Synopsis
Spanning from ancient times to the far future, Hi no Tori depicts how the legendary immortal bird Phoenix acts as a witness and chronicler for humanity's unending struggle in pursuit of power, justice, and freedom. The story is divided into five arcs: 1. Reimei-hen (Dawn), 2. Fukkatsu-hen (Resurrection), 3. Igyou-hen (Transformation), 4. Taiyou-hen (The Sun), 5. Mirai-hen (Future).
Background
The 2004 Hi no Tori TV series adapts five of Osamu Tezuka's manga chapters into thirteen episodes; in no particular order, they are the first, second, sixth, 11th, and 12th chapters. The animators did not try to copy Tezuka's drawing style and instead opted for a more generic style of TV animation—slick and polished. An English version of the TV series was released by Anime Works in October 2007. In addition to being broadcast in high-definition, the anime's soundtrack features some of Tezuka's favorite music, such as Beethoven as well as the inclusion and usage of ancient Chinese instruments.