La Fenice, Vol. 4: Libro del Mito

火の鳥 [Hi no Tori] #4

by Osamu Tezuka

La Fenice è la saga che costituisce la vera e propria summa dell'ideale di manga, e di storia, di Osamu Tezuka. Un lavoro monumentale, iniziato nel 1954 e continuato a più riprese fino al 1988, terminato poco prima della sua scomparsa. La Fenice spazia dal lontano passato agli ultimi anni della civiltà umana, con soluzioni narrative e grafiche ancora oggi straordinarie. Mentre gli uomini lottano per avvicinarsi al divino realizzando opere prodigiose, la Fenice si conferma agente del cambiamento sconvolgendo le vite di due uomini: un brigante tormentato e un artista geniale ma roso da passioni indomabili, protagonisti di un conflitto di cui è complicato riconoscere vincitori e vinti.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Science Fiction, Japan

367 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 1980

About the author

Dr. 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."

Reviews

[Erik Niells]

The Phoenix series is remarkable, but this book is the real masterpiece in the longer series. It can be read without reading any of the others, as Phoenix is a series of related stories set in both the past and future with each story centered around the mythical firebird.

When a misshapen and murderous brute maims a sculptor who has offered him hospitality, their destinies are linked. The book is an intricate study of both men, with nuanced characterizations and both redemption and ruin. The way each of them responds to a brush with the immortal bird is unexpected and fascinating.

The art is also some of Tezuka's best, with intricately rendered scenes of 8th-century Japan (especially of the magnificent Buddhist temple which plays a pivotal role). The art is appealing and with a cartoony touch, but is not in the stereotypical style most American's think of when they hear the word Manga. I'm a big fan of Tezuka's, and he created mountains of work, but thus far, this is my favorite.

[Drew Canole]

This one is set in 8th century Japan where two very different people have their paths cross numerous times as they both become artists. Gao the ugly one-armed bandit and Akanemaru the handsome woodcarver. It's an exploration of what Buddhism means to the people of Japan - some it was a spiritual religion, others just a vehicle for power.

Tezuka is a master and this is one of the best stories I've read by him.

[fonz]

Compleja y ambiciosa historia en su aparente sencillez, ya que este tebeo trata sobre nada menos que el viaje de la vida; la redención, la espiritualidad, la reencarnación, el arte y la religión (la religión organizada entendida como herramienta de control y cohesión social). Inolvidable la escena en la que la muchacha Buchu se caga en la mano de una estatua gigante de Buda, jamás se había expresado visualmente con tanta gracia y precisión el castizo exabrupto, "me cago en tu Dios". Definitivamente, el tebeo japonés está en otro nivel.

[二六 侯]

手塚竟然把所有大鼻子的角色寫成祖先與子孫……

[Ana Pau De la Borbolla]

¡gran experiencia de lectura!

[Chris Moon]

This is a graphic novel about art and spirituality; not as separate themes but as a single, central idea. Tezuka wields these themes expertly, addressing how true art (not commercial product) comes ultimately from somewhere else beyond training and technique, and the degree of sacrifice required! If you're willing to read deep enough, as a Western reader you might find parallels to Kandinsky's 'Concerning the Spiritual in Art', but that might be forgetting that there's also a great story here and not just philosophical musings.

Like the rest of the Phoenix series, Tezuka continues to challenge the reader with ideas of good and evil, the meaning of religion, politics, the purpose of civilization, etc. Personally I think this is the best of the lot, though Future and Nostalgia are also fantastic in their own ways.

[Moonglum]

I read this amazing book in about 2 hours while laughing and crying. It is a Buddhist story set in 8th century Japan following 2 people whose fates are inextricably linked. One is a one armed ex-serial killer and bandit, the other is a buddhist monk/wood carver. I think what makes the story so beautiful is that it shows people honestly. It sees how we are all just part of nature, and how anyone can come to commit the most hurtful or most kind acts.

[Braaaaais]

Posiblemente mi obra favorita de Tezuka hasta el momento y una de las celebraciones de la vida más bestiales que me he encontrado en el arte. Fénix puede encuadrarse en cierta linea de obras artísticas que encuentran la vida sublime desde su finitud; me recuerda a Lucrecio, Whitman, Cervantes o Straub y Huillet y a Oda, que bebió una barbaridad de aquí.

[Moto]

初めて読んだのは小学生くらいだったがそれから何度も繰り返し読んでいる。自分の人生観や人間観に影響を与えた傑作。

[David Wurtsmith]

Despite reading this over ten years ago, I remember large sections of it vividly. The deformed, one-armed bandit Gao and the handsome sculptor Akanemaru bounce off one another over the course of decades, the decisions of each dramatically affecting the life of the other, sometimes indirectly. Over the course of hundreds of lusciously illustrated pages, Tezuka weaves a tale of envy, spite, trauma, recovery, repentance, and vengeance. A deep meditation on two types of human suffering: the kind which is inflicted on us, and the kind we inflict on others in our ignorance and pain. But it's also a meditation on forgiveness and moving on, about the therapeutic uses of art in processing and overcoming trauma.

[Erica]

This book is beautiful and amazing and sad. I read this in an evening, and I was so engrossed, that I missed my BART stop. This is the best comic book I've read in a long time.

[Atsu]

日本人なら言わずと知れたオサムさん。あの世まで持ってきたい一冊です。インドまでは持ってきました。

[dh]

Life is but a journey. We must be aware that it's not what's given to us but what attitude and actions we take towards them that shapes the journey. The name of the journey is Karma.

