A
manga epic by
Osamu Tezuka, considered by the author to be his "life's work". The original
Japanese title is
"hi no tori" - literally, "firebird". It consists of twelve self-contained but interrelated volumes published between
1967 and
1988, alternating between the legendary/historical
past and the science-fiction
future. Tezuka intended to have the series gradually
converge on a final volume set in the
present which would unify all the preceding volumes, but he did not finish this during his lifetime.
The unifying element of the series is, of course, the Phoenix, immortal symbol of the life force, portrayed as intelligent, telepathic, and concerned with humanity's spiritual development. In some cases, the Phoenix is at the center of the plot; in others, all it seems to do is appear to people in visions and impart wisdom.
As of this writing, only the second volume has been published in English translation. A chart in the back of that volume summarizes the series as follows:
- 1. Dawn (1967): 240-270 AD. "The era of Queen Himiko of the Yamatai Koku."
- 2. Future (1967-1968): 3404 AD-Infinity. "The end of the future."
- 3. Yamato (1968-1969): 320-350 AD. "Based on the legend of Yamato-takeru-no-mikoto."
- 4. Universe (1969): 2577 AD. "In Orion, a sub-light speed rocket heading towards Earth crashes into a meteorite."
- 5. Hou-ou (1969-1970): 720-752 AD. "The complicated drama of the spirit of two Buddhist sculptors."
- 6. Resurrection (1970-1971): 2482-3344 AD. "In the year 3344, Prof. Saruta lands on the moon."
- 7. Robe of Feathers (1971): 937-941 AD. "A sci-fi version of the Hagoromo legend of Miho no Matsubara in Enshu (modern day Shizuoka).
- 8. Nostalgia (1976-1978): ca. 25th century. "A Japanese woman named Romy establishes a civilization and history for the formerly uninhabited planet, Eden-17."
- 9. Civil War (1978-1980): 1172-1189 AD. "The time of the Genpei Kassen (War between the Taira and the Genji) after the fall of the Heishi (Taira clan)."
- 10. Life (1980): 2166-2170 AD. "Human clones are being created. It's all for high ratings and a public-killing TV game show called Clone Man Hunt."
- 11. Strange Beings (1981): 1468-1498 AD. "The Sengoku period. Sakonnosuke, the heir of General Yagi Iemasa, cuts down the nun, Yaobikuni, who seems to be 800 years old."
- 12. Sun (1986-1988): (Apparently, this volume contains two stories, or at least a story set in two time periods.) 2008 AD: "The 'Light Tribe' acquired the Phoenix in space. However, they turn it into an icon and come to control society through religion." 663-672 AD: "The story begins after the defeat of the Japan-Kudara alliance at Hakusukinoe and Japan's withdrawl from the Korean peninsula, and ends with the struggle for the imperial throne during the Jinshin Rebellion."