World Famous Comics: Buddha: Volume 8: Jetavana (Buddha)
Buddha: Volume 8: Jetavana (Buddha)
By: Osamu Tezuka Publisher: Vertical Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Vertical Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 362 Publication Date: July 03, 2007 Release Date: July 03, 2007
Product Description: Osamu Tezuka’s vaunted storytelling genius, consummate skill at visual expression, and warm humanity blossom fully in his eight-volume epic of Siddhartha’s life and times. Tezuka evidences his profound grasp of the subject by contextualizing the Buddha’s ideas; the emphasis is on movement, action, emotion, and conflict as the prince Siddhartha runs away from home, travels across India, and questions Hindu practices such as ascetic self-mutilation and caste oppression. Rather than recommend resignation and impassivity, Tezuka’s Buddha predicates enlightenment upon recognizing the interconnectedness of life, having compassion for the suffering, and ordering one’s life sensibly. Philosophical segments are threaded into interpersonal situations with ground-breaking visual dynamism by an artist who makes sure never to lose his readers’ attention.
Tezuka himself was a humanist rather than a Buddhist, and his magnum opus is not an attempt at propaganda. Hermann Hesse’s novel or Bertolucci’s film is comparable in this regard; in fact, Tezuka’s approach is slightly irreverent in that it incorporates something that Western commentators often eschew, namely, humor.
Too much jammed into one volume and rushed ending. Compare to previous volumes, this volume covers way too much ground and literally is pretty much jumping from places to places. I gave 5 stars for previous volumes but cannot on this one. Also the ending was a bit funny. It was very solemn at the end so it was a bit hard to read. I think what's cool about the whole series is the light-hearted portray of the characters and their stories, especially with the dark humor. I feel the author could stick to this style until the end. Out of respect for Buddha, the ending took a different tone, which was a bit incoherent IMHO. Maybe some stupid and funny attempts by Anand to save/prolong the series, and end with Anand's own enlightenment as a continuation of Buddha's teaching. That would be a much cool ending I think:-).
Overall I enjoyed the reading so very much. Thank you for this great piece of work. Buddha would be smiling if he sees this.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
