Astro Boy

[chas]

I recently purchased "Astro Boy" discounted for only $20 for an entire TV series of 50 episodes. It turned out to be what The Anime Enclyclopedia notes as the Third Series. It was made in 2003 (the futuristic year Astro was "born" in the original B&W Sixties TV series I watched as a boy, which ran to 190+ episodes). I am enjoying this new purchase. Only half of this Third Series was ever screened in the US. The AE liked it, and they are tough critics.

There was also a Second Series, made again in 1980 by the original "Father of Japanese Anime," Osamu Tezuka, but this time with others, which was done in color (50 episodes).

Has anyone seen either the first or second series? What did you think? I'm going to price these other series on the net, and am wondering if they are worth getting. (This assumes, of course, that you are an Astro fan). I haven't seen the original series since the Sixties, so I don't remember too much about it--except for the theme song.