Danica Davidson
February 14, 2023 
Yesterday comics publisher ABLAZE revealed that it has licensed four titles by “god of manga” Osamu Tezuka. The books were licensed from Tezuka Productions with cooperation from DI Books.
First up is One Hundred Tales, which is scheduled to come out this August. ABLAZE gave this description for it:
“An adaptation of the Faust legend as a samurai period piece. Ichirui Hanri is an ordinary accountant servicing his lord. Though innocent, he is sentenced to death by hara-kiri after being entangled in a power struggle. A witch named Sudama appears and offers Hanri three wishes in exchange for his soul. Hanri accepts. Is it worth it?”
Next up is Shakespeare Manga Theater, which is scheduled to come out sometime during the fourth quarter of 2023. ABLAZE gave this description for it:
“Over the course of his career, Tezuka adapted many of Shakespeare’s works: Hamlet, Othello, The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet (featuring Astro Boy!), and The Merchant of Venice. This book collects them into one volume and is sure to be popular not just with Tezuka fans, but also schools interested in presenting Shakespeare in a format that is easier for readers to engage with.”
The third title is Tomorrow The Birds, which will come out sometime during the second quarter of next year. ABLAZE gave this description of it:
“A science fiction manga depicting a future society in which evolved birds surpass humanity, Tomorrow the Birds is a parable about how we treat those who aren’t like us, and the eventual price that must be paid for arrogance. An unforgettable tapestry of seven-page chapters and longer stories.”
The final title, Neo Faust, is coming out late in 2024 and once again has Tezuka going Faustian. ABLAZE gave this description for it:
“This adaptation of Goethe’s Faust is Tezuka’s third rendering of this classic and one of the serializations he was working on at the time of his death. Despite being terminally ill, Tezuka continued to develop his already legendary storytelling and illustrations and left behind this enthralling take on a timeless theme.”
Source: Press Release
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
