<<•>>  introduction by Frederik L. Schodt Paralleling the rise of comic strips in the US, Kamishibai – paper theater – originated during the early 1930s in Japan, and experienced its heyday during the subsequent 20 years.  At its height, during the post war years, it entertained over five million children and adults daily!  This lushly printed and designed hardcover volume presents over 300 pages of full color illustrations covering the entire history of the medium from its inception through its glory days to its inevitable decline and current status as a classical form still employed in educational settings.  Manga Kamishibai opens a window on a forgotten world.

This manga biography of the great Osamu Tezuka runs close to 900 pages.  It's a giant red brick of a book -- talk about heft! Created by Toshio Ban under the aegis of Tezuka Productions, work on this began shortly after Tezuka's death in 1989.  Originally published in eight-page installments that ran in one of Japan's top manga weeklies for two years before being collected (more than once) and published in book form in Japan.  Finally, with the aid of some funding, it is at last being published in North America in a translation by the west's foremost Tezuka authority, Frederik Schodt, who has also penned an introduction for thiss edition.  This looks like a must read, it's just going to be matter of budgeting in the time; maybe reading it eight pages a week, to replicate the experience of reading it as it was originally released will be the way to go...