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Buddha #1
Buddha, Vol. 1: Kapilavastu
Osamu Tezuka's vaunted storytelling genius, consummate skill at visual expression, and warm humanity blossom fully in his eight-volume epic of Siddhartha's life and times. Tezuka evidences his profound grasp of the subject by contextualizing the Buddha's ideas; the emphasis is on movement, action, emotion, and conflict as the prince Siddhartha runs away from home, travels across India, and questions Hindu practices such as ascetic self-mutilation and caste oppression. Rather than recommend resignation and impassivity, Tezuka's Buddha predicates enlightenment upon recognizing the interconnectedness of life, having compassion for the suffering, and ordering one's life sensibly. Philosophical segments are threaded into interpersonal situations with ground-breaking visual dynamism by an artist who makes sure never to lose his readers' attention.
Tezuka himself was a humanist rather than a Buddhist, and his magnum opus is not an attempt at propaganda. Hermann Hesse's novel or Bertolucci's film is comparable in this regard; in fact, Tezuka's approach is slightly irreverent in that it incorporates something that Western commentators often eschew, namely, humor.
Tezuka himself was a humanist rather than a Buddhist, and his magnum opus is not an attempt at propaganda. Hermann Hesse's novel or Bertolucci's film is comparable in this regard; in fact, Tezuka's approach is slightly irreverent in that it incorporates something that Western commentators often eschew, namely, humor.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
210 people are currently reading
7145 people want to read
About the author
Osamu Tezuka
2,152 books1,274 followersDr. Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫) was a Japanese manga artist, animator, producer and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. He is often credited as the "Father of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years. His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga" and "the God of Manga."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 674 reviews
September 19, 2007
At 3013 pages, Osamu Tezuka's Buddha was something of an investment in time. I received the last two hardcover volumes of the collection (vol. 7 and 8) for my birthday at the end of July and began reading from start to finish in mid-August. It's true that one could possibly read the entire collection - and a handsome collection it is - in a day (at perhaps two hours per volume), but I didn't feel compelled to rush things.
In Buddha, Tezuka presents a curious blend of themes and styles. This project, ten years in production (1974-1984), presents the life of Siddartha Gautama, the Buddha, from birth to death, capitalizing on famous episodes and creating fictional ones as well. Tezuka includes a robust cast of characters both fictional and historical that waxes and wanes over the near-century that the story narrates.
Not being a Buddhist, I have no idea how well Tezuka's tale reflects either the historical man or the religious conception of him (though genuine Buddhist's seem to like the book - and I don't know if Tezuka was Buddhist or not, though it seems likely or plausible). But one thing is for certain, I cannot see a similar book being crafted about the life of Christ and being well-received. And a similar version of the life of Mohammed would end in bombs, death threats, and ambassadors demanding apologies.
Because the thing is: Tezuka's tale is as irreverent as it is reverrent.
He clearly thinks highly of Buddha and his teachings. And yet, the books is filled with jokes and antics and all kinds of nuttiness. Pokes and jabs at Buddha himself are rare (though present), but there are a constant stream of silly asides, even in the midst of what would otherwise be a sober scene, fraught with drama. A horse will gallop in on a messenger to deliver dire news to the king. A character will be confronted by his haunted conscience, seeing a vision of Buddha speaking to him - only to have Buddha bite him on the face and we realize he's been talking to his horse. Characters from Tezuka's other works show up not infrequently and even Tezuka himself will appear in cameos, taking the place of a character for a single panel.
The story is also filled with anachronisms as well. Both visual and verbal. At one point, a poor peasant family wishes to send their son with Siddartha as he follows the path of monkhood, claiming that their son should be able to become a monk "in this day when even actors can become president." There are further references to Paris and New York and Spielberg. And E.T. and Yoda even make appearances, and at one point a royal councilor asks if Buddha actually is E.T. (as Buddha has just healed someone with the touch of a finger).
It took me a while to get a handle on exactly how to approach the book. The fact of the sheer silliness of moments. The fact of the gorgeous and highly detailed landscapes intruded upon by Disney-esque cartoon characters. The fact of main characters who die 300 pages in to the 3000-page epic. The fact that every woman in the book is topless. The fact of mixing faith and fantasy so seamlessly in a book that I believe is trying to promote the teachings of Buddha. And the fact that Buddha isn't even born until the end of the first volume. It was a weird mix, but after not too long, I found myself quite at home with his unique style and let the story wash over me.
All in all, I found it both interesting and fun. And surprising. Characters you expect to be redeemed end tragically and characters you expect to turn their back on Buddha turn out to be some of his biggest boosters. Add to the religious story the sheer scope of the political story and you've got an action-packed tale of religious enlightenment.
I still couldn't really tell you what Buddhism's about though.
In Buddha, Tezuka presents a curious blend of themes and styles. This project, ten years in production (1974-1984), presents the life of Siddartha Gautama, the Buddha, from birth to death, capitalizing on famous episodes and creating fictional ones as well. Tezuka includes a robust cast of characters both fictional and historical that waxes and wanes over the near-century that the story narrates.
Not being a Buddhist, I have no idea how well Tezuka's tale reflects either the historical man or the religious conception of him (though genuine Buddhist's seem to like the book - and I don't know if Tezuka was Buddhist or not, though it seems likely or plausible). But one thing is for certain, I cannot see a similar book being crafted about the life of Christ and being well-received. And a similar version of the life of Mohammed would end in bombs, death threats, and ambassadors demanding apologies.
Because the thing is: Tezuka's tale is as irreverent as it is reverrent.
He clearly thinks highly of Buddha and his teachings. And yet, the books is filled with jokes and antics and all kinds of nuttiness. Pokes and jabs at Buddha himself are rare (though present), but there are a constant stream of silly asides, even in the midst of what would otherwise be a sober scene, fraught with drama. A horse will gallop in on a messenger to deliver dire news to the king. A character will be confronted by his haunted conscience, seeing a vision of Buddha speaking to him - only to have Buddha bite him on the face and we realize he's been talking to his horse. Characters from Tezuka's other works show up not infrequently and even Tezuka himself will appear in cameos, taking the place of a character for a single panel.
The story is also filled with anachronisms as well. Both visual and verbal. At one point, a poor peasant family wishes to send their son with Siddartha as he follows the path of monkhood, claiming that their son should be able to become a monk "in this day when even actors can become president." There are further references to Paris and New York and Spielberg. And E.T. and Yoda even make appearances, and at one point a royal councilor asks if Buddha actually is E.T. (as Buddha has just healed someone with the touch of a finger).
It took me a while to get a handle on exactly how to approach the book. The fact of the sheer silliness of moments. The fact of the gorgeous and highly detailed landscapes intruded upon by Disney-esque cartoon characters. The fact of main characters who die 300 pages in to the 3000-page epic. The fact that every woman in the book is topless. The fact of mixing faith and fantasy so seamlessly in a book that I believe is trying to promote the teachings of Buddha. And the fact that Buddha isn't even born until the end of the first volume. It was a weird mix, but after not too long, I found myself quite at home with his unique style and let the story wash over me.
All in all, I found it both interesting and fun. And surprising. Characters you expect to be redeemed end tragically and characters you expect to turn their back on Buddha turn out to be some of his biggest boosters. Add to the religious story the sheer scope of the political story and you've got an action-packed tale of religious enlightenment.
