I want to take a little break from the memories posts for a moment, and talk about something else. I just went to Barnes & Nobles today and in the Manga/Graphic Novels section i picked up some things i've been wanting for quite a while: some works by Osamu Tezuka, the grandfather of Manga.
"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 still considered a frivolous medium. His many early masterpieces include the series known in the U.S. as Astro Boy. With his sweeping vision, deftly intertwined plots, and indefatigable commitment to human dignity, Tesuka elevated manga to an art form. Other works... include the medical thriller Ode to Kirihito and the eight-volume epic Buddha, winner of the Eisner and Harvey Awards."
- from the back cover of Apollo's Song
The reason I want to write about Tezuka is because i am a big fan of Manga, as are many of my peers. However i think since Tezuka's time, something has fallen between the cracls. Manga has become too mainstream and i think it is starting to lose it's impact. Sure there are many good one's out there, but i think in order to truely appreciate them we have to do our history work; we have to read up on Tezuka, who truly made Manga a recognizable artform.
I have purchased the following of his works:
Ode to Kirihito: Part One
Ode to Kirihito: Part Two
MW
Apollo's Song
Black Jack: Volume 1
I will review these works as i read them.
For More on Osamu Tezuka:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka
No comments:
Post a Comment