Bomba!

by Osamu Tezuka

A MISGUIDED LOVE, TRAMPLED BY DREAMS...

Tetsu is a seemingly normal student whose passionate love for his teacher turns violent in the most unexpected of ways when another suitor attempts to stand between them. Haunted by his family's past, Tetsu must learn to navigate his desire and quell his rage if he hopes to find peace and solace in his relationships with others. Osamu Tezuka's masterful artwork and irrepressibly creative page layouts reach a feverish peak in depicting the manifestation of the tortured youth's explosive angst.

Thematically rich yet instinctively relatable, Bomba! deftly weaves an exploration of the complex nature of friendship and the lasting psychological ravages of war into its tale of love, jealousy, revenge, and redemption.

Genres: Manga, Horror, Comics, Graphic Novels, Romance, Fantasy, Japan

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

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

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a real big Tezuka fan, but I always give his works a look due to his huge impact on manga in Japan.

This is a weird forerunner to Death Note as a middle schooler with a crush on his teacher finds himself in control of an animal spirit that will kill anyone at his command. He becomes increasingly misanthropic and more willing to unleash death upon those who slight him. A female professor investigates and tries to stop him.

It sort of builds in fits and starts, but Tezuka can't resist the urge to plug in some silly sight gags and the ending is just over the top stupid.

[ComicNerdSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very good until it gets to the end, when it becomes very bad. Tezuka had a great depressing concept here but at the end he flinched and slapped on a squeaky clean "Let's all be friends!" ending. That first half had such promise though, and throughout Tezuka employed some very creative and breath-taking page layouts. Hope they translate a better one next.

[Matty Dub · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best Tezuka and an odd choice by Kodansha considering all the great out of print stuff they still have a license for. Almost reads like a precursor to Deathnote except instead of a book, this has a ghost horse that kills at the protagonist’s bidding.

[Olivia H · Rating 2 out of 5]

freudian hot-for-teacher wet dream featuring a murderous hallucination of a horse ends almost as quickly as it started

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if Death Note was a Horse???

To me, Tezuka is at his best when he gets weird and keeps the page count low. Lots of ambitious panel layouts in this one, some of which work better than others but still, I respect the experimentation.

Overall I’m just happy to see more Tezuka end up on American shelves. Fingers crossed we get a Phoenix reprint soon.

[Zizeloni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give two stars, but I liked the art at some points a lot, also like the cover and page-cut so whatever, let's be generous and give 3 stars.

The story had some potential but there are some very annoying, totally cliche and sexist details that really bothered me. Also it ended pretty meh, so I don't think I would suggest it to anyone.

[rotting charm · Rating 2 out of 5]

what

[Sunny :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations and paneling, the last 25% is wildly silly, but the story up until then is intriguing. Definitely feels as though the narrative was thought up around the conceit rather than as an actual narrative, but it's still a quick and fun read.

[Truncarlos]

Si no fuera por la Miss O'Ginia rampante y el incel discourse (que sí, que está escrito en 1970 etc.) me parecería un obrón. Lo más creepy que he leído de Tezuka, y mira que The Crater tenía como 15 historias de terror.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short one-shot by the late Osamu Tezuka that Kodansha has lovingly published in English for us. I'm not going to talk about the plot, as that would give spoilers. However, I will say that it feels disjointed and almost rushed at points, which is kind of a bummer. I thought the concept was interesting, but it could have used a bit more development. However, I couldn't put it down! Very engaging, as most of his work is.

It's a brisk read, coming in at only 148 pages. There's a preview of Princess Knight at the end, which was actually a nice surprise. The art and paneling are top knotch, which is expected from the master himself.

Kodansha knocked it out of the park presentation wise. The product is sleek and I really enjoy the French flaps. A point of controversy with a certain design choice. I've seen a lot of 1 star reviews because of the trimming on the paper. It's called "deckled edges" and it's not a defect or printer error. An interesting choice, not one we see often for manga.