I still couldn't really tell you what Buddhism's about though.
May 11, 2023
So, you walk into a bookstore and you see shelf after shelf of manga, different categories, crazy volume after volume of individual titles and you go: nah, don't know where to start, too cartoony, don't get it, too much of an investment, what's the best way to go for an adult just wanting to sample some of the best stuff? That was me, 3-4 years ago, and since I was teaching a graphic novels class, I asked the young manga experts to suggest the best manga series they knew and so I read 1-2 of their suggestions: Ranma 1/2, Deathnote, Fruits Basket, Berserk, etc. which not surprisingly were YA-oriented titles, which was okay for me in the sense that I also teach YA classes... but still, pretty unsatisfying to me as an adult reader.
I stumbled on a transition from the silly smash-em-up, cartoony goofiness of manga (which I really don't like) to more serious themes through Lone Wolf and Cub (which Road to Perdition owes a lot to...), which has gorgeous historical scenes and is not silly, and (especially) through Kawasaki's Barefoot Gen, which focuses on the author's personal (survivor, was there!) experience of Hiroshima and its aftermath... (silly, smash-em-up, goofiness AND total devastation!). The mix of goofy/cartoony (hey, manga for kids!) and serious subjects/scenes, exquisitely drawn, in contrast) in Barefoot Gen is at the heart of the nature of Tezuka's more serious work, and (the eight volume) Buddha is considered by most to be his masterwork, his magnum opus.
Tezuka, the grandfather of manga, is one place to start, and I have been making my way slowly, dabbling, through a lot of his work, but this is finally my first run at Buddha, which mixes fictional characters who are pariah, slaves and brahmin with actual historical figures, places, and events, and religion/spirituality/mythology (as you prefer). The cartoony stuff I still don't like, though I suppose it makes the (potentially boring) epic tale a little lighter, less ponderous and serious... throws in a mix of irreverence with its reverence for Buddhism (Thanks, Seth Hahne, for that observation, too, and read HIS review and others for detailed actual awesome review accounts that tell you plot and character stuff in true review fashion.. this is just my typical ramble..), better for kid readers to whom maybe he intends to introduce Buddhism... not sure.
Gorgeous, detailed drawings of places and events contrast cartoony pissing pariah Tatta... we get to know main characters and like them and a couple of them die, so it feels not trivial... and what do I know about Buddha and Buddhism so far? Not much, since the Buddha was just born.. we situate that huge spiritual event/person in contrast to a real, very casted world where you get to care about the people and their travails first, which makes a lot of sense for how to situate Buddhism... The complexity of the artwork and its strategies and the storytelling are worthy of a Master of Manga... great work, from the seventies... and so I'll read on.
Exploring Buddhism a little bit through a comic book, a lighter source than huge religious tomes, is part of the attraction to Tezuka's Buddha, not surprisingly, perhaps. I read Herman Hesse's Siddhartha (and other books from him and others then) when I was in high school during a period when many folks raised in Christianity found (like me, who became essentially agnostic, non-religious, though spiritual, trying to be ethical, etc) it too patriarchal and Western and authoritarian and were looking to the East for alternatives. I have friends who seem to be highly influenced by Buddhism, and some who became and still are actual Buddhists... so that is part of my interest, to know a bit more, I guess, as well as to get to know a Japanese master and his masterworks as I have gotten to know Yukio Mushima in fiction and Akira Kurosawa in film... icons of art. For other great manga, you can go to my pretty manga lists and then other GR listopia lists, of course, but Seth Hahne has been (so far) my best source for great manga to read...
I stumbled on a transition from the silly smash-em-up, cartoony goofiness of manga (which I really don't like) to more serious themes through Lone Wolf and Cub (which Road to Perdition owes a lot to...), which has gorgeous historical scenes and is not silly, and (especially) through Kawasaki's Barefoot Gen, which focuses on the author's personal (survivor, was there!) experience of Hiroshima and its aftermath... (silly, smash-em-up, goofiness AND total devastation!). The mix of goofy/cartoony (hey, manga for kids!) and serious subjects/scenes, exquisitely drawn, in contrast) in Barefoot Gen is at the heart of the nature of Tezuka's more serious work, and (the eight volume) Buddha is considered by most to be his masterwork, his magnum opus.
Tezuka, the grandfather of manga, is one place to start, and I have been making my way slowly, dabbling, through a lot of his work, but this is finally my first run at Buddha, which mixes fictional characters who are pariah, slaves and brahmin with actual historical figures, places, and events, and religion/spirituality/mythology (as you prefer). The cartoony stuff I still don't like, though I suppose it makes the (potentially boring) epic tale a little lighter, less ponderous and serious... throws in a mix of irreverence with its reverence for Buddhism (Thanks, Seth Hahne, for that observation, too, and read HIS review and others for detailed actual awesome review accounts that tell you plot and character stuff in true review fashion.. this is just my typical ramble..), better for kid readers to whom maybe he intends to introduce Buddhism... not sure.
Gorgeous, detailed drawings of places and events contrast cartoony pissing pariah Tatta... we get to know main characters and like them and a couple of them die, so it feels not trivial... and what do I know about Buddha and Buddhism so far? Not much, since the Buddha was just born.. we situate that huge spiritual event/person in contrast to a real, very casted world where you get to care about the people and their travails first, which makes a lot of sense for how to situate Buddhism... The complexity of the artwork and its strategies and the storytelling are worthy of a Master of Manga... great work, from the seventies... and so I'll read on.
Exploring Buddhism a little bit through a comic book, a lighter source than huge religious tomes, is part of the attraction to Tezuka's Buddha, not surprisingly, perhaps. I read Herman Hesse's Siddhartha (and other books from him and others then) when I was in high school during a period when many folks raised in Christianity found (like me, who became essentially agnostic, non-religious, though spiritual, trying to be ethical, etc) it too patriarchal and Western and authoritarian and were looking to the East for alternatives. I have friends who seem to be highly influenced by Buddhism, and some who became and still are actual Buddhists... so that is part of my interest, to know a bit more, I guess, as well as to get to know a Japanese master and his masterworks as I have gotten to know Yukio Mushima in fiction and Akira Kurosawa in film... icons of art. For other great manga, you can go to my pretty manga lists and then other GR listopia lists, of course, but Seth Hahne has been (so far) my best source for great manga to read...
January 8, 2013
I admit I’m not the most enlightened (rim shot - thank you!) guy when it comes to Buddhism, or religion in general for that matter, in knowing its origins, tenets, and so on. But I do have a rudimentary understanding of Buddhism and the Buddha having read Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha” a few years ago, and because of osmosis through pop culture. Buddhists believe all life is sacred, something about existence being suffering, and reincarnation, with the Buddha as an enlightened chap who figured out everything while sat under a special tree and now lives in space.
I thought reading a book, or the first volume anyway of a series, celebrating and informing readers of the life of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, would leave me somewhat more knowledgeable about the guy and the religion. It turns out that “Volume 1: Kapilavastu”, has surprisingly very little to do with the Buddha, with a brief segment of its 400 pages dedicated to the Buddha’s birth before turning focus back to the main story...
