PHOENIX (MANGA)

is a manga series by Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka considered ''Phoenix'' his "life's work"; it consists of 12 books, each of which tells a separate, self-contained story and takes place in a different era. The cycle remains unfinished after Tezuka's death. Several of the stories were adapted into anime, and as of 2007, the entire manga series will be available in English-language translations.

Overview

''Phoenix'' is about reincarnation. Each story generally involves a search for immortality, embodied by the blood of the eponymous bird of fire, which, as drawn by Tezuka, resembles a peacock. The blood is believed to grant eternal life, but immortality in ''Phoenix'' is either unobtainable or a terrible curse, whereas Buddhist-style reincarnation is presented as the natural path of life.
The stories spring back and forth through time; the first, ''Dawn,'' takes place in ancient times, and the second, ''Future,'' takes place in the far future. Subsequent stories alternate between past and future, allowing Tezuka to explore his themes in both historical and science fiction settings. Throughout the stories there are various recurring characters, some from Tezuka's famous star system. A character named Saruta appears repeatedly, for example, in the form of various ancestors and descendants, all of whom endure harsh trials in their respective eras.
Tezuka began work on a preliminary version of ''Phoenix'' in 1954, and the series continued in various forms until his death in 1989. As it progresses, the stories seem to be converging on the present day. Scholar and translator Frederik L. Schodt, who knew Tezuka in life, wrote that he fantasized about a secret ending, "waiting in a safe somewhere to be revealed posthumously."^[1] This was not the case, and Tezuka's final intentions with ''Phoenix'' remain unknown, although its episodic nature leaves each volume highly accessible nonetheless.
Many of the ''Phoenix'' stories feature intensely experimental layout and visual design. For example, ''Universe'' tells the story of four spacefarers who are forced to leave their spaceship in separate escape pods. The panels of the story are organized such that each character has his own vertical or horizontal tier on the page, emphasizing the astronauts' isolation; the tiers combine and separate as characters join together and split up. In an astonishing sequence after one character's death, he is represented for a number of pages by a series of empty black panels.

Volumes

After several aborted attempts at a first chapter in the 1950s^[2], Tezuka began ''Dawn'' in 1967, serialized in ''COM''.^[3] The serialization of ''Phoenix'' would continue throughout his career, moving to ''Manga Shōnen'' after ''COM's closure in the mid-70s. The final volume, ''Sun'', was serialized in ''The Wild Age''.
;Dawn
:(黎明編 reimei-hen)The first volume, originally serialized in 1967. This story takes place in 240-270 AD, in the era of Queen Himiko of the Yamataikoku. Using her army, led by feudal general Saruta, to invade Japan, she seeks the Phoenix and eternal youth.
;Future

Cover of Phoenix: Future, C0M Masterpiece Comics edition, printed in 1968.

:The second volume, originally serialized in 1967-68. In ''Phoenix's chronology, this is the final story; it takes place near the end of mankind. In 3404 AD, the world has become super-modernized, but humanity has reached its peak and shows decline. A young man named Masato Yamanobe is living with his girlfriend, Tamami, a shapeshifting alien. Pursued by Masato's boss, Rock, they eventually take shelter at the isolated base of mad scientist Dr. Saruta, who attempts to preserve life on Earth with the assistance of his robot, Robita. Eventually, nuclear war breaks out.
;Yamato
:The third volume, originally serialized in 1968-69. This story takes place in 320-350 AD (Kofun period), and is based on the ''Yamato-takeru-no-mikoto''^[4] legend. The decadent king of Yamato is trying to have his own version of Japan's history written. Meanwhile, a "barbarian" tribe, the Kumaso, is writing an unbiased history. The king of Yamato sends his youngest son, Oguna, to murder the barbarian chief, Takeru. On his journey, Oguna encounters the Phoenix.
;Universe
:The fourth volume, originally serialized in 1969; also known as ''Space''. The story takes place in 2577 AD, where four astronauts must escape their ruined spaceship in escape pods. The survivors eventually crash into a mysterious planet. Among them is ugly Saruta, who contends with handsome Makimura for the heart of their female companion, Nana. On this strange planet, they eventually meet the Phoenix.
;Ho-ō
:The fifth volume, originally serialized in 1969-1970. The story occurs in 720-752 AD. (the period in which the Daibutsu of Todaiji was built), during the Nara period. One-eyed and one-armed young man Gao, an ancestor of Saruta, turns into a murderous bandit when he is rejected by his village. He attacks a sculptor, Akanemaru, and the two men's paths diverge, but their fates remain linked. Akanemaru becomes obsessed with the Phoenix to the point that he loses sight of his original dreams, while Gao eventually finds a state of grace despite his continuing hardships. ''Ho-ō'', translated into English as ''Karma'', is widely considered the masterpiece of the ''Phoenix'' series.
;Resurrection
:The sixth volume, originally serialized in 1970-1971. The story takes place in 2482-3344 AD. In an age of robotics, technology and science, young Leon dies in a car accident. He is returned to life by scientific surgery, but his now mostly-artificial brain makes him see living things -- including humans -- as distorted and repulsive, while he sees machines and robots as beauties. Leon falls in love with a worker robot, Chihiro, whom he sees as a beautiful girl, and will fight for this forbidden love. He will also find out the secret behind his accident. A side plot features the robot Robita, who previously appeared in ''Future''.
:The section is referenced by the eroge, Saya no Uta.
;Robe of Feathers
:Serialized in ''COM'', 1971. Published in English by Viz as an appendix to the second volume of ''Civil War'' (''Troubled Times'').
;Nostalgia
:Published in ''COM'', 1971; continued in ''Manga Shōnen'', 1976-1978.
;Turbulent Times
:Published in ''Manga Shōnen'', 1978-1980. The story is about a woodcutter named Benta and his childhood sweetheart, Obu, who are separated and caught up in the events of the Genpei War. Various historical figures, such as Taira no Kiyomori, appear as major and minor characters. The character of Gao (from ''Ho-ō'') appears as a 400-year-old hermit.
:The Viz (English) edition is entitled ''Civil War'' and is split into two volumes, with ''Robe of Feathers'' included as an appendix to the second volume.
;Life
:Published in ''Manga Shōnen'', 1980.
;Strange Beings
:Published in ''Manga Shōnen'', 1981.
;Sun
:Published in ''The Wild Age'', 1986-1988. This is the longest story, and was the final volume completed before Tezuka's death.^[5]

