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Description
Being in Japan in January / February 1989 was a historic moment. It was the end of an era and an eye-opening experience of how the Japanese value the "stock" in mens' lives. It was the end of the Showa Era, the death of the last Japanese Emperor who held actual power over his people, the monarch who led Japan into empire, war, defeat and into rebirth as a powerful and prosperous modern Democracy. It was also the loss of the first major anime artist of Japan's golden anime era, a man the Japanese people called "Kame No Mangakon" (The God of Manga) who created Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion for NBC television in the United States which spawned the era of the Saturday Morning cartoons and the popularity of anime that has been the best and lasting ties of culture between once former enemies on the battlefields of the Pacific.

The "Human God" and the Artist. The monarch and the peace activist. The sovereign and the statesman with a pencil. Two very different men, two very different lives, two different lives of world impact, yet two different ways they touched their fellow men and their fellow countrymen.

Hirohito's death was expected, he was frail, very old, sick and the public knew he was dying.

Osamu Tezuka, when he died, hit Japan like a thunderbolt.

Description
Being in Japan in January / February 1989 was a historic moment. It was the end of an era and an eye-opening experience of how the Japanese value the "stock" in mens' lives. It was the end of the Showa Era, the death of the last Japanese Emperor who held actual power over his people, the monarch who led Japan into empire, war, defeat and into rebirth as a powerful and prosperous modern Democracy. It was also the loss of the first major anime artist of Japan's golden anime era, a man the Japanese people called "Kame No Mangakon" (The God of Manga) who created Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion for NBC television in the United States which spawned the era of the Saturday Morning cartoons and the popularity of anime that has been the best and lasting ties of culture between once former enemies on the battlefields of the Pacific.

The "Human God" and the Artist. The monarch and the peace activist. The sovereign and the statesman with a pencil. Two very different men, two very different lives, two different lives of world impact, yet two different ways they touched their fellow men and their fellow countrymen.

Hirohito's death was expected, he was frail, very old, sick and the public knew he was dying.

Osamu Tezuka, when he died, hit Japan like a thunderbolt.