Tezuka, The Godfather of Manga

 

Today, I would like to introduce you to Osamu Tezuka, the godfather of Japanese manga.

Without him, the Japanese manga industry would not be thriving today. It's no exaggeration to say that the majority of manga artists working today are influenced by him. Foreign readers know that Japanese comics use a unique mode of expression. But they may not know that it was Tezuka who established the basic style.

Some of his work is world famous, including Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Buddha, and Black Jack, to name a few. He was also a pioneer in animation. He set up his own animation company and made movies from his own works. It was the first successful company of its kind in Japan.

He became a professional manga artist when he was a medical student. While writing manga, he set his sights on becoming a doctor. As a result, he got his medical license, but chose to become a manga artist instead. This was because he had already made his debut as a professional cartoonist while he was in medical school.

Tezuka's early works were distinct from established manga. Until then, Japanese manga had a flat style of drawing, simple conversation, and simple plot. Tezuka's manga introduced cinematic techniques and used a more dramatic, three-dimensional presentation. This innovation grabbed readers' attention. Since his debut, Tezuka's works have become popular one after another, and he quickly became a leader in the world of manga.

Tezuka Osamu was influenced by Hollywood films and Disney animation. It is said that he watched Disney's Bambi in particular several hundred times.

Tezuka made his debut in 1946, and at that time Japanese manga had only naive satirical cartoons and short stories for young children. He was a pioneer of the full-length manga, and his story and drawing skills made him a solitary figure. That was when he was still around 20 years old.

Since that time, his style has been broad and diverse, ranging from comedic and light Disney-style work to serious Sci-Fi drama. A turning point in his career was Astro Boy. When the cartoon became a popular magazine series, he set out to make it into an animated feature, a dream come true. He set up his own film production company and aired Astro Boy as a weekly TV show, which was an even bigger hit.

　

Thus, Tezuka became the first successful Japanese manga and animation artist. The creator of the now world-famous Dragon Ball and the director of Ghibli Animation have also admitted to being influenced by Tezuka. Also, Disney's Lion King was clearly influenced by Kimba the White Lion. It is interesting to note that while Tezuka emulated Bambi, Disney was later influenced by Tezuka.

　

During his heyday in the 1960s, Tezuka produced at least five manga series a month in parallel. At the same time, he was also producing animation. He became legendary for his superhuman work ethic. In fact, he kept himself immersed in his work on four hours of sleep.

He drew accurate cartoons even in a moving taxi or train. It is said that he was able to work on one cartoon while meeting with editors of other works at the same time. He had seemingly superhuman endurance and intelligence.

At the root of his work is always the love for humanity. Tragedy and comedy coexist, and he believes in the future of humanity. Such a positive style is said to be the reason why his works have gained a large following.

His masterpiece Buddha is not a mere Buddhist biography, but an imaginative historical tale depicted through Tezuka's view of life. Black Jack contains profound episodes in which the titular doctor confronts a variety of life issues. These may have something to do with Tezuka's motivation to become a doctor.

　

Tezuka died suddenly at the age of only 60. It was in the middle of his busy work schedule. He was sick and had to be hospitalized, but he did not stop working. Even when he was unconscious, he grabbed a pen and tried to draw. His last words before his death were reportedly "Please, let me work.”

　

Today, many creators of manga, animation, and film have pointed out the significance of Osamu Tezuka's existence. They are unanimous in their appraisal of Tezuka, saying that modern manga owes its existence to him.

Without him, manga and animation in Japan would not have flourished as they do today.