Princess Knight, Part One [Paperback]

Osamu Tezuka (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 1, 2011 | Series: Princess Knight (Book 1)

Set in a medieval fairy-tale backdrop, Princess Knight is the tale of a young princess named Sapphire who must pretend to be a male prince so she can inherit the throne. Women have long been prevented from taking the throne, but Sapphire is not discouraged and instead she fully accepts the role, becoming a dashing hero(ine) that the populous is proud of.

The playful cartooning style of Princess Knight is comparable to that of Disney, à la Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Considered by many as one of the first major shojo works, inspiring comics for girls such as Revoluntionary Girl Utena, Cardcaptor Sakura and Sailor Moon for generations to follow. A rare shojo property from the godfather of manga, Princess Knight has been long considered one of Tezuka's most popular works worldwide.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"PRINCESS KNIGHT is regarded a defining masterpiece of the [shojo] genre." - Shojo Beat magazine

"Princess Knight has the structure and feel of a Disney cartoon, which is not surprising, as Tezuka was a big fan of Disney's work. The story has a classic fairy-tale setting, a vaguely European country during the middle ages, with a king and queen, a Royal Guard who are a bunch of bullies, and quaint villages filled with peasants. The characters have the rounded, big-eyed look of classic Disney characters, and the pacing and slapstick humor conjure up such classics as "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."...Still, Tezuka's story seems to have caught the popular imagination in a way that earlier shoujo manga did not." - MTV

About the Author

Osamu Tezuka was born on November 3, 1928, in Osaka. He grew up in an open-minded family exposed to manga and Walt Disney. Having developed an intense understanding of the preciousness of life from his wartime experience, Osamu Tezuka aimed to become a physician and later earned his degree, but ultimately chose the profession he loved best: manga artist and animated film writer.

Tezuka’s work changed the concept of the Japanese cartoon, transforming it into an art form and incorporating a variety of new styles in creating the “story cartoon.” Osamu Tezuka lived out his entire life tirelessly pursuing his efforts, producing more than 150,000 pages of graphic storytelling before his death in 1989.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Vertical (November 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193565425X
• ISBN-13: 978-1935654254
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1.2 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #295,495 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.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful fantasy! November 14, 2011

By JoMo

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Newcomers to the 'manga' style of comic art as well as longtime fans will find Osamu Tezuka's groundbreaking work engaging and fun. The tone and story style of Princess Knight is deceptively simple, so when the plot takes a more weighty turn, (as when certain characters die,) or the message becomes sublime (female empowerment yes, but also matters of unresolved gender identity,) it comes as a welcome surprise. Of Tezuka's legendary work (Astro Boy, Black Jack, Kimba the White Lion, etc,) Princess Knight is one of the more under-recognized in English-speaking countries, and it's refreshing to see it made available again in this handsome squarebound paperback. Get one before the collector's market gobbles it up!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Tezuka is a master! March 6, 2012

By ChibiNeko TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Like others have said, this book is particularly amazing in how it portrayed women. Depictions of women in the 1950s were predominantly "women are weaker than men, they should stay at home and care for the children" and Japan was no exception to this. For a manga to dare to say that a woman not only could do actions typically associated with men, but that she SHOULD do them... well, it's pretty daring and that's part of the reason I love Tezuka so much- he's not afraid to take chances when it comes to political and social messages. After all, BlackJack is full of them.

The artwork is one of my most favorite parts of the book, being gorgeously retro and still setting artwork standards, showing that you can have a great plot line AND great artwork at the same time. Even if you're not drawn in by the story, it's still worth it to flip through the volume. On an interesting side note, I've heard that Betty Boop had a sizable influence on Tezuka, which you can definitely see in the artwork for Sapphire. Story-wise, it's fantastic. I will admit that the jumps between chapters can be pretty abrupt, which pushes me out of the story a little, but otherwise it's very good. I couldn't help but read this all the way through, sacrificing valuable sleep hours.

If you're a parent worried about violence or sexuality, no worries. The book is fairly clean. There are people getting hurt and the book does feature some deaths, but it's far from being gratuitous or gory. By today's standards it's squeaky clean.

Overall this is well worth buying for any Tezuka fan or for anyone who just likes a good story.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ribon no Kishi in English at Last! November 10, 2011

By Haruka Kamiya

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

At long last, Tezuka Osamu's classic shoujo series, Ribon no Kishi (The Ribbon Knight) -- published as Princess Knight in America -- is published in English! This series is considered the first shoujo manga, as well as the first of the "magical girl" genre.

The book itself is in paperback format, and 384 pages long. There are no color pages, and additional content is kept to a minimum. The translation seems to be in top form; I found no glaring errors, and pronouns and such were consistent.

As for the story itself, it is a story well ahead of its time (it was first published in Japan in 1953), combating the sensitive issue of feminism. Quite a few characters are seen protesting the law that the heir to the throne must be male, and one particular scene involves a nurse calling the doctor out on his misogynistic behaviour.

The first part tackles the birth and upbringing of Princess Sapphire, born with both a boy heart and a girl heart, and raised as a boy because of a miscommunicated announcement; the identity struggles Sapphire has; her romance with the prince of the neighbouring country: Franz; and ultimately, the Duke's evil plot to have his son Plastic inherit the throne, which succeeds; and Sapphire's struggles to defeat the Duke and convince Franz that she is the girl of his dreams. The first part ends with Sapphire and a newly befriended pirate on their way to the Duke's hunting party so as to ambush him.

Overall, this is a wonderful manga; a timeless classic that should be read by all fans of the medium, and I am so very glad this was finally published in English, because everyone should read this milestone in manga history.