Most Popular Books by Osamu Tezuka

Apollo''s Song follows the tragic journey of Shogo, a young man whose abusive childhood has instilled in him a loathing for love so profound he finds himself compelled to acts of violence when he is witness to any act of intimacy or affection whether by human or beast. His hate is such that the gods intervene, cursing Shogo to experience love throughout the ages ultimately to have it ripped from his heart every time. From the Nazi atrocities of World War II to a dystopian future of human cloning, Shogo loses his heart, in so doing, healing the psychological scars of his childhood hatred. Master storyteller Osamu Tezuka''s Apollo''s Song is a lyrical tour-de-force on the human spirit, the destruction of hate, and the triumph of love.

A gem from the fifties when the legendary master was most deeply involved in girls'' comics, Twin Knights is more than just a sequel to the shojo manga milestone Princess Knight. More close addressing issue of station as well as gender, this one-volume tale has all the antic innocence of the early Tezuka even as it revises the more famous works'' premise, doing away with the conceit of "boy and girl hearts" and invoking the vagaries of chance and power in their place.

In Kyoto, in the late 1800s, the son of a local book-binder, Kyujuro Fukakusa sees his father murdered before his eyes and vows revenge. In his quest for justice, he answers the recruitment call of the Shinsengumi (or "The new squad") a newly-formed special brigade of samurai loyal to the shogun. There he meets fellow recruit and proficient swordsmen, the enigmatic Daisuke Kamakiri. Despite the gap in their fighting skill levels, the two forma close bond, but can it survive the age of upheaval that is descending on "The Wolves of Mibu?"

Previously published in three installments, the entire run of comic master Osamu Tezuka''s enduring classic is herewith available in one volume at a new affordable price. The lauded adventures of a young swordsman and his rogue sidekick that also inspired the cult video game Blood Will Tell have never been as accessible. A samurai lord has bartered away his newborn son''s organs to forty-eight demons in exchange for dominance on the battlefield. Yet, the abandoned infant survives thanks to a medicine man who equips him with primitive prosthetics - lethal ones with which the wronged son will use to hunt down the multitude of demons to reclaim his body one piece at a time, before confronting his father. On his journeys the young hero encounters an orphan who claims to be the greatest thief in Japan. Like an unforgettable road movie, Dororo reaches deeper than its swashbuckling surface and offers a thoughtful allegory of becoming what one is, for nobody is born whole.

The story of an artificially created girl of the future, who searches for her parents, who do not exist.

Toshiko Tomura is a genius; the darling of the intelligentsia. A modern-day Michelangelo, this twenty year-old is already an established international stage actress, an up-and-coming architect, and the next recipient of the prestigious Akutagawa Prize as Japan''s best new writer. Her actions make headlines in the papers, and inspire radio and television programming. And like many great talents, her troubled past is what motivates her to greatness. She has the amazing ability to emulate the talents of others. Toshiko is also the mastermind behind a series of murders. The ultimate mimic, she has plagiarized, blackmailed, stolen and replicated the works of scores of talents. And now as her star is rising within the world of the elites and powerful she has amassed a long list of enemies frustrated by the fact that she has built critical and financial acclaim for nothing more than copying others'' work. Neglected as a child, she is challenging the concepts of gender inequality while unleashing her loneliness upon the world as she climbs the social ladder one body at a time. One of Osamu Tezuka''s most wicked tales, The Book of Human Insects renders the 70''s as a brutal and often polarizing bug-eat-bug world, where only those willing to sell their soul to the masses and become something less than human are capable of achieving their wildest dreams

Fifty years after his creation, Astro Boy continues to lead the manga and anime charge, his adventures still as fresh and exciting as when first crafted by master storyteller/cartoonist/animator Osamu Tezuka. In this volume: Astro Boy must help a robot bomb escape his creators and prevent earth from being destroyed; Astro battles a deadly underground tank controlled by an evil general bent on world conquest; a famous police detective enlists Astro to help him solve a murder - with the detective''s father as the prime suspect!

