By far one of his most popular comic book works, the Jungle Emperor has transformed itself from a serialized comic strip in 1950 to the first Japanese television animation in 1966 to a box office success as a theatrical feature in 1997. This story of three generations of white lions remains a symbol for Tezuka's focus on humanism and his campaign to preserve nature. His crossover from comics to animation made him one of Japan's foremost directors. His second comic Astro Boy gained him international success. After its serialization as a comic, it was soon a television special popular in the United States in the 1960s. In 1962, Tezuka launched Mushi Productions Ltd. from a small Tokyo office filled with aspiring animators and artists. These were the golden years of Japanese Manga.

However, Tezuka should not be considered solely a manga artist as his experimental animation shows. This lesser known and eclectic side of Tezuka won him many awards with films such as: A Street Corner Tale, a short work which used colorful, angled figures; Jumping, which won the 1984 Zagreb International Film Festival; Broken Down Film, a scratched out ode to American pioneers, which won the Hiroshima Animation Festival; and his last work, Legend of the Forest in 1988, which was applauded at Zagreb again. In 1964, Tezuka met Disney at the New York World's Fair, and although the two creators have often been paralleled, Tezuka remained more low keyed and close to his role as a master cartoonist than his counterpart. Yes, Tezuka created an animation empire, with thousands of memorable characters, yet he managed to remain independent, a free-spirited businessman--a rare achievement.

While walking through the three floors of the Tezuka Manga Museum, one can only be impressed by his dedication to the art of the cartoon.

The floor plan of the 14,000 square foot Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum. Image courtesy of the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum.

What Is the Museum Like?
It's like visiting the foyer of Princess Knight. It's like meeting Atom Boy for the first time and it's like discovering what Japanese manga is all about. The first floor is a historical view of Tezuka's life and early work. All arranged on stage-like science fiction panels, the books and memorabilia are a trip down memory lane. An NHK documentary at the rear of the room interviews key figures in Japanese animation and a small screening room shows an animated film of Tezuka's life every 20 minutes. A ride up the elevator to the second floor brings you to a small gallery for rotating exhibitions which include not only Tezuka's legacy but also that of new artists and old colleagues, such as Fujiko Fujio the creator of the legendary Doraemon. A Jungle Emperor cafe lets you sit and read books from the impressive library with hundreds of volumes. The green jungle tables and chairs leave a wonderland kind of setting. The video console in the center of the main hall is the most popular stop in town. The waiting line is long, for this is a chance to watch rare Tezuka videos which give an overview of Tezuka's productions...don't expect to find a seat! The Tezuka Museum is truly a living museum. Adults and children come for hours to watch tapes, read books and play.

The gift shop is the next stop where Tezuka marketing is at its finest with everything from pens and pins to T-shirts and towels. Post cards are a popular favorite, as are the complete collection of video tapes. From here, take the elevator to the basement and be prepared to experience the craft of animation first hand.