Osamu Tezuka’s Ayako

Osamu Tezuka is considered the godfather of manga. He popularized the format with his storytelling, using film techniques as a part of his approach. His art style mixes the style of early Disney with Japan’s native ukiyo-e style. This lends the impression that Tezuka’s work is “childish.” His three-volume story Ayako contradicts this perspective. As usual for essays like this, I will spoil this story.

Ayako follows the tangled affairs of the Tenge, a Japanese landowning family, during the post-...