A new drama based on Osamu Tezuka's childhood during the Second World War will air on NHK in August, starring Kengo Kora (No Longer Human, Shoplifters) as the God of Manga himself. The project, titled Osamu Tezuka's War, was revealed at a special press conference at The Osamu Tezuka Museum in Takarazuka City on May 9.

While the series will function as a biopic of sorts for Tezuka, elements are said to be borrowed from God Father's Son and Paper Fortress, both semi-autobiographical pieces from 1973 and 1974 respectively. In particular, Konosuke Harada will star as the protagonist of Paper Fortress, the not-so-subtly named Tetsuro Osamu. Osamu Tezuka's War promises to cut between Kora's Tezuka in the modern day and Harada's Tezuka in the post-war period, exploring why the creator decided to put his experiences to paper.

Speaking to the press, series producer Akihiro Tazima remarked that he learned about the horrors of war by reading the works of Osamu Tezuka. By turning those works into a drama, he hopes that more people can understand "that fear, that meaninglessness" in the modern age. Furthermore, the project was put into production with the knowledge that Tezuka will celebrate his 100th birthday in 2028, less than two years away.

NHK describes the series as follows:

1973, Tokyo. The God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka, is in the depths of despair following the collapse of his company and multiple cancellations. Saddled with loans and the popular perception that his best days are behind him, he loses confidence in his own creative abilities. That's when he remembers his childhood, during the war, when he wasn't even allowed to ponder creation.

Osamu Tezuka's War premieres on NHK this August. Filming is scheduled to start this month.