Osama Tezuka''s Astro Boy is the all-time, 100,000 horsepower champion of classic all-ages robot action! Available for the first time in America, these tales are as exciting, touching, and hilarious as when Tezuka crafted them almost half a century ago! In this volume: Astro Boy tries to foil a mad scientist''s plot to use a robotic Cleopatra to recreate the ancient kingdom of Egypt; Astro tries to solve the mystery of a young ghost appearing on 3D TVs; and Astro joins with the robot Cobalt in a race against time to stop a lost H-Bomb from devastating Japan!

''Buddha'' is the ultimate example of Tezuka''s storytelling genius and artistic mastery. The progenitor of manga as we know it, and the inspiration for countless artists, Tezuka continues to elicit the deepest awe with his sweeping grasp of the human condition.

Osamu Tezuka''s Phoenix was his life''s work. Considered by many to be one of the finest works of Japanese comics art ever produced, Phoenix:Resurection takes place in the year 3344. Prof. Saruta lands on the moon and meets and acquires Robita in his final form. Spanning 860 years, the end of this episode goes beyond Phoenix:Universe and comes close to the beginning of Phoenix:Future. -- VIZ Media

From the infinite imagination of the revered Osama Tezuka, creator of Metropolis, comes Astro Boy, the launching pad for the worldwide phenoma that are manga and anime. Standing among the pantheon of classic comics series, Astro Boy shows the absolute excitement, wonder, and entertainment that only the greatest comics can achieve, as only the true masters of the medium can create. In this volume, Astro Boy''s adventures in the 20th Century continue. After lying buried beneath the Mekong river during the Vietnam War, Astro is discovered and revived many years later in a time when robots are worked like slaves and discarded like broken toys. Teaming with the young and idealistic Dr. Ochanimizu, Astro fights for robot rights...and encounters his creator, Dr. Tenma, at the time of Astro''s creation, a situation that could create a dangerous time paradox!

Fumoon, a creature with supernatural powers, discovers a colossal gas cloud approaching Earth that will completely disintegrate the planet! In preparation for our world''s demise, Fumoon plans to rescue all of Earth''s living creatures and transport them via flying saucer to a new home on another planet! A dazzling work and guest-starring some friends you may recognize from Astro Boy Future World is timeless graphic fiction from one of the true masters, available for the first time in an English-language.

With the rapidly expanding explosion of manga and anime, the vast creative and spiritual influence of the late, great Osamu Tezuka is being recognized worldwide, the skill, depth, and humanity of his storytelling placing him among the giants of the comics medium. Astro Boy is the action/adventure archetype for the 21st century, an action-packed roller-coaster ride for all ages imbued with humor, warmth, and wry commentary on humanity in the technological age. In this volume: "Roboid"; "The Eues of Christ"; "Rejuvenating Gas"; and "Space Broadcast."

From the boundless imagination of Osamu Tezuka, arguably history''s most important — and inarguably its most prolific — creator of graphic fiction, comes Astro Boy, the singular archetype for the exploding anime and manga industries. A timeless all-ages masterpiece of action, fun, and humanity — and plenty of robots! — Astro Boy packs more excitement and entertainment into each value-priced volume than most comics do in a year!

Standing shoulder to shoulder with comics and animation icons Krazy Kat, Mickey Mouse, and Tin Tin, Osama Tezuka''s Astro Boy remains as fresh today as when the boy robot first appeared nearly fifty years ago. And Tezuka''s Astro Boy original manga are now finally available in America in an English-language edition, produced in collaboration with Studio Proteus and translated by Frederik L. Schodt, well-known to manga readers for his work on Ghost in the Shell. In this volume: Astro fights to free abused robots from a robot theme park that masks a secret weapons factory; Astro and fellow robots are stranded on the moon only to discover a valley full of diamonds...but they are not alone, and the diamonds are not unguarded; Astro becomes trapped in the twentieth century after a child prodigy''s time machine breaks down; and Professor Ochanomizu and Astro Boy are caught up in a movement to overthrow a dictator who has a machine capable of producing human clones...and a force of evil robots to defend it! This volume contains the following stories: Robot Land Ivan the Fool A Day to Remember Ghost Manufacturing Machine

Fifty years after his creation, Astro Boy continues to lead the manga and anime charge, his adventures still as fresh and exciting as when first crafted by master storyteller/cartoonist/animator Osamu Tezuka. Astro Boy is packed with action, laughs, and genuine emotion, interlacing fantastic situations with timeless themes and wry observances about technology, war, and the human condition.

