Phoenix [aka Hinotori]

Also known as 火の鳥 (Hinotori)

Hello, My Name (in English) is…

Sometimes known as “Hinotori”, her name is derived from the Japanese words hi (火) meaning “fire” and tori (鳥) meaning “bird” –  or “bird of fire” which is a literal translation of the English word “Phoenix”.

Distinguishing Features

The Phoenix is a bird of extraordinary beauty. She glows with the beauty. of her own flames.

Status: Super Star (★★★★★)

Inspired by the music of Stravinsky, in particular of course by “Firebird,” the Phoenix is the title character of Tezuka’s life work, in which she represents the embodiment of life and all its cycles. She is not always either a protagonist or an antagonist, but is always an important figure, even if the concepts of life, death, and reincarnation appear more strongly in the themes of the chapter than in the action of the story.

Her role is not always positive: she is capable of a motherly tenderness (seen primarily in versions of the character produced by others than Tezuka himself), but just as capable of frightening vengeance, or, most often, of a totally alien pattern of thought. She can give or deny eternal life, and uses both to punish and to reward individuals.

Notable Roles

As the titular character, the Phoenix has been the chief driver (if not the main protagonist) of three separate series. She first made an appearance in the short-lived series Phoenix [Manga Shonen] (1953) before it was abruptly cancelled. She next made an appearance in the Phoenix [Shojo Club] (1956-57) version of the series. However, most readers will know her from the various chapters of Phoenix (1967-88) which was a series which ran (non-contiguously) for twenty years. As Tezuka’s work, viewpoints, and concerns progressed, so do the tone and themes of Phoenix, and therefore so do the roles of the Phoenix herself, in her interactions with various other staple Tezuka’s Stars.