Metropolis

  Another Anime backlog finished and this one is Osamu Tezuka's sensei works adaptation in early 2000s. Never thought the legendary mangaka made one of the earliest Cyberpunk anime out there. Started with Boy meet Girl trope, Metropolis is an apocryphal story of a Megacity where Humanity and Robot lived together in uneasy coexistence which subsequently fall in a single night due to the Hubris of its ruler. Overall Metropolis has very impressive Visual which are reminiscent of Ghibli animations and very eye-pleasing even up to present's standard, considering Japan was still thriving in early 2000s and had the budget to pull it off. However Metropolis ultimately fell short in story department to leave a lasting impression of Osamu Tezuka's legacy for younger audience. Nevertheless it is still a good movie to watch with your family members.

 Despite its flaws, Metropolis able to convey a good and at time prophetic moral lesson that is still relevant up to this day, which are special trait from Tezuka Sensei's whose works are rich in spirituality. If you like Matrix series, Metropolis provides the missing piece to bridge the gap of the lore. Considering in the present we are living in a world where AI begin is getting more prevalence in modern society, one should take a precaution with this technology. As AI technology will eventually create too much social disparity between the Haves and Have nots despite the technology is benign at its nature. At some point due to the hubris of the Elite fews, they will create some kind of Super AI that will be beyond their control and destroy human society in Skynet manner from Terminator series. 

  Metropolis also convey the importance of maintaining one's humanity in order to prevent this kind of catastrophe from happening as the Boy Protagonist kindness toward the female heroine is the main reason that the worst destruction was averted. The movie also portrays that the revolution by the masses will be ill-fated most of the time and end up to be used by the elites for their own gain. 

 At the end of the day one should try to be more familiar with Dystopian Cyberpunk works like Matrix in order to fully appreciate Metropolis. Because the movie does not convey what it tries to tell in exact direct manner. But If you are just general anime viewer, you will still get something out of this movie.

Osamu Tezuka Black Jack

  Another Osamu Tezuka-sensei works to discuss here, either Astroboy or this series called Blackjack is what probably play a prominent role in the rise of Tezuka-Sensei. Blackjack is arguably the precursor of Doctor-themed manga in Japanese manga industry, probably most of the manga that dabbled in this theme especially had to do with Surgery stuff paid some homage to Black Jack one way or another. This manga narrates the adventure of an unlicensed Doctor named Black Jack who had a disfigured face but possess godlike skill when it comes to surgery and had a reputation of avarice, charging hefty sum to his patients. Accompanied by his girl sidekick Pinoko, Black Jack will use his talent in surgery to all sorts of patients which sometimes make him encounter life-and-death encounter.

 Tezuka-sensei is well known as had a background in medicine who had a choice to be a doctor but become a mangaka instead. He certainly put more of his medical knowledge in Black Jack compared to Hidamari no Ki and i think he had penchant of using Peritonitis in this work. Black Jack is a great classic that explore the social facet of modern medicine industry and exposes its ugly side which undoubtedly had become abomination by this time. Out of  main protagonists from Tezuka's work, i quite like Black Jack because he uses his wits more compared to brute force and are not as bullheaded. Black Jack might be an outcast of his society but he had a firm sense of morality and even help some patients for free if they deserves it. Blackjack probably develop a reputation of avarice in order to protect himself since he often encounters people from shady background in his line of business who sometimes attempt to backstab.

 While the drawing style does not age well, Black Jack is definitely belong to must-read list from Tezuka-sensei's work. The english version of the manga spans over 17 volumes though i feel it could have gone longer since the manga finished somewhat in a cliffhanger. On an another note, Adult version of Pinoko would be quite a beauty if she is given a modern take of her design.

Osamu Tezuka Phoenix

 Osamu Tezuka is no doubt one of the most legendary figure in Japan Manga Industry with plethora of his works. However if i have to pick one works that serves as the testament of Tezuka-sensei's legacy, it would be either Buddha or this manga called Phoenix. Phoenix is another manga that i should have read earlier because it is just really that good, the drawing style might be old school, the story that the Tezuka tried to convey with Phoenix simply amazing.

 Using mystical creature Phoenix, the undying legendary firebird, Tezuka-sensei explored the big question of Life itself which spans from the ancient civilization up to far flung future. Utilising obsession toward immortality tied to Phoenix, Tezuka-sensei did a well done job in fleshing out the ugly side of humanity and the portrayal of life and death cycle along with the futility to avoid it in this work quite well. The protagonist in each arks find themselves in predicament revolving Phoenix directly by seeking immortality or indirectly through the whims of other people who are usually powerful figures. The story might get confusing at first due to sudden timeskip but everything will make sense once you read through the series.

 I don't really have particular favorite character in phoenix as most of the protagonists are way too stubborn to a fault, but i have a liking to the clone arc where a man find his clones end up being slaughter target for reality show due to his foolish intention toward Phoenix but eventually find way to redeem himself. Unfortunately the series never truly completed as Tezuka-sensei passed away before he could completed this work which is probably one of his remaining regret through his illustrious career. Phoenix is unquestionably masterpiece despite being unfinished work, and you will be astounded the depth of this series for a old school series.
 

Hidamari no Ki

 One of Osamu Tezuka's work that i read recently as the fan-translation has been finished. As expected from the Father of Manga's work, the story is good if the conclusion is rather weak. In this manga you get to see Tezuka's take on the end of Tokugawa era through the relationship between a doctor and samurai. Even though i have read plenty of works on Bakumatsu Era, Hidamari no Ki take on the period is still refreshing. You still get to see the cause and effect behind the fall of Tokugawa Shogunate which is rife with corruption and stagnation. Apparently the Doctor was Tezuka's Ancestor which he literally honor him through this manga. Personally i never like the Samurai protagonist because he is too stubborn to a fault but i am rather curious how does he end up in the end. If you want to read Tezuka's work Hidamari no Ki is quite easy to get into.