About the Author

Osamu Tezuka (1928-89) is the godfather of Japanese manga comics. He originally intended to become a doctor and earned his degree before turning to what was then a medium for children. His many early masterpieces include the series known in the U.S. as Astro Boy. With his sweeping vision, deftly intertwined plots, feel for the workings of power, and indefatigable commitment to human dignity, Tezuka elevated manga to an art form.

The later Tezuka, when he authored Buddha, often had in mind the mature readership that manga gained in the sixties and that had only grown ever since. The Kurosawa of Japanese pop culture, Osamu Tezuka is a twentieth century classic.

Tezuka is a multiple award-winner on both sides of the Pacific. His Message to Adolf won the Kodansha Manga Award in 1986. His works Buddha and Dororo have received Eisner Awards in North America over the past decade.

Reviews

Winner of the 1986 Kodansha Manga Award for Best Manga

"Adolf is one of Japan's greatest manga epics... The perfect choice for those who don't normally read manga. There's humor here, but also monstrous acts that defy comprehension. Adolf is an emotional and complex work that proves once again that comic books can be equal to any great literary novel. Whether you love manga, super hero books or personal tales, Adolf is one series you must read." - IGN.com

"Clocking in at 648 pages, “Message to Adolf” begins in modern times, quickly jumps to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and moves through World War II. It chronicles the fate of three men with the same first name: Adolf Kamil, a Jewish boy; Adolf Kaufmann, the young boy with a German father and a Japanese mother who befriends him; and Adolf Hitler...The book has a sprawling cast, and the relationship between the two young boys and their struggle to remain friends is touching." - NY Times