Osamu Tezuka considered Phoenix (Hi no Tori / Bird of Fire) his life’s work. Studio 4°C is animating this ONA and forthcoming movie. Phoenix: Eden17 (Hi no Tori: Eden no Sora) works to adapt the “Nostalgia Arc” (bokyo-hen), the eighth entry in the series. Those interested in Osamu Tezuka’s immortal work can watch Romi’s story on September 13, 2023. Afterward, fans should set their calendar to November 3, 2023, when the film Phoenix Reminiscence of Flower (Hi no Tori: Eden no Hana) premieres. The film will have a different ending than the Phoenix: Eden17 ONA.
Until the premiere, let’s watch the titular Phoenix take flight in the new trailer. An earlier trailer is also readily available.
Phoenix‘s “Nostalgia Arc” was published in 1971. It first hit the pages of COM and later continued in Manga Shonen between 1976 and 1978. The overall series was published from July 1954 to February 1988 and remains unfinished due to Osamu Tezuka’s untimely passing on February 9, 1989.
Rie Miyazawa will voice our tragic protagonist, Romi. She has previously played Hitomi Nakayama in Seven Days War. Shintaro Asanuma, the voice behind Makimura, has previously played Akira Fudo/Devilman in Cyborg 009 VS Devilman and Crow Hogan in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s. Besides voicing Cain, Ryohei Kimura has given voice to Romero Fujimi in My Hero Academia and Kohaku in Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon.
Social media residents can visit the Disney Plus JP Twitter page for their Phoenix: Eden17 updates. The official Phoenix: Eden17 Japanese Twitter page likewise has updates to follow. Furthermore, the Director of Tezuka Productions, Rumiko Tezuka (Osamu Tezuka’s daughter), has her own Twitter page, which shows a profile picture showing an anime version of herself in Phoenix cosplay. Last, the promotional home page has more information and a key visual to enjoy.
Osamu Tezuka’s Phoenix Reborn
Osamu Tezuka is one of the legends of the anime and manga industry. He’s a man who needs no introduction. Tezuka is rightly considered the Father of Manga and Anime. He has guided and influenced legendary figures in the industry such as manga artists, such as Shotaro Ishinomori (Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, and Cyborg 009), Go Nagai (Cutie Honey, Devilman, and Mazinger Z), Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball series), and Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira), among many others.
Some of Osamu Tezuka’s more memorable works include Astro Boy (Iron-Armed Atom), Black Jack, and Dororo.
Leaving Eden to Find Home
Phoenix: Eden17 tells a sad tale of a woman awakening over a thousand years later to find her home drastically changed. Romi and her lover, George, are part of humanity’s efforts to colonize other planets. Their designated planet is Eden 17. Despite the name promising an abundance of life, Eden 17 is a lifeless ball of dirt. Romi and George work hard to bring about life on the planet, all while Romi herself has a life growing inside her.
A terrible earthquake takes George’s life, leaving Romi and their son Cain alone. Romi planned to put the two of them to sleep for thirteen years. But a malfunction in the system saw Romi awaken 1300 years later, with a sprawling city before her. A local Eden 17 boy named Com discovered a spaceship made of stone, which he saw as his chance to find humanity’s ancestral home, Earth. Romi decided then to join him on that voyage.
If you want your own cute robot character, J-List has you covered. The Nano Shinonome Nendoroid Figure Keiichi Arawi ver. from Nichijou is now available for pre-order. Nano is no Astro Boy, but she is still cute.
Are you looking forward to the newest Phoenix: Eden17 anime adaptation? Have you read the Phoenix series before? Which do you think is Osamu Tezuka’s best work? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Animecorner, Japan City Tour
