13 Experimental Shorts by Tezuka Osamu, Japan’s “Walt Disney”

Tezuka Osamu (1928-1989) is known as “the god of manga” in Japan. He created classics of Japanese animation for children and adults, in virtually every genre, from horror to romance to action. The amount of works Osamu accomplished in his lifetime is mind-boggling, with some estimates as high as 150,000 pages of manga.

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Even if we were just focusing on manga, it would be amazing for most, Osamu was also an innovator in the field of animation. He created Astro-Boy, one of the most popular characters in Japan, who has been present in manga, anime, video games, and even feature films. The visual style of Osamu’s animation was very influential in the following generations.

Osamu pushed the boundaries of what manga and anime could offer. He is credited with the first professional animation with sexual and violent content, Cleopatra (1970). He also made a series of experimental animated shorts, which are not only a great example of his style and work, but also of his philosophy strongly influenced by Buddhism.

His 1962 play, Tale of Street Corner, is a surprisingly emotional short about daily life on a city corner as seen by unexpected protagonists.

And if you want to see Osamu’s versatility, be sure to check out his 1966 work, Pictures at an Exhibition. A work that includes 10 shorts based on the famous Mussorgsky suite. Osamu proposes each short in a totally different style from the previous one.

In his 1984 short, Jumping, he presents impeccable technique in a very simple way. Seen in the first person, a boy is skipping along a country road. Each jump is longer and higher, the camera panning over cities, fields, oceans, and finally, a war zone.

And finally, you can watch an interview where he talks about making these shorts. Very interesting!

If you are interested in animation, manga or illustration, be sure to take a look at our online store, where you will find all kinds of items that will be very useful in your adventure!