Manga
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Manga are Japanese cartoons. The word manga means, literally translated, "whimsical pictures". The first known manga could be perhaps Santo Kyoden's "Shiji no yukikai". After World War II, Machiko Hasegawa's witty Sazae-san became a cornerstone of Japanese cartoons.
What's interesting about manga is that unlike cartoons in western countries, manga is intended for adult audience. Often the stories and characters are so complicated that children cannot understand them. Especially men are often seen in trains reading manga.
When talking about manga, one cannot pass without mentioning the legendary Osamu Tezuka. This Osaka born doctor of medicine is considered as "Father of Anime". He made legendary works such as Astro Boy or Black Jack. His works describe sympathy for all living things, and love for earth and human beings. Stanley Kubrick wanted him to be the art director for Space Odyssey 2001, but at that time Osamu Tezuka couldn't afford to leave his studio in Japan.
