Osamu Tezuka was inspired to create the "Phoenix" saga after listening to Igor Stravinsky's symphonies, some of which feature in this film.
While the film's story is completely original, it incorporates elements from the various tales in the "Phoenix" anthology:
- 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.
Many of the film's characters were taken from Osamu Tezuka's comics:
- 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.
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.
This film employed the use of a rotoscope, one of the few anime films to have done so.