NHK will air in April a long-lost episode of the popular animated series "Tetsuwan Atom" ("Astro Boy)" penned by late cartoonist Osamu Tezuka, according to NHK officials.
The episode, shown in Japan once when the series ran between 1963 and 1966, was believed to have been lost. It was discovered, however, about three years ago at a film warehouse in the United States, according to officials from Tezuka's production company.
Because the episode has been dubbed in English, NHK will air it with Japanese subtitles. It will be screened as part of a special feature on the animated series on NHK's satellite channel BS 2 on April 3, the officials said.
Only 187 of the total 193 episodes of "Astro Boy" are known to still exist.
"Astro Boy" is one of the most popular works of Tezuka, who is widely viewed as the founding father of Japan's animated TV productions.