Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka, born in Japan in the late 1920s, was a pioneering figure in the world of comics and animation, often referred to as the "god of comics." He began his creative journey while studying at Osaka University in the 1940s, where he first published a comic strip at just eighteen. Tezuka was significantly influenced by Western animation, particularly the works of Walt Disney, which sparked his interest in storytelling through visual media. After graduating from medical school, he opted for a career in graphic arts over medicine, leading to the creation of numerous popular manga that resonated with audiences.
His works are known for their deep humanism and themes opposing war, with his series "Phoenix" being particularly noted for its imaginative narratives involving characters that die and are reborn. Tezuka's creations extended beyond manga; he was instrumental in developing the anime industry, producing notable shows like "Astro Boy" and "Kimba the White Lion." Throughout his career, he received several prestigious awards for both his comics and animation, including honors from international film festivals. Tezuka's legacy continues to impact the fields of manga and anime, with museums and commemorations celebrating his contributions long after his passing from stomach cancer in 1989.
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Subject Terms
Osamu Tezuka
- Born: November 3, 1928
- Birthplace: Toyonaka, Japan
- Died: February 9, 1989
- Place of death: Tokyo, Japan
Biography
Osamu Tezuka was born in Japan in the late 1920’s. While attending Osaka University in the 1940’s, he began drawing comics as a hobby. He was only eighteen when his first four-panel strip was published in a newspaper. Tezuka was inspired, to a great extent, by the animation of Walt Disney, and he reportedly watched Bambi thirty times. He graduated from Osaka University’s medical school in 1951 and became a licensed physician in 1960, but chose to focus on a career in graphic arts rather than medicine.
Tezuka began publishing his comics in various newspapers and full-length comic books called manga. His comics were immediately and immensely popular, selling millions of copies. All of Tezuka’s stories are characterized by their humanism and rejection of war. His comic strip Jungle Tatei was adapted for the screen and became Japan’s first color television show. His strip Tetsuwan Atomu became Japan’s first animated television series.Tetsuwan Atomu was eventually translated for American audiences, where it was released as Astro Boy. Tezuka also created the Phoenix series, in which characters die and come back to life, often as animals. This series is considered by many to be his most notable comic. He is best known in the United States for his popular animated television shows, exported as Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion.
Throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s, Tezuka’s comics won several prestigious comic awards such as the Shogakkan Comics award, and the Bungei Shunju Comic award. His animation was also honored with several awards at the Venice International Film Festival, Asia Film Festival and Zagreb Animation Festival. In 1961, Tezuka launched his own film company, Tezuka Productions and Mushi Studios, to produce animated films based on his print work, launching the Japanese cinematic genre of anime. Tezuka published two books during his lifetime, both autobiographical pieces.
He died of stomach cancer in 1989 at the age of sixty. During his lifetime, Tezuka drew approximately 150,000 pages of comics, and more than one hundred animated films have been made from his works. In Japan, Tezuka is known as the manga no kamisama, or god of comics. In 1994, the Osamu Tezuka Museum of Comic Art was named in Tezuka’s honor; Japanese postage stamps honoring him were designed and sold in 1997.