, sometimes referred to as , a 1980 anime series and a color remake of the 1963 black-and-white series of the same name. Both are adaptations of the manga series of the same name by Osamu Tezuka.

This series places more focus on the titular Astro Boy's robotic abilities and has a darker tone than previous incarnations of the series. Although this series places much more emphasis on action scenes than the first one, the theme of "robots with hearts" is still prevalent in this anime. It is also the last Astro Boy work that Tezuka himself wrote and directed, and the humor of the story and direction that is typical of Tezuka can be seen throughout. The English dubs cut out some of the series' more violent moments, such as Astro being beheaded in the episode "Lilly on Peligro Island" and Blackie Young and his crew destroying the robot guard and factory owner in the episode "Blackie Young".

The original Japanese version of the series ran for 52 color episodes, while the English dubs (American and Canadian) ran for 51 episodes. The English dubbed version also combined the first two episodes of the series into a single half hour show, omitting the entirety of the backstory for the main antagonist Atlas.

Plot The first episode takes place in the year 2030 in Tokyo, Japan. Dr. Tenma, the Minister of Science, is attempting to create a robot capable of expressing human emotions. After his fourth failed attempt, Tenma is approached by Skunk Kusai, a man who offers him an "Omega Factor" circuit which, when installed, will humanize a robot. After rejecting Skunk's offer and throwing him out, Tenma's nine-year-old son, Tobio, suggests his father make a robot shaped like a child.

Inspired by his son, Tenma sets off to the Ministry of Science to work, forgetting his promise to take Tobio to an amusement park. Upset by his father's neglect, Tobio drives an aerocar home but crashes into an oncoming truck, dying in the process. Just before he dies, Tobio makes his father promise to name his boy robot "Tobio" and make it the strongest robot in the world, while still loving it like a son. Tenma then creates a robot capable of flight, equipped with lasers and machine guns. However, Skunk obtains the blueprints, duplicates them, and takes them to the evil Count Walpurgis, who aspires to put the Omega Factor into a super robot and use it for world domination.

Afraid of the potential threat Tenma's robot son could pose to humanity, the Prime Minister of Japan orders the robot dismantled by the next night. Tenma, however, secretly finishes constructing the robot that night, only showing his two assistants that "Tobio" exists, and takes him home to raise him. After various mishaps with raising the robot, Tobio's mind suddenly goes blank, his eyes start blinking red, and he is summoned to wait in the middle of town. Atlas, Walpurgis' new super robot, had been activated and was connecting to Tobio. When the connection process fails, Tobio regains his senses, only to come under attack from a robot disposal tank piloted by Tenma, Honda, and Ushiyama. Something goes wrong and the tank malfunctions and goes berserk. Tobio recovers and saves everyone in the vicinity. Recovering in the hospital, Tenma realizes the public will discover that Tobio exists, and decides to take Tobio on an ocean cruise to America.

Tobio struggles to control his strength. After a disastrous meal on the cruise, Tenma disowns Tobio. Tobio hides on deck and is tricked into signing himself into a contract of slavery to the ringmaster Hamegg, who runs the Robot Circus. Tobio spots Atlas nearby and tries to attack him, but Tobio loses most of his energy in the process. Hamegg then shuts him in his suitcase. Tenma soon regrets his actions and begins searching for Tobio. At the circus, Tobio is renamed "Mighty Atom/Astro Boy" and is cruelly treated by Hamegg, but taught and cared for by a performer named Kathy, who shows him kindness and compassion. Dr. Ochanomizu, a local scientist, discovers Tenma's lost robot at the circus and, with Kathy's help, smuggles Astro Boy out of the circus. Dr. Ochanomizu becomes the new head of the Ministry of Science. From there, Astro Boy learns more about the world and becomes the defender of Tokyo and beyond.

Production The original author, Osamu Tezuka, who was dissatisfied with the content of the first adaptation produced by the former Mushi Productions,Osamu Tezuka『ぼくはマンガ家 手塚治虫自伝・1』Daiwashobo, 1979, p.193 created this series with Tezuka Productions to reboot Atom anew from his birth. The fact that the first series was in black-and-white and was not rerun very often, and that it was not broadcast outside Japan, was also cited as a reason for the remake.Osamu Tezuka「鉄腕アトム 基本構想」『図説鉄腕アトム』Haruji Mori, Kawade Shobō Shinsha, 2003, pp.125–126 The plan for the reboot was brought up in 1970COM, April 1970 issue and 1971,COM, December 1971 issue but was abandoned, and it was not until 1974 that the project was launched. The plan for this series was realized due to the popularity of the Osamu Tezuka special animation that NTV had been airing on 24 Hour TV: Love Saves the Earth since the first edition in 1978.『図説鉄腕アトム』Haruji Mori, Kawade Shobō Shinsha, 2003, p.125 The contract was made directly between Tezuka Productions and NTV, not through an advertising agency.

As in the first series, Tezuka himself participated as a staff member in charge of scripts, storyboards, direction, and key animation. In this series, the first episode is set in the year 2030, which is a change from both the year 2003, the year of Astro Boy's birth in the original manga, and the year 2013 in the first anime. Since the music director was Seiji Suzuki, the sound effects used in the previous shows The Rose of Versailles and Lupin the Third Part II are used throughout, as both were broadcast on NTV and were available for use. It was customary at the time to change the voice actors every time the broadcasting station changed, but at Tezuka's request, Mari Shimizu as Atom and Hisashi Katsuta as Dr. Ochanomizu were retained from the previous series.『鉄腕アトムと共に生きて―声優が語るアニメの世界』 (Sakitama Publishing Co., Ltd., July 1, 2015), p. 215.

