The Film Lives On
Encyclopedia
is a manga
by Osamu Tezuka
that began serialization in 1958.
with visions of becoming a manga filmmaker. When he visits a manga filmmaking studio, he meets veteran manga filmmaker Matsuma Dan. Musashi shows Matsuma his work, but is quickly dismissed by Matsuma who claims his work lacks "vitality" in its movements.
Disappointed, Musashi doesn't give up and continues to practice the art of manga filmmaking. While in Tokyo, he meets Kojiro Sasaki, another young boy yearning to be a manga filmmaker. The two become friends almost instantly. However, after a quarrel, they split up and become fierce rivals to see who can make it in the manga filmmaking business.
More trouble falls on Musashi when he runs afoul of a Yakuza
family in Tokyo. He meets a beautiful young girl named Otsu, but as fate would have it, she is the daughter of a Yakuza family's leader. As payback, the yakuza members burn Musashi's 50,000 manga film cells, destroy his movie making equipment, and damage his eyes in the process.
Hurt and beaten, Musashi still finds the strength to move on. Thinking of his beloved horse, Ao, back in his hometown, Musashi begins anew with his manga films by making ones about Ao.
was working with Toei
Doga (now known as Toei Animation
) to produce the animated feature film "Hsu Yu Chi" ("The Journey West") also known as "Monkey". The movie was based on the original legend of Son-Goku
and the manga version Tezuka had created years before. This movie was brought over to the United States under the name "Alakazam the Great
".
Working with Toei inspired Tezuka to venture into animation a number of other times later down the road until his death in 1989. It was from his experience in animation that Tezuka decided to create The Film Lives On.
Before the 1960s the art form was originally called or ("animated cartoon") became known as and then finally for short. Since becoming recognized overseas, the term "Anime
" has been used to describe Japanese animation ever since.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
by Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
that began serialization in 1958.
Plot
The setting is 1950s Japan and young Musashi Miyamoto has come to TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
with visions of becoming a manga filmmaker. When he visits a manga filmmaking studio, he meets veteran manga filmmaker Matsuma Dan. Musashi shows Matsuma his work, but is quickly dismissed by Matsuma who claims his work lacks "vitality" in its movements.
Disappointed, Musashi doesn't give up and continues to practice the art of manga filmmaking. While in Tokyo, he meets Kojiro Sasaki, another young boy yearning to be a manga filmmaker. The two become friends almost instantly. However, after a quarrel, they split up and become fierce rivals to see who can make it in the manga filmmaking business.
More trouble falls on Musashi when he runs afoul of a Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
family in Tokyo. He meets a beautiful young girl named Otsu, but as fate would have it, she is the daughter of a Yakuza family's leader. As payback, the yakuza members burn Musashi's 50,000 manga film cells, destroy his movie making equipment, and damage his eyes in the process.
Hurt and beaten, Musashi still finds the strength to move on. Thinking of his beloved horse, Ao, back in his hometown, Musashi begins anew with his manga films by making ones about Ao.
Characters
- Musashi Miyamoto: A country boy who has come to Tokyo to enter the field of "MangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
FilmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
" making. Despite setbacks, he finds the strength to continue following his dream. - Kojiro Sasaki as Himself: Another student of manga filmmaking who makes friends with Musashi in Tokyo. However, after a falling out, the two of them become rivals to see who can make it big in manga films.
- Otsu: Daughter of a Tokyo YakuzaYakuza, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
family's leader who meets Musashi. However, her yakuza family does not like her being with Musashi. - Frankenstein as Matsuma Dan: A veteran manga filmmaker who is dismissive of Musashi's work, believing it to lack life and vitality.
- Seijuro Yoshioka:
- Denshichiro Yoshioka:
- Baiken Shishido:
- Shonisuke Bandai:
- Buku Bukk as Matahachi Honiden:
- Ao: Musashi's horse from back home. Thinking about him helps give Musashi the strength to continue working in manga film making.
Manga Animation vs. Anime
In the late 1950s animation in Japan was undergoing many rapid changes. While writing this manga, Osamu TezukaOsamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
was working with Toei
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
Doga (now known as Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
) to produce the animated feature film "Hsu Yu Chi" ("The Journey West") also known as "Monkey". The movie was based on the original legend of Son-Goku
Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
and the manga version Tezuka had created years before. This movie was brought over to the United States under the name "Alakazam the Great
Alakazam the Great
is a 1960 Japanese anime film, based on the Chinese novel Journey to the West, and was one of the earliest anime films to be released in the United States. Based on the manga by Osamu Tezuka, he was named as a director of the film by Toei Company. However, Tezuka later stated that the only time he...
".
Working with Toei inspired Tezuka to venture into animation a number of other times later down the road until his death in 1989. It was from his experience in animation that Tezuka decided to create The Film Lives On.
Before the 1960s the art form was originally called or ("animated cartoon") became known as and then finally for short. Since becoming recognized overseas, the term "Anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
" has been used to describe Japanese animation ever since.
See also
- List of Osamu Tezuka anime
- List of Osamu Tezuka manga
- Osamu TezukaOsamu Tezukawas a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
- Osamu Tezuka's Star SystemOsamu Tezuka's Star SystemOver the course of his career, Osamu Tezuka reused the same characters in different roles in different stories. The way that Tezuka used the characters in his "star system" can be seen as somewhat analoguous to a film director frequently casting members of a regular "stable" of actors in different...
External links
- "The Film Lives On" manga page at TezukaOsamu@World
- "The Film Lives On" manga page at TezukaOsamu@World
- "The Film Lives On" manga publications page at TezukaOsamu@World
- "The Film Lives On" manga publications page at TezukaOsamu@World
- "The Film is Alive" anime page at TezukaOsamu@World
- "The Film is Alive" anime page at TezukaOsamu@World