There is no doubt that Kimba is one of the most significant manga in the development of the medium. It's a must-read that pioneers the style and plot that define storytelling in manga. Without Kimba, it's unlikely we would have seen many of the long-form Shonen works that are now iconic representations of the culture. While there are some rough edges, and the peaks reached may not surpass those of earlier works, Kimba stands strong due to its vast story condensed into just three volumes. Each volume serves as a distinct arc in Kimba's life, making this manga one of the first attempts to tell a generational story, akin to masterpieces like Dragonball, Jojo, or YuYu Hakusho. Whether Kimba truly "invented" anything present in manga today can be debated, but its contribution to the legacy is undeniable.
A question arises regarding whether the original art reached the high level of visual communication, as Tezuka did re-draw this work from scratch. You can sense many of the more refined techniques he developed later, with his paneling more closely resembling his 1960s work than something from 1950. This is actually a strength, as it's rare for an artist to completely re-draw a piece a decade after completing it, especially after creating a groundbreaking work like Astro Boy, which helped elevate the art form into something closer to the Kimba re-draw.
Kimba is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of manga or those who wish to explore the thematic narrative origins of their favorite stories.
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A question arises regarding whether the original art reached the high level of visual communication, as Tezuka did re-draw this work from scratch. You can sense many of the more refined techniques he developed later, with his paneling more closely resembling his 1960s work than something from 1950. This is actually a strength, as it's rare for an artist to completely re-draw a piece a decade after completing it, especially after creating a groundbreaking work like Astro Boy, which helped elevate the art form into something closer to the Kimba re-draw.
Kimba is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of manga or those who wish to explore the thematic narrative origins of their favorite stories.
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