Now Japanese animated cartoon is accepted as one of the exports alike a car and an electric appliance in the world.But there exist "ohatu" without fail.As you know the first animation of export is "Astro boy". "Astro boy" was first TV animation for commercial use
and became first program in Japan as export animation at the same time.
"Astro boy" was televised by Fuji Television group and American broadcasting station knew this "Astro boy" through "Kiyoshi Fujita"(chairperson of video promotion Co.,Ltd.) who managed "I George" at that time.
It is surprising that he took "Astro Boy" to American three major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) without subtitles and did business directly.Especially NBC was very positive.After that they signed a number of strict contract and came to exports.

His story is a legend,too but "Astro boy" has great legend too!! First of all, The volume of business was surprise! You must feel cheap if you hear price $10,000 per 1 episode.But at that time fixed rate was 360yen/$1, so It was traded 3,600,000 yen per 1 episode!
It is pretty expensive if you hear the starting salary for a college graduate was about 16,000 yen at that time(WEB Financial Daily).
Furthermore,NBC bought all 52 episodes, so total cost was 2 billion yen at that rate!"Astro boy" was valuable to them.

TV guide reported this news on a large scale like this, "February 1, 1963, After this news was reported that the film of "Astro boy" was sold by 300,000,000 yen per a year contracts,in one night the town became famous.［I agreeed very willingly.They said yes to buy all 52 episodes from Fuji TV.1 episode is thousand dollars and our net receipts is 1000,000 yen in Japanese yen］.In addition,NBC and the sponcer of them gave them some proposals to sell toys and comics, so all amount becomes about 3～4 times including royalty."
Even "Mushi-pro"led by Osamu Tezuka got a large sum of money, they went bankrupt after 10years.God of comics wsas not god of management.
"AstroBoy" is still popular in the world.
(Masaya Mori)