tezuka reread 2024
i collect Osamu Tezuka's works and have all the english titles that have been officially published, except one preview of a chapter of Mitsume ga Tooru that was released as a one-off thing to promote tezuka's works. i'm pretty proud of this collection and frequently revisit certain titles (especially Black Jack), but haven't given each and every book a proper reread, reconsideration, and review. so for 2024, i decided to start rereading my Tezuka collection.entries are arranged from newest to oldest. i'm not reading the books in any particular order--just what grabs my attention on the shelf and what i have time to read.
last updated: february 18, 2025
Ode to Kirihito
entry added february 18, 2025read: february 15, 2025
genre: medical, thriller, horror, suspense
score: 9.5/10
this is easily my favorite of Tezuka's mature works, again with all its rough edges, and again for kinky reasons. i really enjoy the medical debate between characters and the mystery of monmow disease, and how characters contend with its presence and impact on their lives. Kirihito makes for a great character. the conversations in this book about ostracization, struggle, class, race, appearance/ability, punishment, etc. are worthwhile. i enjoy the religious overtones. monmow makes for a pretty sexy and inspiring disease to think about.
Phoenix, v. 10 + 11: Sun
entry added february 18, 2025read: january 20, 2025
genre: fantasy, science-fiction, historical fiction
score: 10/10
this pair of volumes is my favorite entry in the Phoenix series for, frankly, kinky reasons. the story is great too. Inugami is a fantastic character, and i love the back and forth rhythm between past and future as it shifts between Inugami's lifetimes. the kami are also awe-inspiring and well-conceived/designed, plus i love the way the flaws of mankind are put front and center. the characters in general have solid personalities and motivations for the most part. any single volume of Phoenix is going to be tough to find, and v. 9 was the last one i added to my collection to complete it, and it was worth every stupid penny i spent.
MW
entry added february 18, 2025read: january 6, 2025
genre: thriller, psychological (?), horror, romance(???)
score: 9.5/10
i am truthfully very biased because MW is one of my favorite books despite its flaws. one of the main characters, Yuki - who hovers between protagonist and antagonist - is extremely edgy. Garai's motivations often feel wishy-washy and ill-defined. but i love the characters for all their faults and warts, the plot for its hiccups and odd pacing, and the pretty-scathing critique of american imperialism. Yuki is one of my favorite protantagonists; he's frightening and cunning and handsome.
I.L.
entry added february 18, 2025read: january 1, 2025
genre: fantasy, suspense
score: 8/10
the latest Tezuka release (as of writing my notes) and a sort of spiritual successor to the Book of Human Insects, but with a far more charitable approach to the main female character, IL. she's similar to the protagonist of the Book of Human Insects but far more likeable and active as a character; she's kind-hearted and tries to do right by people. the last chapter is horrifically rushed, but the other chapters - which are sort of self-contained - were solid.
Tomorrow the Birds
entry added february 18, 2025read: september 25, 2024
genre: horror, science-fiction
score: 8/10
a very intriguing work with satisfying pacing that jumps from one stage of evolution to the next, for the birds referenced in the title. there is an absolutely bonkers racist chapter which leaves a really, really bad taste in the mouth, and taints the rest of the book, unfortunately. i did still enjoy the rest of this newly-published book and am glad it's available in english, but see why it took so long to get across the pond.
Black Jack, v. 4
entry added february 18, 2025read: september 23, 2024
genre: medical, seinen, horror
score: 8/10
i am admittedly knocking this volume for the chapter "Gas," which grosses me out a lot, plus Tezuka's generally concerning and weird depiction of someone with a drug addiction. i also dislike the chapter about the tattooed shiphand, which is too bad, since it's one of the few times we see Kei--a dubiously transmasculine character--through the series. the chapter "Burnt Doll" carries a lot of the weight in the score i've given this one.
Black Jack, v. 3
entry added february 18, 2025read: september 22, 2024
genre: medical, seinen, horror
score: 10/10
this volume introduces Dr. Kiriko as a character, BJ's foil and jaded lover. "Tenacity" is an oddly prophetic chapter when you recall details of Tezuka's life.
Black Jack, v. 2
entry added february 18, 2025read: september 21, 2024
genre: medical, seinen, horror
score: 10/10
this particular volume really solidifies more of Black Jack's personality, including his values, and portrays him as more of a slightly-skeevy anti-hero. there are some touching chapters through this one that introduce crucial tensions between BJ and the things he comes up against as a protagonist. Tezuka's training as a physician really shine in any of his medical dramas, and this is no exception.
Black Jack, v. 1
entry added february 18, 2025read: september 19, 2024
genre: medical, seinen(?), horror
score: 9/10
Black Jack is my favorite of Tezuka's series, the one that really got me into his works to begin with. during my freshman year of college, BJ was really what carried me through a lot of depression and anxiety, so this series is close to my heart. this volume is a phenomenal start to a phenomenal series, and introduces some core characters and aspects of BJ as a character.
Melody of Iron
entry added february 18, 2025read: august 18, 2024
genre: seinen, suspense, horror, supernatural
score: 8/10
great collection of stories with the unifying theme of being connected to supernatural phenomena - esp, past lives/future prediction, etc. the first chapter probably didn't age well with some clunky handling of racial hatred, but still makes for an eerie tale of revenge. the other two short stories in this collection are very, very intriguing with surprising and unexpected endings.
