Osamu Tezuka

Hello there! My name is Osamu Tezuka. A long, long time ago, in the year 1928, I was born in a town called Takarazuka in Japan. When I was a little boy, I loved to play outside. I would look for all kinds of insects and then draw them in my notebook. I drew everything I saw! I liked to give my drawings big, friendly eyes to show how they were feeling. My mom and dad loved my pictures and always told me to keep drawing.

When I grew up, I wanted my pictures to tell stories, like a little movie on a piece of paper. In Japan, we call this 'manga'. I drew so many fun characters who went on amazing adventures. One of my favorites was a robot boy named Astro Boy. He was super strong, had a kind heart, and could fly right through the sky! I also drew a brave, little white lion cub named Kimba. He grew up to be the king of the jungle. I loved making new worlds where anything could happen and were filled with friends and courage.

I spent my whole life drawing pictures and telling stories for children just like you. I wanted my drawings to make everyone feel happy and hopeful. I lived to be 60 years old. Even though I stopped drawing, my characters kept having their adventures. Today, children all over the world still read my manga books and watch my cartoons. My smiling pictures and fun stories are still shared, and they remind everyone that it is important to be kind and brave.