Buddha

Buddha is a manga by Osamu Tezuka. It is an eight-volume, highly embellished account of Siddhartha Gautama/Buddha's life, incorporating many fantasy elements and re-interpreting several legends about Buddha's life.

Some of the other major characters include Devadatta, who was Raised by Wolves, Tatta, who was born with the power to transfer his mind into animals, Migaila, a former bandit turned good, Yatala, a Gentle Giant (only once you get to know him), and Ananda, Devadatta's half brother, another bandit-turned good.

Needs More Love.


 * Aborted Arc: Buddha chooses two monks as his successors, and they both die before he does. A case of Real Life Writes the Plot, since this is true to historical accounts.
 * All Girls Want Bad Boys: Possibly the reason Lata is attracted to Ananda.
 * Anachronism Stew: "Where did you find that [radio], you anachronist!?"
 * Attempted Rape: Ananda foils Lata's attacker.
 * In an inversion, a jealous Brahmin sends a lady to pretend to be Buddha's lover and accuse him of womanizing.
 * Buddha is again the victim of this trope when the drug-addled  keeps trying to have sex with him.
 * Bald of Evil:  despite being a disciple of Buddha.
 * Bald Woman: Lata, on taking vows to Buddha
 * Breaking the Fourth Wall: Tezuka makes several appearances, even apologizing for it.
 * Chick Magnet: Buddha himself, much to his dismay.
 * Creator Cameo: See Breaking The Fourth Wall above, and Who Writes This Crap below.
 * Cute Mute: Lata.
 * Death by Childbirth: Maya, Buddha's mother.
 * Blindfold Of Power: Migaila
 * Eye Scream:
 * Friend to All Living Things: Naradatta. Tatta is one as a child and Siddhartha becomes one.
 * Foe Yay: Devadatta and Buddha.
 * Gonk: one shows up once in a while. There are even gonk elephants!
 * Good Job Breaking It Hero: In Ananda, Buddha is challanged to burn a stack of logs without touching them. As he refuses to, not wanting to show off, Ananda comes running up with a torch: Buddha's follower burned them. So Buddha passes the trial - and then everything goes up in flames. Nice job burning it, Ananda.
 * Heroic Sacrifice: The very first occurrence of the manga. The reasons for one doing this kickstart enlightenment.
 * Ho Yay:  everyone loves Buddha, and some conversations about him can seem a lot like this out of context. Also, what with practically everyone running around shirtless, many waist-up-only panels between the predominantly male cast can look like something else.
 * Intimate Healing: Mouth-to-mouth transfers of medicine and water.
 * Jerkass: Bakanda is awful: greedy, arrogant, rude, spiteful, Jerkass Bakanda. Princess Yashodara said to herself, "If [I have to marry Bakanda], I'll kill myself." Years later, when she does, she threatens to.
 * Noble Bigot: A few characters are very racist/caste-ist due to India's caste system, but they're not all evil.
 * Not that it excuses comments like, "We oughta crush her under the elephant's foot!" "Now, now. She's just a stupid slave, hardly better than a beast." It just explains them.
 * Purely Aesthetic Era: The characters make anachronistic references for humor.
 * Reused Character Design: It's Tezuka, what do you expect? Look for Tezuka himself, Shunsaku Ban as a bounty hunter, Hosuke Sharaku, Saruta, and a cameo by Professor Ochanomizu.
 * Senseless Sacrifice:  attempts to protect his mother from a spear attack with his own body, which only results in both of them being run through together.
 * Shout-Out: The numerous, humorous anachronisms include Yoda, ET, and a character turning into Black Jack for a panel. Lampshaded with, "You thought I was Black Jack? Wow, you must be really out of it!"
 * The Speechless: Lata. Migaila for a bit.
 * Who Writes This Crap?: After a particularly silly bit of slapstick involving Buddha getting hit by a large stick, Tezuka pops up to declare this to be "not a serious story" in a fairly angry fashion.
 * You Can't Fight Fate: Much to Asaji, Buddha,and Bimbisara's dismay