Cover Illustration/Shukan Shonen Magazine/Kodansha/1977
The Three-Eyed One
1974/07/07-1978/03/19
Story
This is a Sci-fi mystery about a descendent of the Three Eyed clan by the name of Sharaku. He stands against complicated cases related to ancient history with his mysterious power.
Sharaku Hosuke is a junior high schooler in his 2nd year. He is an innocent boy just like a little child and always has a big bandage on his forehead. Actually, behind the bandage is his third eye. Once the eye is revealed, he becomes a devilish Three Eyed man and exercises awful power. Before long Sharaku is involved in mysterious cases related to ancient ruins and treasures, together with his masculine female classmate by the name of Wato Chiyoko.
Description
Serialized on Shukan Shonen Magazine (Kodansha) (1974/07/07-1978/03/19)
The work started as monthly series consisting of one-off episodes. However, it soon became weekly series thanks to its popularity. The editor who planned the series was Mr. Miyahara Akio who used to be in charge of W3. He brought Tezuka's work back to Shukan Shonen Magazine for the first time in years after the suspension of W3. What Mr. Miyahara requested to Tezuka was a manga work that could win the hearts of the readers with its attractive characters and settings only available in manga, which, though, deviated from graphic novels, the main stream of the magazine then. Tezuka responded such his request with a mystery manga featuring ancient ruins and a boy cute but with unique appearance by the name of Sharaku.
Thanks to the work, the relationship between Tezuka and Kodansha became close again. Later Tezuka Osamu Manga Compilation, consisting of more than 400 volumes, was released from the publisher.
Cut for Cover/Shukan Shonen Magazine/Kodansha/1975
Three Eyed One is the work Tezuka serialized on Shukan Shonen Magazine for the first time in 19 years, and named as one of his masterpieces in 70's, along with Black Jack serialized on Shukan Shonen Champion at the same time. Initially it was the series of one-off episodes released monthly, but came to be serialized weekly due to the popularity. Shukan Shonen Magazine mainly featured Gekiga-style manga, including Ore wa Teppei by Chiba Tetsuya and Yakyukyo no Uta by Mizushima Shinji, then. Among those Gekiga-style works, this Tezuka manga brought a breath of fresh air to the magazine. Also the work attracted a lot of female readers thanks to the attraction of Sharaku Hosuke as Black Jack did so.
Characters
Sharaku Hosuke
Sharaku Hosuke
He is a survivor of the Three Eyed clan destroyed long time ago despite its high intelligence and civilization. Now he is a junior high school student in Japan, and puts on a bandage on his forehead to hide his third eye. Most of the time, he is just like an innocent little boy. But he becomes violent once his third eye opens upon his bandaged is removed, and exploits his super magical power. That's the moment the intelligence of the Three Eyed clan running in his blood is awaken. He is hostile to human civilizations (or the Two Eyed clan civilization) and conspires to conquer the world.
>Character/Sharaku Hosuke
Sharaku Hosuke
Wato Chiyoko
Wato Chiyoko
She is Sharaku's girlfriend and his only supporter. Born as a daughter of a temple monk, she was strictly disciplined. She is also a master of karate and helps Sharaku when he is bullied by his classmates. She feels attracted to Sharku who gets violent when his third eye opens despite being involved in troubles he causes.
>Chatacter/Wato Chiyoko
Wato Chiyoko
Dr. Kenmochi
Higeoyaji
Dr. Kenmochi
He is a doctor and Sharaku's foster father. One night, a mysterious woman comes to his place and leaves Sharaku in charge of him. While raising Sharaku, he notices Sharaku's unusual intelligence and ferocity and decides to hide his third eye with a bandage. He thinks Sharaku's ability as the Three Eyed race is dangerous. He also considers removing the third eye from Sharaku surgically.
Higeoyaji
He is the owner of a Ramen restaurant, Rairaiken and Dr. Kenmochi's friend. He takes care of Sharaku for a while asked by Dr. Kenmochi. He is a rough but open-handed man, and sympathetic to Sharaku.
>Character/Higeoyaji
Bunpuku
Professor Subuta
Bunpuku
He is a mysterious man who always appears with a strange crow, wearing a worn-out school hat to hide his unusually thick hair under it. He enjoys to plan an evil scheme as if it is his hobby. One day he suddenly approaches to Sharaku after Sharaku's intelligence and super power.
Professor Subuta
He is an archeologist and Dr. Kenmochi's acquaintance. He often gets help from Sharaku in the state of the Three Eyed man when he deciphers ancient letters.
Comment by Author
Cover Art/Shukan Shonen Magazine/Kodansha/1977
（Excerpt from afterwards on Three Eyed One, vol. 13 of Tezuka Osamu Manga Compilation by Kodansha）
(omitted)
"Does the Third Eyed clan really exist?"
"Such clan never exists. The ancient civilization of the Third Eyed race? That's all fake. It's like Sci-Fi. I just made it up, using my imagination from various colorable materials I collected. You know, in India and South Eastern Asia, you can find a lot of idols with the third eyes opening lengthwise on the foreheads. I came up with the idea (of Sharaku) seeing them. I also added a bandage to hide the eye, which is because I wanted to have an impact on his face. For Sharaku's face, I was inspired by the short and lispy professor by the name of Elmer, which appears as a supporting character in Bugs Bunny series. Actually, I drew many types of faces till I decided on that." (omitted)
(Please note the above is a liberal translation of the original text in Japanese. )
Cover Art/Shukan Shonen Magazine/Kodansha/1977
Cover Art/Strange Plant Volvox/Shukan Shonen Magazine/Kodansha/1975
