23 February to 29 April 2007
Art Gallery of New South Wales 

TEZUKA Osamu is acknowledged as an artistic master, and is revered as the figurehead of the manga and anime industries in Japan. In the West he is best known for Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion which were serialised internationally for television in the 1960s.

Manga is the Japanese word for comics and print cartoons. Manga is respected both as an art form and as a form of popular literature. Manga has a huge global following and has had a major influence on international comics and animation.

Tezuka Osamu (1928-1989) drew over 150,000 pages of manga and created over 700 manga titles during his lifetime. His work is acclaimed for its complexity and originality and his drawings showcase an extraordinary calligraphic dynamism. 

Tezuka: the Marvel of Manga is a tribute to the importance and depth of Tezuka’s creativity. The exhibition features over 200 original works from the late 1940s to the late 1980s including black and white ink drawings as well as colourful designs for covers and posters. 

Philip Brophy, curator of the exhibition and Australia’s leading authority on Japanese manga and animation and said “This is the first time Tezuka’s original drawings have been seen outside of Japan. The exhibition presents the unique power and importance of the manga form within Japanese culture”.

Organised by the National Gallery of Victoria in association with Tezuka Productions in Tokyo, the exhibition features work from the two main streams within Tezuka’s prolific output; his manga for children and youth-based audience (including Astro Boy, Jungle Emperor and Princess Knight), and his gekiga (drama pictures) that are more seriously toned, adult orientated narratives (including Crime and Punishment, Buddha and Phoenix). 

Associated programs include:

Studio Ghibli free film series
Wednesdays 2pm & 7.15pm, Sundays 2pm
21 February to 29 April 2007
Broadening and expanding the horizons of the artform of anime (Japanese animation), Studio Ghibli is one of the most significant animation studios in Japan. Established in 1985, it continues in the philosophical tradition of Osamu Tezuka, the visionary creator of Astro Boy, producing magical, award-winning animations by renowned directors such as Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and others. This film series, screening in conjunction with "Tezuka: The marvel of manga", is a comprehensive showcase of the output of Studio Ghibli and includes such classic titles as The cat returns (2002), Spirited away (2001) and Kiki's delivery service (1989).

Catalogue
Exhibition catalogue available from the gallery shop $32.95.

On-line education kit
Programs for Year 7 to 12 with early entry for grouped school groups. An on-line education kit is available.

Podcasts and online Audio
Available from the National Gallery of Victoria website

Guided tours daily at 1pm

Curator talks
Wednesday 14 March, 5.30pm - Philip Brophy, exhibition curator 
Wednesday 28 March, 5.30pm - Chiaki Ajioka, independent curator

Asian program partner

Supported by