Phoenix

With grand historical sweep, this self-contained opening volume of Osamu Tezuka's acclaimed Phoenix saga is an epic account of the human spirit in a time of chaos and warfare, where would-be warrior Nagi and his crew struggle against the elements, invaders, and history itself....Rated:T

Considered by many to be one of the finest works of Japanese comics art ever produced, Phoenix: Future is a rollicking space-age adventure, an apocalyptic cautionary tale, a fable of human frailty and triumph, and a fantastic voyage through time, space, and the macroverse. Above all it is a great love story, an epic account of Class II Space Patrolman Masato's tragic, undying love for the doomed beautiful alien "moopie," Tamami. Told in bold layouts and mind-warping page designs that revolutionized Japanese comics, this is the work of the greatest manga artist of them all, Osamu Tezuka, soaring at the height of his powers....Rated:T

This third volume of Osamu Tezuka's acclaimed Phoenix saga contains two self-contained stories, one set in Japan's turbulent past, the other in the far-flung future. Yamato is a bloody Shakespearean morality play, where betrayal heaps upon betrayal. Space is a trip into outer and inner space featuring some of Tezuka's most innovative layouts ever....Rated:T

This fourth volume of Osamu Tezuka's acclaimed Phoenix saga is set in 8th-century Japan and tells the story of two men: the hideously deformed mass murderer Gao and the handsome and gifted woodcarver Akanemaru. Fate brings them together when Gao cruelly stabs Akanemaru in the arm, crippling him. They part, but their destinies remain inextricably linked as both find their spirits tested in a series of personal and professional trials. Beautifully set against the religious and political upheavals of the time, Karma is considered by many to be the best volume in the entire Phoenix series....Rated:T

Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix was his life's work. Considered by many to be one of the finest works of Japanese comics art ever produced, Phoenix:Resurection takes place in the year 3344. Prof. Saruta lands on the moon and meets and acquires Robita in his final form. Spanning 860 years, the end of this episode goes beyond Phoenix:Universe and comes close to the beginning of Phoenix:Future....Rated:T

In the 25th century, Romy and her husband George purchase the planet Eden 17 from an unscrupulous space real estate agent. Unfortunately, their dream planet turns out to be an arid wasteland. During their desperate search for water, George is killed, leaving Romy and her unborn child to survive on their own. How far will Romy go to build a civilization on Eden 17?!...Rated:T+

At the end of the Heian Period (12th century), a hunter named Benta comes to Kyoto in search of his abducted fiancée, Obuu. Obuu is forced to become the attendant of a powerful man of the time, who wishes to cheat death and extend the life of his clan by obtaining the legendary phoenix. Meanwhile, dissent is brewing among a people fed up with their corrupt government. Kyoto is on the verge of a civil war!...Rated:T+

Civil War: Part 2 continues the story of the turbulent events of 12th century Japan. The everyman Benta has become an unwilling samurai, witness to senseless killings and the replacement of one brutal regime with another even more so.The volume culminates with "Robe of Feathers." Based on the Japanese fable Hagoromo-densetsu, this experimental short story dealing with the horrors of war is portrayed from one fixed angle as if it were enacted onstage and observed from audience seats....Rated:T+

"Strange Beings," the first of the two stories in this volume of Phoenix, takes place in the 7th century. The vengeful daughter of a lord becomes trapped on an alternate plane where she must atone for the murder of her father by treating the ailments of Strange Beings. The second story, "Life," takes place in the year 2155. A television producer devises a plan to boost ratings by televising the hunt of human clones. But things take an ironic turn when he comes in contact with a very special bird!...Rated:T+

In A.D. 663 a soldier named Harima is punished by being given the visage of a wolf. Rescued by a mysterious old woman, he is tormented by nightmares and gradually senses the spirit of Bando Suguru, a 21st century agent who fights on behalf of banished humans.Sun is the longest chapter in the Phoenix series, and its structure is threefold. Harima's story in 7th century Japan is interwoven with one set in the 21st century, while another tale of a spiritual battle bridges both past and future....Rated:T+

Wolf-faced warrior Harima fights on behalf of the once-deified Ku tribe, who are persecuted as demonic after the introduction of Buddhism to Japan. This conflict is mirrored in the 21st century, when Harima's counterpart, Bando Suguri, fights against an oppressive Phoenix-worshipping group. Sun is the longest chapter in the Phoenix series, and its structure is threefold. Harima's story in 7th century Japan interweaves with that taking place in the 21st century, while another tale of a spiritual battle bridges both past and future....Rated:T+

Final Volume!!!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....Rated:T+