[The Crazy Genius] A divine manga that depicts the extraordinary reality of Osamu Tezuka! ... Why do Japanese people underestimate Osamu Tezuka?
When you think of "manga related to Osamu Tezuka," what comes to mind?
You probably think of "Black Jack: The Secret Story of Creation" or
the monumental manga about manga artists, "Manga Michi."
However... do you know of a "Tezuka Osamu manga" that is explosively interesting and rivals these?
That is the one I am introducing today, Cozy Shokura's
"Chaser"It's a must-read for Tezuka fans, and if you consider yourself a manga lover, it's a masterpiece among masterpieces that is explosively interesting and would be a loss not to read!
What exactly is so amazing about it?
And why do Japanese people underestimate Osamu Tezuka?
I will thoroughly explain the charm of this masterpiece that depicts the extraordinary reality of Osamu Tezuka, so please stay with me until the end.
How do you depict the genius of Osamu Tezuka?
In short, this work is a manga where you can experience just how far the undeniable "genius" known asOsamu Tezukawas a genius who went beyond all limits.
The biggest feature of its expression is...
Surprisingly,Osamu Tezukadoes not appear at all!
Huh? What do you mean?
Right?
Yes. He doesn't appear.
Can you convey the greatness of Osamu Tezuka even if he doesn't appear?
If he doesn't appear, isn't it boring?
Yes... it's natural to think that way.
But this setting is extremely brilliant.
The protagonist is a manga artist named "Koichi Kaitoku" who unilaterally views Osamu Tezuka as a rival,
and the setting allows you to experience the greatness of Osamu Tezuka through his actions.
For example, when the protagonist is self-praising, saying, "I'm a popular artist with three serials!"
he suddenly hears,
"I heard Osamu Tezuka is doing 10 serials right now."The protagonist naturally goes, "Seriously!?"
"I'm struggling with three, how is he doing 10!?"
Furthermore, while he is drawing manga as if his life depends on it,
Osamu Tezuka goes on trips, watches movies, gets married,
and for some reason, even starts working on anime...
"Ah, what on earth is going on inside that man's head!?"
Through the protagonist's complex and slapstick drama,
the extraordinary nature of Osamu Tezuka is expressed.
The title "Chaser" means"one who chases,"and the plot of this work is literally a slapstick drama about a man who unilaterally chases the "God of Manga," and this brilliant indirect depiction is an irresistible charm.
This is truly amazing.
Moreover, even though this protagonist is hostile toward Tezuka-sensei,
he actually loves Tezuka-sensei more than anyone else!
Even while he pushes him away with his mouth, saying,"I don't know anything about Tezuka,"he knows more about Osamu Tezuka than anyone else (lol).
People around him have already figured it out,
"You're quite the Tezuka fan, aren't you..."
This indescribable protagonist is incredibly charming.
You can follow the greatness of Tezuka's manga chronologically
Another point is that the story follows the actual chronological order of events.
For example, the depiction of "Astro Boy," the first domestic TV anime to be broadcast.
At the time, no one had ever watched TV anime,
so you can re-experience the excitement of when it was broadcast amidst the confusion and surprise of "What on earth is that..." from the viewer's perspective with a sense of realism.
Because the protagonist is constantly in a flurry every time a major Tezuka work is announced, such as during
"W3", during "Vampires", and during "Dororo", just by reading this, you can learn about the historical context, such as what the situation was like at the time and what kind of works they were, making it exceptionally fun to read.
Even during his slumps, it depicts the detailed situation of the time, so you can tell that the author, Cozy Kojikura, is also quite a Tezuka fan.
The chronological order of the story is also well-researched, and the depiction is so precise that it is truly impressive, so I think it is irresistible for Tezuka fans.
I really think it's irresistible for Tezuka fans.
And a highlight of the story that cannot be missed is the moment of the birth of "Black Jack".
the moment of the birth of "Black Jack".
In the history of Osamu Tezuka, this was a period of great stagnation where people around him were whispering, "Tezuka is finished... it's no good." A desperate situation where even the protagonist, who is a huge fan, looks at Tezuka with pity.
From such a hellish situation, the timeless masterpiece "Black Jack," which shines in the history of Japanese manga, is born!
It is truly an overwhelming revival that no one could have predicted!
The protagonist cannot stop trembling at this.
This part about "Black Jack" is drawn with quite a lot of pages, so it is a must-see for "Black Jack" fans.
This alone makes the book worth reading.
It is not a destructive, tremendous story like "The Untold Story of Black Jack's Creation," nor is it a deification like "Manga Michi" where he is enshrined on a pedestal.
Even though it is an indirect depiction, it is an excellent manga where you can fully enjoy what a monster Osamu Tezuka was, so I definitely want you to experience it.
I definitely want you to experience it.
How much of a freak Osamu Tezuka was
The author, Cozy Kojikura, also says that while this work seems to be about Osamu Tezuka, it is actually about a "genius."