Swallowing the Earth
entry added february 18, 2025read: august 18, 2024
genre: seinen, romance(?)
score: 5/10
absolutely bizarre pacing in this one. reads as incredibly sexist and falls on tired tropes about women and sex/love/power/etc. to make its point, which is...? there's a lot of hand-waving in this one to explain away core plot details, leaving lots of holes that beg to be filled. i do like Seki, the main character, however. he's a good egg.
Clockwork Apple
entry added february 18, 2025read: august 2, 2024
genre: seinen, short stories, science-fiction, horror
score: 9/10
excellent mix of stories, all dealing with the idea that things aren't quote what they seem to be. if you're new to Tezuka's adult works, this is a good collection to start with. i enjoy this one quite a bit.
The Book of Human Insects
entry added august 1, 2024read: july 31, 2024
genre: drama, seinen, suspense
score: 4/10
i've read this title twice before. the first time, i read it while recovering from top surgery, and hated it. i figured i did not give it a fair read, so i re-read it years later, and still disliked it. this third reading, i dislike it less, but i still don't think it's that interesting. the chapters plod along, following a woman whose success can only be attributed to stealing from others and "sucking them dry." the characters aren't very compelling and truthfully, i couldn't quite identify a solid plotline other than "what's she gonna do next?" the political intrigue was pretty ok though, but ultimately doesn't last long enough to feel all that meaningful.
Osamu Tezuka's Shakespeare Manga Theater
entry added august 1, 2024read: july 30-31, 2024
genre: fantasy, historical, drama
score: 8/10
this collection takes chapters from other works by Tezuka, including Astro Boy, Rainbow Parakeet, and Vampires. it's arranged more or less chronologically, from earlier works by Tezuka to later ones. not all of the chapters are straight retellings of Shakespeare's plays, but rather are chapters that were inspired by Shakespeare, or that borrow specific plot beats from his plays. that said, i was most excited to see some chapters from previously-unpublished works in this, even if they're presented in a piecemeal style. the chapters from Rainbow Parakeet worked best for this, as it seems the series was originally developed episodically. chapters from Vampires felt a little less appropriate, since that series had an overarching plot; even though the publisher included some contextual information before those chapters, i feel readers unfamiliar with the characters would be a bit distracted. while i enjoyed this collection, i admit i wonder why it exists and who the publisher is marketing this collection towards--aside from collectors of classic manga or Tezuka's work.
Alabaster
entry added july 20, 2024read: july 18-19, 2024
genre: crime, seinen, science-fiction
score: 6.5/10
considered by many to be one of Tezuka's darkest works and it shows. none of the characters are truly heroic--the closest is Gen, a young delinquent whose morality bends towards justice, but who nonetheless joins up with the titular antagonist, Alabaster. Alabaster's design as a villain is striking - his skin is translucent (thanks to an accident with an invisibility ray) and his sense of style is phenomenal. however, his motivation to make the whole world ugly (using that invisibility ray), sparked by his experience as a black man experiencing racism, feels a bit half-baked and, frankly, done in poor taste. at the very least there is strong character continuity; even side characters get more attention than usual and it pays off.
Tezuka was not very happy while writing this work and it shows; it's nihilistic and one of his stars, Rock, is one hell of a scumbag compared to the plucky protags he typically would have played at this point. nonetheless, Rock's role as a self-obsessed, hateful fbi agent tasked with stopping Alabaster is gripping and kept me reading more than Alabaster's goals. speaking of Rock, this series displays some of Tezuka's most intriguing examples of how gender is played with and portrayed in his work. beyond that, the "monsters" that Alabaster creates by selectively making animals' and peoples' body parts invisible are genuinely twisted. who knew that you could make such effective body horror without really altering the general body plan of something? in spite of its flaws, i enjoy Alabaster a lot.
Storm Fairy
entry added july 20, 2024read: may 30, 2024
genre: fantasy, shojo, short stories
score: 5.5/10
three short stories compiled into one volume. the first, "Storm Fairy", showcases Tezuka's tendency to have related, concurrent plots that influence each other and wrap up together by the end. very sweet story with a solid plot 'til literally the last, eye-roll worty page.
the second, "Kokeshi Detective Agency", is just ok. probably great for younger kids. the protagonist, Pako, didn't last long and could have been developed more.
finally, "Pink Angel" follows the good deeds of Pink, a living sunset cloud. plot is very simple and absolutely written with kiddos in mind, but not interesting enough to really grab me. i did think the magical society of cloud people was pretty interesting, particularly the human-centric approach to which types of clouds are more valuable than others (e.g. storm clouds are not well-liked).
Apollo's Song
entry added july 20, 2024read:may 29, 2024
genre: romance(?), fantasy, seinen
score: 7.5/10
the protagonist of this series, Shogo, is thoroughly unlikeable for his sheer hatred of love itself. for that, he's divinely punished, doomed to be reborn again and again, only to fall in love and have the object of his affection brutally ripped from him. for example, in one of his past lives, he takes the role of a german soldier during wwii and falls in love with a jewish prisoner. needless to say, this goes poorly, but Shogo at least sacrifices his life in an act of love. between the 1st and 2nd volumes, the series spends some time focusing on Shogo in a more realistic setting, training to be a marathon runner. personally i think this is the most boring part of the series. however, as the 2nd volume progresses with a greater focus on its fantastical elements, which i enjoyed much more. similar to Unico in many respects but without a cute unicorn for a protagonist.
