Tezuka, Osamu
Also known as 手塚 治虫 (Tezuka Osamu)
Hello, My Name (in English) is…
Osamu Tezuka added an extra character “虫” (mushi), meaning “insect” to his name to create a penname.
Distinguishing Features
As if he needs an introduction, however you can always tell when the god of manga enters the story by his signature beret, thick glasses, and large spotted nose.
Status: God of Manga (★★★★★★)
Tezuka often inserted himself into his own work, and the ways in which he did it really spans the entire gambit of roles. Most often he simply plays himself, the manga artist offering the reader a closer-than-usual connection with the author by becoming an active narrator of the story. That can include more in-depth framing at the beginning or ending of a story, providing insight into its development or some of the meta context from the time period it was created that may enhance the reader’s enjoyment.
On the other hand, he sometimes plays a more active role in the story – again ranging from a background “Hitchcock” style cameo, or appearing in a single panel or two in a comedy-driven walk-on. On rare occasions he will be a major supporting character, whenever the characters of his world need the support or service of a workaholic manga author.
Osamu Tezuka got his “big break” as “The Author” in The Story of a Miracle Forest (1949). However, many English-speaking readers will be familiar with his appearances in the framing sequences in the Dark Horse edition of Astro Boy (1952-68). He’s comedy gold in the Rainbow Parakeet (1981-82) chapter ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ where he gets throttled by the Parakeet when he breaks the fourth wall. He also plays himself as a manga artist in The Crater (1969-70) chapter ‘Three Invaders’ as “the manga artist.” However, arguably his most memorable role is as the head of Mushi Productions in Vampires (1966-69) where he becomes a major supporting character as Rock‘s unwitting accomplice.
Manga Appearances
If you spot an appearance not already listed, please let us know in the comments section below!
1949
The Story of a Miracle Forest as “the author”
1951
The Cactus Kid as “the author”
Pippy as “the artist”
Fossil Island as “the cartoonist, sculptor”
1952
The Cactus Kid (“Cactus, Get your Gun!”) as “the author”
The Fossil Man as “the announcer”
1953
My Doodle as “himself”
The 13 Secrets as “the author”
The Monster of the 38th Parallel as “the boy’s colleague”
Space Rhapsody as “the author”
1954
The Devil of the Earth as “Dr. Tezuka”
The Story of the Silk Hat as “Jim”
Benkei as “Taro Mitsumori Tezuka”
My Doodle as “himself”
1955
Astro Boy (“Electro“) as “a passerby”
Pickled Plum Plot Group as “himself”
Storm Fairy as “the cartoonist”
1956
Astro Boy (“Atlas“) as “one of the refugees”
Gut-chan as “the author”
Phoenix [Shojo Club] (“Egypt“) as “the photographer at the coronation”
Phoenix [Shojo Club] (“Rome”) as “himself”
Lion Books [‘Mankind of the Future’] as “the sick man”
Oh! We Three as “one of the doctors”
1957
Lion Books (“Skeleton Skipper”) as “the author”
Rags & Jewels as “one of the cinema customers”
Hello! Mr. Chippo as ” the cartoonist”
Whirlwind Z as “the author”
The Kokeshi Detective Agency as “Taro’s brother”
The Earth War as “the author”
1958
Astro Boy (“Count Bat”) as “Astro’s graffiti”
The Curtain is Still Blue Tonight as “the doctor”
The Twin Knights as “the wall painting” and “a gypsy”
Sangoro from the Hills as “the cartoonist?”