The opening theme was initially commissioned to Yasuo Higuchi, but when the demo tape was played to an overseas buyer with whom a contract was negotiated, he was very unhappy with it, saying, "What part of this is Atom?". Thus, the opening of the previous anime was arranged in a modern style and used in various arrangements during the series, but viewers complained to Tezuka and the broadcasting station about why the original music was not used as it was.『図説鉄腕アトム』Haruji Mori, Kawade Shobō Shinsha, 2003, p.128

In the final episode broadcast at the end of 1981, a live-action video of Tezuka himself giving a message was shown at the beginning. This video was shot by Tezuka's son, Makoto Tezuka, at his request. However, in the ending of the episode, Hisaya Tamate is credited as the cinematographer, while Makoto is credited as the director.Makoto Tezuka『天才の息子 ベレー帽をとった手塚治虫』Sony Magazines, 2003, p.117

Characters Atom/Astro Boy

Astro has a strong sense of morality and is always gentle and kind towards others. Astro is a superpowered robot, with seven secret super powers.Astro Boy: The Greatest Robot in the World - Part 1 He is designed to look exactly like Tobio, the son of his creator. Dr. Tenma initially treated Astro like a real boy as a replacement for his son who died in a car accident. However, Astro Boy was clumsy from his inability to control his strength. After being rejected by Dr. Tenma, Astro joins Hamegg's Robot Circus, where he learns to control his powers and meets Dr. Ochanomizu. He is unsure of his destiny in the beginning, but he gains confidence as the story unfolds.

Throughout the series, Atlas attempts to persuade Astro to help Atlas conquer the world. By design, both Astro and Atlas were created from the same blueprints, and so they are considered to be brothers. However, Astro refuses to help Atlas in his quest for world domination. He is voiced by Mari Shimizu, Patricia Kugler Whitely (American version) and then-12-year-old Steven Bednarski (Canadian version).

Uran

Sarah (Canadian dub), Uranie (French dub) Uran is Astro's naive but determined little sister. She was "born" on New Years Day, built by Dr. Ochanomizu as a gift to Astro. She has half the power of her brother (with 50,000 horsepower) but is quite powerful. Uran is depicted as a cute, tomboyish little girl.

Despite this, Uran is generally a good-hearted girl and is shown to be rather attached to Astro and generally looks up to him. (This is shown after he saves her from becoming a slave in episode 14.)

In contrast to the 1960s series, Uran occupied a less prominent position in the general storyline, and her appearance was revised to make her softer and rounder, possibly to appeal to female viewers. Many times, she was the star of a few episodes, all of which had a special ending theme with pictures of Uran in costumes. Uran is voiced by Masako Sugaya in the Japanese dub and by Becky Wilenski in the American version.

Dr. Tenma/Dr. Boynton

Doctor Boynton (American dub), Professor Balfus (Canadian dub) After several robot design failures, Dr. Tenma created Astro Boy from a suggestion from his son, Tobio. Dr. Tenma zealously worked on creating a robot that would be able to act and behave like a real human. In his search to obtain his goal, Dr. Tenma neglected Tobio, forgetting his promise to take his son to the amusement park. As a result, Tobio decides to go on his own and crashes the robot car, dying from the accident.

Dr. Tenma continues to work on the boy robot. Once completed, he calls the robot Tobio (Astro Boy), after his deceased son. However, Astro Boy's inability to control his own strength begins to infuriate Dr. Tenma, and while on a cruise, Dr. Tenma angrily disowns the robot. Dr. Tenma is last seen mournfully calling out for Tobio, and is not seen through the remainder of the series.Astro Boy: The Birth of Astro Boy He is voiced by Tamio Ōki, and Del Lewis (American version).

Dr. Ochanomizu/Dr. Elefun

Dr. Elefun (American dub), Dr. Cole Green, later Professor Peabody (Canadian Dub), Professor Caudrine (French dub) Succeeding Dr. Tenma as Minister of Science, Dr. Ochanomizu rescues Astro Boy from Hamegg's Robot Circus. Dr. Ochanomizu is a robot rights advocate and creates the "Robot Bill of Rights", which allows robots to be of equal status of humans. He often acts as a surrogate father for Astro Boy, providing him with advice and information. Early into the series, Dr. Ochanomizu builds Astro a mother, father, and a little sister named Uran. He is voiced by Hisashi Katsuta and Brian Parry (American version).

Atlas Astro's brother and archenemy, he was created by Walpurgis and Skunk who copied Astro's original design plans. Atlas was designed with a similar, childlike look and was planned to be used in theft, but Atlas was too naive and unprepared for criminal use. Only Livian, Walpurgis' robot maid, showed him any kind of compassion or kindness; he reciprocates in turn, considering her his only true friend. Walpurgis installed an Omega Factor into Atlas during his construction, which allowed him to defy the robot laws. After attacking Walpurgis and Skunk for destroying Livian and being heavily damaged himself, he rebuilt his own body and Livian's, along with a horse and an electric sword. The new Atlas believed robots were superior to human beings and repeatedly asked Astro to join him in taking over the world. Atlas and Astro share many of the same powers and abilities.