Buddha, Vol. 4: The Forest of Uruvela - Softcover

Osamu Tezuka

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007224540 ISBN 13: 9780007224548

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2006

Synopsis

The fourth book in the classic eight volume graphic novel series retelling the story of buddha, from the godfather of the genrein book four, unfulfilled by the teachings of renowned ascetics, siddhartha agrees to follow dhepa into the forest of trials but the final ordeal of little assjai proves to be his most poignant lessonas siddhartha searches his heart and yearns for his family, the kosalans discover the true caste of their queen - a despised shudra, disguised as a noble kshatriya for the insult, the buddha's homeland will pay dearlyoriginated in the 1970s, buddha is osamu tezukas unparalleled rendition of the life and times of prince siddharthatezukas storytelling genius and consummate skill at visual expression blossom fully as he contextualizes the buddhas ideas; with an emphasis on, action, emotion, humour and conflict as prince siddhartha runs away from home, travels across india and questions hindu practices such as ascetic self-mutilation and caste oppressionrather than recommend resignation and impassivity, tezukas buddha predicates enlightenment upon recognizing the interconnectedness of life, having compassion for the suffering, and ordering ones life sensibly, his approach is slightly irreverent in that it incorporates something that western commentators often eschew, namely, humour

About this title

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 interwined 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.

Review:

"Infused with humor and history, the epic of Siddhartha is perhaps Osamu Tezuka's crowning acheivement and illustrates why, without irony, Tezuka is referred to as 'The King of Japanese Comics'." - LA Weekly"Buddha is one of Tezuka's true masterpieces. We're lucky to have this excellent new edition in English." - Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics"In handsome volumes designed by Chip Kidd, the Vertical books present Tezuka at his best." - National Post

"Buddha is an engrossing tale. The armchair philosopher, the devout Buddhist, the casual manga fan - this book satisfies all with its tale of humanism through sequential art, and definitely earns its place on a bibliophile's bookshelf." -Anime Insider"This is one of the greatest acheivements of the comics medium, a masterpiece by one of the greats." -Artbomb.net"In Tezuka's world, the exquisite collapses into the goofy in a New York minute, the goofy into the melodramatic, the melodramatic into the brutal, and the brutal into the sincerely touching. The suprising result is a work wholly unique and downright fun." -Time Out NY"Tezuka's Buddha is a striking and memorable confluence of ancient wisdom and contemporary popular art." -Yoga Journal

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0007224540
• ISBN 13: 9780007224548
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384
• Illustrator: Osamu Tezuka