Remembering Feb 9, 1989

[dannavy85]

I was stationed on the USS Midway when both Emperor Hirohito and Osamu Tezuka died within a week of each other. It was quite an experiance how the Japanese reacted.

Hirohito of course was old and had seen much in such a long life span. Since his death was expected and had been for about a year you didn't see much emotion from the population, well except for the "national rightist" groups. Otherwise it was another normal day in Tokyo.

On February 9th though...it was as if someone had just assassinated a President. That morning I went to the Hotel Yamato because the Yen rate there was better than the base's. People in the lobby were watching the television and they were openly weeping. When I saw Astro Boy on the screen, you knew Tezuka was gone, of course he had cancer for some time which no one knew about. It was said he was working right up to the time he passed away.

Unexpected shock all over the place, schools closed at noon, shops were putting up Tezuka character art, newspapers covered their afternoon editions wih Astro Boy pictures. Tezuka Cartoons ran on NHK for a week with specials about his life.

The Funeral itself was huge, far more than Hirohito's state funeral. What a surprise that such a common and good natured man could receive a more grand display of affection than an Emperor.

And why not? Tezuka certainly merited national affection more than Hirohito.

[otaku]

ofcaurse tezuka is my rollmodoi want to be like him
why did he have to pass away
but why didnt tezuka tell someone about the cancer?

[dannavy85]

One of the reasons is social custom, Japanese (mostly older generations) won't disclose such things because of a feeling of un-needed burden they would impose on their family members.

I have a hard cover japanese comic school book that was made about Tezuka's life and in it he hides the illness out of worry he couldn't continue working if people found out.

But hey, what a life. Astro is about to be honored in the Robot Hall of Fame and Tezuka still remains a beloved figure in and out of Japan.

[Dragonrider1227]

It must've been real sad when he died. It reminds me of when John Lennon died.

[Mdlbigcat]

Wow! I never knew that. It kind of reminds me of when Princess Diana died in '97, or better yet, when JFK Jr. died in '99. A huge outpouring of love and sympathy for a pop culture figure that enormous is uncanny.

BTW, in the USA, Tezuka's passing barely rated a paragraph in the newspaper IF you could find a notice in one.

[dannavy85]

BTW, in the USA, Tezuka's passing barely rated

Of course, he wasn't Walt Disney. Boy they played up Walt's death as if he was some Great man. Sorry for the personal opinion but two sleezy tourist traps, a life of self-megalomania and pathetic copy cat animations that lack orriginal thinking don't rate Disney anything more than a can of cow chips.

Tezuka earned his respect.

[astroboykickedmyass]

Originally posted by Guest+Jun 29 2004, 11:42 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Guest @ Jun 29 2004, 11:42 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--dannavy85@Jun 29 2004, 06:27 AM
BTW, in the USA, Tezuka's passing barely rated

Of course, he wasn't Walt Disney. Boy they played up Walt's death as if he was some Great man. Sorry for the personal opinion but two sleezy tourist traps, a life of self-megalomania and pathetic copy cat animations that lack orriginal thinking don't rate Disney anything more than a can of cow chips.

Tezuka earned his respect.

my thoughts exacty., it's a damn shame how the Japanese though try to compare the great Tezuka to walt disney, tezuka was not all about positive story lines an everything ending happily ever after (without consecquences), he did the real deal, Astro Boy over mickey mouse any day of the week



you guys remember disney's lion king, way to rip off Kimba, guys [/b][/quote]
oooops, sorry, forgot to log in

[otaku]

i adore osamu so much was he maried?
or does he have children?

[dannavy85]

Married with a son and daughter.