Is it Tezukas best work? No. Is it among his top 10? Absolutely not. Is it worth your time? YES! More people need to read this man's work!

[The Bibliopossum]

Review to come, but for now take this

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Others have mentioned it, but this is an obscure pull from Tezuka's collection for Viz to publish, seemingly at random, 52 years after its original release. I believe this is from Tezuka's gekiga phase. Like many gekiga, it is a story about an angry, misunderstood, and secretly special young man who punishes the world that hurt him. This angry young man's special power is that his anger manifests as a psychic horse that gallops down his enemies. It's such an on-the-nose portrayal of toxic masculinity and misogyny that it's hard to imagine someone taking the time to write and draw this and still missing the point so hard at the end. Tezuka isn't famous for being a master of self-reflection, though.

Tezuka is famous for being the father of manga, and honestly, even his worst is still captivating. I love the old art style and blunt storytelling. I love the sheer creativity Tezuka brought to his projects. I can't say this is a must-read for manga fans or even Tezuka fans, but it is an interesting relic of its time.

Speaking of its time, I was particularly interested in the references made to World War II and the scapegoating of Korean nationals living in Japan. It's a part of history Japan has long struggled to reckon with but for an angry young man in the 70s, the shadow of "The War" loomed over everything. Bomba! isn't explicitly about World War II, but its casual references are a rare window into what ordinary people thought and how they talked about it.

I would certainly recommend this to anyone interested in the history of manga or the history of Tezuka. However, it does not stand on its own. Casual fans of manga, or younger fans who have never heard of Astro Boy will not get much out of this. They may even find it offensive.

[Dan Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading a Manga like Osamu Tezuka’s Bomba! Is like opening a time capsule. This was written over forty years ago but we are now getting to read it in English for the first time. Tezuka is a legend in the manga indusy being the mind behind Astro Boy so getting to experience any work by him is a treat, especially one that was written so long ago. Based on my limited knowledge of Astro Boy this was nothing like I was expecting. To be honest I am not sure who could expect this story.

One whose dream of a white horse comes alive to kill those who wrong a young boy. Is the boy innonce of these crimes or are they a fuifilment of his true wishes? That answer becomes very clear by the end. You could see how a story like this would influence a fan favorite story like Death Note as their concepts have a multiude of parallels. So if you are a person who likes to dissect the influences of famous works this is worth a read.

[Christian Marques · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not the best Tezuka you can get, but possibly an important work as a percursor to Death Note (exploring the concept of a character having the power to cause the death of someone they dislike and all it's consequences and implications). Unfortunately, I thought the story itself was kind of poorly written (especially compared to other works by Tezuka) and the book's short length makes it feel like a good idea was kind of rushed, which leaves a lot of the potential untapped. I guess Death Note picked up on the idea and turned it into the masterpiece it deserves to be, which sadly could've been Bomba!... Still, worth reading if you're going through Tezuka's bibliography.

[Loocuh Frayshure · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first engagement with the actual work of Osamu Tezuka, madlad master of manga who penned Astro Boy and a fuckload of others—this is nothing like what I expected. Grabbed at a library book sale yesterday for a buck and read in one sitting, it’s so intense and psychologically raw. My brain the entire time was thinking of Shaffer’s play Equus and trying to recall which came first since fucked up teen with heavy horse obsession is a factor in both, and this actually dropped first. Other later connections are Death Note and Neon Genesis Evangelion, especially the latter since the fundamental messages are the same. The only reason this isn’t a 10 is the ending is so sudden and really lame, but the artwork and genius usage of panels to communicate are astonishingly fresh even 50 years later. American comics of the 70s WISH.

[Norman Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

A teenager who thinks he loves his teacher goes to extreme lengths to eliminate his perceived competition, and then goes completely unhinged when he learns she may be leading a double life, àla Looking for Mr. Goodbar. This is an often dark and disturbing look at a psychotic mind. But, hey, it has a happy ending (pretty much out of nowhere)! Tezuka may be the god of manga, but this isn't one of his best works.

