Osamu Tezuka’s Autobiographical War Manga, Postwar Life Get Live‑Action TV Special
Posted: 2026‑05‑12 17:36 UTC‑8 | By: Anita Tai
Live‑action adaptation announced
The official site for manga pioneer Osamu Tezuka revealed that NHK is producing a live‑action TV special based on his autobiographical short “Paper Fortress” (original Japanese title Kami no Toride). Titled “Tezuka Osamu no Sensō” (Osamu Tezuka’s War), the special will premiere in August, with filming set to begin in May on the outskirts of the Kansai region.
Cast
- Kengo Kōra (known for The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, Shin Godzilla, Miss Hokusai) as Tezuka himself.
- Konosuke Harada (Sabakan) as Tetsurō Osamu, the protagonist of “Paper Fortress”.
Story synopsis
The manga draws from Tezuka’s junior‑high experiences during World War II. It follows Tetsurō Osamu, a student who secretly draws manga despite wartime bans. His teacher deems him unpatriotic and sends him to a special training camp, after which he is forced to work at a munitions factory. There, he reunites with Kyoko Okamoto, a fellow student who dreams of becoming an opera singer but suffers severe facial injuries in an Osaka air raid.
Additional source material
The special will also incorporate “God Father’s Son” (Japanese title Godfather no Musuko), another autobiographical short that depicts Tezuka’s student life. Moreover, it will cover his turbulent 1970s period—when Mushi Productions went bankrupt and several manga series were cancelled. The narrative will weave between Tezuka’s 1973 life in Tokyo and his alter‑ego Tetsurō Osamu’s 1945 life in Osaka.
Production team
- Director: Wataru Suzuki (The Mystery Collection of Enmado Sara, Scarlet)
- Screenwriter: Ryōko Kuwahara (Happiness comes from eating, sleeping and waiting)
Related Tezuka projects
- The iconic Phoenix (Hi no Tori) manga is currently inspiring a “live manga” performance titled Mangalogue: Hi no Tori at MoN Takanawa (April 22 – May 16).
- A stage adaptation of the “Karma” arc of Phoenix ran at Theatre West, Tokyo Metropolitan Theater in July 2024.
Sources: Osamu Tezuka’s official website; Comic Natalie.
