Like Walt Disney, Osamu Tezuka is undoubtedly one of the authors who has most influenced generations of designers. This Friday, January 21, Vega-Dupuis editions pay tribute to him with Team Phoenix.
A choral comic strip that brings together the dozens of characters created by the one who is nicknamed the God of Manga. After having built a solid reputation with his very dynamic graphic style at the crossroads of comics, manga and the Franco-Belgian school, it is the Spaniard Kenny Ruiz who realizes here a childhood dream. The author of Télémaque and Magic 7 (published by Dupuis) gives CNEWS his impressions of this adventure which leads him not only to be published in France, but also directly in Japan with the blessing of Makoto Tezuka, the son of Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989), who watches over his father’s legacy.
And reading this very first volume, we can only applaud this beautiful tribute which shows a war waged between the defenders of humanity and the robots disappointed by the human race. As Osamu Tezuka knew very well in his time, here nothing is Manichean and the motivations of each camp are developed. Above all, Kenny Ruiz leaves room for action in what can be related to an episode of Avengers bringing together the heroes and heroines of the Japanese master. Princess Saphir, Leo, Black Jack, Gesicht or even Atlas are found in particular in this first explosive volume.
CNEWS: When did you discover the universe of Osamu Tezuka?
Kenny Ruiz: I discovered it when I was really little. Spanish television broadcast several anime from the universe of Tezuka. But at that time, I didn’t know that these characters were part of the universe of a great manga author. The Legend of Songoku [NDR pas celui de Dragon Ball], Princess Sapphire, King Leo (Kimba the Emperor of the jungle in Spain) and Astro Le Petit Robot… All of this I discovered without knowing that they had been created by a single author. It was only when I became an adult and author of comics that I discovered the fascinating universe of Osamu Tezuka and all his creative power.
How was the Team Phoenix project born? Paying tribute to Osamu Tezuka is probably not an easy exercise, how did you experience it?
I was put in touch with Frédéric Toutlemonde, who publishes mangas, and Tezuka Production, who manages the rights to the works of Osamu Tezuka, in order to think about a short story which was to relate in particular to the legend of Songoku, and then we had to embark on a greater challenge, that of making a story capable of bringing together all the characters. For me, the only way to meet this challenge was to take inspiration from the Avengers and Star Wars. I was told “ok”, but I admit that I was still terrified. Because I thought it was very difficult to get there, but it’s also exciting.
Was it easy to assign a role to each of these characters? And why did you choose to highlight Princess Saphir rather than another?
It was not easy at all! You should know that these are all iconic characters who were each entitled to their own manga. Above all, all of them are very original and authentic. But in the end, it works very well. There were plenty of options to develop the characters. I worked on them all the same on instinct, because I wanted to draw the different protagonists by developing my way of doing things, finding sensations and expressing them.
I chose Princess Sapphire because she’s a heroine that I like and that I wanted to put at the heart of the plot, and for her to be torn between the two truths defended by each side. I love that it’s a girl who wants to know the truth. But the political situation divides it, which makes it possible to develop an interesting conflict in my opinion. I also really like its visual aspect which mixes a traditional side inherited from the Middle Ages and futuristic science fiction. She has a cool side. I like characters like Harlock or Ulysses 31, where precisely there is this mix between an old fashion and a future one. They look different, but actually bring something new.
© 2022 Kenny Ruiz/Tezuka Productions
Do you have a favorite character in this universe?
It’s complicated because I think I like them all very much. But I admit that I particularly like Gesicht, because I really liked what Naoki Urasawa did with it in his manga Pluto (published in France by Kana), but also that proposed by Katsuhiro Otomo and Rintaro in the film Metropolis ( 2001). He’s an interesting character. I also really appreciate Hyakkimaru, the hero of Dororo, who fits into the world of samurai, which I adore, just like his mysterious side. But Princess Sapphire is also very interesting, because it is with her that I spend the most time drawing since she is at the heart of the plot.
Discover a character from the cast of Team Phoenix every day!
Today Leo, protagonist of King Leo of Tezuka revisited by Kenny Ruiz!
Team Phoenix by Kenny Ruiz (based on the work by Osamu Tezuka)
Volume 1 on January 21, 2022
See you tomorrow ! pic.twitter.com/D60C5UvzUd
— Vega-Dupuis (@vegadupuis) January 18, 2022
Your drawing is extremely dynamic, modern and where the influences of comics and manga mingle. Can you tell us what you looked for in Team Phoenix?
The advantage of living in Spain is that you can read American comics as well as European comics and Japanese manga. When I was little, I read everything. So, for me, this mixture is natural. What I like with Team Phoenix is ultimately to bring together these influences while being as synthetic as possible, because Tezuka’s style is very effective. It demonstrates that with few things, few drawings, we can finally say a lot. I therefore try to follow this advice, it is a different exercise from the productions that I have been able to carry out for Dupuis on comic strips.
How long does it take to complete a Team Phoenix tome?
To keep up with Team Phoenix, I have to produce 40 pages a month, so making a full tome takes four to five months of work. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the stages of validation with the publisher and the Japanese rights holders. Sometimes on certain chapters I have to do five to seven different versions. Currently, I am finishing volume 2 which will contain 186 pages, and I will continue with volume 3.
Makoto Tezuka explained to me that I had to convey an optimistic, peace and ecological message, like his father did.
By the way, how is your collaboration with the Japanese rights holders and Makoto Tezuka going? Do you have any special rules to follow?
With Frédéric Toutlemonde, we had to engage in many negotiations upstream of this project. Of course, I had to send all my proposals to the rights holders and then take into account all the feedback they gave me. There are also many rules that govern the use of Osamu Tezuka’s characters. We had to keep their look and I had feedback to tell me how to perfect their expressions, dialogues, etc.
But above all, Makoto Tezuka explained to me that I had to respect an important rule: “transmit an optimistic, peace and ecological message”, as his father did. At first, he didn’t like the story of Team Phoenix which takes place in a war. But I explained to him that the idea of Team Phoenix is precisely to bring back peace and freedom. And there, I got his approval, because Makoto wants there to be a positive and hopeful message.
And will we see Astro (Atom) in the next volumes?
Of course, you will see Astro soon! However his goal will be unclear and I don’t know if he will be on the side of Team Phoenix or not. I didn’t see him as a main character, but rather as part of this universe. To tell you the truth, it’s a choice on my part, because I think that if I had drawn Astro from the beginning in this story, the fans would have believed that it was a new story about him. . So I wanted people to understand that this is the story of a team and that all the characters have the same importance. I wanted characters less known than Astro but who are great, like Black Jack or Kaos, to have their importance. But I assure you Astro will be there, it would be nonsense not to put him in Osamu Tezuka’s universe. The fans would kill me otherwise!
Apart from those of Tezuka, are there other characters from the manga universe that you would like to draw?
First of all, let me point out that I love creating my own characters. But, I must admit that I would love to draw something around Saint Seiya (Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque) one day, because it’s my favorite anime, but also that of Frédéric Toutlemonde. There are a lot of spin-offs around Masami Kurumada’s series and I dream of one day being able to direct even a small chapter or spin-off of Saint Seiya. But I have a lot of illusions!
Team Phoenix, by Kenny Ruiz, ed. Vega-Dupuis, volume 1 available.