The Osamu Tezuka Story

August 29, 2016
Osamu Tezuka (1928–1989), the “god of manga” and creator of such characters as Astro Boy, looms like a colossus over Japanese comics and animation. His manga biography is fittingly massive, dramatizing the artist’s life over some 900 pages of cheery cartoon action. As a boy in the city of Takarazuka, Tezuka draws comics, devours science fiction, and becomes a lifelong fan of his town’s famous all-female theater. He enrolls in medical school, but a cartooning career beckons. From there, much of the narrative consists of Tezuka drawing feverishly while editors prowl outside his studio waiting on deadlines. But even at its most repetitive, the book captures its subject’s tireless genius through WWII, the lean postwar years, and the emergence of Japan as a superpower. The artist, Tezuka’s longtime assistant Ban, draws in an accurate recreation of Tezuka’s style, although not quite able to match the easy fluidity of the master. Legendary manga scholar Schodt provides a first-rate translation.

November 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-This is the first English translation of an enormous homage to one of Japan's most famous manga and anime creators. After Osamu Tezuka's death in 1989, this graphic format biography was released in Japan, first in serialized form and later collected into several volumes. The English version is more than 900 pages long and is taller and wider than traditional manga, so reading it will take a large commitment of time and energy. That being said, it is absolutely worth the read. This volume gives an amazingly extensive view of Tezuka's life, from his childhood through his adult years. It covers the breadth of his career, including the creation of memorable characters such as Astro Boy and the innovations he used in manga storytelling and in the development of anime. While this title is positive in its treatment of Tezuka, it's no puff piece. It focuses on how incredibly prolific he was, and it also examines how overextending himself affected his personal and professional life. Over and over again, Tezuka is shown trapped in different rooms, working as quickly as possible while his editors wait outside, refusing to leave until he hands them their pages. Readers will come away with an appreciation for Tezuka's influences and will be inspired to seek out his creations. VERDICT For fans of manga and anime, as well as anyone interested in innovative people and the creative process.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

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