In the sixth volume of manga visionary Osamu Tezuka's Buddha, the devil Mara possesses the bandit Ananda, half-brother of Devadatta, in an effort to eliminate the Buddha. A ruthless killer who is impervious to physical harm, Ananda will retain the devil's favor only if he spurns his love interest.

When Ananda and his bandit buddy attack the Fire Shrine of the Brahmin brothers Kassapa, it is none other than the Awakened One who happens by. Buddha must confront his eternal enemy, Mara, before he can open the eyes of arrogant priests and hardened criminals.

Japanese comics godfather Osamu Tezuka tells the story of Buddha's life like it's never been told before. Entertaining, visually spectacular, and warm, Buddha (an 8-volume work to be published in gorgeous hardcovers and paperbacks designed by Chip Kidd) is the ultimate example of Tezuka's artistic mastery. His consummate skill at visual expression and warm humanity blossom fully in this epic of Siddhartha's life and times. The masterpiece is one that all ages and persuasions can enjoy.

Buddha, Volume 6: Ananda, Osamu Tezuka, Vertical, Paperback, 370 pp., $14.95

Osamu Tezuka (1928-89) is the godfather of Japanese manga comics. A genuine intellectual, deeply familiar with Western culture from the Bible to Goethe to Hollywood, Tezuka originally intended to become a doctor and received an M.D. Had he not turned to the belittled art of manga storytelling, the medium may never have acquired its capacity for seriousness and depth. Though many have followed his example, it is still Tezuka who draws the deepest awe with his sweeping vision, deftly intertwined plots, persuasive characters, feel for the workings of power, and above all, an indefatigable commitment to human dignity and the sanctity of life.