Tezuka Productions

This comic book took me about a month to finish reading, which is long for my comic book reading skills. One of my only complaints with this biography: it's too long for a manga. It reads more like a book rather than a comic book. At the same time, it felt like it didn't have enough and could have had a another volume. However, for the size, this has enough. Some parts could have been cut, in my opinion.

I feel like Osamu Tezuka should be a name people know if they watch anime or read manga. He didn't necessarily start the medium, but he defiantly made it popular and more common internationally. He created SO MANY works, more than most Western comic book creators. Not only is he a prolific writer, he seemed to master any genre he touched from kids, adults, science fiction, biography, fantasy, erotica, serious, comical, epic, short, you name it and he probably has done something.

TALK ABOUT WORKAHOLIC! Some might point out that this biography doesn't cover much of Tezuka's personal life. His wife and kids aren't in it as much. Yet, he was working all the time it seemed. I'm not sure he got much personal time. He clearly didn't get much sleep which must have been hard at times, but this book don't go much into that either. He was always working. Personal time would mean he couldn't have time to create. His mind seems to be popping out ideas every week. This biography is about his work with manga and anime, not really who he was as a person, maybe from time to time it would mention something like his interest in insects and film.

Reading this, I want to read more Tezuka. I haven't even read half his works, not even a quarter, maybe a small amount, but enough to get this book. There are many of his books that aren't translated. Some of them you can find now, but it's a slow process. In his lifetime they published a 300 volume set of his works, so I'm guessing most people haven't read all of Tezuka. It's not a goal of mine to read everything of Tezuka, I'd go broke or not b able to read anything else, but it would be nice to read more.

His most popular work on Goodreads is Buddha. As much as I like that series and its a good place to start, it's not even his most well known title. I see on here Astro Boy isn't nearly as popular as it should be and most people know Astro Boy, it's obviously his most recognizable series. However, he has other well know and popular woks such as Phoenix and Black Jack (both I haven't read yet only for the fact they are much longer than his other series, someday). I just find it interesting the amount of people who read manga probably haven't picked up a Tezuka book or don't know of him, well in the States anyway. Not saying you have to love him as much as I do, but manga/anime fans should know of his works, most manga/anime would exist if it wasn't for Tezuka.

I learned a bit from this book too. I didn't realize Astro Boy was the first original cartoon show in Japan that wasn't a short. I didn't realize Kimba was the first color TV show in Japan. ALSO, before anyone says that Lion King is a rip-off of Kimba, it's not. In fact Kimba was very much inspired by Bambi to the point Tezuka would try to imitate Disney's animation style so that he could draw animals. Tezuka was a huge Disney fan. Kimba was based on Bambi as much as Astro Boy was based on Pinocchio. Tezuka was very much trying to be the Disney of Japan, but with his own style.
He even meet Disney briefly and they both complemented each others on their work. Tezuka also meet a bunch of other big names here in the West. Did you know Tezuka turned down an opportunity to work with Stanley Kubrick on 2001: A Space Odyssey? Yes, even Kubrick was a Tezuka fan.

If you really like Tezuka, I would recommended this book. I'm not sure this for people who only read one or two of his titles. This covers a lot and might get boring if you only read Buddha, I should mention Buddha isn't much covered in this book. They mention it in the intro, but it wasn't as popular in Japan as it was in the West. This does cover a lot of Astro Boy and his Star System, his Star System is his reoccurring characters he used as actors. Shunsaku Ban, probably his most used reoccurring character, is in fact that narrator for this manga.

Overall, this was great book with really nice manga style illustrations AND it's read in traditional manga style. Just be warned it's long.… (más)

Astro Boy is Japan's answer to Mickey Mouse. Like 'Tetsijin 28' he is a cultural icon so gigantic that his shadow reaches far into the west. As such his silhouette is instantly recognisable to lots of people in both Europe and America, even if they have never taken much of an interest in the phenomenon.

I have been reading Manga and watching Anime since the mid-seventies when Goldorak (Grendizer) and Albator (Captain Harlock), and Battle of the Planets, and Ulysses 31 made their appearance in Europe.
I was mildly interested By Gigantor (aka Tetsujin 28) but, with respect, Astro Boy always felt a bit babyish by the time I'd discovered him at 9 or 10 years of age.
Likewise, in my 40's, when I came across these 'Let's Draw Manga' books, I felt that they were really aimed more at teens. They did not seem to spend enough time on exploring any one character in enough depth for my tastes.

Today, I was rummaging about in a bargain box at my local book store (The Works), when I came across this find for fifty pence; better still, it covers a single character, and in extensive detail.

If you are an Astro Boy fan then this book is amazing.
The history of Astro Boy is covered in illustrative form showing you his subtle transformation over the years.
Design characteristics and the cinematic style of Tezuka's manga is covered.
Not only does this book explain how to draw Astro Boy; more importantly it show you how not to draw him.

Ignoring Astro Boy for just a moment, this really is an excellent book for cartoonists and animators in its own right.
I found the chapter on drawing the hand was worth the price I paid alone; but, every chapter in this book will teach you something of value.
Unlike similar teach yourself manga type books, this one is cram-packed with illustrations. The entire book is in black and white, but being Astro Boy that is not all that important.

I think that my discount book shop was originally selling this book at £3 - which would still have been a bargain to be honest with you!
I may now look out for other books in this series, especially the Tezuka School of Animation ones.… (más)

Même si j'ai plutôt apprécié ce livre, 2 points m'ont gêné :
- on ne sait pas qui en est l'auteur. On peut penser que c'est autobiographique mais la "vraie" autobio de Tezuka est souvent citée comme source de références. Comme il n'y a pas de nom d'auteur dans les crédits je pencherais pour un travail de studio...
- l'auteur point problématique est l'adaptation bâclée : c'est bourré de fautes de frappe et comme le sens de lecture est renversé à l'européenne les pages ont simplement été retournées en miroir. Ce ne serait pas trop gênant si les enseignes des magasins n'était pas restées à l'envers ; et ça devient franchement risible dans la page sur le nazisme où toutes les croix gammées sont à l'envers...… (más)