Audience reviews
4 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
KonokoAsada
The series impressed me in a way I wouldn't have imagined, at the same time giving me the chance to familiarize with Osamu Tezuka's work, to whom I feel deeply grateful, for the essential contribution he has made to the development of manga and anime as we know them today.
Story:
Tales of the old Japan alternate with tales of a far future, all of them following human destiny, whether they focus on the lives of particular individuals, the stories of specific communities, or humankind as a whole. I find brilliant this technique of alternating the past with future, because it illustrates both the wholeness of human history and its recurrence. Also, the topics approached in each story are an occasion to reflect about the fact that we, humans, are driven by illusions that we cannot escape fr…
Read at the sourceArtimesGamer
Over the past while, I've been watching (and re-reading) Phoenix, a sprawling epic by that towering figuring of anime and manga, Osamu Tezuka.
I'd read most of the manga a while ago, but I'd not seen any of the anime based on it. Phoenix concerns itself with some pretty lofty themes; birth, death, the meaning of life, mankind's place in the universe and the quest for immortality.
The Phoenix is the classic fire bird that is reborn from the ashes, common to many mythologies both western and eastern - it's called Hi-no-Tori (bird of fire) in Japanese. Throughout the chronology of Phoenix, which spans eons, the bird appears many times. Oftentimes to advise people, influence the development of life, observe or comment on man's folly. It is also an object of desire for people throughout time,…
Read at the sourcesen_mcgrath
My main qualm qith this series is that there are only 13 episodes, and only 5 of Osamu Tezuka's amazing stories are told through the course of the series. For fans of the manga, this may be a little disappointing. On the other hand, they may be impressed by the fluid animation, music and history used in the story arcs set in the past.
The art for some can be trying. Tezuka's art style was largely inspired by old American cartoons, such as those produced by Disney, as well as Betty Boop among others, and the character designs reflect this. The 'futuristic' robots, computers and clothes may also seem very dated (think 'Lost in Space' dated). The art however does pay a lot of attention to detail, specifically medical diagrams, and the Ainu style designs on the clothes in one of the arcs par…
Read at the sourceGolbeztheGreat
Hi no Tori, also known as Phoenix, is an adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's most ambitious but ultimately unfinished manga.
I felt quite intimidated, being new to most of Tezuka's work, but the nature of the story and its excellent execution allows Hi no Tori to be surprisingly entertaining while still remaining emotionally and intellectually stimulating.
Story:
The premise seems simple on the surface: the hunt for an immortal bird whose blood is said to provide eternal life. It is not that, however, which leaves a lasting impression on the viewer, but everything else that happens around it. Each story arc has its own cast of characters whose respective trials and fates through the ages lead us to a powerful but poignant message, one which also asks more questions than those it answers, dire…
Read at the source