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Osamu Tezuka

Osamu Tezuka

Writer and director, also producer · Died February 9, 1989, aged 60 · Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan

Osamu Tezuka (手塚 治虫, Tezuka Osamu) is a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, and animator, often dubbed as the "Godfather of Anime".  He was the originator of anime's trademark "large eyes" style of character drawing. Five years after his death, the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum opened.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 3, 1928
Died
February 9, 1989 (aged 60)
From
Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
Works as
Writer and director, also producer
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 153 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

What are Osamu Tezuka's films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Survival.

Genres

Animation17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
25%
Survival
22%
Morality
15%
Bonds
12%
Power
10%
Ideas
10%
Society
7%
Survival6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMortality3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 22 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Heightened: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their heightened movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 14

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 14 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 6

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 3

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 13 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
10
Melancholic
10
Hopeful
8
Absurd
6
Contemplative
5
Other
19

How their films linger

Thought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous3
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Osamu Tezuka's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Osamu Tezuka's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

153 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • 手塚治虫の戦争 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Comic Book

  • 手塚治虫の戦争 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Writer

  • The Ribbon Hero(2026)

    Original Story

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Apollo's Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 7 episodes · Original Story

  • Black Jack(2024)

    Comic Book

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • PHOENIX: Reminiscence of Flower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Comic Book

  • Pluto(2023)

    Show 8 episodes · Original Story

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Phoenix: Eden17(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · Comic Book

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Tezuka's Barbara(2019)

    Comic Book

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Go Astro Boy Go! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 52 episodes · Characters

  • Phoenix: "Dougo Onsen" Chapter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Comic Book

  • Dororo(2019)

    Show 24 episodes · Comic Book · Creator

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Osamu Tezuka Tribute - "I Animated Tezuka's Characters" (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Creator

  • Atom: The Beginning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 12 episodes · Characters · Original Concept

  • Princess Knight - The Musical (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Original Story

  • Young Black Jack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 12 episodes · Characters

  • Pieta in the Toilet(2015)

    Original Concept

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Legend of the Forest: 2nd Movement (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Writer

  • Little Astro Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 8 episodes · Comic Book

  • Buddha 2: The Endless Journey(2014)

    Author

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Garon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Comic Book

  • Phoenix: Bonds Chapter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Comic Book

  • A Tree In The Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 12 episodes · Original Story

  • Buddha: The Great Departure(2011)

    Author

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Young Black Jack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Creator · Novel

  • Astro Boy vs. The Junkyard Pirates(2010)

    Comic Book

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Astro Boy(2009)

    Author

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Jungle Emperor: The Brave Can Change the Future(2009)

    Comic Book

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • MW -ムウ- (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Novel · Original Story

  • MW: The Devil's Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Comic Book

  • Dororo(2007)

    Comic Book

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Black Jack: Dr. Pinoko's Forest Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Comic Book · Original Concept

  • Black Jack: The Two Doctors in Black (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Creator · Original Story

  • Astro Boy: Mighty Atom – Visitor of 100,000 Light Years, IGZA (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Comic Book

  • Black Jack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 77 episodes · Comic Book

  • Phoenix: Robe of Feathers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Comic Book · Creator

  • Phoenix (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 13 episodes · Comic Book

  • Astro Boy: The Glorious Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Characters

  • Astro Boy: Ivan's Planet - Robot and Human Friendship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Characters

  • Popotan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 12 episodes · Compositors

  • Astro Boy(2003)

    Show 50 episodes · Comic Book · Original Story

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • The Secret of Astro Boy’s Birth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Characters

  • Astro Boy: Shinsengumi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Characters

  • Metropolis(2001)

    Comic Book

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Osamu Tezuka's Last Mystery of the 20th Century (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Creator

  • Black Jack: Capital Transfer to Heian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Comic Book

  • Saving Our Fragile Earth: Unico Special Chapter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Creator

  • The Tree In Sunlight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 25 episodes · Original Story

  • Black Jack: The Boy Who Came from the Sky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Comic Book

  • Jungle Emperor Leo: Hon-o-ji (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Comic Book

  • Sleeping Bride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Novel

  • Princess Knight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Original Story

  • Astro Boy: Volume of the Blue Knight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Characters

  • Neo Faust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Original Story

  • Jungle Emperor Leo(1997)

    Original Story

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Black Jack: The Movie(1996)

    Comic Book · Creator

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Black Jack 3: Black Mirror Image (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Original Story

  • Black Jack 2: Pinoko I Love You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Comic Book · Original Story

  • Black Jack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Comic Book · Original Story

  • Osamu and Musashi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Main

  • Black Jack: A Lucky Bet / Phoenix (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Original Concept

  • Black Jack(1993)

    Show 12 episodes · Comic Book · Original Series Creator

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Akuemon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Original Story

  • Ambassador Magma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show Creator

  • In the Beginning: The Bible Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 26 episodes · Character Designer · Creator · Series Composition

  • Adachi-ga Hara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Comic Book · Creator

  • Kimba the White Lion: Symphonic Poem (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Comic Book · Writer

  • The Three-eyed One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 48 episodes · Comic Book · Creator

  • The Tale of Osamu Tezuka: I'm Son-Goku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Character Designer

  • Animated Self-Portraits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Writer

  • Little Wansa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Novel

  • Blue Blink (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Self Portrait (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • Phoenix: Space Chapter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Comic Book · Creator

  • Legend of the Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Scenario Writer · Storyboard

