Osamu Tezuka (1928-89) is the godfather of Japanese manga comics. He originally
intended to become a doctor and earned his degree before turning to what was the
n a medium for children. His many early masterpieces include the series known in
the U.S. as Astro Boy. With his sweeping vision, deftly interwined plots, feel
for the workings of power, and indefatigable commitment to human dignity, Tezuka
elevated manga to an art form.
The later Tezuka, when he authored Buddha, oft
en had in mind the mature readership that manga gained in the sixties and that h
ad only grown ever since. The Kurosawa of Japanese pop culture, Osamu Tezuka is
a twentieth century classic.
Tezuka is a multiple award-winner on both sides o
f the Pacific. His Adolf won the Kodansha Manga Award in 1986. His works Buddha
and Dororo have received Eisner Awards in North America over the past decade.
