Tezuka Osamu tapped Manga Handyman Yanase Takashi for Ambitious “Thousand and One Nights” Project
TOKYO – In a surprising move, manga legend Osamu Tezuka entrusted character design for his large-scale animated film, “The Thousand and One Nights,” to Takashi Yanase, a manga artist then primarily known as a “handyman” and for his work on “Mr. Boo.” The commission came in September 1966, shortly after Yanase’s debut poetry collection, “The Beloved Song,” unexpectedly became a hit, selling 100,000 copies.
While Tezuka and Yanase had a casual acquaintance through manga group meetings and television appearances, their relationship was not close. Yanase described it as a “very small relationship were they would say hello whenever they met.” despite this limited connection, Tezuka approached Yanase with the project, which involved nearly 200 staff at his Mushi Productions studio.
Yanase,simultaneously attempting to revive his manga career with “Mr. Boo,” initially expressed confusion and reluctance, stating, “Stop it now. Let me concentrate on the manga.” He was already experiencing success with his poetry and felt conflicted about taking on additional work, notably in animation – a field where he had no prior experience. Though, he ultimately accepted the commission, marking an early foray into animation for the artist.