The Film Lives On as “the doctor”
Super Taiheiki as “many others”
1959
Jet King
Merchant of Venice
The Doodle Encyclopedia
Zero Men
Osamu Night Story ‘First Night’
Osamu Night Story ‘Second Night’
Osamu Night Story ‘Third Night’
My Memories
1960
Astro Boy (“Uran”) as “Kuzuya”
One Thousand and One Nights of Manga
Osamu Tezuka’s Manga Story
I am Sarutobi! as “one of the soldiers”
1961
Astro Boy (“The Third Magician”) as “the visitor to the cave”
The Ant and the Giant as “the insect maniac and others”
The Strange Boy as “a passers-by”
1962
Here Comes Yokko-chan! as “a passenger on the train”
S.O.S. from Space as “the author”
Number 7 (“Friendship of Alien Deneb”) as “the author in the fog”
Shigiyama Engi Emaki
1963
Princess Knight [Nakayoshi]
The Shinsengumi as “a guest at the Shinsengumi reception”
1964
Astro Boy (“Time Machine”) as “the cartoonist”
The Story of Animals (“Earthworm”)
1965
Astro Boy (“Roboids”) as “the author”
Astro Boy (“The Blue Knight”) as “the author”
Wonder 3 [Shonen Sunday] as “the author”
1966
Astro Boy (“The Face in the Rock”) as “the author”
Flying Ben as “the author”
Vampires as “Osamu Tezuka”
1967
Dororo (“Hyakkimaru”) as “the artist hit by the rocks”
Dororo (“The Misery Chronicles”) as “a soldier killed in the war”
1968
Astro Boy (“The Man Who Returned from Mars”) as “a customer at the airport”
Grand Dolls as “the author”
Swallowing the Earth as “artificial skin”
Norman
1969
Under the Air (“Cape Uroko”) as “the cartoonist”
The Crater (“Three Invaders”) as “the manga artist”
The Minimum Invitation Seat (“Ghost Story Yukihakureka”) as “the cartoonist”
I.L (“Ransom’] as “a passenger on the bullet train”
Land of the Tigermen as “a cast member of the World Cruel Show”
General Onimaru as “as reporter/soldier/cartoonist”
1970
The Crater (“The Mask of Tomoe”) as “Tezuka”
The Crater (“Sacrifice”) as “Tezuka”
Dauberman as “the cartoonist”
Under the Air (“Rovanna”) as “the cartoonist”
The Record of Fusuke as “a member of the Shinsengumi”
Yaketpachi’s Maria as “the commentator”
Gachaboi’s Biography as “himself”
Tales of Tokiwa Apartments as “himself”
Deep Cave as “”
Alabaster as “Gen’s disguise”
Hanagasa Manpo
1971
New Liaozhai Zhiyi (“The Woman Spider”) as “the author”
Lion Books: A Hundred Tales (“Wandering”) as “the author”
Lion Books: A Hundred Tales (“Overthrown”) as “the author”
New Liaozhai Zhiyi (“Otsune”) as “the author”
Game as “the cartoonist”
One Fool
Phoenix (“Intermission“) as “himself”
1972
Night Guest as “himself”
Buddha as “himself”
Thunder Mask as “the cartoonist”
1973
Black Jack (“Miyuki and Ben”) as “a man on the train”
Black Jack (“A Girl who became a Bird”) as “a competitor at the man-powered flight contest”
The Godfather’s Son as “Tezuka”
Essay on the Idleness of Animals (“Cat”) as “himself”
Microid S
1974
Black Jack (“The Pirate’s Arm”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“Mistress Shiraha”) as “the cartoonist”
Black Jack (“Pinoko Lives”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“Baby Blues”) as “role to be beaten”
Black Jack (“Eyewitness”) as “the bombing suspect”
Black Jack (“Two Loves”) as “a sushi customer”
Kanpachi
Paper Fortress as “Tetsuro Osamu”
1975
Black Jack (“Spasm”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“Hydrocephalus”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“Looking Good”) as “a doctor”
The Three-Eyed One (“The Mystery of the Three-Eyed Clan”) as “a passerby”
Hungry Blues as “Tetsuro Osamu”
The Lower Angel as “the author”
1976
Black Jack (“Timeout”) as “a citizen”
Black Jack (“Another J”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“U-18 Knew”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“Gift to the Future”) as “a patient”
Black Jack (“Hurricane”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“Tenacity”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“The Promise”) as “a Paris police officer”
The Three-Eyed One (“The Magician”) as “”
The Three-Eyed One (“Easter Island”) as “moai face”
Metamorphosis (“The Story of the Sacred Square”) as “the author”
Horror Tales of Yotsuya as “the cartoonist”
1977
Black Jack (“Playing Doctor”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“Signal”) as “a doctor”
The Three-Eyed One (“Moa, the Mysterious Bird”) as “Osamushi Hoka”
1978
Black Jack (“Swapped”) as “a member of the gallery”
Black Jack (“Suggestion in the 20th Year”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“The Man Who Threw up Capsules”) as “a portrait”
Black Jack (“The Boy in the Sealed Room”) as “a doctor”
1979
Mt. Monmon is Crying as “Shigeru”
Don Dracula (“Dracula’s Arrival”) as “a passerby”
Don Dracula (“Dracula’s Transformation”) as “a passenger on the train”
1980
Unico [First Grader] as “various”
1981
The Rainbow Parakeet (“A Doll’s House“) as “the author”
The Rainbow Parakeet (“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?“) as “the author”
The Rainbow Parakeet (“The Threepenny Opera“) as “a customer in the cafe”
The Rainbow Parakeet (“Princess Media“) as “a passenger”
1982
The Rainbow Parakeet (“The Six Characters Who Look for the Author“) as “the author”
Black Jack (“A Passed Moment”) as “the author”
1983
Black Jack (“Brachydactyly”) as “a doctor”
Black Jack (“Prone to Laughter”) as “a doctor”
1985
The Customer is the Devil as “A gameshow contestant”
1986
Atom Cat (“The Birth of Atom Cat”) as “himself”
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