When reading Osamu Tezuka’s work, I am reminded of how influential his work has been on the content that had inspired me to go into animation. So, when reading his work, it’s almost like going back to the roots. Astro Boy was the work I was most familiar with, so I ended up reading his Buddha series. What I found interesting about it is that there is an overall serious tone to the novel, but there is also a very distinct Disney feeling or reference at the very beginning, with the designs of the forest animals. Of course, when the rabbit sacrifices himself as food, it becomes apparent that the story is much more geared towards adults.
This is a distinction that I find to be becoming more common in western comics/animation as a result of manga influence. In which more mature themes are being explored/discussed in ways and styles that were originally deemed as too child orientated. Tezuka’s work is stylistically appealing and is iconic in the designs of the characters (especially with the use of the big eyes, which is heavily prevalent in manga/anime).
I had actually read manga before reading comics. I had also watched anime in the form of Pokémon before venturing into other cartoons and forms of media. It’s a part of my childhood that has continued to inspire to push forward with artistic ventures.
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