The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime

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.