagine that happening with cartoons these days?

that does include opening and closing credits, which still means they are five minutes longer than current cartoons. we sure get hosed these days due to advertising constraints.

anyway, these are some interesting episodes- lots of robots rights stories, and one "don't judge aliens on their appearance story ("The Pearl People).

I really can't say I'm a big Astro Boy fan.  I sure do enjoy watching Tezuka's work being animated, there are so many clever bits.  "Don Tay's Infernal Machine" is named Ferno, in case there were any adults watching at the time.  I'm sure most kids didn't get that reference.

Dr. I.Q. Plenty shows up in "The Wacky Machine" which makes all robots stop working.  Astro Boy is not in the episode until the end, and then he has the longest minute in recorded history to stop the machine.  had to last at least five minutes.  I know kids probably wouldn't have cared at the time, but watching five episodes in a row will do that to you.

Astro sounds very young in these episodes, like he's about five.  that gets a little grating on occasion.  the animation hasn't improved just yet, but it should start, the first "season" is over.