The Walt Disney of Japan.

[Metropolisforever]

When most people think of Tezuka, they think of happy, carefree robots and lions prancing through flowers.

In fact, I read a (parental) review of the Metropolis film in which they said that Tezuka is well-known for drawing children's manga, and that Metropolis was more "mature"

This is not true.

I do not think that Tezuka is the Walt Disney of Japan anymore, because of his VERY mature works.

I think that Fujiko F. Fujio is the real "Walt Disney of Japan". Even though, he worked with Fujiko Fujio (A). So, they're like the "Walt Disneys" of Japan.

What do you think?

[cmoon]

It isn't a very accurate title anyway, but I think it is often given to him also because of his heavy influence on both illustration and animation.

[Metropolisforever]

Walt Disney had a few mature works, but nothing like Tezuka's.

Disney had a puberty film, called "The Story of Menstruation", and he also had an anti-Nazi film. Snopes.com has a great list of Disney urban legends.

[Karmi-Sempai]

You know, Tezuka wa said to have that title but Hayao Miyazaki took it away. Besides, Tezuka suits better with the title "The Godfather of Anime".

[Princess Sapphire]

[Kevin]

[Kuririn]

[cmoon]

[David]

[Kevin]

[Jeffbert]

[Tetsu Deinonychus]

[Recca_Phoenix]

I agree somewhat with the label "the Walt Disney of Japan" but.... I feel like Tezuka did so much more in more fields than Disney. He jump-started manga into new worlds, founding or working in virtually every genre AND did something similar for the world of anime to an extent. Disney did something similar with animation, yes, bringing it up to the status of a more legit art form and coming up with more tech. innovations, longer stories, etc. but his influence as far as comics.....is nowhere near Tezuka's. Disney also did not have the genre diversity of Tezuka (although if you consider all his live-action features and tv shows and the Disney properties.....)
Both creators have similarities in the merchandising sense, although Disney World/Land/whatever in its multiple incarnations makes the Tezuka museum look like the county fair ^^;;
Disney's works are also standalone.
In short.... the label has its drawbacks but it works for conveying the general idea....and if it gets Disney fans to look at Tezuka stuff, great!. I'm sure Tezuka would have been amused (and probably flattered) by it. A similar case - Shozo Makino (1900s-1920s Japanese film director) was thrilled by his Western-given nickname of "The D.W. Griffith of Japan."

[Manetoys]