A new documentary wants to tell the full story of manga’s most important creator

A couple of days after its initial reveal, TEZUKA! God of Manga is still worth your attention, especially given the scope of what it’s aiming to do. The upcoming feature-length documentary looks to spotlight the life and legacy of Osamu Tezuka, a figure whose impact on comics and animation is difficult to overstate.

Directed by Jason Andrew Cohn and backed by Bread & Butter Films, the project is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter. The film will trace Tezuka’s career from his early years in post-war Japan through the explosion of creativity that followed, including the creation of Astro Boy, which became both a massive manga success and Japan’s first weekly animated TV series. His influence continues to echo through generations of creators and across mediums, helping shape the global language of comics and animation.

The documentary plans to feature an impressive slate of interviews with major voices in manga, anime, and beyond. That includes Katsuhiro Otomo, Naoki Urasawa, Go Nagai, and Riyoko Ikeda, among others, offering a wide range of perspectives on Tezuka’s lasting impact. Additional interviews are planned if the campaign reaches its goals, expanding what is already shaping up to be a comprehensive look at his legacy.

According to Cohn, the film aims to capture both the scale of Tezuka’s output and the cultural exchange that helped his work resonate worldwide. The documentary is structured in three parts, covering his rise to prominence, the shifting tastes of the 1960s that challenged his dominance, and his later resurgence with works like Black Jack. Altogether, it paints a picture of a creator who not only helped define a medium, but also adapted as it evolved around him.

The Kickstarter campaign includes a range of rewards tied to Tezuka’s legacy, including collectible prints, merchandise from Tezuka Productions, and a planned Blu-ray release of the film. If fully funded, production will continue with a target completion date set for 2028, timed to mark the 100th anniversary of Tezuka’s birth.

For a project centered on one of the most influential figures in comics history, it is an ambitious undertaking, and one that could offer a definitive look at the artist often referred to as the “God of Manga.”