Two-in-One Review: Phoenix: A Tale of the Future Don and Randy delve into a post-apocalyptic story that explores the human need to connect with and foster life: Phoenix: A Tale of the Future. Don: I've found that a good deal of manga and anime boasts a bizarre quality that I usually find anywhere from uninteresting to alienating. This opening of the late Osamu Tezuka's work can easily be described as bizarre, and I didn't expect to be drawn into this weird world. But I was, because behind all the surreal story elements lies a rich examination of the human heart and emotional isolation. Randy: This is definitely unlike any manga that I have read before, and it has me curious to read more of Tezuka's work. Don and I received black and white copies of about 60 pages of Phoenix's 300-page length, and while the story isn't complete in what we read, there's certainly enough to intrigue us both. Phoenix: A Tale of the Future #1 published by Viz Comics written & illustrated by Osamu Tezuka edited by Alvin Lu Don: The Earth is a cold, desolate place, and mankind has been living in five separate underground metropolises for centuries. Masato, a space patrolman, decides to flee his underground home when he is told he must kill his alien companion, who has taken on human form. Soon, he finds himself face-to-face with an aged scientist, Dr. Saruta. Saruta lives in a dome on the Earth's surface, and he has reason to believe that the well-being of the entire planet depends on the young defector he sees before him. This book is aptly named, and I don't mean because it features a fiery bird. According to the folks at Viz, this English-language presentation of the book essentially resurrects its creator's life's work. Early versions of this book date back to 1954. Though Japanese in origin, it boasts a strong Western influence as well. Japanese and American animation styles converge in this book in a surprisingly effective way. The cartoony appearance of the characters makes for an interesting contrast with the more spiritual ideas that are explored. Randy: While I'm well aware of the different styles of art that populate manga, Tezuka's style here is unlike any I've seen in manga before. It is, as Don notes, almost reminiscent of American animation as much as Japanese. I'm reminded of early cartoons from Warner Brothers in the grotesque yet welcoming appearance of Dr. Saruta or the expressive emotions that the cloned animals are capable of. And the designs for the underground cities of Lengud and Yamato, though similar to the futuristic mega-cities of modern-day manga, also have a feel similar to that of "golden age" science-fiction like Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Don: Phoenix comes off as being thoroughly literate and iconic. Assuming the translations remain true to the creator's influences, it would seem he was well read. The philosophies of Goethe come into play, and some minor characters are named after some of the biggest names in science-fiction. Perhaps the two greatest strengths of this odd tale are its poignant humanity -- how Tezuka points out that isolation is devastating to the human spirit -- and the sense one gets of how well thought-out this epic is. Randy: There are some familiar elements of philosophy in much of the science-fiction/fantasy anime and manga that I've seen, and Tezuka definitely plays up those elements here. Most notably, the idea that the Earth has a life-force, and even sentience, is a major part of the story, as there are hints that the tale has less to do with making the Earth livable for humans again and more about fulfilling a more important cosmic balancing act of restoring the Earth itself to health. Don: Tezuka satirizes the urban lifestyle that we've created for ourselves. He points out how we've not only lost touch with the natural world but have gone so far as to actively destroy it. His disdain for political figures and authority shines through in his one-dimensional treatment of such characters. Randy: The opening sequences have a light and humorous tone to them that wasn't really at odds with the rest of the story, but did feel somewhat different. I enjoyed the look at the more superficial trappings of life in these underground cities, and Tezuka's remarkably timeless satire of urban culture. Also, given how much scope and definition there is to this tale, I can only imagine what is to be found in the 3,000 pages that comprise the entirety of Tezuka's Phoenix stories. Don: The overall tone of this book is almost perplexing. Innocent simplicity can be found on one page, and on another, a deep, mature spirituality. The shift in tone is strange, but in the end, it's oddly compelling. By the end of this preview, I was surprised at how interested I was in the characters, plot and themes. Viz is to be commended for raising Phoenix from the ashes. Phoenix: A Tale Of the Future is a 296-page graphic novel priced at $22.95 and due for release in May. Email Randy and Don comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.