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Lion Books (manga)
Encyclopedia
was a 1950s Japanese manga
series published by Shueisha
into the Omoshiro Book as a supplement. The same company would publish Lion Books II into Weekly Shōnen Jump
in the 1970s, which would commonly be referred to as "The New Lion Books". The series was partially adapted into an experimental anime series in the 1980s and 90s.
. It became the first OVA ever attempted by the industry, though it cannot be officially considered the first OVA like Dallos
. The second story Adachi-ga Hara
was adapted in 1991, and became the only movie in the series to be released to theaters. 4 other stories were filled in from non manga sources.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series published by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
into the Omoshiro Book as a supplement. The same company would publish Lion Books II into Weekly Shōnen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
in the 1970s, which would commonly be referred to as "The New Lion Books". The series was partially adapted into an experimental anime series in the 1980s and 90s.
Anime adaptations
Two of the stories in the manga were adapted into an experimental anime series titled the 'Lion Books collection'. The first adaptation came in 1983 using the story The Green CatThe Green Cat
is the first anime episode in the Lion Books series. It was the anime industry's first attempt at releasing an OVA through famous director Osamu Tezuka.-Concept:...
. It became the first OVA ever attempted by the industry, though it cannot be officially considered the first OVA like Dallos
Dallos
is a Japanese science fiction OVA released in 1983, directed by Mamoru Oshii and created by Oshii and Hisayuki Toriumi . It is widely considered the first OVA ever released. The storyline focuses on Moon pioneers and the evolution of mankind.- Story :In a near future, mankind has moved from a...
. The second story Adachi-ga Hara
Adachi-ga Hara
is the fifth anime episode in the Lion Books series. This episode is the only one in the series released to theater first , making it not an OVA.-Story:...
was adapted in 1991, and became the only movie in the series to be released to theaters. 4 other stories were filled in from non manga sources.
| Story | Anime | Release |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Green Cat The Green Cat is the first anime episode in the Lion Books series. It was the anime industry's first attempt at releasing an OVA through famous director Osamu Tezuka.-Concept:... |
1983 |
| 2 | Rain Boy Rain Boy (anime) is the second anime episode in the Lion Books series. It was an OVA release.-Story:The story is about a boy named Mouta who offered his shoes to another boy in need during a storm. The boy turned out to be a ghost who transformed into a creature granting Mouta 3 wishes... |
1983 |
| 3 | Lunn Flies into the Wind Lunn Flies into the Wind is the third anime OVA episode in the Lion Books series..-Staff:*Director: Osamu Tezuka*Screenplay: Nishimura Hiroshi*Picture Director: Katsui Chikao*Assistant Producer: Kubota Minoru*Production Chief: Enomoto Hiroshi... |
1985 |
| 4 | Yamataro Comes Back Yamataro Comes Back is the fourth anime episode in the Lion Books series. It was an OVA release.-Story:The story is about a young bear cub losing his parents and trying to survive in the wild... |
1986 |
| 5 | Adachi-ga Hara Adachi-ga Hara is the fifth anime episode in the Lion Books series. This episode is the only one in the series released to theater first , making it not an OVA.-Story:... |
1991 |
| 6 | Akuemon Akuemon Akuemon is the sixth and last anime episode in the Lion Books series. It was an OVA release. This episode was never broadcast on Japanese TV, but it was instead shown at a Hong Kong film festival... |
1993 |
1950s manga series
There are no continuations or relations between any of the stories.| Subtitle List # | Name | Original Name | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Next Human Beings | August 1956 | |
| 2 | The Black Space Ray | September 1956 | |
| 3-4 | Spaceport | Spaceport, Orion No. 137 | October 1956 - November 1956 |
| 5 | The Green Cat The Green Cat is the first anime episode in the Lion Books series. It was the anime industry's first attempt at releasing an OVA through famous director Osamu Tezuka.-Concept:... |
December 1956 | |
| 6 | Earthquake Predicting Old Lady | Earth Theater 1 | January 1957 |
| 7 | Twin Murder | Earth Theater 2 | February 1957 |
| 8 | The Crazy Border | Earth Theater 3 | March 1957 |
| 9 | Multiple-Eyed Devil | April 1957 | |
| 10 | Skipper Skeleton | June 1957 | |
| 11 | Bullet Hole in the Wilderness | July 1957 | |
1970s manga series
There are no continuations or relations between any of the stories.| Subtitle List # | Name | Original Name | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adachi-ga Hara Adachi-ga Hara is the fifth anime episode in the Lion Books series. This episode is the only one in the series released to theater first , making it not an OVA.-Story:... |
March 22, 1971 | |
| 2 | Mirage | April 26, 1971 | |
| 3 | Serenade of Pig's Navel | May 24, 1971 | |
| 4 | The Closed Classroom | June 21, 1971 | |
| 5-8 | A Hundred Tales | July 26, 1971 - October 25, 1971 | |
| 9 | Mosa, the Flying Squirrel | November 22, 1971 | |
| 10 | Collapse | December 27, 1971 | |
| 11 | The Moon and Wolves | January 17, 1972 | |
| 12 | Mother River | February 14, 1972 | |
| 13 | Mansion OBA | March 20, 1972 | |
| 14 | Color of Full-blown Flower in Spring | April 17, 1972 | |
| 15-16 | Mimigarasu | Mimigarasu Dendekoden | May 15, 1972 - June 19, 1972 |
| 17 | Seven Men from Outer Space | July 17, 1972 | |
| 18 | The March Covered with Mud | August 14, 1972 | |
| 19-21 | ? | ||
| 22 | The Sweet Smell of Success | December 18, 1972 | |
| 23 | The Distant Planet | January 22, 1973 | |
| 24 | The Strange School | February 19, 1973 | |
See also
- Osamu TezukaOsamu Tezukawas a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
- List of Osamu Tezuka manga
- List of Osamu Tezuka anime
- Osamu Tezuka's Star SystemOsamu Tezuka's Star SystemOver the course of his career, Osamu Tezuka reused the same characters in different roles in different stories. The way that Tezuka used the characters in his "star system" can be seen as somewhat analoguous to a film director frequently casting members of a regular "stable" of actors in different...