The Origin of the Image of Contemporary Manga – Osamu Tezuka and the Influence of Carl Barks' Comics on His Work.

Abstract

Osamu Tezuka, creator of works such as Astro Boy or Princess Knight, is considered one of the most important and influents manga artists in the history of the medium, both within and outside of Japan. Although it is well known that the productions of Walt Disney served as a mayor inspiration for Tezuka during his formative years, Tezuka’s manga also had a debt with the labour of the American cartoonists that contributed to the creation of Disney’s comics. Among these authors, one of the most significant was Carl Barks, responsible for Donad Duck comics, creator of Scrooge McDuck, and an essential creator in the history of comic on his own right. This article will illustrate some pivotal points in the careers of both artists, and will show how the American could influence on the style of the Japanese, mainly on the basis of an analysis of two earlier stories of these authors: Bark’s Donald Finds Pirate Gold (1942) and Tezuka’s New Treasure Island. That will prove the existence of a connection between two kinds of cultural works belonging to the same medium, but created in two different continents, proving how long-distance influences can work in the contemporary world, and especially in the mass media field.