hi no tori
Phoenix (火の鳥 Hi no Tori, "Bird of Fire") is a manga series created by Tezuka Osamu.
Tezuka considered Phoenix his "Life's work". It is collected in 12 manga books, each one telling a separate, self-contained story and taking place in different eras. The plots go back and forth from the remote future (Science Fiction) to ancient times. The cycle remains unfinished because of Tezuka's death. Most of the stories deal with the search for immortality and reincarnation, symbolized by the mythical firebird.
Several of the stories have been adapted into anime series and OVAs, and even a live-action movie. As of 2007, the entire manga series is available in English-language translations.