Osamu Tezuka, the god of Manga

[Saruta]

Looks like there was no thread on Osamu Tezuka (except a 2006 request specifically about Phoenix). Now there is one

Since I learned about him at all (in 1997 I think) I was fascinated by one person effectively creating a genre. And even beore that there was that 1993 screening of Phoenix 2772 on Russian TV that got me hooked and longing for years... until I got the Best Video (or something) dubbed VHS with the help of the then-budding Moscow anime fan club.

Perhaps the reason I don't care much for Ranka vs. Sheryl is because, with apologies to these fair ladies, my one and only anime love is fixed from back then, Olga the robot. Well at least I got to give her some decent tribute, with the Japanese embassy organizing a screening in Moscow in summer 98 but forgetting to bring in an interpreter. I started translating to a lady I was with, cries of "Louder" ensued... I was soon brought into the booth ended up translating the movie from Japanese - without knowing a word of Japanese. I just knew the thing by heart from watching it so many times! After the screening I got a small Moscow Times interview - and found enough "followers" to do a full fandub (over the English - we had no Japanese source). Yes, I'm sorry, it was an act of piracy - but we made a point of getting no monetary compensation when passing it on. The dub was spotted from Israel to Vladivostok. (A fansub was made later when a Japanese DVD became available). I voiced Dr. Saruta in the dub, hence the nickname I use on anime-related forums.

I wonder if Kawamori himself is a Tezuka fan... or perhaps I should not even wonder. He was an anime/manga fan back in the late 70s. He could not have missed it.

[troyness]

Thanks for the thread.!!

(Couldn't believe there wasn't a general Tezuka thread earlier!)

I enjoyed Tezuka's better known creations as a child, but it was Blackjack that got my attention as a young adult reader.

The style of Tezuka's BJ manga jumping out at me through slightly yellowed pages blew my hair back.

Viz manga translated a few stories in the 90's and recently ,Vertical translated all 17 volumes(or at least that was their goal, can't remember) along with various other more adult themed Tezuka manga.

Blackjack21 anime series was good as it had one continued story arc(as opposed to Tezuka's episodic BJ manga), but I didn't like the "anime inspired"hat BJ wore thru-out the series as it wasn't cannon and made him look tooVampire hunter D/Hellsing gothic.

ZC World released Blackjack 1/6 figure, as I remember correctly another MW member Lupin The Third recently purchased.

[F-ZeroOne]

I loved the idea of "Black Jack" just reading about it - I finally found one of the Viz issues, but it would be years before I got to read anymore, thanks to the recent collected volumes. If you want to read one of the most disturbing comic stories ever, try "MW", which will probably make you re-evaluate the man and his genius.

This Kickstarter may interest some of you, though time is probably running out:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kansaiclub/limited-edition-translation-of-osamu-tezukas-the-c

Theres always more than side to everything , though; I was reading recently that one aspect of his legacy is that because his animation studio always tried to undercut competitors, its why pay rates and budgets in the anime industry are traditionally rather low...

[Marzan]

When I thought of Tezuka, I originally only thought of stuff like Astroboy. Then I discovered some of his darker, more adult stuff like Ayako or The Book of Human Insects. What an amazing storyteller this man was. No wonder he's held in such high regard.

[PetarB]

Huge Tezuka fan here.

My recommendations:

Apollo's Song

Buddha

Phoenix

Of course, I also enjoyed the Mighty Atom series. I quite like both the eighties and more recent Astro Boy, yes I mean the English dubbed ones. The movie a couple of years ago was quite forgettable.

[Pterobat]

I love Tezuka.

Phoenix is my favourite of his works, and I've managed to track down all the English volumes except for the elusive and overpriced #4.

Most of what I've read are his "adult" works, which include MW, Apollo's Song, and Ode to Kirihito. I've also read most of Black Jack at this point, depending on what the library has in stock.

The best thing about Tezuka is that his work is simple but profound. The stories are basic, but there's a lot of heart and conviction involved, and despite being dated in many ways, they also feel timeless in one sense or another.

I also don't mind his art style, which others consider to be too cartoony these days. I find this doesn't impede the seriousness of the story, any more than the rest of his humour does. I want to read more Tezuka, and I'm always checking to see what the local library has in stock.

[antibiotictab]

A special drama of Tezuka sensei will be aired in the next autumn on Fuji TV.

[Frogze]

One can now have a glimpse of what's inside the Osamu Tezuka museum in Google streetview :

http://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/asset-viewer/tezuka-osamu/pQGFKpKx3u7nWw

[Old_Nash]

Without Tezuka, We would not have anything today.