Hello, thank you so much for the question ! ✨

Hmm well I think I got into Tezuka via Urasawa’s Pluto actually ! But I was an ignorant teen back then, I read it just as the volumes got released, I loved the story and all but… I had no idea about Tezuka and the original Astro boy story it came from 😆

My actual first encounter with Tezuka works was during my first trip in Japan and one of the people who organized the trip invited me to their house and I browsed their bookshelves and saw volumes of Buddha by Tezuka. They let me alone for a long time lol so I just began to read it and I was hooked by the style like… it’s serious, sometimes tragic even but it got some silly moments too… the story was told in a way that was just incredibly engaging and entertaining I think and it got me curious to read more of Tezuka’s works after that 😄

My favorite is between Astro boy and Black Jack ! ❤️✨ One of my friends is a huge Black Jack fan ( and Pinoko enjoyer ) and it got me to appreciate it even more ☺️

The one I wish people would know more about hmm….strangely “ode to kirihito” 😆 because it’s like… a very weird and dark story and I think some people may mainly associate Tezuka with cute things but he drew a lot of fucked up things too… I guess there’s MW too but… ode to kirihito is just such a wild ride, I want people who can handle that kind of stuff to experience it too 😄

Also “rise of the birdmen” ! Idk I got a soft spot for that one too, more than the story is the birdmen designs that I enjoyed the most 😆

Thank you again for the question !! 💕❤️