… which is about a young slave call Chapra who is determined to overcome the caste system into which he was born and become a nobleman. Accompanying Chapra is a kind of wild child called Tatta who doesn’t wear clothes and has a weird superpower which enables him to transfer his consciousness into any animal he wishes. There’s also a monk called Narradatta who is looking for the “Chosen One” and we see the tenets of Buddhism being formed by his master, the wise saint Asita.
The other big surprise in this book is how nutty the tone of the story is. I expected it to be somber and reverential but Osamu Tezuka isn’t afraid to throw in slapstick humour or fantastical flights of fancy, or include action fight sequences. It’s a very anachronistic take on this story with the characters all speaking in modern-day vernacular (“bro”, “hey, ya” and “honey” all feature frequently) and possessed of 20th century sensibilities despite this story being set in c.560 BCE! Early on he even draws a packet of cigarettes and a pocket watch falling out of a monk’s robes! But I like that Tezuka’s playing fast and loose with the storytelling - he’s not being disrespectful but giving this story his own spin on it.
Tezuka’s drawing style also compliments his storytelling approach perfectly. The characters look very manga-esque with big eyes, hair - Chapra looks like a million manga leading guy characters while Tatta looks (deliberately?) like Tezuka’s most famous creation, Astro Boy. Female readers might be put off by his portrayal of women in this book who all, strangely, look the same - a very idealised beauty with almost every woman going topless throughout. And despite being malnourished, etc. they all have large, perfectly round breasts! And then there are side-characters that look really cartoonish with exaggerated features like foreheads or mouths or eyes or body shapes that don’t even try to resemble reality. He even draws himself into the comic, giving himself cameos at random points for no real reason other than he was bored! Awesome.
So for those readers put off of this book by thinking it would be a boring religious tract or straightforward biography, think again! This first volume at least is a rollicking adventure set in “ancient times” written and drawn by a master comics storyteller who’s clearly having fun with the material and who knows when to scale back the ribaldry and bombast to emphasise important points about the story of the Buddha. It’s a very fast paced, enjoyable and funny book with some excellent scenes, great characters, and a riveting story that’ll keep you entertained from the first page to the last.
I thought reading a book, or the first volume anyway of a series, celebrating and informing readers of the life of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, would leave me somewhat more knowledgeable about the guy and the religion. It turns out that “Volume 1: Kapilavastu”, has surprisingly very little to do with the Buddha, with a brief segment of its 400 pages dedicated to the Buddha’s birth before turning focus back to the main story...
… which is about a young slave call Chapra who is determined to overcome the caste system into which he was born and become a nobleman. Accompanying Chapra is a kind of wild child called Tatta who doesn’t wear clothes and has a weird superpower which enables him to transfer his consciousness into any animal he wishes. There’s also a monk called Narradatta who is looking for the “Chosen One” and we see the tenets of Buddhism being formed by his master, the wise saint Asita.
The other big surprise in this book is how nutty the tone of the story is. I expected it to be somber and reverential but Osamu Tezuka isn’t afraid to throw in slapstick humour or fantastical flights of fancy, or include action fight sequences. It’s a very anachronistic take on this story with the characters all speaking in modern-day vernacular (“bro”, “hey, ya” and “honey” all feature frequently) and possessed of 20th century sensibilities despite this story being set in c.560 BCE! Early on he even draws a packet of cigarettes and a pocket watch falling out of a monk’s robes! But I like that Tezuka’s playing fast and loose with the storytelling - he’s not being disrespectful but giving this story his own spin on it.
Tezuka’s drawing style also compliments his storytelling approach perfectly. The characters look very manga-esque with big eyes, hair - Chapra looks like a million manga leading guy characters while Tatta looks (deliberately?) like Tezuka’s most famous creation, Astro Boy. Female readers might be put off by his portrayal of women in this book who all, strangely, look the same - a very idealised beauty with almost every woman going topless throughout. And despite being malnourished, etc. they all have large, perfectly round breasts! And then there are side-characters that look really cartoonish with exaggerated features like foreheads or mouths or eyes or body shapes that don’t even try to resemble reality. He even draws himself into the comic, giving himself cameos at random points for no real reason other than he was bored! Awesome.
So for those readers put off of this book by thinking it would be a boring religious tract or straightforward biography, think again! This first volume at least is a rollicking adventure set in “ancient times” written and drawn by a master comics storyteller who’s clearly having fun with the material and who knows when to scale back the ribaldry and bombast to emphasise important points about the story of the Buddha. It’s a very fast paced, enjoyable and funny book with some excellent scenes, great characters, and a riveting story that’ll keep you entertained from the first page to the last.
July 8, 2017
Few months before, I read Sidhartha to know more about Buddha and eastern philosophy. That book gave me cancer. This is my first course towards recovery.
Manga felt a bit childish at first, on a wtf level, like Dragonball with a messiah complex. Even locusts from Leviticus made an appearence. Well, once I made peace with the weirdness and explicitness, this Eisner award winning comic soon became an adorable run.
This is a variegated and unique interpretation against the historical one we are familiar with, with completely fictional characters and accords, so far at least. Geography and cultural background is very similar to what I've been exposed to, and by the look of it, manga seems to be following the Mahayana tradition associating Siddhartha with divinity and halo. So far, Buddha has just made his appearance in the story, and I am reserving my opinions to further installments. Unlike the usual treatment of caste system with 'dharma', individualism and conceptual obligation towards 'moksha', this narrative gives it a morbid take of oppression and privileges. And the comic cleverly distracts readers off this morbidness and pain with lively drawings, lovable characters and occasional humour. It is stupidly funny at times, I spilled my coffee at a scene where a sixth century BC Doctor made his appearance with stethoscope and a lab coat.
One minor issue with this issue though, the characters kinda look like Astroboy.
Manga felt a bit childish at first, on a wtf level, like Dragonball with a messiah complex. Even locusts from Leviticus made an appearence. Well, once I made peace with the weirdness and explicitness, this Eisner award winning comic soon became an adorable run.
This is a variegated and unique interpretation against the historical one we are familiar with, with completely fictional characters and accords, so far at least. Geography and cultural background is very similar to what I've been exposed to, and by the look of it, manga seems to be following the Mahayana tradition associating Siddhartha with divinity and halo. So far, Buddha has just made his appearance in the story, and I am reserving my opinions to further installments. Unlike the usual treatment of caste system with 'dharma', individualism and conceptual obligation towards 'moksha', this narrative gives it a morbid take of oppression and privileges. And the comic cleverly distracts readers off this morbidness and pain with lively drawings, lovable characters and occasional humour. It is stupidly funny at times, I spilled my coffee at a scene where a sixth century BC Doctor made his appearance with stethoscope and a lab coat.
One minor issue with this issue though, the characters kinda look like Astroboy.
January 17, 2020
Tezuka manages to sustain a gripping pace while inserting subtle philosophy and universal themes. If the other 7 volumes are as good as this one it might be his greatest series. I like this first volume more than most of the volumes of Phoenix.
While the narrative is not bound by the strictures of its underlying faith - at least not yet - the moral compass of the plot is geared toward that expression of enlightenment, whether through sacrifice and death or through patience and love. The love of humanity is present in many if not all of Tezuka’s work. He is famous for his heart. He never loses sight of this central concern in his characters. He knows that the reader will sympathize with someone who is performing either evil or magnanimous acts out of love or other well-established motives. By clarifying the motive the action proceeds smoothly and the characters are allowed to react as the situations arise. I got the sense that the world extended far beyond the borders of the comic frame and could sink into the pages and feel the dirt and grit of the landscape even when every extraneous detail was excluded.
