Osamu Tezuka, the legendary pioneer of Anime and a medical doctor. Mr. Tezuka was born in 1926 in Osaka, Japan. His real name is Shigeru Tezuka, he took the name Osamu after finding the name in a insect book. He got his doctorate in Human anatomy.

He has written and Drawn more Manga than can be stated here in my puny little bio. He loved to draw as a child. His first animated for TV series is based on his manga Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy in US). He also created the animated features, Kimba the White Lion and One Tousand and One Nights(OTAN). OTAN was the first animated feature for all ages, not to be just seen as for children.Also wrote the classic Phoenix. He created his own production company Mushi Productions. Sadly they went bankrupt in 1972.Many Otaku and Manga artists feel that Disney's The Lion King was outright lifted from Mr. Tezuka's Kimba the White Lion, which there are a many similar occurences including the wizened baboons as protagonist, the laughing Hyena henchmen, both young lions had to deal with an older male realtive who killed their dad and even the fact the Simba's voice actor thought he was trying out for a re-make of the classic series. What a coincidence.Mr. Tezuka died in 1989 and his influence is still felt today.