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Rock Holmes: Transformation – Introduction

A study of reincarnation in Osamu Tezuka’s Star System

by Ada Palmer

Rock Holmes: Transformation – Part 1: INTRODUCTION
Rock Holmes: Transformation – Part 1: CHILDHOOD
Rock Holmes: Transformation – Part 2: TRANSFORMATION
Rock Holmes: Transformation – Part 3: RESOLUTION
Rock Holmes: Transformation – Part 4: AFTERLIFE

INTRODUCTION: ROCK’S MANY INCARNATIONS

Section 1: SOURCES

This essay avoids complete plot summaries whenever possible, but does reveal plot points when necessary, and provides extensive summaries of series not available in English. Prior familiarity with the works treated is not necessary, but if you prefer to approach stories unspoiled, then before reading this essay you will want to read or watch as many as you can of the following: mangas (available in English) Nextworld, Metropolis, Buddha, Phoenix, Black Jack, Astro Boy, (in other western languages): Vampires, Rainbow Parakeet), more Black Jack, MW, Prince Norman (Asian languages only) Detective Boy Rock Holmes, Adventures of Rock, Road to Utopian Lurue, Alabaster, Say Hello to Bookilla, Black Jack NEO; animation (in English) Metropolis movie, episodes 34 and 35 of the 2003 Astro Boy TV series (not in English) Fumoon, Princess Knight TV series, Marine Express, Jetter Mars, second Black Jack movie, “Two Dark Doctors,”, Black Jack TV series.… Read the rest

Spanish Manga

There is a relatively large number of Spanish-language (primarily European) releases. Check out our handy table below to see what’s available.

Be sure to click on the English Title for more detailed (when available) series information!

Italian Title English Title Publication Date Publisher No. of Volumes In Print? Notes
Adolf Message to Adolf 1999-00 Planeta de Agostini 5 ✘ Vol. 1 is extremely difficult to find
Adolf Message to Adolf 2010 Planeta de Agostini 2 ✔ Two-volume Hardcover Box-set
Astroboy Astro Boy 2003-12 Glénat 21/22 ✔ Final double size volume (22 & 23)
Ayako Ayako 2004 Otakuland 2 ✘  
Bajo el aire Under the Air 2008 Dolmen 1 ✔  
Black Jack Black Jack 1995-96 Glénat 12 ✘ Incomplete
Black Jack Black Jack 2006-09 Glénat 17 ✔ complete edition
Buda Buddha 2002-03 Planeta de Agostini 10 ✔  
Crimen y castigo Crime and Punishment 2004 Otakuland 1 ✘ Also contains back-up feature Lemon Kid
El árbol que da sombra A Tree in the Sun 2005-06 Planeta de Agostini 8 ✔ a.k.a.
… Read the rest

Portuguese Manga

Although there are not many Portuguese-language releases of Tezuka manga, the list is growing. Check out our handy table below to see what’s available.

Be sure to click on the English Title for more detailed (when available) series information!

Italian Title English Title Publication Date Publisher No. of Volumes In Print? Notes
Adolf Message to Adolf 2011 Conrad 5 ✔  
A Princesa e o Cavaleiro Princess Knight 2002 JBC 8 ✘ Nakayoshi Edition
Buda Buddha 2011 Conrad 14 ✔  
Dororo Dororo 2011-2012 NewPOP 4 ✔ 2/4 volumes released
Metrópolis Metropolis 2011 NewPOP 1 ✔  
… Read the rest

Korean Manga

Although many titles are out of print, Korean language editions of Tezuka’s manga continue to be published. Check out our handy table below to see what’s available in Korean.

Be sure to click on the English Title for more detailed (when available) series information!