  • Muramasa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director

  • Push (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director

  • Phoenix: Yamato Chapter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Comic Book · Creator

  • Brave Fire S09 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Writer · as Narrator (voice)

  • The Phoenix (Chapter of Ho-o)(1986)

    Author

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Monster Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • Galaxy Investigation 2100: Border Planet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Yamataro Comes Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Director · Comic Book

  • Wonder Beat Scramble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 26 episodes · Medical Consultant · Writer

  • The Three-Eyed One: The Prince of Devil Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Original Story

  • Broken Down Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Writer

  • Lunn Flies into the Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Creator

  • Bagi, the Monster of Mighty Nature (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Jumping (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Rain Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director · Author

  • The Green Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director · Comic Book

  • Prime Rose: A Time Slip of 10,000 Years(1983)

    Character Designer · Original Story

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Unico in the Island of Magic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Writer

  • Don Dracula (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 8 episodes · Creator · Original Concept · Writer

  • Bremen 4: Angels in Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · Character Designer · Key Animation · Original Story · Screenplay

  • The Fantastic Adventures of Unico (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · Story

  • Astro Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 52 episodes · Director · Comic Book · Creator · Screenplay

  • Fumoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Comic Book · Producer · Writer

  • Phoenix 2772(1980)

    Director · Key Animation · Original Story · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Undersea Super Train: Marine Express (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Character Designer · Story

  • Triton of the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Comic Book

  • Unico: Black Cloud and White Feathers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Writer

  • One Million-Year Trip: Bander Book(1978)

    Director · Storyboard · Writer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Hi no tori(1978)

    Animation · Comic Book

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Thumbelina (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Character Designer

  • Tenguri, Boy of the Plains (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Story · Writer

  • Black Jack: The Visitor in the Eye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Original Story

  • Jetter Mars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 27 episodes · Original Story

  • 火の鳥 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Script

  • Microid S (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 26 episodes · Original Story

  • Little Wansa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 26 episodes · Original Story

  • Belladonna of Sadness(1973)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Triton of the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 27 episodes · Comic Book · Creator · Original Concept · Writer

  • Marvelous Melmo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 26 episodes · Creator · Writer

  • Cleopatra(1970)

    Director · Idea · Original Story · Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Misuke in the Land of Ice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Producer · Writer

  • The Kindly Lion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Executive Producer

  • A Thousand & One Nights(1969)

    Executive Producer · Original Story · Writer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Dororo and Hyakkimaru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 26 episodes · Comic Book · Writer

  • Till a City Beneath the Sea is Built (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Original Concept

  • Space Journey: The First Dream of Wonder-kun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Writer

  • Vampires (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 26 episodes · Original Story · as 手塚治虫

  • Genesis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director

  • Norman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Director · Writer

  • Dororo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Comic Book · Creator · Writer

  • The Space Giants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Creator

  • Princess Knight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 52 episodes · Comic Book · Original Story

  • Goku's Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 39 episodes · Creator · Writer

  • Pictures at an Exhibition (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director

  • Leo the Lion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 26 episodes · Creator · Writer

  • Jungle Emperor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Comic Book · Writer

  • Adventures of the Monkey King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Writer

  • Kimba the White Lion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 78 episodes · Writer

  • The Drop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director

  • Cigarettes and Ashes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director · Producer

  • W3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 52 episodes · Creator · Producer · Writer

  • New Treasure Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Director · Writer

  • The Amazing Three Pilot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Writer

  • Memory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director · Story

  • Mermaid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director · Animation · Original Concept · Writer

  • Big X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 59 episodes · Director · Original Story

  • Astro Boy: The Brave In Space (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Comic Book · Producer · Scenario Writer

  • 銀河少年隊 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 92 episodes · Director

  • Astro Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 193 episodes · Director · Comic Book · Series Director

  • MALE (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Animation · Producer

  • Tales of a Street Corner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Producer · Writer

  • 手塚治虫 実験アニメーション作品集 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 15 episodes · Creator · Writer

  • Arabian Nights: The Adventures of Sinbad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Writer

  • Alakazam the Great(1960)

    Director · Comic Book

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Astro Boy: ZZZ Fuhrer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Comic Book

  • Astro Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Characters

  • Galaxy Boy Troop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show Creator

  • The Book of Human Insects (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Comic Book

Career shape

A full career of 152 titles, 149 of them dated from 1960 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Astro Boy (2009)

$40M worldwide

Highest rated

Metropolis (2001)

Midcredits 88th

Most popular right now

The Ribbon Hero (2026)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting4 of 152: 2 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting30 of 152: 7 only directing, 23 with another roleWriting129 of 152: 79 only writing, 50 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thProducing10 of 152: 1 only producing, 9 with another roleOther crew39 of 152: 10 only other crew, 29 with another role · typical Midcredits score66th

152 titles, 53 with more than one role — writing and other crew overlap on 27 of them.

By decade

1960s33 · 1 acting · 33 crew1970s17 · crew1980s31 · 2 acting · 30 crew1990s17 · 1 acting · 16 crew2000s25 · crew2010s17 · crew2020s9 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Osamu Tezuka's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 22 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · writer

Astro Boy vs. The Junkyard Pirates (2010)

87th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Dororo (2019)

Midcredits 97th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 39/100 and the plot and story 42/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Osamu Tezuka's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 58 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles12–86 · median 82 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 52 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Osamu Tezuka work with?

People who share at least 2 of Osamu Tezuka's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Takayuki Matsutani shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles