Exclusive Preview: TEZUKA! God of Manga Documentary Launches Kickstarter Campaign

A new feature-length documentary on Osamu Tezuka, TEZUKA! God of Manga, has launched a Kickstarter campaign.

Directed by Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Jason Andrew Cohn and produced by Bread & Butter Films in collaboration with Tezuka Productions, the documentary will explore the life, work, and global legacy of Tezuka, the legendary creator widely known as the “God of Manga.”

The film will feature interviews with a wide range of creators, scholars, and industry figures influenced by Tezuka’s work, including Katsuhiro Otomo, Riyoko Ikeda, Naoki Urasawa, Go Nagai, Yoshiyuki Tomino, Masao Maruyama, Rintaro, Ada Palmer, Fred Schodt, Samuel Sattin, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Helen McCarthy, and Natsu Onoda Power. The producers also plan to add further interviews, including Paul Pope and Ron Wimberly, once funding is secured.

As part of the Kickstarter campaign, supporters can also obtain exclusive tribute art prints inspired by Tezuka’s works and characters. Participating artists include Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, Shinichi Ishizuka, Elsa Charretier, Yuko Shimizu, Gurihuru, Jesse Lonergan, Dave Baker, Jorge R. Gutierrez, and Nicole Goux.

Anime Corner has the opportunity to exclusively share a look at some of the prints, which you can see below.

The documentary is described as a three-act look at Tezuka’s life, beginning with his childhood near Osaka during and after the Pacific War, moving through his rise as a manga pioneer and creator of Astro Boy, Japan’s first weekly animated TV series in 1963, and then examining both the backlash he faced during the gekiga era and his later resurgence through works such as Phoenix and Black Jack.

In addition to the art prints, the Kickstarter campaign includes merchandise from Tezuka Productions, a collectible Blu-ray of the finished film, and other backer rewards.

TEZUKA! God of Manga is currently scheduled for completion in 2028, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Tezuka’s birth.