Italian Title English Title Publication Date Publisher No. of Volumes In Print? Notes
나의 손오공 Son-Goku the Monkey 2004 Haksan (Sol) Publishing 8 ✘
넘버 세븐 Number 7 2002 Haksan Publishing 4 ✘
노만 Noman 2002 Haksan Publishing 3 ✘
넥스트 월드 Next World 2008 AK Communications 1 ✔
더 크레이터 The Crater 2011 Haksan Publishing 2 ✔
도로로 Dororo 2008 Haksan Publishing 4 ✔ Also available in boxset
돈 드라큐라 Don Dracula 2003 Haksan Publishing 3 ✘
로스트 월드 Lost World 2008 AK Communications 1 ✔
리본의 기사 Princess Knight [Nakayoshi] 2001 Haksan Publishing 3 ✘ Nakayoshi Edition
리본의 기사 – 소녀편 Princess Knight [Shojo Club] 2001 Haksan Publishing 2 ✘ Shōjo Club Edition
마그마 대사 Ambassador Magma 2002 Haksan Publishing 3 ✘
미크로이드 S Microid S 2002 Haksan Publishing 3 ✘
밀림의 왕자 레오 Jungle Emperor 2001 Haksan Publishing 3 ✔ Only available in boxset
메트로폴리스 Metropolis 2008 AK Communications 1 ✔
불새 Phoenix 2002-03 Haksan Publishing 16 ✔ Only available in 2 boxsets
블랙잭 Black Jack 2001-02 Haksan Publishing 23 ✔ Only available in 2 boxsets
붓다 Buddha 2001-02 Haksan Publishing 8 ✘
붓다 Buddha 2011-12 Haksan Publishing 8 ✔ New Edition
뱀파이어 Vampires 2002 Haksan Publishing 3 ✘
신보물섬 New Treasure Island 2002 AK Communications 1 ✔
아돌프에게 고한다 Message to Adolf 2009 Semicolon 5 ✔
아야코 Ayako 2003 Haksan Publishing 3 ✘
아폴로의 노래 Apollo’s Song 2001-02 Haksan Publishing 3 ✘
아톰 Astro Boy 2001-02 Haksan Publishing 23 ✔ Only available in 2 boxsets
칠색잉꼬 Rainbow Parakeet 2011 Haksan Publishing 1 ✔
키리히토찬가 Ode to Kirihito 2001 Haksan Publishing 4 ✘
MW MW 2008 AK Communications 2 ✔ Also available in boxset
… Read the rest

Italian Manga

Italy is another Tezuka hot-spot and there is a significant amount of Tezuka manga translated into Italian. Check out our handy table below to see what’s available.

Be sure to click on the English Title for more detailed (when available) series information!

Italian Title English Title Publication Date Publisher No. of Volumes In Print? Notes
Alabaster Alabaster 2011 Free-Books 1/2 ✔ Only one volume released
Astro Boy Astro Boy 2005 Planet Manga 5 ✘ 5-volume “Best Of” series only
Ayako Ayako 2004 Hazard Edizioni 3 ✔  
Black Jack Black Jack 2002-05 Hazard Edizioni 25 ✔  
Budda Buddha 1999-02 Hazard Edizioni 14 ✔  
Don Dracula Don Dracula 2010 Ronin Manga 3 ✔  
Dororo Dororo 2001 Kabuki Publishing 2/4 ✘ Incomplete
Dororo Dororo 2012 Goen 0/4 ✘ Announced but not yet released
Kimba, il leone bianco Jungle Emperor 2005-06 Hazard Edizioni 3 ✔  
Kirihito Ode to Kirihito 2006-2007 Hazard Edizioni 4 ✔  
La Fenice Phoenix 2005-11 Hazard Edizioni 17 ✔ Final volume is Shojo Club edition
La Principessa Zaffiro Princess Knight 2001 Hazard Edizioni 3 ✔ Nakayoshi Edition
La storia dei tre Adolf Message to Adolf 1998 Hazard Edizioni 5 ✘  
La storia dei tre Adolf Message to Adolf 2010 Hazard Edizioni 3 ✔ Deluxe edition (box-set available)
MW MW 2004-05 Hazard Edizioni 3 ✔  
Pinocchio Pinocchio 2011 Ronin Manga 1 ✔  
Sotto il nostro cielo Under the Air 2011 Hazard Edizioni 1 ✔  
Metropolis Metropolis 2011 Free-Books 0/1 ✘ Announced by not released yet
… Read the rest

Indonesian Manga

There are very few Indonesian language editions of Tezuka manga. Hopefully this list will grow in the future, but for now check out our handy table below to see what’s available.

