Synopsis
Continues the story of Atom: The Beginning
In the near future, a catastrophic event of unknown cause strikes Japan. Five years later, the nation is still recovering. At a local university, two budding scientists dedicate themselves to robotics research. This story delves into the origins of the legendary hero Astro Boy, laying the groundwork for his eventual birth.
In this installment
Professor Tenma builds a robot boy in the likeness of his late son Tobio, believing that nothing could possibly go wrong now that his beloved child had been "brought back to life"... at least until he realizes this creation can never truly replace his boy. Not long after, though, the robot is snatched away and taken to a robot circus in America, where he is eventually rescued by Dr. Ochanomizu and taken under his care. Tobio is renamed Tetsuwan Atom and becomes Japan's hero against crime, even though his pacifist, non-violent nature and his innocent, childlike outlook frequently come into conflict with the battles he faces.
Background
The original Japanese version of the series ran for 52 episodes while the English version ran for a reduced 51 episodes, as the first two episodes were combined into one, resulting in the omission of the entire backstory of the main antagonist. This creates issues when the antagonist appears later in the series, and the anime refers back to the events which were cut.
