ourchair
Well-Known Member
Here's something I've been thinking about: I'm absolutely convinced you could do a Planetary or League of Extraordinary Gentlemen-type thing with Japanese anime and manga. As in The All Stars of One Nation/Time Period's Pop Culture in One Superteam. "For finer worlds that are strange, so let's keep it that way for we are the Authority/Planetary so behave, citizens of Earth."
The works of Osamu Tezuka alone would be enough.
First there's Astroboy, who is essentially an android Pinocchio who fights to be recognized for his 'humanity'. While human society generally rejects accepting him as a 'real person', he never lashes out and fights to stop androids who have taken to rejection as an excuse to lash out as humans. (Which is pretty much a lot like how Bendis and Ellis write their villains, for better or worse, ask me why if you want me to explain)
Then there's Black Jack, the mercenary surgeon who acts like he's heartless, but he's really just a rogue who spits in the face things like class and status and social entitlement. He cures the poor for free, but hires himself out for exorbitant fees to the most desperately ill of the wealthy. He refuses to obtain a surgical license, looking at it as a meaningless symbol of social status.
Then there's Kimba the White Lion, who is a sort of backwards Tarzan. Where Tarzan was a human who was raised by the jungle yet tamed his heart in the city, Kimba is a lion was born in captivity and escaped to live among humans and used his observations of human culture to reconcile the animal kingdom's enmity towards humanity.
Rainbow Parakeet is the actor like no other, and a master thief. He can imitate anyone he sees, and has substituted for famous actors in roles they could not perform. But he also robs the wealthy audiences he performs for.
Melmo/Mamaa is the girl who magically transforms into an adult to mother over her younger brothers, but is in conflict between her childlike self and the things she wants as a woman.
There's a hell of a lot more, but other non-Tezuka candidates for such a lineup would include the former assassin with a pacifist streak (Rurouni Kenshin), the populist-minded cuisinartist (Cooking Master Boy), the street-smart professor (Great Teacher Onizuka) and the prehistoric boy of the future (Future Boy Conan). Hell the first three could easily be found spouting Ellis' "For finer worlds" schtick.
The works of Osamu Tezuka alone would be enough.
First there's Astroboy, who is essentially an android Pinocchio who fights to be recognized for his 'humanity'. While human society generally rejects accepting him as a 'real person', he never lashes out and fights to stop androids who have taken to rejection as an excuse to lash out as humans. (Which is pretty much a lot like how Bendis and Ellis write their villains, for better or worse, ask me why if you want me to explain)
Then there's Black Jack, the mercenary surgeon who acts like he's heartless, but he's really just a rogue who spits in the face things like class and status and social entitlement. He cures the poor for free, but hires himself out for exorbitant fees to the most desperately ill of the wealthy. He refuses to obtain a surgical license, looking at it as a meaningless symbol of social status.
Then there's Kimba the White Lion, who is a sort of backwards Tarzan. Where Tarzan was a human who was raised by the jungle yet tamed his heart in the city, Kimba is a lion was born in captivity and escaped to live among humans and used his observations of human culture to reconcile the animal kingdom's enmity towards humanity.
Rainbow Parakeet is the actor like no other, and a master thief. He can imitate anyone he sees, and has substituted for famous actors in roles they could not perform. But he also robs the wealthy audiences he performs for.
Melmo/Mamaa is the girl who magically transforms into an adult to mother over her younger brothers, but is in conflict between her childlike self and the things she wants as a woman.
There's a hell of a lot more, but other non-Tezuka candidates for such a lineup would include the former assassin with a pacifist streak (Rurouni Kenshin), the populist-minded cuisinartist (Cooking Master Boy), the street-smart professor (Great Teacher Onizuka) and the prehistoric boy of the future (Future Boy Conan). Hell the first three could easily be found spouting Ellis' "For finer worlds" schtick.