"I don't know how to express Leonardo da Vinci's genius in manga. But since Osamu Tezuka is in the same industry, I can realistically understand how amazing he was. That's why I'm drawing him."
This is exactly it.
The greatness that only someone in the same industry can understand.
And the tactile sensation that only someone who was close to him can feel.
A realistic breath that can never be reached by textbooks alone.
And I want you to realize the true greatness of Osamu Tezuka.
I don't think this is an exaggeration at all; I believe he was a cultural giant with talent that was extraordinary even in Japanese history.
He is a person you recognize as someone you can never compete with the more you know about him.
Honestly, most Japanese people do not recognize the genius of Osamu Tezuka.
He is an incredible monster even when looking at world history.
His vessel of existence was extraordinary, and because he was so amazing, he is not even a subject of comparison, so it is very difficult to express.
Kojikura-sensei also raised a white flag at the terror of Tezuka-sensei and said this.
"Even though he had 10 serials a month, he was also working 9-to-5 at Toei Animation! After going home at 5, he would finish 10 serials, and even get a doctorate... What kind of amazing brain do you have? (laughs)"
This is a true story that sounds like a lie.
I think many people know that Tezuka-sensei created Japan's first TV anime, "Astro Boy."
Actually, four years before its release, there was a period when he was going to Toei Animation from 9 to 5 like a contract employee.
This was originally for a requested project, but at that time, in order to make
anime videos himself someday, he was going to Toei Animation to learn animation technology.He had 10 serials at that time.
Can you believe it? 10 of them.
Furthermore, he studied in his spare time to get a medical degree and obtained a doctorate.
If you don't call this a monster, what do you call it?
He is a genius far beyond the understanding of ordinary people.
And Kojikura-sensei also said,
"The fact that so many research books on Tezuka-sensei have been published means that he is significant as a research subject, and Tezuka-sensei himself is a treasure trove of material. Other manga artists have wild episodes, but Osamu Tezuka is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of the interest and number of anecdotes. I don't think there is any other manga artist like him."
He also said that.
"I don't think a genius of this scale will be born in the future. I think we could respect him more."
Exactly. I have no choice but to nod at this.
I want to nod until my neck falls off.
Really, I think Japanese people underestimate Tezuka-sensei.
What does it say about us that his achievements are so great that they can't even be conveyed?
Japanese people, please learn more about him.
Just the fact that he turned manga, which was once in a corner, into a core industry that Japan can be proud of to the world is an amazing feat, but... there are many other crazy achievements too.
If you'd like, please take a look at the past articles on this channel.
Is the author 'anti-Tezuka'?
Koji Shokura-sensei, who drew a manga so overflowing with love for Tezuka
You'd think he'd be a huge Tezuka fan, but...
Actually, the first tankobon he ever bought was 'Star of the Giants'.
Ever since then, he has been a huge fan of Ikki Kajiwara-sensei,
and is a self-proclaimed, die-hard'Kajiwara-style otaku'.apparently.
For those who know the history of the manga world, this is chaos (laughs).
Because it's a relationship like 'Osamu Tezuka of children's manga' versus 'Ikki Kajiwara, the leader of the gekiga boom'.
At the time, they were fiercely hostile toward each other, a truly polar-opposite rivalry.
And yet, Koji Shokura-sensei, a Kajiwara fan, is drawing all about how amazing Osamu Tezuka is.
It's funny because the sensei himself is like the protagonist of this manga (laughs).
Regarding Tezuka-sensei's slump period as well
The works drawn in the first half of the Showa 40s, often called the 'Tezuka slump era,' are all works that make you think
'What part of this is a slump?!'.'Ayako' and 'Ode to Kirihito' are works from when he started incorporating gekiga techniques, right?
Personally, my top recommendation is 'Barbara'
He really loves Tezuka manga, doesn't he (laughs).
By the way,
Shokura-sensei says that the work he thinks is the most amazing and can recommend to anyone is
'Message to Adolf'.A Kajiwara fan pushing a Tezuka manga as the most amazing work.
Really, Shokura-sensei himself is like the protagonist of 'Chaser,' so it's seriously interesting.
And as for the target audience of this work,
'I'm drawing this for old fans who read Osamu Tezuka's works in real-time, and I'm not assuming young readers.'
He makes such a sharp statement.
He says he's not aiming it at young readers.
That's not something you can easily do. Saying something like that.
So I can't help but think it might not be very well-known...
That kind of 'I don't care about such things' boldness is also charming.
If you've read this article this far,
it's definitely a manga you'll get hooked on, so please read it without hesitation.
Without hesitation.
That's all for this time, I introduced the unique masterpiece 'Chaser,' which depicts the genius Osamu Tezuka from the perspective of a stalker-like peer!
It's not just a biographical manga,
but a unique style of viewing a genius through a fictional protagonist.
That style is exceptionally interesting and it's a work you'll definitely read in one sitting, so if you like Osamu Tezuka, you'll definitely get hooked on this manga,
but even if you don't like Osamu Tezuka, you'll get hooked on it anyway.
See you later.