Although the stories featured in this anthology cover a wide range of topics - from military-style drama, to forbidden love, to assassination plot thrillers to space hippies - they share a general similarity in terms of style and tone. For the most part each of the stories represents a morality play that explores some deeper part of the human psyche.
One day, when they are caught in a sudden spring downpour, a young man suggests to Rika Ayano, a beautiful young woman he's just met, that they ride out the storm in a nearby coffee shop.
Originally published in SF Magazine from March 1971 – February 1975, Birdman Anthology is a collection of loosely connected but independent short stories which revolve around the theme of birds steadily become the dominant species on Earth.
Seen by many as Tezuka's response to the more dramatic-style geikga movement of manga in the 1960's, Swallowing the Earth (1968-69) began serialization in Big Comic in April 1968 and ran until July 1969.
One of Tezuka's most well-known series, Phoenix (1967-88), is a series of twelve loosely connected stories – with the first chapter, “Dawn” published in COM magazine in 1967, and the last, “Sun”, appearing in 1988 in The Wild Age.
Originally serialized in Big Comic from April 1970 to December 1971, is part of Tezuka's general shift in the late 1960's/early 1970's towards more mature subject matter. It is also Tezuka's first step into a genre he would later master with Black Jack (1973-83) and A Tree in the Sun (1981-86) - the medical drama.
Following hot on the heels of Swallowing the Earth (1968-69), Tezuka's next project, I.L (pronounced "Aye-El"), was originally serialized in Big Comic from August 1969 to March 1970.
Tezuka's signature samurai series, Dororo (1967-69) was originally published in Weekly Shonen Sunday from August 1967 to July 1968. After a hiatus the manga series concluded its run in Adventure King in 1969 to coincide with the release of the animated television show.
Another of Osamu Tezuka's biting social satires, The Book of Human Insects (1970-71) followed his series of short stories, known collectively as Under the Air (1968-70), and was originally serialized from May 9, 1970 to February 13, 1971 in Play Comic.
One of Osamu Tezuka's most adult and sexually-charged works, Barbara (1973-74) was originally serialized as a follow-up to Ayako (1972-73) in Big Comic from July 1973 to May 1974.
Ongoing Serial: a series of episodes, published over a span of weeks/months/years where the story plot is connected from chapter to chapter and must be read in chronological order for it to be understood properly.
Chapter Serial: a series of episodes, published over a span of weeks/months/years where the story plot is self-contained to a single chapter. There may be an overarching plot, but the stories can generally be read in any order and be understood
Book: an all-in-one self contained story published as a one-off.
Supplement: an an all-in-one self contained story published as a stand-alone supplement to a regular weekly/monthly periodical.
Short Story: an all-in-one, self contained story that was published in a regular weekly/monthly periodical
Anthology: a collection of all-in-one, self contained stories that were published in a regular weekly/monthly periodical but are generally grouped together.
