Tezuka’s Manga (1960-69)

Tezuka hits his stride

Vampires (1966-67)

The 1960s see Tezuka hit his artistic stride. Although throughout the decade much of his energy was devoted to getting his animation, both artistic and commercial, off the ground, in his manga work his storytelling and artwork show a maturity that only comes from years of experience.

In the early 1960s Tezuka’s work still resembled, albeit often in a more polished way, his sci-fi adventures of the 1950s. This is evident through works such as his “cowboys on Mars” sci-fi adventure, Captain Ken (1960-61), his “superman” story Big X (1963-66), his “aliens on Earth” adventure Wonder 3 (1965-66), and his “giant robot” series, Ambassador Magma (1965-67).

However, the later 1960s would see a major shift in Tezuka’s work. A few of the key turning points are; the 1966 release of his first exploration of man’s capacity for evil, Vampires (1966-67), his contribution to the yōkai (ghost story) genre of storytelling, Dororo (1967-69), and, of course, his release of his masterpiece, Phoenix (1967-88), in the experimental “manga laboratory” magazine COM.

By the end of the 1960s, we see the emergence of seinen-style works, such as Swallowing the Earth (1968-69) that would set the stage for Tezuka’s darker period in the early 1970s.

Tezuka's Manga (1946-49)

The 1940s feature the works of Osamu Tezuka’s youthful exhuberance – those that pave the way for modern manga and show just a hint of his later genius.

Tezuka's Manga (1950-59)

The 1950s feature the first of Osamu Tezuka's works where the artwork, though still showing its Disney-esque roots, catches up to his storytelling.

Tezuka's Manga (1960-69)

The 1960s see Tezuka hit his artistic stride. Although throughout the decade much of his energy was devoted to getting his animation, both artistic and commercial, off the ground, in his manga work his storytelling and artwork show a maturity that only...

Tezuka's Manga (1970-79)

With the failure of the company he founded, Mushi Productions, much of Tezuka's work in the 1970s reflects his darker mood. Despite this, and indeed because of it, the 1970s really show Tezuka at his best.

Tezuka's Manga (1980-89)

Although Tezuka spent the last decade of his life primarily focused on his award-winning work in experimental animation, there are still several important manga series of note.