‘TEZUKA! God Of Manga’ Trailer Goes Live Ahead Of Kickstarter Campaign
by Erik Amaya
While we all know Osamu Tezuka is an influential figure in manga and, eventually, comics worldwide, how much do we really know about him? Director Jason Andrew Cohn is setting out to offer a greater understanding of the legendary mangaka with the documentary TEZUKA! God of Manga. Check out the production trailer below for a glimpse of Cohn’s objective:
With the introduction of Astro Boy — Might Atom in Japan — the creator began to exert his influence in the industry, eventually earning the title “God of Manga.” But there is more to the story, of course. the film aims to tell it in three acts. First, “with his childhood in the suburbs of Osaka in the shadow of the Pacific War.”
Additionally, “launching from Tezuka’s dream to create manga and found his own independent animation studio, the film chronicles his ascendance to becoming a national sensation and the subsequent counter-cultural backlash in the 1960s, when young manga readers gravitated away from Tezuka and toward edgier artists in the gekiga movement.” The third act centers on “Tezuka’s remarkable comeback with enduring storylines like Black Jack, which piled on to a creative legacy that extends beyond his estimated 150,000 pages of published manga and dozens of television cartoons and animated films.”
Per a statement, the director said, “TEZUKA! God of Manga celebrates Tezuka-sensei as a preposterously prolific, enigmatic creator who forever altered popular culture by introducing young readers to a brand-new, DIY medium that rocketed around the world … The creative cross-fertilization between artists in Japan and the rest of the world made Tezuka one of the most beloved and influential artists of the 20th century. [It] is a moving, immersive, and visually stunning romp through comics history. This film will celebrate his legacy and introduce his incredible creations to a new generation.”
To tell the tale, Cohn and his team will talk to industry veterans like Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira), Riyoko Ikeda (Rose of Versaille), Naoki Urasawa (Monster), Go Nagai (Devilman), Toshiyuki Tomino (Gundam series), Madhouse co-founder and anime producer Masao Maruyama (Tokyo Godfathers), and anime director Rintaro (Metropolis). Also ready to talk Tezuka: fantasy author Ada Palmer (Too Like the Lightning), Samuel Sattin (Unico Awakening), Jorge R. Gutierrez (The Book of Life), Helen McCarthy (The Art of Osamu Tezuka), Natsu Onoda Power (God of Comics: Osamu Tezuka and the Creation of Post-World War II Manga), and Fred Schodt (Manga! Manga!), Additional interviews are also in the works once the project is funded with the ultimate aim of a 2028 release to coincide with the centenary of Tezuka’s birth.
The campaign, set to go live sometime this summer, will include “rare rewards and merchandise from Tezuka Productions; limited-edition, Kickstarter-exclusive collectible prints celebrating Tezuka and his work created by today’s hottest manga and comic artists; and a collectible Blu-ray version of the documentary.” If you’re interested in backing the project, head over to the landing page on Kickstarter to sign up for updates.