He was a utilitarian artist and consummate storyteller. No matter how complex the plot becomes I cherish the moments I spend reading with Tezuka’s creations because they shed light on the beauty of the human soul. When he wants to show the soul’s wickedness it is depicted nakedly and in lurid ways, but when that beauty overcomes the inherent flaws in mankind, you can appreciate his work as more than mere entertainment. Tezuka winds a convincing yarn even when he bends the laws of physics and plays around with anachronisms.
One of the few times when manga becomes indistinguishable from literature. At least it seems to have placated most critics of the medium. The most sophisticated work by the most important graphic storyteller in Japanese history.
While the narrative is not bound by the strictures of its underlying faith - at least not yet - the moral compass of the plot is geared toward that expression of enlightenment, whether through sacrifice and death or through patience and love. The love of humanity is present in many if not all of Tezuka’s work. He is famous for his heart. He never loses sight of this central concern in his characters. He knows that the reader will sympathize with someone who is performing either evil or magnanimous acts out of love or other well-established motives. By clarifying the motive the action proceeds smoothly and the characters are allowed to react as the situations arise. I got the sense that the world extended far beyond the borders of the comic frame and could sink into the pages and feel the dirt and grit of the landscape even when every extraneous detail was excluded.
He was a utilitarian artist and consummate storyteller. No matter how complex the plot becomes I cherish the moments I spend reading with Tezuka’s creations because they shed light on the beauty of the human soul. When he wants to show the soul’s wickedness it is depicted nakedly and in lurid ways, but when that beauty overcomes the inherent flaws in mankind, you can appreciate his work as more than mere entertainment. Tezuka winds a convincing yarn even when he bends the laws of physics and plays around with anachronisms.
One of the few times when manga becomes indistinguishable from literature. At least it seems to have placated most critics of the medium. The most sophisticated work by the most important graphic storyteller in Japanese history.
October 1, 2020
Update: Re-read after 1.5 years to catch up when I left midway on Vol2. This time planning to take down all 8 vols in continuation!
Excellent joy ride!
The art, the plot, the character build up, action, dialogues… everything is carved to perfection.
Could relate to lot of stuff from Mahabharata - Born a shudra, serving as a Kshatriya, challenging duals, magical realism, saints monks, wishes and curses.
Parallel stories intertwined in an interesting manner.
Was in split minds whether to pick this series after reading Herman Hesse. Instincts gave a go ahead - and I'm glad to have found this!
Excellent joy ride!
The art, the plot, the character build up, action, dialogues… everything is carved to perfection.
Could relate to lot of stuff from Mahabharata - Born a shudra, serving as a Kshatriya, challenging duals, magical realism, saints monks, wishes and curses.
Parallel stories intertwined in an interesting manner.
Was in split minds whether to pick this series after reading Herman Hesse. Instincts gave a go ahead - and I'm glad to have found this!
November 1, 2012
Anime Buddha with no expressions spared... what next?
January 2, 2013
I originally collected and read this series as it's hardcover volumes were releases in the United States, a half dozen years ago. But, having recently watched PBS's documentary about the life of Buddha, and having read several other books by Tezuka since then, I figured it was time to revisit the series.
In all honesty, while the series is essentially about the life of Buddha, it's a very hard series to encapsulate. To start, it's worth pointing out that Buddha isn't even born until about 2/3rds the way into this first volume. And that the majority of the book, instead, focuses on the adventures of the slave Chapra and the pariah Tatta who possess the ability to, er, possess animals. Their stories, and the stories of the other characters in this book, play out as a series of allegories emphasizing the interconnectedness of all life, how violence begets more violence and the roll of self-sacrifice. While these stories feel true to teachings of Buddha, it's my understanding that most of them are not historical Buddhist stories, but instead are the inventions of Tezuka creatively and effectively intertwined with the tale of Buddha's life.
It's also worth pointing out that, despite the subject matter, this is not a self-serious book by any regards. It's often irreverent and -like many manga comics- the characters switch from realistic to abstract on a near panel to panel basis. Also there are moments of meta-humor when characters will interact with the panel they are standing in (or more often, bouncing off of) or where characters make references to modern day cities or ideas. It's to Tezuka's credit that he's able to balance those moments with heady philosophical subject matter and allegories so deftly.
I'm glad I revisited volume 1, and look forward to diving into the next volume.
In all honesty, while the series is essentially about the life of Buddha, it's a very hard series to encapsulate. To start, it's worth pointing out that Buddha isn't even born until about 2/3rds the way into this first volume. And that the majority of the book, instead, focuses on the adventures of the slave Chapra and the pariah Tatta who possess the ability to, er, possess animals. Their stories, and the stories of the other characters in this book, play out as a series of allegories emphasizing the interconnectedness of all life, how violence begets more violence and the roll of self-sacrifice. While these stories feel true to teachings of Buddha, it's my understanding that most of them are not historical Buddhist stories, but instead are the inventions of Tezuka creatively and effectively intertwined with the tale of Buddha's life.
It's also worth pointing out that, despite the subject matter, this is not a self-serious book by any regards. It's often irreverent and -like many manga comics- the characters switch from realistic to abstract on a near panel to panel basis. Also there are moments of meta-humor when characters will interact with the panel they are standing in (or more often, bouncing off of) or where characters make references to modern day cities or ideas. It's to Tezuka's credit that he's able to balance those moments with heady philosophical subject matter and allegories so deftly.
I'm glad I revisited volume 1, and look forward to diving into the next volume.
January 14, 2023
So it's one of the most revered masterpieces of the man considered the father of all manga. A vast epic tale of oppression and power disparity and religion, of various colorful individuals being united by tragedy, awaiting the birth of the greatest sage in history and surely playing a great part in his life to-
Safe to say I didn't see that coming. All that development and buildup, I was certain it would keep going till the end of the story - but instead it was a largely disconnected prologue that mostly just sets up the world the Buddha is going to live in, some of the suffering and pain he's going to be exposed to before all is said and done. I think. I'm expecting more curveballs at this point. You can't surprise me again, Tezuka-san!
Surprisingly humorous, too. A lot of jokes and levity in an otherwise such a moody and serious story.
Safe to say I didn't see that coming. All that development and buildup, I was certain it would keep going till the end of the story - but instead it was a largely disconnected prologue that mostly just sets up the world the Buddha is going to live in, some of the suffering and pain he's going to be exposed to before all is said and done. I think. I'm expecting more curveballs at this point. You can't surprise me again, Tezuka-san!
Surprisingly humorous, too. A lot of jokes and levity in an otherwise such a moody and serious story.
March 8, 2020
Well here I go down another Tezuka hole, see ya in seven volumes, other books.
December 5, 2014
I tried but I couldn't like this manga. The storytelling feels flat for me. There are some recurring (POV? fictional?) characters in this manga, but I don't feel they give additional value for the story, and some of their plots are inconclusive.
