Like collecting comics? Like collecting stamps? If you happen to like both, then just try keeping your hoarding urges in check for this news.
Japan Post will be releasing three sets of stamps honoring the works of manga and anime legend Osamu Tezuka. The sets celebrate 40th, 50th, and 60th anniversaries of three of his biggest successes.
Fifty years ago saw the first episode of the Tetsuwan Atomu animated series broadcast in Japan. The adventures of that superhuman android came to be known as Astro Boy abroad. Whether it was life imitating art or art imitating life, this series predated Japan’s rise to international fame in both robotics and animation by decades.
Ten years before that, in 1953, following the success of the Astro Boy manga, Tezuka created Ribon No Kishi. It was a fantasy adventure comic geared more toward a young female audience and found great success influencing much of the current crop of talented women artists. Ribon No Kishi was also released overseas by a variety of names including Princess Knight.
Finally, in 1973 Tezuka began his Black Jack manga series which blended the cute atmosphere of his previous works with the often dark and grotesque nature of medicine, creating a truly legendary series.
Each individual set will run you 3,150 yen (US$34) and includes a set of stamps with a display case, paper, envelopes, stickers and postcards all specially illustrated with the particular series’ characters.
If you can’t decide which one to get, why not get all three? The premium set is also available for 8,650 yen (US$93) which includes a special original letter-size postcard featuring characters from all three series. For a country that seldom does bulk deals it’s a pretty good price!
Orders can be placed from 1 March to 30 April at any post office or until 6 May online at the Japan Post shop. The sets will be delivered one after the other beginning 3 June.
Be sure to get some sets for you and for your teratoid cystoma!
Source: PR Times via IT Media (Japanese)
