Shakespeare Manga Theater

Shakespeare Manga Theater

Over the course of his career, Osamu Tezuka adapted many of Shakespeare’s works. Shakespeare Manga Theater collects them into one volume.

The book includes the following:

• The Merchant of Venice (1959)
• Robio and Robiette (from Astro Boy, 1965)
• Macbeth (from Vampire “The Three Fortunetellers”, 1966)
• Hamlet (from Rainbow Parakeet, 1981)
• The Taming of the Shrew (from Rainbow Parakeet, 1981)
• Othello (from Rainbow Parakeet, 1982)

While this may sound like a collection of manga versions of classic plays, they would actually be better be described as quality examples of creative adaptation and storytelling, by a master of the craft.

Shakespeare Manga Theater is sure to be popular not just with Tezuka fans, but also schools interested in presenting Shakespeare in a format that is easier for readers to engage with.

Biographical Notes:

Osamu Tezuka is best known for being the author of Pluto. for being the author & artist of Astro Boy, Black Jack, Buddha, and Dororo.

Title Notes:

Osamu Tezuka is known worldwide as the “Godfather of Manga” and is the most influential person of the past century in the development of Japanese manga and anime. With over 150,000 pages drawn over his lifetime.

His most popular series published in America include Buddha (Vertical, 74,000 copies sold), Black Jack (Vertical, 33,000 copies sold), and Astro Boy (Dark Horse, 23,000 copies sold).

Osamu Tezuka’s works have been available in the U.S. for years, but interest in Tezuka significantly increased after Vertical released the Buddha series. (2006-2010).

The Bookscan track record for Tezuka’s current works in English, as well as recent Kickstarter projects, demonstrate the continuing demand that exists for his work.