MW is a seinen manga that was serialized and realized during 1976 to 1978. It's plot follows Michio Yuki and Father Girai as they deal with their forbidden relationship and grapple with the consequences of their past.

MW is largely exploitation media. It hamfistedly goes over themes of homosexuality, the power dynamics of sex, the effects of WWII in Japan relating to it's military and culture, christianity, and morality.

The Book of Human Insects was released in 1971 and was written as a reponse to the growing interest in manga made for adults. It often seems to mirror contemporary films released of the time. It plays with movement from panel to panel masterfully. Osamu Tezuka had a great interest in insects and likely named the book to emphasize the grostesque nature of the characters while also highlighting how much he is invested in how they live their lives.