Jim Rugg creates a limited Astro Boy poster for the Tezuka documentary

Jim Rugg designed a limited edition Astro Boy poster for the Kickstarter campaign of the documentary TEZUKA! God of Manga. The piece is inspired by the psychedelic blacklight posters that became popular in the 1970s and aims to celebrate Osamu Tezuka's legacy.

The poster measures 18 × 24 inches and shows Astro Boy inside a composition of intense colors, designed to react to ultraviolet light. That aesthetic, so characteristic of the seventies, fits a campaign dedicated to an author whose work helped turn manga and anime into global cultural phenomena.

The illustration is available as a reward within the Kickstarter, and a limited edition T-shirt with the same visual concept can also be obtained. In addition to the poster, Rugg contributed an Astro Boy illustration done with a ballpoint pen.

A collection of tributes, not copies

The campaign does not limit itself to reproducing classic images. Each artist reinterprets Tezuka's characters and works through their own visual language, and that turns the collection into a tribute that shows the author's relevance. Rugg's participation expands a list of pieces created by international artists from different generations and countries.

The illustrations are inspired by characters and works ranging from science fiction to adventure, medical drama, fantasy, and mythology. That variety reflects the breadth of a career that defines modern manga.

The documentary, beyond Astro Boy

TEZUKA! God of Manga is directed by Jason Andrew Cohn and produced by Bread & Butter Films. The film will explore Tezuka's life in three acts: from his childhood and his early aspirations as a manga creator to his consolidation in the Japanese postwar industry.

The documentary will also address the gekiga movement, that current that pushed for a more dramatic, adult, and realistic manga, and Tezuka's resurgence in the later stages of his career. Phoenix and Black Jack will receive special attention as titles that show his thematic and artistic evolution.

Astro Boy will be an essential part of the story, but not the only focus. The goal is to present Tezuka as a draftsman, storyteller, innovator, and central figure of Japanese culture.

Interviews with industry heavyweights

The documentary will feature interviews with Katsuhiro Otomo, Naoki Urasawa, Go Nagai, Yoshiyuki Tomino, and Rintaro. They are different generations of authors and directors who helped expand the limits of manga and anime, and their testimonies will allow an analysis of Tezuka's influence from very different perspectives.

The project is scheduled for completion in 2028, the year of the centennial of Tezuka's birth. Meanwhile, the Kickstarter campaign continues to raise funds and offer exclusive materials such as Jim Rugg's poster, the T-shirt, and other works by the participating artists.

The idea is to use the centennial to present Tezuka's career to new generations and to remember the international dimension of an author whose influence goes far beyond Japan. Would you go for the poster or the T-shirt? Tell us in the comments.