Tezuka (1928-1989) was born in Osaka prefecture. Known as the "Father of Manga," his prolific career saw the creation of many beloved characters in Japan and around the world. In addition to writing comics, Tezuka became involved with animation and the animated adaptation of Astro Boy was widely successful both in Japan and around the world. Tezuka saw that comics and animation could be mediums for people to think about their place in the world. In addition to peace and tolerance, environmentalism was also a reoccurring theme in his works. He continues to influence other genres, such as film and literature, even to this day.