July 17, 2017
There are a lot of reasons why Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha: Volume I Kapilavastu is wrong. This is a version of the story of the Budda that includes humor, nudity, great violence, meat eating, and anachronisms and not very much Buddha. For all its faults I am taken in. I want to know more about such of these characters who survive the volume and how the story will bring us back to the foundation of Buddhism. The nudity is not for erotic purposes and make a claim for historic accuracy. The violence is by definition cartoonish but if you are into the story it is no less shocking for the black and white artwork. Parents may want to think before placing these books into the hands of younger readers but the intent is sufficiently serious that context should count. Much in Buddha Vol. 1 can offend a lot of readers. If you can open yourself to a non-western, but still familiar world view this is a good graphic novel.
I had only slight contact with the work of Osamu Tezuka. The artwork is familiar to anyone who has seen for example Astro Boy. Astro Boy and the character Tatta are almost the same drawing. Buddha is much grittier and realistic and very adult in its sensibilities. I find the art work slightly uneven, but there are conventions in magna, many invented by Tezuka that I find jarring. The use of near photo realism and more minimal drawing styles in the same frame can be distracting. I am also not used to characters who are nude because clothes are not possible either due to poverty, age or social status. Which if any of these are the reason for almost all of the pariah class children being naked we are never told. They just are.
Ultimately I agree with almost every objection make by other reviewers. Yet for me, the book comes together. I am aware I am in a society and culture remote but not that different from any I have known. Tezuka has succeeded in making me care about characters, to feel the loss if any are killed and to wonder at how the story can go forward. A writer/artist who can make you care, feel and wonder is one worth reading.
I had only slight contact with the work of Osamu Tezuka. The artwork is familiar to anyone who has seen for example Astro Boy. Astro Boy and the character Tatta are almost the same drawing. Buddha is much grittier and realistic and very adult in its sensibilities. I find the art work slightly uneven, but there are conventions in magna, many invented by Tezuka that I find jarring. The use of near photo realism and more minimal drawing styles in the same frame can be distracting. I am also not used to characters who are nude because clothes are not possible either due to poverty, age or social status. Which if any of these are the reason for almost all of the pariah class children being naked we are never told. They just are.
Ultimately I agree with almost every objection make by other reviewers. Yet for me, the book comes together. I am aware I am in a society and culture remote but not that different from any I have known. Tezuka has succeeded in making me care about characters, to feel the loss if any are killed and to wonder at how the story can go forward. A writer/artist who can make you care, feel and wonder is one worth reading.
April 25, 2013
I read this book several years ago, I confess, not a whit out if any interest in Manga. I'd read a scant few "manga" at the time & was thinking: why do all these books seem suspiciously similar to each other down to how the characters were drawn, their roles and (most) surprising, even most of the plot lines!
However, my first foray into the Manga of Tezuka was I can only compare to being introduced to some of the animated films of Miyazaki or even some of the works of the great Japanese film director Akita Kurosawa. The work of these 3 men was somehow, more often than not, able to transcend the limits of the medium itself surpassing form to take on a life of their own. Something which only happens when true art is created.
My true purpose for coming to the work of Tezuka had been to learn much more about the life of the Buddha. Through 11 beautiifully illustrated, and lovingly written volumes, I was able to explore the wonder that was the life the Buddha chose to live. A simple life, yet in retrospect, so full of feeling, meaning and inspiration.
Each Volume took about 2+ hours to read. It is worth a mention that Vols 9 & 10 have been OOP for some time and can command quite a high price used.! Longer to reflect on bigger issues or record a quote now & then. For myself, I spread the series over among a years' time.
If only I could i would run clean the slate, and start right back at the 1st volume once again!
However, my first foray into the Manga of Tezuka was I can only compare to being introduced to some of the animated films of Miyazaki or even some of the works of the great Japanese film director Akita Kurosawa. The work of these 3 men was somehow, more often than not, able to transcend the limits of the medium itself surpassing form to take on a life of their own. Something which only happens when true art is created.
My true purpose for coming to the work of Tezuka had been to learn much more about the life of the Buddha. Through 11 beautiifully illustrated, and lovingly written volumes, I was able to explore the wonder that was the life the Buddha chose to live. A simple life, yet in retrospect, so full of feeling, meaning and inspiration.
Each Volume took about 2+ hours to read. It is worth a mention that Vols 9 & 10 have been OOP for some time and can command quite a high price used.! Longer to reflect on bigger issues or record a quote now & then. For myself, I spread the series over among a years' time.
If only I could i would run clean the slate, and start right back at the 1st volume once again!
February 8, 2019
Ive never been into manga comics and as I was raised catholic, I have only had a very passive education on Buddhism. So this book is a great way for me to kind of delve into both things at once.
The book at first, felt to me almost like an all ages book. The drawings are cartoony, there are jokes and hijinks, and the plot is easily accessible.
But as the book goes on, the story evolves and matures as well as the art. It still retains that original playful feel, but the layers of depth start building on top of that foundation.
After about halfway through the book, I was hooked. This book is very much a page turner. It also provides alot of historical context on a region of the world that I had no idea about.
I cant wait to keep reading these volumes, as the story and subject matter is very interesting.
The book at first, felt to me almost like an all ages book. The drawings are cartoony, there are jokes and hijinks, and the plot is easily accessible.
But as the book goes on, the story evolves and matures as well as the art. It still retains that original playful feel, but the layers of depth start building on top of that foundation.
After about halfway through the book, I was hooked. This book is very much a page turner. It also provides alot of historical context on a region of the world that I had no idea about.
I cant wait to keep reading these volumes, as the story and subject matter is very interesting.
February 7, 2024
I bet you have to hit rock bottom and start wondering if you aren't just a beast after all.
I went in expecting a great epic but nothing prepared me for how emotionally resonant, vibrant, funny and shocking it was. You WILL believe a horse can do a backflip. You WILL believe that there were enough grains in that pot. You WILL believe the lines of action your eyes will follow in some of these panel layouts.
Buddha spends most of this volume unborn; the stars of this volume are a naked urchin with supernatural powers, a young monk searching for a great saviour, a slave boy with deadly aim and his loving mother. This woman I swear, she deserves everything. The unlikely group are thrown together by their (awful) circumstances and basically spend the bulk of the volume escaping from place to place, and all around you can just feel the ache and the way life is held with so much disregard. But you can also tell that Tezuka was having so much fun breaking the pages and sizzling his panels. The action sequences are enough to make one dizzy but they're so much fun, even when it's so nail-biting. I miss my own mum so Moms' desperation to see Chapra again really hit me. You know its good when you can combine such hilarity and dynamo with devastation. And make it look this good — Tezuka was flexing like it was nothing and I love love love all his wackier character designs. Save me Tezuka-sama from this wretched concept art module, I beseech thee,,,,
And! As I have obtained the 2nd volume, I can't wait to see where this goes next. I know its probably going to be godly lawless but I can't wait to see how it goes. The God of Manga is the God of Manga.
I went in expecting a great epic but nothing prepared me for how emotionally resonant, vibrant, funny and shocking it was. You WILL believe a horse can do a backflip. You WILL believe that there were enough grains in that pot. You WILL believe the lines of action your eyes will follow in some of these panel layouts.