From the infinite imagination of Osamu Tezuka, arguably history''s most important-and inarguably its most prolific - creator of graphic fiction, comes Astro Boy, the standard bearer for the exploding anime and manga industries, and an acknowledged classic of the form. An all-ages masterpiece of action, fun, and humanity - and plenty of robots! - Astro Boy packs more excitement and entertainment into each value-priced volume than most comics do in a lifetime! In this volume: a compendium of Astro Boy short stories involving time machines, Astro''s first love, train bombs, brain switching, and the end of Astro!

''Buddha'' is the ultimate example of Tezuka''s storytelling genius and artistic mastery. The progenitor of manga as we know it, and the inspiration for countless artists, Tezuka continues to elicit the deepest awe with his sweeping grasp of the human condition.

The Black Jack series is told in short stories. Volume 11 will contain 15 stories, each running approximately 20 pages in length. This eleventh volume includes the following stories: Spasms: Black Jack is ill. After hundreds of operations Black Jack''s health and career hangs in the balance. The good doctor has come down with a condition that might force him into retirement and the medical world is now on baited breath as they wait to hear whether Black Jack will ever return to the operating table again. The Only Means of Living: While in Paris Black Jack is witness to a horrible jet accident. A passenger jet burst aflame upon landing at Paris'' Orly International Airport and the doctor is called to the scene to treat the wife of a passenger he was to meet. The Dog Whispers: Young love meets a tragic ending, when a young woman while rushing on her way to work is struck dead by a commuter train. Her boyfriend Tadaaki is so distraught by the thought of being left alone he wishes he could only hear his darling Sayori''s voice once again.

Del dios del manga. Un día, un misterioso joven llamado Toppei acude al estudio Mushi Production en busca de empleo y su presidente, Osamu Tezuka, decide contratarlo como asistente. Sin embargo, pronto descubrirá que el enigmático Toppei es en realidad un hombre lobo perteneciente a un clan de vampiros que llegó a Tokio con la esperanza de encontrar a su padre desaparecido. Lo que no sabía es que su familia de vampiros, quienes se han visto oprimidos durante tanto tiempo, ahora están decididos a declarar la guerra a la humanidad. De forma inesperada, Tezuka se verá envuelto en una serie de intrigas monstruosas que hasta ahora solo había podido imaginar...

The works of Osamu Tezuka are being enthusiastically discovered and re-discovered by American audiences. Tezuka is the unquestioned creative wellspring for the modern anime and manga industries, the influence of his genius now pervading popular culture around the globe, and Astro Boy is the quintessential Tezuka work -- innovative, exciting, hilarious, and even heartbreaking. Few works of graphic fiction -- or any fiction, for that matter -- offer so much fun and humanity that appeals to so many different ages. In this volume: Astro battles the mighty (and really BIG!) Garon; Astro must solve "The 100 Million Year Old Crime;" and Astro is stolen!

After years of failure to discover the meaning of the universe, Professor Ichinoseki decides to end his own life, but he is interrupted by the sorceress Mephist. They strike a bargain: in exchange for Ichinoseki’s soul, Mephist will grant his wish for a fulfilled life... Originally published over the course of 1988, NEO FAUST is the final of three adaptations of the classical Faust legend by “The Godfather of Manga,” Osamu Tezuka, which ABLAZE is proud to present in English for the first time.

Dark Horse Comics brings the original Astro Boy to America for the first time in an English-language edition! With graphic novels and animation exploding across America like never before, the signal creative and spiritual influence of the late master-storyteller Osamu Tezuka is being recognized worldwide, the skill, range, and emotional power of his storytelling placing him among the giants of graphic fiction and animation. And Tezuka''s Astro Boy is perhaps the single-most important action/adventure archetype for the 21st century, a timeless all-ages work with its roots in classic comics and cartooning and its branches reaching into every corner of today''s popular entertainment. Few works — past or present — pack the excitement, laughs, and warmth of Astro Boy. Translation by Frederik L. Schodt, author of Inside the Robot Kingdom and translator of Barefoot Gen.

