The Three-eyed One

The Three-Eyed One is a romance SF manga by Osamu Tezuka. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 7 July 1974 through 19 March 1978 and was later published into thirteen tankōbon by Kodansha. This story is about Hosuke Sharaku, the heir to the long lost super civilization of the "Three Eyed Ones", and his best friend, Chiyoko Wato, with whom he solves various problems, often of his own doing. In 1977, The Three-Eyed One tied with another Tezuka manga, Black Jack, for the Kodansha Manga Award. The manga has since spawned a TV special by Shueisha and later an anime whose 48 episodes ran from 18 October 1990 through 26 September 1991. The main character appears in three video games: Mittsume ga Tooru by Natsume on the MSX in 1989, Mittsume ga Tooru/The Three-Eyed One by Tomy on the NES in 1992, Astro Boy: Omega Factor by Sega on the Game Boy Advance and Astro Boy by Sega on the PlayStation 2.

Directed by Osamu Tezuka, The Three-eyed One leans on a strong ensemble — Naoko Matsui, Kazue Ikura, Kenichi Ogata — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about animation titles of 1990.