A Short Review of Osamu Tezuka Buddha

The manga Buddha is a biography of Siddhartha Gautama, the renowned spiritual teacher of Buddhism. Contrary to many other works, however, the Buddha himself is, for much of the story, a secondary character. Tezuka masterfully prioritizes the people, customs, sins, social problems, and the natural world that gave rise to this new philosophy, this new way of seeing life, so different from how people in India and the rest of the world understood the universe.

Themes, World, and the Birth of Buddha

In the first volume, the titular character has not yet been born, and we follow the adventures of a slave boy trying to climb the caste system by becoming a soldier to help his mother, as well as Tata, an innocent child from a caste even lower than slaves, with the power to enter the minds of animals. Although their fates are ultimately tragic, this part introduces the reader to the mindset into which all these characters are born: a society rich in culture, burdened by crippling prejudice, surrounded by gorgeous nature, and marked by immense violence.

From the Buddha’s birth to his death, he meets many people, from the lowest castes to the highest, from followers of opposing philosophies to Zoroastrian priests, and none of them are saints. The Buddha himself is portrayed in a very questionable light. His journey toward enlightenment brings great suffering to those around him and to his own family, as he abandons his father, mother, wife, son, and people, leaving them without a leader, which ultimately condemns them to slavery and death.

Nature here is as important as the people in shaping the Buddha’s mind. It is represented as sacred and immaculate, and it is beautifully portrayed through Tezuka’s art. Trees, rivers, clouds, mountains, waterfalls, animals, and insects all play an important role in the story. After all, the Buddha attains enlightenment while meditating under a tree, and here his first disciples are deer, which in turn become his teachers.

The change that the Buddha seeks to bring to the world is met with its most formidable opponent: human nature shaped by the social conditions of the time. Enlightenment is not portrayed as a magical, all solving force that heals the world. Even after becoming enlightened, the Buddha makes mistakes, doubts himself, and continues to learn how to teach and communicate. Even after mastering these things, he still fails. His teachings, although profound, are not always enough. Even when they reach someone’s heart and that person becomes a faithful follower, it is still insufficient, as some continue to perpetuate violence, whether by custom or by a desire for revenge. This immensely complicated scenario shows that, after all of this, the Buddha is still human, and the challenge of changing a society is not something that can be achieved in a short time. The task he takes upon himself is greater than himself, even at his most noble state. With all these problems, all this suffering, and all this learning and failure, Tezuka makes it clear that it is worth fighting for a better world, even if it means changing one person at a time. The story is a great tragedy and does not shy away from showing it. You will care for the characters and feel sorrow when they meet their end.

Tezuka Art

Osamu Tezuka’s art, as expected, is amazing. He is a master at portraying dynamism in movement and in the expressions of his characters, and he is equally skilled at depicting the beauty of India’s natural landscapes. His fight scenes, although short, are always a pleasure to watch. They are simple, and every movement made by the characters is clear and detailed.

Conclusion

Buddha is a monumental work. It may not be the most accurate biographical account, but it was never intended to be. As Tezuka himself said, it should be read in the same way as science fiction. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to step beyond the boundaries of modern shonen from Shonen Jump. There is a wealth of fascinating work out there.