Tezuka Osamu’s success

English Reading and Writing, 2021 Fall

2315 한지원

November 9, 2021

 

Tezuka Osamu’s success 

 

 Even someone who is indifferent in manga will usually know 『Astro Boy』 or 『Black Jack』. Tezuka Osamu is a classic manga author of Showa period. He made product about 400 volume, dealt with story of many genres. He is called great artist to develop the Japan pop culture. How he achieves those like that?

 Tezuka Osamu reinterpreted Western cartoons, contributing greatly to the development of the manga. He introduced cinematic techniques into the composition of manga, introduced abstract expressionist techniques, and created the frame of Japanese-style full-length story manga.

Figure 1. the manga of Tezuka using various composition

 He introduced cinematic techniques into the composition of manga. The manga up to now use the flat composition that seems to be looking at the stage. It makes hard to express powerful mentality description. Therefore, he decided to use cinematic techniques in manga too. He referred to German and French film, researched close up and angle technique.

Figure 2. The symbolized picture

 By introducing abstract expressionist art into manga, he created a technique to visually express emotions and atmosphere. He familiarly symbolized characters in a variety of ways. Using exaggeration and omission, display the emotion and condition of characters.

 He created the frame of Japanese-style full-length story manga. The manga before appearance of Tezuka Osamu is mostly four cut comic strip that is read by vertical way. Most of present manga is read from right to left, and after reading one row of the cut, back to right. Reading a whole page, you read the next page. As this method, you read a full-length story. The style that is too prevalent in contemporary manga to recognize specific technique is started by him. Treating the shape of the cut, also the manga has various direction.

 

 It is said that Tezuka Osamu worked hard in entire life. He reduced sleep time to draw manga. The success may be result of the passion. After World War II, manga were developed through attempts to inherit or overtake the achievements of Tezuka Osamu.

 

 

Source

『데즈카 오사무의 만화 창작법』, Tezuka Osamu.

『Black Jack』, volume 5, Tezuka Osamu.

『Understanding Comics』, Scott McCloud.