Anime News

Classic Tezuka Disney Manga To Be Reprinted
Date: 3/16/2005
Osamu Tezuka's 1951-52 circa Bambi and Pinocchio manga originally published in Manga Shonen by Gakudo Sha are headed for their first reprint in Japan in more than 50 years. The copyright holder Disney company has permitted the release, they recently marketed the DVD version of Bambi in the USA. The originals which were never reprinted after the initial sale have since taken on the value of several hundred thousand Yen in the secondhand book market. Disney is said to have permitted the reprint due to the work's cultural meaning. The Tezuka researcher Noguchi Fumio, who owns the best preserved originals known to exist, provided his copies which were scanned into computer editing program and digitally cleaned up. The result provides the master for this new release will sale as a single-unit at 3800 Yen (excluding tax) by Kodansha on April 10.
Source: Anime News Service