Cross-reading Recommendations Part 1

Ever since I started reading manga and watching anime at an early age, I learned a lot about Japanese culture, as well as different cultures around the world, including my own. Japanese artists are not as insular as commonly believed. They take inspiration from all kinds of media and genres outside of manga and Japanese animation. Tezuka Osamu is said to have watched one film a day for a whole year and remained a film maniac throughout his entire live, just as Urasawa Naoki, who also famously takes inspiration from Rock Music (“20th Century Boys”). “One Piece” creator Eiichirō Oda is well known for his love of Kabuki and Edo Japan, long before the current Wa no kuni-arc. Or take a look at the artistic influences on Miura Kentarō’s “Berserk”.