Phoenix

The earliest incarnation of what would eventually become Tezuka’s epic masterpiece, Phoenix [Manga Shonen] (1954-55) was Tezuka’s follow-up series to the popular Jungle Emperor (1950-54) in Manga Shonen. It began publication in July 1954 and ran until the magazine suddenly folded in May 1955, unfortunately leaving the work unfinished after just eight instalments. In a mythical age of ancient Japan, Nagi Iza, a young boy living on one of the southern islands, is on a quest to find the legendary Phoenix and save his dying father. Believing the magical healing properties of the blood of the mysterious bird is the only way to cure his father, Nagi sets off on a mission to climb up Fire Mountain, a local volcano and the home of the Phoenix.

Phoenix: Early Works contains stories serialized from 1954 to 1957. This volume follows the tumultuous love affair of a sweet-voiced slave girl named Daia and the Egyptian Crown Prince through the ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman eras...with a little help from the Phoenix and her adorable offspring. The stories collected here showcase an earlier phase of Tezuka's art and storytelling--and expose a more youthful, sweet side of the master creator. They also illustrate the link between early manga and American comics and cartoons, and reveal Tezuka's deep fascination with Walt Disney. These short pieces were originally geared toward a younger audience than the Phoenix sagas which began in the 1960s. (Source: VIZ)

The “Missing Pieces” series, which allows readers to compare the first magazine publications with Osamu Tezuka's own revised tankoubon editions, has previously had releases of Black Jack and Mitsume ga Tooru, both of which received great acclaim. This time, as part of the series, we present Hi no Tori: Missing Pieces - Boukyou-hen compiling the "Boukyou (Nostalgia)" arc of Hi no Tori—which underwent particularly extensive revisions—and its related work, the “Hagoromo (Robe of Feathers)” arc. The “Boukyou” arc and the related “Hagoromo” arc, revised three times over the years, show astonishingly bold alterations—from minor details like dialogue changes, character deletions, and art style revisions, to major structural overhauls—revealing Osamu Tezuka's relentless creative drive. Experience this historic endeavor up close. (Source: Rittorsha, translated)