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A few months ago, Digital Manga Publishing created a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to bring their release of Osamu Tezuka's Swallowing the Earth back into print. It was a huge success. Now, they're using Kickstarter again to bring a new Tezuka license that has never been released in English before: Barbara.
The goal was to raise $6,500 in 30 days. It only took 2 days to reach that goal, and now the campaign is over $10,000 strong!
Check out the Barbara Kickstarter right here! It ends on Feburary 13, 2012.
So, now Barbara is definitley being released, but the campaign continues. There are multiple bonus options available to those who pledge depending on the amount, in addition to copies of the book itself when it is released. I would really like to make a pledge myself but I'm unable to use a credit card at the moment.
The success of this campaign opens the doors for several other Osamu Tezuka manga releases that might be off the beaten path to be released in a similar fashion through Kickstarter, so the future bodes well for more Tezuka! Plus, it could also result in more classic manga from other famous creators. I would love to see Mazinger Z, Devilman, Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, Kamen Rider... the list goes on!
We can look forward to Barbara being published in July 2012 should everything go as planned. Check back right here at ABW for more information as it develops.
Continue reading "Tezuka's "Barbara" Pledged to Life!"...
 Big news from Vertical Inc., the company responsible for publishing several English-language editions of Osamu Tezuka manga, including Black Jack (volume 13 pictured right), Buddha, and Dororo.
Kodansha, Japan's largest publisher, and Japanese printing company Dai Nippon have made major investments into Vertical. This gives Vertical much greater financial stability and access to even more titles, both manga and otherwise.
It's still business as usual though, and all of their previously announced titles, including Tezuka's Princess Knight, are still on the schedule.The company is being invested in, not completely taken over, so they will keep doing what they have been doing, and we should be able to look forward to more great releases from them in the future.
You can read more detail here on Anime News Network and in an informative interview with marketing director Ed Chavez on Comic Book Resources.
Continue reading "A Vertical Investment."...
Thanks to the Tezuka Osamu Magazine Club and Soba Project, 400 volumes of Osamu Tezuka Manga (that's about 80,000 pages) are now available to read on the Apple iPad.
An subscription fee of 1,050 yen
($13 US) per month will grant users unlimited access to all the available manga in the e-library. There is also a free edition of the latest Weekly Tezuka Osamu Magazine featuring 100 pages selected from Tezuka's various works. Most interesting is a motion manga feature, where the comic pages have been enhanced with animation and voice acting.
Thus far, this is only available in Japanese, though I suspect international versions may follow at some point in the future.
You can read more information on TezukaOsamu.net as well as Mania.com and Asahi.
Continue reading "Tezuka on iPad"...
Be sure to check out The Mike Toole Show for an incredible look at one of Japan's greatest creators, the legendary Shotaro Ishinomori.
Ishinomori created so many of Japan's most famous characters and stories, conquering most every conceivable genre and medium. Most famous among his works is the classic Cyborg 009. Fans of Osamu Tezuka should definitely look into learning more about this incredible artist's body of work. In fact, it was Tezuka himself who discovered Ishinomori's talent and broke him into the professional manga industry.
Here's a sample from the article:
Anyway, a young artist named Shotaro Onodera submitted some samples of his work to Manga Shonen, and it just so happened that Tezuka's famous Astro Boy was running as a special feature in the magazine at the time. Tezuka's editor clued him in to the budding talent, and history was made when Tezuka hired the kid as his assistant and set him to work on the Astro Boy story Electro. The entire experience is laid out in dark horse's Astro Boy volume 15, so seek that out if you want the dirt. Be sure to read the entire column on Anime News Network.
It's unfortunate that so little of Ishinomori's work has been made available to English speakers. The tide has turned in recent years when it comes to Tezuka's manga, so let's hope for the same attention being paid to Ishinomori as well. Check out the English Language version of the IshimoriPro website for more.
Continue reading "Ishinomori's Story"...
 YEAH!
Vertical Inc. has announced that Osamu Tezuka's legendary classic manga Princess Knight (Ribbon no Kishi) will be published in its eternity in English.
From Anime News Network:
Vertical will publish Princess Knight in two volumes: the first, about 384 pages long, on October 4, and the second, about 330 pages long, on December 6. Both books will carry a suggested retail price of US$13.95. The books will be the same trim size as Dororo and Black Jack — two other Vertical releases of Tezuka manga. This is truly incredible news! Princess Knight is one of Tezuka's most popular and important creations. We've only gotten a few glimpses of the Princess Knight manga in English before, but now we're getting the entire series in such a comprehensive fashion. More information will be forthcoming, so keep checking back.
Continue reading "Get ready for PRINCESS KNIGHT!"...
Those awesome cats at Vertical Publishing strike again, this time from way out of left field, with another in their line of superb Osamu Tezuka manga licenses. At the New York Comic Con this past weekend, it was announced that " The Book of Human Insects", also known as " Human Metamorphosis", will be released in English on July 26, 2011. It will be a hardcover containing the entire 360 page story and retail for $22.99.
