Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha manga will be made available digitally for free

By Tenkaijapan - Last updated: 土曜日, 1月 29, 2011 - Save & Share - Leave a Comment

Buddha manga is drawn by Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫）and is Tezuka’s unique interpretation of the life of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. The critically-acclaimed series is often referred to as a gritty, even sexual, portrayal of the Buddha’s life.

To celebrate the upcoming release of the animated film “Tezuka Osamu no Buddha: Akai Sabaku yo! Utsukushiku,” it has been announced that part of the original manga by Osamu Tezuka will be made available digitally for free for a limited time.

“Akai Sabaku yo! Utsukushiku” is the first film in a trilogy based on Tezuka’s “Buddha.” The portion of the manga adapted for the movie will be made available for smartphones and PCs through the “Weekly Tezuka Osamu Magazine” application, serialized over a span of 21 weeks. Out of the 21 chapters, which comprise a total of 744 pages, only 16 will come out before the film opens in theaters on May 28.

The iPad edition began distribution on January 27, while the PC version and the smartphone version will start on February 8. It is not clear whether the manga will be accessible outside Japan.

Buddha manga received the 2004, 2005 Eisner Award. As of early 2006, each volume had sold an average of 8,500 copies, with Kapilavastu having sold 20,000 copies.

In ancient India, the lives of many people are plagued by drought, famine, constant warfare and injustices in the caste system. The intertwining lives of many unhappy souls are drawn together by the birth of the young prince Siddhartha, who embarks on a spiritual journey, becomes Gautama Buddha, “the Enlightened One,” and attempts to bring about a spiritual rebirth of the people in this desperate age.

1. Kapilavastu
2. The Four Encounters
3. Devadatta
4. The Forest of Uruvela
5. Deer Park
6. Ananda
7. Ajatasattu
8. Jetavana