Buddha spends most of this volume unborn; the stars of this volume are a naked urchin with supernatural powers, a young monk searching for a great saviour, a slave boy with deadly aim and his loving mother. This woman I swear, she deserves everything. The unlikely group are thrown together by their (awful) circumstances and basically spend the bulk of the volume escaping from place to place, and all around you can just feel the ache and the way life is held with so much disregard. But you can also tell that Tezuka was having so much fun breaking the pages and sizzling his panels. The action sequences are enough to make one dizzy but they're so much fun, even when it's so nail-biting. I miss my own mum so Moms' desperation to see Chapra again really hit me. You know its good when you can combine such hilarity and dynamo with devastation. And make it look this good — Tezuka was flexing like it was nothing and I love love love all his wackier character designs. Save me Tezuka-sama from this wretched concept art module, I beseech thee,,,,
And! As I have obtained the 2nd volume, I can't wait to see where this goes next. I know its probably going to be godly lawless but I can't wait to see how it goes. The God of Manga is the God of Manga.
September 20, 2023
He terminado de leer todos los tomos y Buda fue una gran persona. El budismo fomenta el respeto hacia todos los seres vivos, esta en contra de las guerras y el uso de la violencia, critica la avaricia y fomenta la igualdad, genera mucha paz interior, quiere que vivamos el día a día y la muerte llegará y es algo que no debe generarnos malestar y Buda estaba en contra del sistema de castas de la India.
Es un cómic muy ameno, tiene viñetas que te quedas un buen rato mirándolas por lo bonitas y bien dibujadas que están y se le pilla cariño a varios de los personajes que aparecen en el cómic. Osamu Tezuka hizo una gran obra.
Es un cómic muy ameno, tiene viñetas que te quedas un buen rato mirándolas por lo bonitas y bien dibujadas que están y se le pilla cariño a varios de los personajes que aparecen en el cómic. Osamu Tezuka hizo una gran obra.
March 15, 2015
Lots of fun. This is perhaps a good introduction both to buddhist ideas as well as manga for those who aren't quite prepared to read from the right to the left. Also, you will find yourself wanting to read quickly, as it is manga. You may not want to look for historical accuracy in this, but Buddhism has a lot of background texts and myth (itself an incredible understatement), and this may stoke the curious budding Buddhist to explore further.
You will find yourself wanting to finish the series, even after the first book, if only for the fact that Tezuka masterfully paces the book around a number of subplots and the Buddha himself only just enters the story as a (much portended) birth in this volume. You'll look forward to diving into the rest.
You will find yourself wanting to finish the series, even after the first book, if only for the fact that Tezuka masterfully paces the book around a number of subplots and the Buddha himself only just enters the story as a (much portended) birth in this volume. You'll look forward to diving into the rest.
November 28, 2018
There's a reason why Osamu Tezuka is the god of manga. Between this and the 'Phoenix' series, Mr. Tezuka has proven his storytelling abilities, and while his drawings might seem rather simple today, he was as much of a master of the brush as he was with the pen, and some of his panels and illustrations are incredible. With so many new manga out there today, sometimes it's better to go back to the roots. So why not pick up a copy of Buddha today? This volume was fantastic, and it got me all eager to read the rest of the series. Definitely 10/10 stars for a incredible graphic novel! You'll never be the same after reading this series - it is a wonderful and enlightening.
July 2, 2022
Manga is such a unique medium and this one by the master of manga is iconic. It has all the tezuka touches, he makes a little appearance too, his symbols add to the familiar feel of the tezukaverse ,there’s action and adventure, social commentary and truly tender and fragile moments. This first book is a good start to a truly epic story and it introduces us to some of the main players in the story to come. I love how the women are drawn, so pretty and unabashedly naked, and the baby Buddha is so adorable that it bought a little tear to my eye, and of course the animals are drawn with simple strokes of mastery marking them as an important part of the story.
April 30, 2008
It feels like it's from the eighties, and when the weird meta-comicky jokes start in like the last quarter, it feels unfocused instead of inventive. Still though, everything else totally works, dude was a comic book master genius, lots of things *do* feel inventive and exciting, and the little peanut who runs around naked and peeing on everybody- because of empathy with animals?- is my favorite comic book character in a long time.
Isla is totally right and now I totally want to read the rest of 'em.
Isla is totally right and now I totally want to read the rest of 'em.
August 3, 2023
What an excellent joyride!
I don't read manga much. The manga I ever read is One Piece up to some 400 plus chapters to impress a person long back. I usually prefer reading single-volumed graphic novels. Buddha by Osama Tezuka is quite different. From the start, the story is full of interesting characters, humorous anecdotes and ironical events. Osama Tezuka used several fictional inputs in between real history along with simple yet eye-catchy art, making Buddha quite a good read.
Highlights:
The exile of Naradatta
The fall of Chapra
The birth of Siddhartha
The revenge of Tatta
I don't read manga much. The manga I ever read is One Piece up to some 400 plus chapters to impress a person long back. I usually prefer reading single-volumed graphic novels. Buddha by Osama Tezuka is quite different. From the start, the story is full of interesting characters, humorous anecdotes and ironical events. Osama Tezuka used several fictional inputs in between real history along with simple yet eye-catchy art, making Buddha quite a good read.
Highlights:
The exile of Naradatta
The fall of Chapra
The birth of Siddhartha
The revenge of Tatta
June 25, 2021
Tôi đã rất bất ngờ lúc biết được rằng Tezuka Osamu có bằng PhD trong ngành Y, và lẽ dĩ nhiên là tôi hoàn toàn tin tưởng vào nội dung hay chất lượng của bất kỳ cuốn manga nào được vẽ bởi ông - con người mà lời di nguyện cuối cùng ông để lại cho thế giới là: "Tôi cầu xin cô, hãy để tôi làm việc!".
Buddha thực sự rất hay dù còn đôi chỗ vẫn khiến tôi thấy chưa thỏa đáng. Đức Phật Thích Ca sinh ra là người chết đi cũng là người, và đến khi chết vẫn giữ trọn vẹn lời hứa của mình với bậc tôn sư - không bỏ lại (hay là phản bội lại) kiếp người khổ đau ở phía sau để về với cõi vĩnh hằng, mà tiếp tục sống để phụng sự và cứu rỗi nhân loại khỏi kiếp lầm than (khác với Chúa cứu thế của Dostoevsky), dù kể cả đến những giây phút cuối cùng thì công đức của Ngài cũng không được vẹn toàn, như bất cứ thứ gì mang bóng hình của hai chữ con người. Dàn nhân vật trong câu truyện đa dạng và đa chiều, và cách họ trải qua chu trình sinh lão bệnh tử giữa luân hồi sinh diệt phản ánh rõ cái tôi vẫn gọi là điều kiện con người. Còn sống là còn mang bóng hình của dục vọng, mà còn dục vọng thì sẽ còn khổ đau, không ai có khả năng tách rời thất vọng với mộng mơ . Còn sống là còn mãi ở ngoài rìa của Chân Lý hay Cái Đẹp Vĩnh Hằng. Đây là những điều kiện tiên quyết của sự sống trên cõi trần ai này. Vậy thì vốn dĩ ta vẫn phải đồng ý với Camus, rằng câu hỏi quan trọng nhất vẫn luôn là câu hỏi về tự sát. Đọc xong Buddha tôi vẫn thấy lòng mình không lặng yên được, vẫn nỗi buồn muôn thuở ấy về khiếp sống con người. Sau đợt này chắc tôi sẽ cầu nguyện nhiều hơn, cho những linh hồn mãi thất vọng và khổ đau trong cõi a tỳ ngoài kia, cho những đứa trẻ mãi mắc kẹt ở chốn nhân gian, lạc lối như nhân vật chính của một cuốn tiểu thuyết Dazai viết. Còn về phận mình, tôi biết mạng số tôi rồi cũng sẽ giống như bài review tôi vừa viết, phải bị hủy diệt bởi chính bàn tay này.
