A major turning point in Tezuka's work, the Vampires (1966-69) manga series was originally published in Weekly Shonen Sunday between June 1966 to May 1967, with a sequel appearing in Shonen Book from October 1968 and ending abruptly, mid-story, in April 1969. The series also spawned a live-action television series, with animated animal versions of the vampires in 1969.
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.
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.
Originally envisioned as an exploration of the human mind, the series of 17 independent, self-contained short stories that make up The Crater (1969-70) was serialized in Weekly Shonen Champion from August 1969 to April 1970.
Originally published in Weekly Shonen King from April to November 1970, Apollo's Song (1970) is, in effect, a microcosm of Tezuka's work that combines nearly all his signature styles and techniques in one mature story.
Types of Tezuka Manga
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.