Here's what TezukaOsamu.net has to say about the title.
"Human Metamorphosis," a satirical Manga depicting human society compared to the insect world, focuses on the life of a devious woman. Tomura Toshiko, who is said to be a genius, is a rising star writer. Her novel wins the Akutagawa Prize for the best novel of the year. While she attends the award ceremony, another woman named Usuba Kageri commits suicide in another place. It turns out that Kageri and Toshiko used to live together, and the awarded novel was copied from Kageri's transcript. Toshiko is like a parasite: approaching talented people one after another, squeezing everything out of them and stealing their works for her own fame. Behind her success story, she has her secrets. Look forward to this unique manga release next year!
Source: AniGamers
Continue reading "Tezuka's "The Book of Human Insects" Licensed"...
Bookgasm recently held an interveiw with the Marketing Director for Vertical, Ed Chavez. You can read the Osamu Tezuka related portion below and check out the entire interview here.
BOOKGASM: How have the Osamu Tezuka reprints done for Vertical? I’m especially curious about the ongoing BLACK JACK series. While it would seem such a project would attract a loyal fan base, I’m assuming the law of diminishing returns comes into play?
CHAVEZ: Since Vertical’s launch, Tezuka’s comics have been one of the main pillars of our success as a company. Tezuka’s sales easily make up a full third of our overall sales, and when you consider how we had an 18-percent increase in revenue last year, those sales were very significant.
BLACK JACK has been a fascinating case in the manga world. You are right about diminishing returns. Those laws affect every title, but BLACK JACK has now twice bucked that trend over the last 12 months. Last summer, BLACK JACK, already six volumes into its run, began to gain readers, with orders surpassing the two previous volumes. We are seeing the same trend for VOLUME 10, where orders are as high as they were around this time last year.
There is no doubt Tezuka created a masterpiece in BLACK JACK, and the content itself is what is really bringing in new readers, but there is one point that I think people overlook that might also be in play here: BLACK JACK being a collection of shorts can allow for sampling at any point in the series. It does not need the same level of commitment as other titles with the same length, nor does it seem as daunting to come into the series midway. BLACK JACK by design can cure readers of almost any manga anxiety.
BOOKGASM: Are you considering bringing other Tezuka works to these shores? I, for one, would love the opportunity to see his VAMPIRES.
CHAVEZ: We are always considering more Tezuka. This fall, we will release a new omnibus, this time collecting Dr. Tezuka’s post-WWII drama, AYAKO. The title will be translated by Mari Morimoto, the woman responsible for adapting some of manga’s biggest names — INUYASHA, NARUTO, DRAGONBALL and NEON GENESIS EVANGELIION — into English. Peter Mendelsund will once again take the design reigns.
I would like to take on another Tezuka title once BLACK JACK wraps up next summer. We haven’t decided which way to go, but we already have a short list ready. Sounds like Tezuka manga is making a big impact! I'm a little late to the party but, with thanks to Ani-Gamers, I have recently gone through Ode to Kirihito and it was an incredible, killer read!
For even more on Vertical's Tezuka releases, Ed Chavez participated on the ANNCast at Anime News Network last month.
Continue reading "Vertical Talks Tezuka"...
Now, more iPhone and iPod Touch owners around the world have a big reason to celebrate, as the Weekly Astro Boy Magazine has officially become available for download in more countries.
The app can now be found in iTunes stores for users in the United Kingdom, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand. Some countries may get different content than others, but the UK version is the same as the one available in the US.
You can read the full story on Anime News Network.
More Osamu Tezuka manga being made available to more people in more counties in new ways is always a great thing!
Continue reading "Weekly Astro Boy Magazine Expands"...
We all know Osamu Tezuka from his creations like Astro Boy, Black Jack, and Princess Knight, but those of us who have really looked into the history of anime and manga know that the scope of his work stretches far beyond that. Far, far beyond!
As if to prove this very point, a new book has been released in Japan collecting 1000 pages of Tezuka's manga that feature erotic adult content. It's called " Tezuka Osamu Eros 1000 Page", and you'll probably want to keep this one out of reach of children!
What's really, shall I say... interesting about this collection is that it's been edited by Osamu Tezuka's own daughter Rumiko. Wow, talk about awkward.
You can read more about this book, as well as see the uncensored cover image, at Anime Vice.
Continue reading "Naughty New Book of Tezuka Drawings"...
There was a lot of buzz in the air recently over a new Osamu Tezuka manga license coming from Vertical. Now the word is out on Ayako, an epic drama spanning 704 pages that is set for release in English in October of 2010. It was originally published in 1972 and looks to be very much along the same lines as Tezuka's other dark masterpieces such as MW and Apollo’s Song.
This is some very exciting news and great proof of the success that Tezuka's manga has been finding in captivating the audiences around the world.
You can Pre-order now for a great price and help support AstroBoy World in the process.
Continue reading "Tezuka’s Ayako Licenced!"...
