CONTENTS
Japanese manga culture cannot be described without Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka was born in 1928 in Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture, but spent the years from age 5 to 24 in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture.
He made his debut as a cartoonist on January 1, 1946, when he was a medical student, with the four-frame comic “Maachan’s Diary”.
In 1947, “SHIN TAKARAJIMA,” a collaboration between Sakai Shichima, who wrote the original story and Osamu Tezuka drew the manga, became a bestseller, and it made Osamu Tezuka famous.
From 1950, he began serializing hits in manga magazines such as “MIGHTY ATOM,” “JUNGLE EMPEROR LEO,” and “Princess Knight”.
Laying the Foundations of Japanese Manga & Anime
In 1963, he produced Japan’s first 30-minute animated television series, “MIGHTY ATOM,” which had a profound impact on the Japanese television animation industry.
During his lifetime, he created approximately 150,000 manuscripts and 500 titles.
Collaboration with Stanley Kubrick that ended in a mirage
His talent is also highly regarded overseas, and he was approached by director Stanley Kubrick to be the art director for the film “2001: A Space Odyssey” but he, who was busy, declined the offer.
It is a pity to imagine what the film would have been like if the offer had been realized.
A unique cartoonist with a medical license. His works that live on even after his death
He was also a licensed doctor, and his medical knowledge was put to good use in his masterpiece “Black Jack”.
He died in 1989, but even after his death, devoted fans continue to read his work. On November 3, 2023, an animated film titled “Hinotori Eden Flower” was released from the “Hinotori” series, one of his best-known works.
His creations are a treasure of Japan.
writer : Nakajima
