Faust (manga) should not be confused with Faust (comics).
| Faust | |
| Ja Kanji: | ファウスト |
| Ja Romaji: | Fausuto |
| Genre: | Horror, classical |
| Type: | Manga |
| Author: | Osamu Tezuka |
| Publisher: | Fuji Shobo |
| Demographic: | Shōnen |
| Published: | January 15, 1950 |
| Volumes: | 1 |
is a manga by Osamu Tezuka that was published in tankōbon form in 1950.
Based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's closet play Faust, Osamu Tezuka came up with his own version of the classic German story.
In the manga, Mephisto is a proud, confident devil who is causing much havoc and violence in the world. One of his most sinister acts is sending angels to fall to Earth, making them fallen angels. Witnessing this, God grants new life to the fallen angel as she is reborn as Princess Margaret, daughter of the King: Charles V. God then confronts Mephisto and bets him that he can not take the soul of Heinrich Faust, God's favorite human at the time, to Hell. Sure of his ability, Mephisto agrees to God's wager and heads down to Earth to get Faust away from righteous pursuits so that he can take his soul.
On Earth, Faust has hit a roadblock in his studies. He believes that no matter how hard he studies, he won't be able to reach his goals. Before him, Mephisto appears as a black furred, white eared and tailed poodle. Turning into a kind of anthropomorphic animal, he offers to grant Faust's every desire. Faust signs a contract with Mephisto, agreeing that Mephisto can have his soul if Mephisto can satisfy everything that Faust desires.
The rest of the manga details Faust's journeys to win the love of Margaret, meet the demands of the King in finding the beautiful Goddess Helen, and blends Faust Part One and Faust Part Two together.
NOTE: Character names are listed under the English translation of the Japanese names used in the manga, followed by a more proper English translation as found in translations of Goethe's Faust.
When creating this manga, Osamu Tezuka applied a cartoony style of caricature to Goethe's masterpiece. He did this with the intent of helping manga become an important medium in Japanese culture. It allowed serious subject matter to be portrayed in a style that would normally be reserved for more light-hearted material.