There is Pre-Otomo, and Post-Otomo - A Look At Otomo's Early Works
The year we live in today is 2023, which we count from the day that Christ is said to have died.
Before Christ, and after Christ. In the same sense, the manga/anime world is divided into two eras; pre-Otomo, and post-Otomo.
Katsuhiro Otomo, who revolutionized the anime world & introduced the whole culture of anime itself to the West with his iconic "AKIRA", might just be Japan's most influential mangaka. Not only is he said to have introduced anime to the West, but even some of Japan's most renowned mangaka & creatives also refer to him as some of their biggest inspirations. While most of us know him the best for AKIRA, he's released countless other classics like "DŌMU", "MEMORIES".
But lets jump back to his debut, back in 1973. At just 19 years of age, Ōtomo shocked the manga world with his introduction to the scene, "Jūsei" [A Gun Report]. This short story, which was published in "Manga Action", was based on Prosper Mérimée's "Mateo Falcone". Not only did people find his references unique, but his illustrative touch, as well as his never-before-seen composition revolutionized the manga industry.
Apart from Jūsei, Otomo also released multiple short stories before he headed into longer stories, many of which were also based on Western authors. "Shinyu" [Best Friend] was based on “William Wilson” by Edgar Allan Poe, and "Smiley Ojisan" [Uncle Smiley] was based on short stories by Mark Twain. Many of these short stories from his early days as a manga-ka have been put into his short-story collection books, like "Short Peace". He even has an unfinished short story, "Fire-Ball".
Fast forward 50 years since his debut, there is no one into manga that doesn't know the name Otomo.
From short stories to the biggest anime movies, he continues to be one of the leading figures in the scene, and we can't wait for him to bring out his next masterpiece.
