Wonder 3

Wonder 3, known in Japan as W3, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday between 1965 and 1966. Created by the legendary Osamu Tezuka, the series follows three extraterrestrials—a rabbit, a duck, and a horse—who arrive on Earth to determine whether the planet should be preserved or destroyed to prevent it from harming the rest of the galaxy. The narrative reflects Tezuka’s ongoing interest in science fiction, environmentalism, and the intersection of human morality with advanced technology.

The design of the characters and the overall aesthetic were deeply influenced by Tezuka's background in animation and his desire to blend humorous, cartoony character models with darker, high-stakes themes. While the production was famously hampered by a dispute with the publisher that led Tezuka to temporarily move the series to another magazine, the work remains a significant artifact of mid-sixties manga. It is widely regarded as a precursor to more complex ecological dramas in Japanese comics, praised for its innovative pacing and the whimsical but earnest nature of its protagonists.