Metropolis

By Osamu Tezuka

From Osamu Tezuka, creator of Astro Boy, comes Metropolis, the legendary 1949 graphic novel that inspired the animated fame that floored audiences and critics alike. In a not-so-far-off future a beautiful, artifically created girl -- unaware of her non-human background -- searches for the non-existent parents she believes must exist, wandering alone in a world populated by humans and by the slave-driven robots who serve them.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1569718644
• ISBN13: 9781569718643
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
• Length: 162 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.0" x 7.3"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 and higher

Customer Reviews

Anti-Futurism...

When people think about Metropolis, the one from Germany or Japan, they think Futurism. But in fact the movies, plus this manga are about bringing the human INTO the society. Futurism is about speeding, shiny cars without humans slowing things down or getting in the way. But Metropolis is about humanity and mercy and the human heart. Even Michi was built with a heart, a symbol of hope in a machine designed as a super being. This story just cannot be compared to the films or any other work of art. And it is a work of art that EVERYBODY should read at least once in their lifetime, like 1984, Brave New World, or Dandelion Wine.

manga new to you? this book is a good start.

When a story contains a couple of cliches you imagine them as the author's lapse but when a story seems composed entirely of cliches you suspect the author has had a breakthrough. That is my sense of METROPOLIS by Osamu Tezuka. Everything essential to comics is somehow gathered here. It is an excellent tour of the cartoon dimension. Anyone at all familiar with the beginnings of American comic strips and animations will delight in this book, just as clearly as Tezuka delighted in those early American gems. The art of this book is part Fleischer Brothers cartoon, part McManus's "Bringing Up Father" and just as insanely manic as you would imagine a combination of those two to be. It's what you always hope for from cartoons -- sort of a shared dream, the panels are crowded with cartoon figures seemingly poured from the subconscious. Crazy on the surface, full of disturbing idiosyncrasies, but somehow resonantly true. The turn the story takes was remarkably alarming, moving and effective. All the more so for the Astroboy Betty Boopish artwork. This is not close to the 2001 movie version. This is immeasurably better than the movie version. Take a look. You'll be surprised.

Metropolis is tons of fun!

This book, without saying, is so much fun. It's not like to 2001 movie counterpart, but it's the original story. Honestly, I think it's better. It's a great book. Get it today!

All the sci-fi genres in a single book

This was a mixed bag, somewhat like a self effacing B-movie. The story contains many generic plot lines all intersecting together: evil villain who wants to control a super being, robot army rebels, bumbling police, giant animals caused by radiation, and on and on. These plots are very condensed, but they are meant to be cliches and Tezuka pokes fun at them. The main plot concerns Michi, an artificial human who thinks he/she (gender can switch at the push of a button) is real. Michi was designed under pressure from the evil Baron Red, but hidden away by his/her kindly inventor who doesn't want Michi used for evil. Baron Red soon discovers that Michi lives and tries to catch Michi. Meanwhile other characters pull through cliched sci-fi plots which somehow all trace back to Baron Red's doings. The plot description doesn't sound so hot, however the comic is actually pretty good. There are tons of kind of corny one liners that somehow work. These reminded me a bit of things that Snowy from TinTin might say or do. Because most of the comic pokes fun at the genres it runs through, I wasn't sure how seriously to take Michi. For the most part Michi is treated as good hearted and wanting to meet his/her father. So at the end when Michi's classmates "shake hands" I didn't know if that was supposed to be an emotional moment or a bit more over the top tongue in cheek. It's hard to explain because the one liners and jumbled plot don't sound appealing to me, but this was actually a pretty good read.

Not Like the Movie At All

This has the usual well-done and entertaining Tezuka artwork and humor, but if you are looking for the book form of the excellent movie that was supposedly based on this you may be disappointed. Beyond the title and some of the main characters, the two bear almost no resemblance. Taken on its own merit, it is a fun and very quick read. If you like the Astro Boy books, you will almost certainly enjoy this.