[Santiago Buitrago]

Al parecer, este fue el año de cruzarme con maravillas. La última fue Legend of the Galactic Heroes, cuya lectura tengo pendiente, pero la experiencia que esta siendo leer a Osamu Tezuka es inexplicable.

En su momento dije que queria iniciar con Atom o con Black Jack, pero terminé iniciando con Hi no Tori... y ahora tengo miedo de terminarla porque siento que faltará tiempo para conectar con algo tan hermoso en el medio del manga.

Hoy leí esta belleza, esta obra maestra del manga, que fácilmente (tal vez analizandolo con más calma y dandole un poco de tiempo) puede ser mi volumen favorito de todo el manga que he leído.

[Clay]

Gorgeous

Compelling story of two men, a bandit and a sculptor, that have a fateful encounter in their early years and meet much later after having gone through many life-changing trials. Following the two parallel tales we encounter ideas about reincarnation, redemption and religion's role in government.

Breathtaking full-page and two-page spreads of landscapes and artifacts throughout the book are ample proof of Tezuka's mastery.

[Melos Han-Tani]

Interesting volume. In some ways feels like Tezuka reflecting on his career - the sort of dual potential of artists in deciding what kind of life to pursue, what to create, and the ways one can be misled. The way that Gao and... the other dude, kind of switch roles over the story was well done.

I also liked learning about some of the politics and thinking behind this era of japan and its Buddhist sculpture and art, and the ways artists back then tried to find beauty or meaning in between the pressures of having to make stuff for politican demands and infighting.

[Sotofunkdamental]

Obra maestra de Osamu Tezuka. "Karma" fue originalmente serializado entre 1969 y 1970. Ambientado en la época Nara (710-794), el bandido tullido Gao y el escultor Akanemaru protagonizan una historia que relata la construcción de una magnífica estatua del Gran Buda del templo Todaiji, en un tiempo en el que el budismo se extiende por todo Japón como herramienta política de las clases gobernantes.

[Carlos]

Another great chapter of the series.

It is interesting how Osamu starts to make more and more connections between chapters, showing that it is really a single story and not just some random stories with the Phoenix as a character.

[Dylan Benedict]

Despite them all being so good each volume blows me away with how powerful they are.

[Lavanya Naithani]

not my personal favourite in phoenix. i prefer volume 2.

[Sofia]

Perhaps good is a little spirit that does what it can

[Blue Guy]

我们的痛苦会轮回，我们要学着去接受和感受，用力地去或，不辜负每一次鲜活的生命。

[Phillip]

Volume 4: Karma of Osamu Tezuka's "Phoenix" series is one of the good ones.

It tells the story of how a killer learns about Karma. Gao, the killer, is missing an arm and an eye due to an accident on the day he was born. The villagers were not kind to him and that explains how he became a crass murderer.

Akamaru, the sculptor, is assaulted by Gao and left with his arm weakened for life. Gao picks up a companion who lives with him on the run.

Akamara is destined to be set upon one spiritual journey after another throughout the volume. In the end success robs him of his spiritual gains. Gao, on the other hand must pay for his crimes. In the process he discovers his connection to other living things, he becomes a notable artist, and lives the life of a monk.

I recommend this volume, to be read alone or as a contribution to Osamu Tezuka's 12 volume series "Phoenix."

[Lyle]

I've read five volumes of Phoenix (and hope to read all of them someday) and so far Karma is the most powerful one. One of the bigger themes of Tezuka's career is the cruelty of humans and how to escape that cycle. Karma examines that through a disabled bandit whose life has been full of cruelty and a sculptor who loses use of his arm after an encounter with that bandit. Karma is story where the Phoenix very directly discusses Buddhist concepts like reincarnation and learning from that cycle which fits the story of Gao and Akanemaru very well. Karma is a story that asks how one can face cruelty and not become cruel themselves but also how this is a constant battle people face. Tezuka is a storyteller who as seen humanity at its worst and wants to figure out how do we break that cycle. It's a beautiful series and this is one of its more beautiful stories.

[Emilia P]

A little too much about politics and grudges held. But some great reincarnation stuff (recalls of other parts of the saga) and some really great stuff about the importance/danger of idol-sculpting. Overall, this book looked and flowed as well or better than its predecessors in this saga, so I can't complain.

[Jerome Cristoffer]

So far this is my favourite volume of Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix series. I love the Buddhist theme, the shocking moments that reflect the Buddhist value/thought of what life is, the character development of Gao, and the amazing art. The art in this volume is really a spectacle that will please the reader's eyes.

[Aurora]

I get the feeling this would cross the line from really interesting to total genius if I knew anything about Japanese art or history. It's still pretty great, but if you don't get the references it runs a little long. Not my favorite in the series, but a solid installment.

[Lord]

Another great volume. I must say I slightly prefer sci-fi settings of Phoenix to historical ones and also I don't believe that people reincarnate as animals but still this book is far from disappointment. And the art improved from the former parts of this awesome series.

[Richmond]

A moving tale about how a cold blooded murderer can still have more compassion and virtue than most. This is not your average story about the redemption of a lout with a heart of gold, this comic is unflinchingly thoughtful and convincing.

[Dylan]

My favorite Phoenix volume. Inspiring you to follow any artistic relief you deeply feel the need to release, with the tale of the two sculptors who have their fates crossed across each other's lives.