Be sure to click on the English Title for more detailed (when available) series information!

Italian Title English Title Publication Date Publisher No. of Volumes In Print? Notes
Buddha Buddha 2006-08 Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia (KPG) 8 ✔ Release based on the Vertical Inc. edition
Adolf Message to Adolf 2011 Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia (KPG) 5 ✔  
… Read the rest

German Manga

Although there are not many German-language releases of Tezuka manga, the list is growing. Check out our handy table below to see what’s available.

Be sure to click on the English Title for more detailed (when available) series information!

German Title English Title Publication Date Publisher No. of Volumes In Print? Notes
Adolf Message to Adolf 2005-2006 Carlsen Verlag GmbH 5 ✔
Astro Boy Astro Boy 2000-2002 Carlsen Verlag GmbH 21 ✘
Barbara Barbara 2010 Schreiber & Leser 2 ✔
Buddha Buddha 2012-2014 Carlsen Verlag GmbH 10 ✔
Kimba, der weiße Löwe Jungle Emperor 2001 (2011-2012) Carlsen Verlag GmbH 3 (2) ✔ SC (3 volumes out of print) and HC (2 volumes) editions available
Kirihito Ode to Kirihito 2009-2010 Carlsen Verlag GmbH 2 ✔
… Read the rest

French Manga

If you can read in French, you’re in luck. There is, by far, more of Tezuka’s manga translated into French than into any other European language. Although seven chapters of Tezuka’s Rise of the Birdmen (1971-75) were published in France between 1978 and 1980 in the magazine Le Cri qui tue, regular publication really began in 1996 with the advent of Astro Boy, Black Jack and le Roi Léo (Jungle Emperor) from Glénat.

Check out our handy table below to see what’s available.

Be sure to click on the English Title for more detailed (when available) series information!… Read the rest

Chinese Manga

CHINESE:

not a complete list

  • Singapore Editions:
    • Astro Boy
    • Black Jack
    • Jungle Emperor Leo
  • Hong Kong editions:
    • Adventures of Rock
    • Alabaster
    • Ambassador Magma
    • Apple with watch Mechanism
    • Astro Boy
    • Ayako
    • Barbara
    • Big X
    • Birdman Anthology
    • Black Jack
    • Bonba
    • Buddha
    • Burunga I
    • Captain Ken
    • The Crater
    • Crime & Punishment
    • The Devil Garon
    • Don Dracula
    • Dororo
    • Dr. Doronko
    • Eulogy to Kirihito
    • Faust
    • The Film Lives On
    • Flying Ben
    • Fusuke
    • General Onimaru
    • Human Metamorphosis
    • I am Sarutobi
    • Lunatic Japan
    • Maku, Rumi and Chii
    • Manga University
    • Marvelous Melmo
    • Melody of Iron
    • Metamorphose
    • Microid S
    • MW
    • The Mysterious Underground Men
    • New Treasure Island
    • Paper Fortress
    • Phoenix
    • Princess Knight
    • The Rainbow Fortress
    • Rally Up Mankind!
… Read the rest

Tezuka, Osamu

Tezuka often inserted himself into his own work, and the ways in which he did it really spans the entire gambit of roles. Most often he simply plays himself, the manga artist offering the reader a closer-than-usual connection with the author by becoming an active narrator of the story. That can include more in-depth framing at the beginning or ending of a story, providing insight into its development or some of the meta context from the time period it was created that may enhance the reader’s enjoyment.