Phoenix, Vol. 10 [Paperback]

Osamu Tezuka (Author)

Book Description

Series: Phoenix | Publication Date: March 20, 2007

Considered by many the peak of Osamu Tezuka's artistic achievement and called his "life work" by the author, PHOENIX is made up 12 complex stories linked by the presence of the mythical bird, an immortal guarden of the universal life force. Read in order, the separate stories jump across time, alternating between a distant future and a distant past, converging on the present, with characters from one story being reincarnated in another. The 12 stories over 3000 pages.

Sun:

In A.D. 663 a soldier named Harima is punished by being given the visage of a wolf. Rescued by a mysterious old woman, he is tormented by nightmares and gradually senses the spirit of Bando Suguru, a 21st century agent who fights on behalf of banished humans.

Sun is the longest chapter in the Phoenix series, and its structure is threefold. Harima's story in 7th century Japan interweaves with that taking place in the 21st century, while another tale of a spiritual battle bridges both past and future.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Regarded by many as the "God of Manga" Osamu Tezuka was born in 1928 in Toyonoka, in Osaka, Japan. A prolific author and artist, Tezuka is generally regarded as the single figure responsible for developing Japan's massive manga and anime industries. His cinematic art style and novelistic narratives have made his work as universally accessible and relevant now as when first published in Japan. A list of his well-known and universally loved work includes the classic JUNGLE EMPEROR LEO (also known as Kimba the White Lion), BLACK JACK, ADOLF, MIGHTY ATOM (known as ASTRO BOY in the U.S.) and METROPOLIS (recently made into a hit anime film). Tezuka continued creating comics until his death in 1989.

Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 1 edition (March 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421509725
• ISBN-13: 978-1421509723
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #733,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Osamu Tezuka (1928-89) is the godfather of Japanese manga comics. He originally intended to become a doctor and earned his degree before turning to what was then a medium for children. His many early masterpieces include the series known in the U.S. as Astro Boy. With his sweeping vision, deftly interwined plots, feel for the workings of power, and indefatigable commitment to human dignity, Tezuka elevated manga to an art form. The later Tezuka, who authored Buddha, often had in mind the mature readership that manga gained in the sixties and that had only grown ever since. The Kurosawa of Japanese pop culture, Osamu Tezuka is a twentieth century classic.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent storytelling, once again, August 1, 2007

By 

Alan J. Mattia "amatt42" (Rockville, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Phoenix, Vol. 10 (Paperback)

Karma is the best volume of the series, but this one is also excellent. The interweaving of past and future by having the character in one era dream about the character in the other is very well done and sets up part two nicely.

The book stands on its own as a story, but it will have more meaning if you read the full series starting with volume one. The storytelling and artwork is so consistently excellent throughout that the effort and expense are well worth it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great! I couldn't put it down!, April 25, 2007

By 

Michael F. Creighton "Let's take today and ma... (Saitama, Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Phoenix, Vol. 10 (Paperback)

This is an excellent part of the phoenix series. I really enjoyed this story for several reasons, it has Tezuka's usual excellent story telling and pacing, very interesting characters and it begins linking the past and future stories.

A great read that keeps you going till the end and looking forward to the next one!

This one is among my favorites of the Phoenix series along with Karma, and Yamato / Space, and Dawn.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the other Phoenix series but a good read!, April 4, 2007

By 

Graphic Novel / Manga Reader "ownstoomanybooks" (Land of the Palm Trees (USA)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Phoenix, Vol. 10 (Paperback)

I am a fan of Osamu Tezuka's books of Phoenix and Buddha. I've read all of them to date and this latest one, Phoenix Sun Part One volume 10 is a good read although it isn't as good as the previous volumes. The artwork continues to be great. It was still a good read and an additional to your Phoenix collection. I'm hoping part two will be better.