What do you think?
Rate this book
Tezucomi Vol.2
An anthology of short stories based on some of the many popular creations of legendary Japanese mangaka Osamu Tezuka, as illustrated by a collection of some of the greatest comic creators in Europe. This larger 300-page hardcover edition is presented in traditional manga reading order, right to left.
This second volume includes "Big X" by David Lafuente, based on BIG X; "The Creator and the Destroyer" by Philippe Cardona and Florence Torta, based on ASTRO BOY; "The Last Recital" by Bertrand Gatignol, based on BLACK JACK; "The 3 Richards" by Juan Diaz Canales, based on MESSAGE TO ADOLF; "The Guardian of Mount Moon" by Reno Lemaire, based on KIMBA THE WHITE LION; "Mina's Song" by Luis NCT, based on APOLLO'S SONG; "Heartless" by Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura, based on BLACK JACK; "Princess Knight" by Elsa Brants, based on PRINCESS KNIGHT; and "Team Phoenix" by Kenny Ruiz with Studio Kosen, based on several works of Osamu Tezuka.
This second volume includes "Big X" by David Lafuente, based on BIG X; "The Creator and the Destroyer" by Philippe Cardona and Florence Torta, based on ASTRO BOY; "The Last Recital" by Bertrand Gatignol, based on BLACK JACK; "The 3 Richards" by Juan Diaz Canales, based on MESSAGE TO ADOLF; "The Guardian of Mount Moon" by Reno Lemaire, based on KIMBA THE WHITE LION; "Mina's Song" by Luis NCT, based on APOLLO'S SONG; "Heartless" by Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura, based on BLACK JACK; "Princess Knight" by Elsa Brants, based on PRINCESS KNIGHT; and "Team Phoenix" by Kenny Ruiz with Studio Kosen, based on several works of Osamu Tezuka.
- GenresManga
300 pages, Hardcover
Published April 30, 2024
7 people want to read
About the author
Osamu Tezuka
2,152 books1,307 followersDr. Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫) was a Japanese manga artist, animator, producer and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. He is often credited as the "Father of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years. His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga" and "the God of Manga."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 11, 2024
2023 would have been Osamu Tezuka’s 95th birthday year, and in commemoration of the great manga and anime creator, this series was commissioned to show other artists’ take on his famous (and not so famous) works. For reasons, most of these were French and Spanish creators who had to learn how to create stories that read right to left for the Japanese market.
Disclaimer: I contributed to the Kickstarter to have these volumes published in English. I have no other connection to the enterprise.
This volume begins with “Big X” by David Lafuente, based on Tezuka’s Big X. This one was a bit closer to a standard superhero narrative of the American kind as young Akira Asagumo takes a super-soldier serum his grandfather had developed near the end of World War Two to keep it out of the hands of Neo-Nazis and also to fight their evil. In this story, an enormous asteroid is on a collision course with Earth, and all other space missions to stop or deflect it have been destroyed. Only the Japanese mission with Big X aboard is left to save the day. But can even his mighty powers allow him to survive what needs to be done? Well, this is pretty much a straight-up superhero story.
The final story is “Phoenix Force” story and art by Kenny Ruiz. This one is a team-up of several Tezuka heroes and new character Fire (who is loosely inspired by the Phoenix from the Phoenix series.) They are battling the tyrannical Union of Robots, which has enslaved the humans and subjected them to “existence permits” that can be revoked at any time. But the Governor of the Union is Astro!? The most kind-hearted and human-loving of robots? How can this be? And who is the mysterious Patient Alpha? This one very much reads like the first chapter of a superhero team comic book of the modern era.
The most interesting story in between for me is “Princess Knight” by Elsa Brants, based on Princess Knight, which I have also previously reviewed. As long-time fans will remember, Sapphire was born with both male and female “hearts”, biologically female but socially male. This made her (she eventually settles on those pronouns) one of the first genderfluid characters in manga. Another character, Hecate, was created by the evil witch Madame Hell to be her daughter and marry a prince so that Hell could live at her ease in a palace. Though girl-shaped, Hecate had no “heart” at all, and is thus in effect agender. Her mother wants to steal Sapphire’s female heart to place in Hecate and make her properly feminine.
Osamu Tezuka was ahead of his time on gender matters for the 1950s, but seventy years later, we have learned a lot more. This story reimagines the first meeting of Sapphire and Hecate with a more modern understanding of gender, while still keeping it light enough for tween girls to enjoy.