 Rejoice, Canadian iPhone and iPod Touch users. Now, the free preview of Weekly Astro Boy Magazine, along with the complete first and second volumes, are now officially available to both users in the US and Canada.
If you own a compatible device, please try it out and let everyone know how you like it by posting a comment below.
European fans, don't despair too much. Word has it that Weekly Astro Boy Magazine should be available in Europe some time in 2010.
You can keep up to date with all the happening regarding this innovative way of sharing the manga of Osamu Tezuka by following Astro Boy Magazine on Twitter.
Continue reading "Weekly Astro Boy Magazine now in Canada!"...
 The Sci-Fi Block is now presenting a great article that will serve as a primer or re-introduction to the rich history of Astro Boy. This retrospective on the character touches upon pretty much every iteration of the story, starting with the manga and moving onwards to each of the 3 TV series, noting the story themes and what makes each of them unique. On board to help set the scene is the amazing Ada Palmer from Tezuka in English.
Even if you've been a fan for a long time, this article is certainly worth checking out. And if you're new to all this, it's a great place to start. Read "A Brief History of Astro Boy" on The Sci-Block.
Continue reading "A Brief History of Astro Boy"...
 You got that right! Finally, a dose of Tezuka goodness is coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch, officially in English!
Weekly Astro Boy Magazine is on its way to the US later this month thanks to D-Arc. The first volume will be free, and subsequent weekly volumes will cost 99 cents. This is huge news that might just mean some big exposure for Astro and the whole cast of Osamu Tezuka characters.
Pictured to the right is Tezuka Productions President and all around awesome guy, Takayuki Matsutani.
You can see more about this upcoming development here and check out the press release by clicking the link below. Thanks to Yoshihide Kinokawa for sending this to me!
Tezuka Manga to Deliver 'WEEKLY ASTRO BOY MAGAZINE' to the U.S. and Around the World Through iPhone.
Tokyo, Japan--October 20th, 2009--D-Arc, Inc.(CEO:Tsuneo Ishii) and Tezuka Productions Co. Ltd (President:Takayuki Matsutani) announced at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan that they will start delivering TEZUKA MANGA to iPhone/iPod touch users as 'WEEKLY ASTRO BOY MAGAZINE' through iTunes App Store.
One volume of the 'WEEKLY ASTRO BOY MAGAZINE', consisting of almost a hundred pages, will be published weekly. The first volume includes `ASTRO BOY', the most popular of Osamu Tezuka's MANGA, as well as 'PHOENIX', 'BLACK JACK' and more. The cover page depicts `ASTRO BOY'. The first volume is free, and each volume after that will be on sale for 0.99$ per week/one volume.
As the environment surrounding network infrastructure and information technology continue to change, Tezuka Produtions' publishng division has created a brand new style of enjoying MANGA. The main project is the 'Osamu Tezuka Magazine branding project, which carries the themes "reading, seeing, chatting, creating". These services have already been put in motion this past year, commemorating the 80th anniversary of OSAMU TEZUKA.
'WEEKLY ASTRO BOY MAGAZINE' is part of the project that aims to promote and spread TEZUKA MANGA and Japanese Manga culture around the world.
'WEEKLY ASTRO BOY MAGAZINE' is powerd by D-Arc Inc's D-Arc Viewer that has been developed for digital publishing on iPhone. Venture company VOICE-BANK, Inc. announced through Safari Web App "The start of the Manga delivers to US on iPhone" in July 2007", coinciding with the release of iPhone. The company has already started delivering the trial version as the "Digital Manga Project"(http://www.digitalmanga.org)
Since then joint venture company D-Arc Inc, that archives Manga and distributes it on iPhone, has been joined by VOICE-BANK, Inc. (March of 2009). After the start of "WEEKLY ASTRO BOY MAGAZINE" in October of 2009, D-Arc Inc. plans to distribute other manga created by popular authors on iPhone.
WEEKLY ASTRO BOY MAGAZINE http://astroboymagazine.com
Contact:
D-Arc, Inc.
Director:Yoshihide Kinokawa
Kinokawa@d-arc.biz
Musashino-building 707
1-20-26 Hyakunin-cho,Shinjyuku Tokyo
169-0073 JAPAN
tel: +81-3-5332-7598
fax: +81-3-5332-7599
Continue reading "WEEKLY ASTRO BOY MAGAZINE on iPhone in English!"...
 Fanboy.com brings word that a new collection of Osamu Tezuka manga will be released. Here's the story.
Starting this month the Japanese book publisher Kodansha will publish a series of paperbacks titled The Complete Works of Tezuka which will include every manga that Osamu Tezuka created. The books will be published on a monthly basis and the series starts off with Astro Boy, future editions will include Jungle Emperor (Kimba the White Lion), Princess Knight, W3 and Pinocchio: Wow, every manga that he ever created? That's going to take a couple years! You can see more images by reading "The Complete Works of Tezuka" on Fanboy.com
Continue reading "The Complete Works of Tezuka"...
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