He’s a rosy-cheeked mecha-lad with shiny shorts and rocket-powered feet and he’s more popular than Mickey Mouse in his home country of Japan. Huh? You ask? Well, it may not mean much to many but for those in the know, the idea of a big-screen version of Astroboy is pant-wettingly exciting indeed.
So for those merry few, get ready for a little dribble of joy with the first images from the slated 2009 release. FirstShowing got their hands on the first look at Imagi Animation Studios' upcoming CGI movie – an adaptation of the cult Japanese manga and the TV anime series that originated back in 1952.
It tells the story of a powerful robot boy created by a brilliant scientist in the image of the son he lost. A bit like AI: Artificial Intelligence, we follow our hero as he journeys to find acceptance in the human world and ultimately discover true friendship – but, y’know with more action and less talking teddies.
The film is animator Colin Brady’s directorial debut, who says he is "being faithful to (Astroboy creator Osamu) Tezuka's original story arc and at the same time bringing out elements needed for those unfamiliar with the story."