Adaptations

Several volumes of ''Phoenix'' were adapted into anime. The best-known feature film, ''Phoenix 2772'', loosely adapts elements from various ''Phoenix'' volumes and other Tezuka works.^[6] A 12-episode TV adaptation aired in 2004 in Japan, and is being released in English in October 2007 by Anime Works.
A MSX adaptation of ''Karma'' was created by Konami [1]. The Phoenix also makes a cameo appearance in the 2004 '' game for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, along with a number of other Tezuka characters.

English edition

Phoenix is published in English by Viz Communications. Although initially published haphazardly and without promise of continuation^[7], as of late 2006 Viz has released eight of their proposed ten volumes, and has solicited the final two for release by February 2007.
The Viz editions are released "flipped" (the original right-to-left orientation is reversed for easier reading in English). Some of the shorter stories have been consolidated into one book, and ''Troubled Times'' has been split across two; this results in each Viz book having a similar page count.

Volumes in English

''Phoenix, Vol. 6: Nostalgia'' cover

;Vol. 1 - Dawn
:Released March 2003.
;Vol. 2 - A Tale of the Future / Future
:This volume was released first, in May 2002, as a stand-alone graphic novel;^[8] ''Dawn'' was released a year later, as ''Vol. 1'', followed by the rest of the series. ''A Tale of the Future'' was initially released in a larger size; the series releases, starting with ''Dawn'', are digest-sized. ''A Tale of the Future'' was reprinted in the smaller size in 2004, titled ''Future'', with ''Vol. 2'' appended to the title.
;Vol. 3 - Yamato / Space
:Collects ''Yamato'' and ''Space'' in one book; released November 2003.
;Vol. 4 - Karma
:Originally titled ''Ho-ō''; released May 2004. Listed at #2 in Time Magazine's "Best Comix of 2004".^[9]
;Vol. 5 - Resurrection
:Released December 14, 2004.
;Vol. 6 - Nostalgia
:Released March 26, 2006.
;Vol. 7 - Civil War, Part 1
:Originally titled ''Troubled Times'', and here split into two books; the first was released June 13, 2006.
;Vol. 8 - Civil War, Part 2 / Robe of Feathers
:Collects the ending of ''Troubled Times'', and includes ''Robe of Feathers''; released September 12, 2006.
;Vol. 9 - Strange Beings / Life
:Collects ''Strange Beings'' and ''Life'' in one book; released December 19, 2006.
;Vol. 10 - Sun, Part 1
:Released March 20, 2007
;Vol. 11 - Sun, Part 2
:To be released September 18, 2007.
;Vol. 12
:Contents and release date to be announced.

References

1. , , Frederik L., Schodt, Stone Bridge Press, , ISBN 1-880656-23-X
2. Manga Station Alphabet List P
3. The Phoenix: Dawn [COM version]
4. Kojiki, Book Two, Chapter 80
5. The Phoenix: The Sun
6. Anime Station Alphabet List P
7. "Born Again"
8. Viz To Release Tezuka's Phoenix: A Tale of the Future
9. TIME 2004 Best and Worst: Comix

1. , , Frederik L., Schodt, Stone Bridge Press, , ISBN 1-880656-23-X
2. Manga Station Alphabet List P
3. The Phoenix: Dawn [COM version]
4. Kojiki, Book Two, Chapter 80
5. The Phoenix: The Sun
6. Anime Station Alphabet List P
7. "Born Again"
8. Viz To Release Tezuka's Phoenix: A Tale of the Future
9. TIME 2004 Best and Worst: Comix

External links

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