Dr. Black Jack (I’ve also reviewed one of his volumes) gets quite a workout in these volumes, getting two stories of his own, being in the big team-up, and making surprise crossover visits in a couple of others.
Before each story, there’s a brief recap of the manga they’re based on, and afterwards mini-interviews with the creators. Perhaps you’ll find a new favorite?
Only a couple of these stories stand entirely on their own, so a familiarity with Tezuka’s originals is highly recommended. That said, this is a great way to see some of the breadth of genre and styles that the master produced, and some of the manga don’t have English editions, so this is the fastest way to learn about them.
Recommended to people who’ve enjoyed at least one Tezuka-created manga or anime series.
Disclaimer: I contributed to the Kickstarter to have these volumes published in English. I have no other connection to the enterprise.
This volume begins with “Big X” by David Lafuente, based on Tezuka’s Big X. This one was a bit closer to a standard superhero narrative of the American kind as young Akira Asagumo takes a super-soldier serum his grandfather had developed near the end of World War Two to keep it out of the hands of Neo-Nazis and also to fight their evil. In this story, an enormous asteroid is on a collision course with Earth, and all other space missions to stop or deflect it have been destroyed. Only the Japanese mission with Big X aboard is left to save the day. But can even his mighty powers allow him to survive what needs to be done? Well, this is pretty much a straight-up superhero story.
The final story is “Phoenix Force” story and art by Kenny Ruiz. This one is a team-up of several Tezuka heroes and new character Fire (who is loosely inspired by the Phoenix from the Phoenix series.) They are battling the tyrannical Union of Robots, which has enslaved the humans and subjected them to “existence permits” that can be revoked at any time. But the Governor of the Union is Astro!? The most kind-hearted and human-loving of robots? How can this be? And who is the mysterious Patient Alpha? This one very much reads like the first chapter of a superhero team comic book of the modern era.
The most interesting story in between for me is “Princess Knight” by Elsa Brants, based on Princess Knight, which I have also previously reviewed. As long-time fans will remember, Sapphire was born with both male and female “hearts”, biologically female but socially male. This made her (she eventually settles on those pronouns) one of the first genderfluid characters in manga. Another character, Hecate, was created by the evil witch Madame Hell to be her daughter and marry a prince so that Hell could live at her ease in a palace. Though girl-shaped, Hecate had no “heart” at all, and is thus in effect agender. Her mother wants to steal Sapphire’s female heart to place in Hecate and make her properly feminine.
Osamu Tezuka was ahead of his time on gender matters for the 1950s, but seventy years later, we have learned a lot more. This story reimagines the first meeting of Sapphire and Hecate with a more modern understanding of gender, while still keeping it light enough for tween girls to enjoy.
Dr. Black Jack (I’ve also reviewed one of his volumes) gets quite a workout in these volumes, getting two stories of his own, being in the big team-up, and making surprise crossover visits in a couple of others.
Before each story, there’s a brief recap of the manga they’re based on, and afterwards mini-interviews with the creators. Perhaps you’ll find a new favorite?
Only a couple of these stories stand entirely on their own, so a familiarity with Tezuka’s originals is highly recommended. That said, this is a great way to see some of the breadth of genre and styles that the master produced, and some of the manga don’t have English editions, so this is the fastest way to learn about them.
Recommended to people who’ve enjoyed at least one Tezuka-created manga or anime series.
March 23, 2025
I think for me the standout here is the one based on Message to Adolf. One moment that haunts me is one man saying "the Jews aren't so bad" to another, only to be wearing a swastika and selling out suspected Jews for his own financial gain after a time skip. A harrowing reminder that it's not just bigots but "fair-weather" allies who profess to the right principles... But will also turn on others to increase their comfort.
The Black Jack stories are also excellent, and I found the Astro Boy story quite faithful to its roots. Big X was an interesting read as I'm not familiar with him, and the Princess Knight one was fun!
The Black Jack stories are also excellent, and I found the Astro Boy story quite faithful to its roots. Big X was an interesting read as I'm not familiar with him, and the Princess Knight one was fun!
May 16, 2024
Good amount of passion here, but also as "safe" as the first volume. There are a few entries in here that are pretty good, both of the BlackJack stories in particular were great. It's completely fine.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews