To say that we could all learn a few things from Osamu Tezuka is underselling it quite a bit. In a 40-year career that saw him become one of the world's most prolific and beloved comics creators --- not to mention one that was so influential that he earned the nickname "The God of Manga" from readers across the world --- he produced some of the most memorable stories in the medium. Now, it seems like there's a push to get more of his work published on this side of the Pacific, and the latest part of that is coming from Udon Entertainment with two hardcover collections of his sketches and designs.

This week, Udon released Osamu Tezuka: Anime Character Illustrations and Osamu Tezuka: Manga and Anime Character Sketchbook, totaling 368 pages of his designs for projects like Astro BoyKimba the White Lion, and more. The books are available now, but if you want to see what's involved, check out a preview of both below!

 

OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONS
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONS
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONS
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONS
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONS
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONS
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONS
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME & MANGA CHARACTER SKETCHBOOK
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME & MANGA CHARACTER SKETCHBOOK
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME & MANGA CHARACTER SKETCHBOOK
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME & MANGA CHARACTER SKETCHBOOK
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME & MANGA CHARACTER SKETCHBOOK
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME & MANGA CHARACTER SKETCHBOOK
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OSAMU TEZUKA: ANIME & MANGA CHARACTER SKETCHBOOK
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The books are listed with a cover price of $39.99 each, with Anime Character Illustrations containing 224 pages, and the Sketchbook with 124. And according to the press release, it's not just the art --- the books contain Tezuka's notes on the characters as well:

 

Both of these prestigious volumes are presented in an elegant hardcover format worthy of the man whose work they celebrate. Inside you’ll find a diverse collection of character designs and rough concepts from animation and manga projects representing Tezuka’s entire illustrious career, including Mighty Atom (Astro Boy), Jungle Emperor (Kimba the White Lion), Phoenix, Black Jack, and many more. In many cases these illustrations include Tezuka’s own hand-written design notes, accompanied by translations through footnotes.

 

Both volumes are available now.

 

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