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Renowned animator/comic writer Osamu Tezuka has described the "Hi No Tori" ("Phoenix") comic as the culmination of his life's work, and (along with others) acknowledges it as his masterpiece.
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Osamu Tezuka was inspired to create the "Phoenix" saga after listening to Igor Stravinsky's symphonies, some of which feature in this film.
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While the film's story is completely original, it incorporates elements from the various tales in the "Phoenix" anthology:
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- the setting of the tale (a worn-out planet populated by people and run by computers) was taken from the "Future" story;
- the hunt for the Phoenix amidst political conflict is drawn from the "Turbulent Times" story;
- the space odyssey with Dr Saruta was inspired by the "Space" story;
- Godo's return to his homeworld (even though he lives on a paradisaical planet) is based on the "Nostalgia" story;
- and the two opposite central characters (Godo and Rock) whose lives are altered forever by the Phoenix was taken from the "Karma" story.
The film holds an unusual legacy as a combination of Osamu Tezuka's humanitarian fantasy, the use of western-styled animation, and a stellar musical score by Yasuo Higuchi.
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The film won the Inkpot Award at the 1980 San Diego Comic Convention and the Animation Award at the 1980 Las Vegas Film Festival.
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Osamu Tezuka reportedly was inspired by Walt Disney films, and this feature drew much of its sequences from Disney features:
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- the sequence where several creatures dance with a mop is based on Fantasia;
- Orga's love for Godo is comparable to Cinderella's love for Pirnce Charming;
- Rena's pet creature is named Pincho, as a tribute to Pinocchio;
- and Orga's conversion from robot to human was taken from Pinocchio.
Many of the film's characters were taken from Osamu Tezuka's comics:
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- Godo is based on the heroic Kenichi Shikishima, who has appeared in many of Tezuka's stories;
- the villainous Rock has also appeared in many of Tezuka's stories;
- the robotic girl Orga is a tribute to the "Metropolis" character Michi, as well as the more famous Astro Boy;
- Rena, the politician's daughter, is based on Princess Sapphire from the "Princess Knight" comic;
- A character named Saruta appears in all of the "Phoenix" stories;
- Ban is a prominent member of the "Astro Boy" saga;
- and the Iceland prison warden is the surgeon Black Jack, the hero of his own comic.
The film's Japanese title "Ai no kosumozon" sounds a little strange as it incorporates the word "kosumozon", assumed by most to be a portmanteau of the English words "kosumo" ("cosmo") and "zon" ("zone"). However, according to Osamu Tezuka the "zon" is referring to "zoon", the Greek word for "life" (as used in the term "zoology"). Thus, "kosumozon" is meant to mean "space lifeform", which is a more sensible title as it refers to the Phoenix.
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A two-meter long model of Godo's ship was constructed to use as a basis for filming some of the space sequences.
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