With grand historical sweep, this self-contained opening volume of Osamu Tezuka''s acclaimed Phoenix saga is an epic account of the human spirit in a time of chaos and warfare, where would-be warrior Nagi and his crew struggle against the elements, invaders, and history itself. -- VIZ Media

Fifty years after his creation, Astro Boy continues to lead the manga and anime charge, his adventures still as fresh and exciting as when first crafted by master storyteller/cartoonist/animator Osamu Tezuka. Astro Boy is packed with action, laughs, and genuine emotion, interlacing fantastic situations with timeless themes and wry observances about technology, war, and the human condition.

The worldwide explosion of Japanese animation, toys, games, and comics can be traced to one focal inspiration, master storyteller Osamu Tezuka, and Astro Boy is Tezuka''s most revered creation, a rousing all-ages masterpiece of action, fun, and humanity. This, the final volume in the definitive Astro Boy collection, features a cavalcade of Astro Boy short stories featuring everything Astro fans have come to expect: robots, ray guns, rockets, and a riot of a good time!

Osamu Tezuka''s Astro Boy has for fifty years represented the best in all-ages graphic fiction and is regarded universally as the launching pad for the worldwide manga and anime explosion. Filled with humor, action, drama, and humanity -- not to mention robots! -- Astro Boy will remind you why comics first grabbed your heart and imagination. In this volume, Astro remains stranded in the 20th century, but he''s certainly not laying about! Astro must save the Earth from a voracious Martian fungus -- and save the intelligent organism from the hydrogen bomb -- all the while having to begin the fight for robot''s rights and to keep robots from fighting each other!

Black Jack is a mysterious and charismatic genius surgeon who travels the world performing amazing and impossible medical feats. Through highly trained, he freelances without a license because he distains the medical establishment. This leads to run-ins with the authorities and unscrupulous, sometimes criminal, individuals. Because Black Jack keeps his true motives secret, his ethics are perceived as questionable and he is considered a selfish, uncaring devil. An Animator Suffering from Cancer: In a chapter devoted to Pinoko, we follow her to the pool where she is starting to take swimming lessons. The nineteen-year-old in a tween''s body is struggling with her slow development and is anxious to learn to do what most everyone else her age takes for granted. So after finding herself in a bit of a verbal bind, she decides to take the plunge only to quickly sink like a rock. Her body made of prosthetics, she had little chance of floating let alone swimming very far. But a proud teen came to her aide. The boy is a genius. A budding animator he is working on the animated adaptation of Osamu Tezuka''s Jungle Emperor Leo but there is something lurking within him that might take his dreams away...cancer. Pinoko knows too much about the disease, and she knows that there is someone in her life that can treat it like no one else ever. Death of an Actress: Marilyn Swanson, the top female actor of the 40''s, is suddenly seeing a revival among the cinema intelligentsia. Her films are being broadcast on TV through almost every channel in prime time and every major film festival is devoting screenings to her performances. She was a rare beauty that captivated a generation on and off the screen. But age has caught up to her. Because of her pride she cannot make any appearances at these events, and worst of all she cannot perform again without regret. So she asks a medic with god-like skills to reverse time, if only briefly so she can dazzle audiences one last time.

Wolf-faced warrior Harima fights on behalf of the once-deified Ku tribe, who are persecuted as demonic after the introduction of Buddhism to Japan. This conflict is mirrored in the 21st century, when Harima''s counterpart, Bando Suguri, fights against an oppressive Phoenix-worshipping group. Sun is the longest chapter in the Phoenix series, and its structure is threefold. Harima''s story in 7th century Japan interweaves with that taking place in the 21st century, while another tale of a spiritual battle bridges both past and future. -- VIZ Media

Osamu Tezuka''s vaunted storytelling genius, consummate skill at visual expression, and warm humanity blossom fully in his eight-volume epic of Siddhartha''s life and times. Tezuka evidences his profound grasp of the subject by contextualizing the Buddha''s ideas; the emphasis is on movement, action, emotion, and conflict as the prince Siddhartha runs away from home, travels across India, and questions Hindu practices such as ascetic self-mutilation and caste oppression. Rather than recommend resignation and impassivity, Tezuka''s Buddha predicates enlightenment upon recognizing the interconnectedness of life, having compassion for the suffering, and ordering one''s life sensibly. Philosophical segments are threaded into interpersonal situations with ground-breaking visual dynamism by an artist who makes sure never to lose his readers'' attention. Tezuka himself was a humanist rather than a Buddhist, and his magnum opus is not an attempt at propaganda. Hermann Hesse''s novel or Bertolucci''s film is comparable in this regard; in fact, Tezuka''s approach is slightly irreverent in that it incorporates something that Western commentators often eschew, namely, humor.

