The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime

by Toshio Ban, Tezuka Productions, Frederik L. Schodt (Translator)

Overview

This graphic-format biography of Osamu Tezuka—Japan's "God of Manga"—looks at one of the twentieth century's great creative artists (Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Black Jack). It is also an anecdotal study of the evolution of Japan's early manga and anime business and its heroes. A never-before-seen popular culture history of postwar Japan, it is sure to fascinate fans and anyone interested in manga, anime, and the potential of the graphic storytelling medium.

Toshio Ban joined Tezuka Productions in 1974 as one of Tezuka's assistants. After working for a period as a free-lancer, he later re-joined Tezuka Productions in 1978 as the sub-chief of manga production for magazines, supporting Tezuka's creative work until the end.

Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd., is the now-legendary company founded by Osamu Tezuka in 1968 to produce his own manga and anime. In the wake of Tezuka's death in 1989, it has continued as a family enterprise, responsible for the development, production, merchandising, licensing, and distribution of his many manga and anime creations, including books, films, and characters.

Frederik L. Schodt is a translator, conference interpreter, and award-winning author of books on Japanese history and pop culture. He often served as Osamu Tezuka’s English interpreter and was a consultant on one of his animated features and a TV series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611720259
Publisher:	Stone Bridge Press
Publication date:	07/19/2016
Pages:	928
Sales rank:	609,749
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.80(h) x 2.50(d)

About the Author

Toshio Ban (b. 1953) was Osamu Tezuka's subchief of manga production for magazines at Tezuka Productions, the company founded by Tezuka and responsible for the development, production, merchandising, licensing, and distribution of his many manga and anime creations, including books, films, and characters.

Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd., is the now-legendary company founded by Osamu Tezuka in 1968 to produce his own manga and anime. In the wake of Tezuka's death in 1989, it has continued as a family enterprise, responsible for the development, production, merchandising, licensing, and distribution of his many manga and anime creations, including books, films, and characters.

Frederik L. Schodt is a translator and author of numerous books about Japan, including Manga! Manga!, Dreamland Japan, and Astro Boy Essays: Osamu Tezuka, Might Atom, and the Manga/Anime Revolution. He often served as Osamu Tezuka’s English interpreter in the U.S. and Canada and served as a consultant on one of his animated features and a TV series. In 2009 he received The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette for his contribution to the introduction and promotion of Japanese contemporary popular culture. He is also winner of the Asahi Shimbun's Osamu Tezuka Cultural Award in 2000.

Editorial Reviews

08/29/2016
Osamu Tezuka (1928–1989), the “god of manga” and creator of such characters as Astro Boy, looms like a colossus over Japanese comics and animation. His manga biography is fittingly massive, dramatizing the artist’s life over some 900 pages of cheery cartoon action. As a boy in the city of Takarazuka, Tezuka draws comics, devours science fiction, and becomes a lifelong fan of his town’s famous all-female theater. He enrolls in medical school, but a cartooning career beckons. From there, much of the narrative consists of Tezuka drawing feverishly while editors prowl outside his studio waiting on deadlines. But even at its most repetitive, the book captures its subject’s tireless genius through WWII, the lean postwar years, and the emergence of Japan as a superpower. The artist, Tezuka’s longtime assistant Ban, draws in an accurate recreation of Tezuka’s style, although not quite able to match the easy fluidity of the master. Legendary manga scholar Schodt provides a first-rate translation. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Winner of the 2016 Foreword INDIES Award for Graphic Novels & Comic

One of Publishers Weekly's Best Summer Books of 2016

"Beautifully done. . . entertaining, heartwarming, and quite sad in places, the warmth and charm that defined Tezuka’s work has been captured here... an essential book to own."—Forbes

"The Osamu Tezuka Story offers a reverent and candid review of Tezuka, in a style that memorializes and mirrors his artistic sensibilities--conceptually rich landscapes, clean, complex lines and extreme attention to movement and expression. This book is a necessary reference for Tezuka fans and a historical document providing insight into the philosophy, creation and manufacture of manga."—Shelf Awareness

"Fittingly massive... [with over] 900 pages of cheery cartoon action... Captures its subject's tireless genius through WWII, the lean post war years, and the emergence of Japan as a superpower. Legendary manga scholar Schodt provides a first-rate translation.—Publisher's Weekly

“A must for Tezuka devotees… this near 1,000-page biography of manga artist Osamu Tezuka will spark excitement and rabid consumption.”—Library Journal

"Thorough and well-detailed... Ban and his partners have created a landmark guide to the life and accomplishments of a master."—Foreword Reviews

"Top-notch... This one's not just a must-own. It's a must-actually-read-from-start-to-finish."—OtakuUSA Magazine

"This massive biography in comic form has finally been translated into English — and it's more than worth the wait."—Vox

“Fascinating... Schodt does a terrific job bringing Tezuka’s story to an English-speaking audience.”—Kotaku

"This comprehensive biography shows the complexity of the artist’s life and times... A must read for anyone with a passing interest in the evolution of manga and anime.”—The Japan Times

"The Osamu Tezuka Story opened my eyes. Tezuka didn’t just make manga, he created manga genres. He invented the idea of “story manga,” of moving beyond gag strips into long-format stories, aka “The way all manga is done today.” Tezuka could have lived for a thousand years and never run out of ideas. Reading this, Tezuka seems less like a human being and more like creativity incarnate—a true ‘God of Manga.’”—World Literature Today Magazine

"It's not for nothing that [Osamu Tezuka] is known as the "god of manga..." Rich in anecdotes... [The Osamu Tezuka Story] will be enjoyable for general readers, but this book is probably more suited for true Tezuka enthusiasts. And the growing number of manga fans all over the world suggests that the legion of true enthusiasts who will enjoy this book is large and growing."—Kyoto Journal

“The Story of Osamu Tezuka is a magnificent tome of a book, an illustrated history covering not only the year-by-year life of Tezuka but the development of modern manga and anime. It’s chock-full with points of technical interest, and applies passionate devotion to the telling of Tezuka’s life.”—Pop Matters

5 out of 5 "The artwork is amazingly detailed—a visual feast that incorporates samples of Tezuka’s drawings. In addition to hundreds of fascinating anecdotes about the man, the narrative also covers the history that gives context to his work, other manga artists, and a general history of manga and anime in Japan for much of the twentieth century. If you have any interest in manga, anime, or Japan, this is a great reference."— Manhattan Book Review

"An unparalleled gateway to Tezuka’s life and work. A ground-breaking manga biography of one of Japan’s best-loved and best-selling creators."—Geeky Monkey Magazine

"5 out of 5... A riveting biography... one that every American fan of manga or anime should read."—ICv2

"5 out of 5...heartwarming and inspirational...this is a must buy for anyone interested in Osamu Tezuka and his work in anime and manga."—Otakus and Geeks

"A must for any fan of vintage manga and Japanese pop culture."—Clutter Magazine

"For anyone who was inspired by Tezuka's work and all the contributions he made to art and animation, The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime is a must buy."—Animation For Adults

From the Publisher

11/01/2016
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. VERDICT For fans of manga and anime, as well as anyone interested in innovative people and the creative process.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

School Library Journal