Buddha thực sự rất hay dù còn đôi chỗ vẫn khiến tôi thấy chưa thỏa đáng. Đức Phật Thích Ca sinh ra là người chết đi cũng là người, và đến khi chết vẫn giữ trọn vẹn lời hứa của mình với bậc tôn sư - không bỏ lại (hay là phản bội lại) kiếp người khổ đau ở phía sau để về với cõi vĩnh hằng, mà tiếp tục sống để phụng sự và cứu rỗi nhân loại khỏi kiếp lầm than (khác với Chúa cứu thế của Dostoevsky), dù kể cả đến những giây phút cuối cùng thì công đức của Ngài cũng không được vẹn toàn, như bất cứ thứ gì mang bóng hình của hai chữ con người. Dàn nhân vật trong câu truyện đa dạng và đa chiều, và cách họ trải qua chu trình sinh lão bệnh tử giữa luân hồi sinh diệt phản ánh rõ cái tôi vẫn gọi là điều kiện con người. Còn sống là còn mang bóng hình của dục vọng, mà còn dục vọng thì sẽ còn khổ đau, không ai có khả năng tách rời thất vọng với mộng mơ . Còn sống là còn mãi ở ngoài rìa của Chân Lý hay Cái Đẹp Vĩnh Hằng. Đây là những điều kiện tiên quyết của sự sống trên cõi trần ai này. Vậy thì vốn dĩ ta vẫn phải đồng ý với Camus, rằng câu hỏi quan trọng nhất vẫn luôn là câu hỏi về tự sát. Đọc xong Buddha tôi vẫn thấy lòng mình không lặng yên được, vẫn nỗi buồn muôn thuở ấy về khiếp sống con người. Sau đợt này chắc tôi sẽ cầu nguyện nhiều hơn, cho những linh hồn mãi thất vọng và khổ đau trong cõi a tỳ ngoài kia, cho những đứa trẻ mãi mắc kẹt ở chốn nhân gian, lạc lối như nhân vật chính của một cuốn tiểu thuyết Dazai viết. Còn về phận mình, tôi biết mạng số tôi rồi cũng sẽ giống như bài review tôi vừa viết, phải bị hủy diệt bởi chính bàn tay này.
September 18, 2020
Hooter: A graphic novel representation of the journey of Buddha
Heads up! this is 8 volumes so you can imagine the pace in each volume. Osamu is a genius in the graphic novel world of Japan and this retelling of a historical event is way out of his comfort zone. That said he makes it a fun read, like you are reading a comic book ( graphic novelists are seeing red with that term) as he tries to incorporate childish humour and pranks in a story that motivates and inspires people around the world. I feel it is too early for me to comment on how he has treated this as the main protagonist doesn't even make an appearance on the planet yet. He touches the prevalence of social evils in the community ( laying the ground for a new school of life) in this volume.
Stand alone, this book doesn't hold much value so I'll reserve my comments once I get through a few more volumes to see how it all pieces together. That said if you enjoy Osamu's illustrations, you will not be disappointed.
Heads up! this is 8 volumes so you can imagine the pace in each volume. Osamu is a genius in the graphic novel world of Japan and this retelling of a historical event is way out of his comfort zone. That said he makes it a fun read, like you are reading a comic book ( graphic novelists are seeing red with that term) as he tries to incorporate childish humour and pranks in a story that motivates and inspires people around the world. I feel it is too early for me to comment on how he has treated this as the main protagonist doesn't even make an appearance on the planet yet. He touches the prevalence of social evils in the community ( laying the ground for a new school of life) in this volume.
Stand alone, this book doesn't hold much value so I'll reserve my comments once I get through a few more volumes to see how it all pieces together. That said if you enjoy Osamu's illustrations, you will not be disappointed.
October 1, 2019
Para una historia que basada en la vida de Siddhartha Gautama, este manga evidencia una total ignorancia de las doctrinas originales del budismo y el contexto en el que nació. Para ir a un ejemplo muy concreto, es absurdo poner en boca de un brahmán hindú la afirmación de que no hay nada después de la muerte. Por el contrario, era la doctrina de Gautama, que predicaba como principal objetivo la extinción del yo, la que fue acusada de nihilismo por los brahmanes. Las ideas que Tezuka asigna al Buda parecen más propias de los desarrollos posteriores del mahayana y el budismo japonés (también, ejem, del cristianismo), y acá resultan completamente anacrónicas.
February 17, 2025
waaaaaahhh menarik bgt!
May 30, 2022
Bought the series, having fun going through them :)
“Mr. Monk, are there castes even after we die?”
“Mr. Monk, are there castes even after we die?”
September 10, 2023
Otac mange, veliki humanist i još veći pripovijedač.
Buddha je raj za oči, melem za dušu i nezaboravno iskustvo.
Definitivna preporuka, bilo da ste ljubitelj stripa ili ne. Uz Tezuku, vjerujem da ćete postati.
Buddha je raj za oči, melem za dušu i nezaboravno iskustvo.
Definitivna preporuka, bilo da ste ljubitelj stripa ili ne. Uz Tezuku, vjerujem da ćete postati.
January 26, 2018
First published at: http://www.meexia.com/bookie/2016/05/...
Buddha is an 8-volume manga by Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, which I never watched or read, but I knew Tezuka has also produced some more grownup manga, like Buddha. This is my first time reading his work, as I noticed the big volumes readily available at the Westminster libraries.
As titled, Buddha tells the story of Siddharta Gautama, on whose teaching Buddhism was founded. I have only a rough idea of Siddharta: how he was a prince born in India, and in opposition to the caste system he renounced his identity and went on a journey until he attained enlightenment and became Buddha.
Knowing that, I expected volume one of Buddha to jump straight to his birth and early childhood, however it is not the case. In volume one: Kapilavastu Tezuka takes his time to introduce the other characters (some invented, some possibly historical), but most of all, the caste and society system of the time. The birth of Siddharta practically just appeared in the last few pages of the 256-page manga.
Though that surprised me a little, it makes sense. Siddharta is born a prince as the highest caste (Brahmin). There needs to be a balance, other characters that are born as the lowest caste (slave and pariah) who will show the flaws and cruelties of the caste system.
Kapilavastu is the place where Siddharta was born - in Nepal, just close to the border with India. There's a map at the beginning of the book, showing places that we visit in that volume and future ones. So I wasn't quite right about Siddharta being born in India, but very close.
Animals have quite an important role here. One of the teaching of Buddhism is that animals are just as important as humans (hence the preference not to eat animals), and according to the story I was told as a child, upon Buddha's death 12 types of animals come to give him respect, and those become the symbols of Chinese zodiac as we know it until today. Animals seem important in the story of the Buddha and I like how this is used by Tezuka early on in his retelling. (Disclaimer: I'm not a Buddhist so my knowledge is pretty limited, mainly gained from some older family and even so the beliefs and teaching have been very watered down I assume.)