[Ace · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is refreshing to read a masterpiece work from the 1970s that touches on serious themes such as the comfort women and the other aftermath of WWII that left a deep wound in much of eastern Asia. Tezuka himself was heavily impacted by the war, and we can see lots of self-reflection in many of his works. Hopefully we get more manga in the future that can remind us of the past and prevent us from forgetting the history with the passing of time.

[Aman Fazil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sure that "Bomba!", as many say, is not Tezuka's best work. But I still had fun reading it. The premise is compelling and mysterious, but it definitely gets rushed towards the end. The art is excellent though, every frame of Bomba in particular is so haunting. For my first actual read of Tezuka's work - not bad! Enough to get me hooked into it more and yes, admittedly did leave more to be desired.

[Alex Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool weird ass story that's the kind of thing only Tezuka could write. Lots of his interests intersect in this proto-Death Note... socially unacceptable desire, teenage misanthropy, evil horse...

Feel like Stephen King could have done a really good adaptation of this as a horror novel - it's Carrie-like in some ways, if Carrie was much less sympathetic, and also killed via a psychic death horse.

[Dan P · Rating 4 out of 5]

holy crap!! this is the kind of insane sci-fi melodrama that couldn't have come from anyone else. Tezuka wrote this batshit story in 1970, and it's one of his lesser known works, but still I can think of at least half a dozen manga that feel directly influenced by it. sure it's a bit corny and some parts feel underdeveloped but I guarantee it's the best comic you'll ever read about a misanthropic teen terrorizing tokyo with a psychic ghost horse

[Angela Caycedo · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Bomba" by Osamu Tezuka is a wild ride! It's about a kid named Tetsuo who's haunted by a creepy horse called Bomba. The story is intense and really gets into your head, exploring dark themes like trauma and obsession. Tezuka's art is as awesome as ever, and the plot keeps you hooked from start to finish. If you're into psychological thrillers, this one's definitely worth checking out.

It is a 1970 book and reflect the current manga trend of the time. It is a must read

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an unexpected read and definitely shows the creativity and imagination of Tezuka. The art is quite distinct and there are elements of where I am reminded of many of other works of Osama Tezuka. The ending for this was actually quite hopeful for once. Read-alike for this book definitely is any of Osama Tezuka's other works, Death Note or Sadako as there is a relentless murder intent.

[Jeik Dion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Master storyteller Osamu Tezuka flexes his skills in this short 150 page story.
This is brilliant. The ending is a little too abrupt, but the whole time I was turning pages with anticipation and awe. I love when Tezuka tackles extremely dark subject matters and then injects a fantastical element without ever explaining how or why it's happening. Freeing and inspiring.

[Anilea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very anti Tekuza work from his 70’s era.
Violent, sexual, misanthropic, and desperately needed an editor.

Intriguing premise, a sordid tale of a teen subconscious and the metaphysical avatar of his rage and desire in the form of a white horse. * cue Good Bye horses*

For all it’s worth, a short, bleak narrative with an ending that could have been better.

[Transjester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story until the ending/resolution. It felt like it got wrapped up so quickly. And I don't like that the love of a woman (even non-romantic) saved him. Wish it was longer and it ended differently. I've read other works by Tezuka but this by far the shortest. I would absolutely recommend it, the rest of the story was very gripping.

[Luka Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read!! Incredibly unhinged and even uncomfortably relatable at times, but I really appreciate the message of letting go of one's hate and learning to yourself being a way to move past traumas and the spiral of self depreciation and hate.

Solid first tezuka read and am definitely looking forward to reading more

[Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s…odd. Probably not the best entry point to Tezuka’s work either.

[Nicholas Siebers · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a pretty weird story, and went in directions I did not expect. An easy read but was it good? Didn’t add up to much, the end was particularly flat. Not sure I would recommend this one.

[dookie derek · Rating 1 out of 5]

killer boy with killer horse goes on a rampage before the horse comes for revenge

[WritingWithCrayons · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Tezuka but this is not him at his best.