This lot is a massive opportunity for manga collectors in the American market. It brings together two artifacts from the genesis of modern Japanese popular culture.
THE BOOKS — 1978 Asahi Sonorama Astro Boy Deluxe Collector’s Edition, First Edition, Complete 3-Volume Set
Published by Asahi Sonorama — the legendary Japanese publisher whose name became synonymous with prestige manga and anime print collections — this First Edition Deluxe Collector’s Set stands as an artifact of profound cultural and historical importance. Asahi Sonorama’s Sun Comics line served as the definitive reprint home for Tezuka’s Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom) in Japan , and this deluxe three-volume collector’s configuration, produced in 1978, represents one of the rarest physical expressions of that publishing legacy. Complete sets — all three volumes present, in their original deluxe format — are extraordinarily difficult to source outside of Japan, and virtually impossible to encounter in America.
THE SKETCH — Original Hand-Drawn Astro Boy Sketch with Signature by Osamu Tezuka, 1975, on Vintage Rice Paper.
Encased between two protective plastic slabs, this 1975 original hand-drawn sketch of Astro Boy, bearing the hand of Osamu Tezuka himself, is nothing short of sacred.
He is widely considered the Japanese equivalent of Walt Disney. As one of the pioneers of modern Japanese manga, Tezuka produced hundreds of manga titles and received numerous national and international awards until his death, and is credited with establishing the early history of Japanese manga and anime as we know them today.
This 1975 sketch on delicate vintage rice paper — hand-drawn and personally signed by Tezuka — predates that record-setting work and carries the added distinction of its traditional medium. The slab encasement preserves the integrity of the piece while allowing full visual appreciation of the work.