Some qualms: some attempts to modernize are downright silly (e.g. comparing a big city in Nepal at the period with New York or Paris. WHAT. I'm really curious whether this is just the translation problem.), some attempts to be funny are not funny (e.g. jokes at serious times seem misplaced), and the nudity seems unnecessary (I wonder whether women being bare-chested is the norm for its time and place?)
Negative point notwithstanding, I enjoyed the compelling story, and I love to learn more about the making of the Buddha, and Tezuka's take on it. Hubby who is not a big reader is devouring volume after volume of this series, faster than me! I'll definitely be reading more and gradually finishing the series.
Buddha is an 8-volume manga by Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, which I never watched or read, but I knew Tezuka has also produced some more grownup manga, like Buddha. This is my first time reading his work, as I noticed the big volumes readily available at the Westminster libraries.
As titled, Buddha tells the story of Siddharta Gautama, on whose teaching Buddhism was founded. I have only a rough idea of Siddharta: how he was a prince born in India, and in opposition to the caste system he renounced his identity and went on a journey until he attained enlightenment and became Buddha.
Knowing that, I expected volume one of Buddha to jump straight to his birth and early childhood, however it is not the case. In volume one: Kapilavastu Tezuka takes his time to introduce the other characters (some invented, some possibly historical), but most of all, the caste and society system of the time. The birth of Siddharta practically just appeared in the last few pages of the 256-page manga.
Though that surprised me a little, it makes sense. Siddharta is born a prince as the highest caste (Brahmin). There needs to be a balance, other characters that are born as the lowest caste (slave and pariah) who will show the flaws and cruelties of the caste system.
Kapilavastu is the place where Siddharta was born - in Nepal, just close to the border with India. There's a map at the beginning of the book, showing places that we visit in that volume and future ones. So I wasn't quite right about Siddharta being born in India, but very close.
Animals have quite an important role here. One of the teaching of Buddhism is that animals are just as important as humans (hence the preference not to eat animals), and according to the story I was told as a child, upon Buddha's death 12 types of animals come to give him respect, and those become the symbols of Chinese zodiac as we know it until today. Animals seem important in the story of the Buddha and I like how this is used by Tezuka early on in his retelling. (Disclaimer: I'm not a Buddhist so my knowledge is pretty limited, mainly gained from some older family and even so the beliefs and teaching have been very watered down I assume.)
Some qualms: some attempts to modernize are downright silly (e.g. comparing a big city in Nepal at the period with New York or Paris. WHAT. I'm really curious whether this is just the translation problem.), some attempts to be funny are not funny (e.g. jokes at serious times seem misplaced), and the nudity seems unnecessary (I wonder whether women being bare-chested is the norm for its time and place?)
Negative point notwithstanding, I enjoyed the compelling story, and I love to learn more about the making of the Buddha, and Tezuka's take on it. Hubby who is not a big reader is devouring volume after volume of this series, faster than me! I'll definitely be reading more and gradually finishing the series.
June 25, 2016
This book marks the beginning of a story that will span all of Siddharta's life yet Siddharta plays little to no part in this book. Instead we have the story of Tatta and Chapra and the suffering of all living things.
Beginning off with a fable about the bear, fox, and the rabbit, we are off into a world of suffering where humans are given castes at their birth. The shudra, kshatriya, vaishyas, and the brahmin. No one is allowed to exceed their order and at the top the brahmin reside as the most noblest of all humans. One's only escape is a short life and the hope that one's life was good enough to warrant a higher caste in the next.
One of the main themes of the first book is to address the travesty that is the caste system and how futile it can be to fight against it. A shudra remains a shudra regardless of their skill or aspirations and the book hammers that point in the final pages giving rise to hatred towards the caste system and the injustice it begets. Yet we see valiant figures try their best and show through both courage and effort that they are no lesser than those who sit at the top. That all are equal in the order of life; that nature does not favour one or the other.
The charm of Tezuka is that he is excellent at making the history of Siddharta accessible to the reader. Injecting humour, both universal and referential, he never manages to make light of the suffering that seems to hold both Kapilavatsu and Kosala in its grips; the very suffering that will then become the main theme of Siddharta's road to enlightenment.
This volume is the groundwork for the tale that is Buddha. Each brick a carefully laid piece of a larger structure that emanates through time and space; linking us all to the nature of reality.
Beginning off with a fable about the bear, fox, and the rabbit, we are off into a world of suffering where humans are given castes at their birth. The shudra, kshatriya, vaishyas, and the brahmin. No one is allowed to exceed their order and at the top the brahmin reside as the most noblest of all humans. One's only escape is a short life and the hope that one's life was good enough to warrant a higher caste in the next.
One of the main themes of the first book is to address the travesty that is the caste system and how futile it can be to fight against it. A shudra remains a shudra regardless of their skill or aspirations and the book hammers that point in the final pages giving rise to hatred towards the caste system and the injustice it begets. Yet we see valiant figures try their best and show through both courage and effort that they are no lesser than those who sit at the top. That all are equal in the order of life; that nature does not favour one or the other.
The charm of Tezuka is that he is excellent at making the history of Siddharta accessible to the reader. Injecting humour, both universal and referential, he never manages to make light of the suffering that seems to hold both Kapilavatsu and Kosala in its grips; the very suffering that will then become the main theme of Siddharta's road to enlightenment.
This volume is the groundwork for the tale that is Buddha. Each brick a carefully laid piece of a larger structure that emanates through time and space; linking us all to the nature of reality.
January 3, 2020
I'm not a fan of comic books, but once in a while I get a recommendation and give the genre a try. This book had a good chance of getting me interested because of its story built around the birth of Siddhārtha Gautama. But what repelled me was once again the main problem that I have with comics: I am allergic to bad writing. Admittedly the visual art is quite interesting. Especially the scenes with a lot of movement are deliberately messy and blurry, and that makes these images quite satisfying. But the utterances and dialogues of the characters are just unbearably bad (which could theoretically be attributed to the German translation that I have read; I'd be interested to know how a Japanese literature lover would feel about the original text). And if I am to read a comic as a Gesamtkunstwerk, good drawing is just not enough for me, I need good dialogues as well.
Concerning the plot I couldn't come to a conclusion yet, as this is just the first out of many volumes. The characters seem rambling, incoherent, torn between humble self-sacrifice and vain craving for recognition, but I couldn't say if that is a deliberate trait of the author that he is going to work on in the later volumes, when he is presumably going to contrast people's behaviours with the teachings of the Buddha. What is interesting in the story for Western readers are the parallels that one can see in the stories surrounding the births of Jesus and Siddhārtha Gautama, which shows how similar religious imagination can be between distant cultures.
Concerning the plot I couldn't come to a conclusion yet, as this is just the first out of many volumes. The characters seem rambling, incoherent, torn between humble self-sacrifice and vain craving for recognition, but I couldn't say if that is a deliberate trait of the author that he is going to work on in the later volumes, when he is presumably going to contrast people's behaviours with the teachings of the Buddha. What is interesting in the story for Western readers are the parallels that one can see in the stories surrounding the births of Jesus and Siddhārtha Gautama, which shows how similar religious imagination can be between distant cultures.
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