Black Jack is a mysterious and charismatic genius surgeon who travels the world performing amazing and impossible medical feats. Through highly trained, he freelances without a license because he distains the medical establishment. This leads to run-ins with the authorities and unscrupulous, sometimes criminal, individuals. Because Black Jack keeps his true motives secret, his ethics are perceived as questionable and he is considered a selfish, uncaring devil. The Third Call: A man who''s mother recently passed away calls Black Jack''s home office. As soon as the surgeon picks up the phone, the stranger on the other line goes into a long tirade about hospital conditions and the lack of care his mother''s doctors were able to provide. He quickly turns to attack Black Jack''s practices and his high fees, calling the rogue medic out for ignoring his medical roots to alienate the poor and challenged. And before he hangs up he informs BJ, that he has kidnapped Pinoko. He demands Black Jack lower his fees or else after three calls he will not only kill Pinoko he will kill everyone BJ saves. Transient Love: A young woman is dying from what has long been considered a terminal illness. With only about a month or so to live she shares her dying wish with her parents. Despite being bed-ridden she wishes to someday marry. She wants to be a happy bride, and realize the joy of having someone love her eternally. Her father struck with grief, promises to marry his daughter to the first man who walks into her hospital room. That man is Black Jack, and his medical fees do not normally include fake marriage fees. This is going to be one costly marriage, however he cannot deny the fact her wish is essentially what is keeping her alive right now. If taking her hand will give her the strength to survive this procedure, it will have to considered part of the treatment.

Dark Horse Comics brings the original Astro Boy to America for the first time in an English-language edition! Fifty years and still rockin'', Astro Boy proudly wears the championship belt of all-ages robot action, still leading the manga and anime charge begun by master storyteller/cartoonist/animator Osamu Tezuka, the acknowledged creative and spiritual linchpin of Japan''s leading entertainment media exports. Perhaps the most endearing, and enduring, creation to emerge from Tezuka''s bottomless creative wellspring, Astro Boy is packed with action, humor, and pathos, interlacing flights of the fantastic with timeless themes and wry commentary on humanity in a rapidly changing technological landscape. Translation by Frederik L. Schodt, author of Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics and translator of Ghost in the Shell.

Dark Horse Comics brings the original Astro Boy to America for the first time in an English-language edition! In the wake of widespread critical acclaim for the Metropolis animated feature, interest in the work of master storyteller and cartoonist Osamu Tezuka, creator of Metropolis and the godfather of Japanese comics and animation, has never been greater, and Astro Boy is Tezuka''s most beloved body of work, a visionary series that laid the groundwork for the international phenomenon that are the comics and animation industries of Japan. Innovative, exciting, and as fresh today as when it first appeared nearly half a century ago, Astro boy is timeless graphic fiction for readers of all ages. Translation by Frederik L. Schodt, author of America and the Four Japans and translator of Masamune Shirow''s Orion.

Fifty years after his creation, Astro Boy continues to lead the manga and anime charge, his adventures still as fresh and exciting as when first crafted by master storyteller/cartoonist/animator Osamu Tezuka. Perhaps the most endearing, and enduring, creation to emerge from Tezuka''s volcanic imagination, Astro Boy is packed with action, laughs, and genuine emotion, interlacing fantastic situations and creatures with timeless themes and wry observances of technology, war, and the human condition. In this volume: "The White Hot Human"; "Uran"; "Hachi, the Devil"; "The Tenma Family''s Fortress"; "Gernica."

In the sixth volume of manga visionary Osamu Tezuka''s Buddha, the devil Mara possesses the bandit Ananda, half-brother of Devadatta, in an effort to eliminate the Buddha. A ruthless killer who is impervious to physical harm, Ananda will retain the devil''s favor only if he spurns his love interest. When Ananda and his bandit buddy attack the Fire Shrine of the Brahmin brothers Kassapa, it is none other than the Awakened One who happens by. Buddha must confront his eternal enemy, Mara, before he can open the eyes of arrogant priests and hardened criminals.