Black Jack (1996)
"Burakku jakku" (original title)

The adventures of the unlicensed but genius doctor Black Jack, who encounters extraordinary people and phenomena as he attends to unusual medical cases.

Directors:

Osamu Dezaki, Fumihiro Yoshimura

Writers:

Bob Buchholz, Osamu Dezaki,

Stars:

Hiroshi Fujioka, Kirk Thornton, Akio Ôtsuka

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hiroshi Fujioka
Kirk Thornton	...	Black Jack (voice) (as Sean Thornton)
Akio Ôtsuka	...	Black Jack (voice)
Julie Maddalena	...	Pinoko (voice) (as Julie Kliewer)
Yûko Mizutani	...	Pinoko (voice)
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn	...	Jo Carol Brane (voice) (as Melissa Williamson)
Michael Sorich	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Barry Stigler	...	Thomas Johnston (voice) (as Gil Starberry)
Lex Lang	...	Additional Voices (voice) (as Alexis Lang)
Daran Norris	...	(voice) (as Rob Thomas)
Dougary Grant	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Michael Forest	...	Roger Siegel (voice) (as Alfred Thor)
Bridget Hoffman	...	Ellen Shryer (voice) (as Tessa Ariel)
BJ Harrison	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Simon Prescott	...	Panel Host, Professor Michigan (voice) (as Simon Isaacson)

Storyline

Based on the famous Japanese comic by Osamu Tezuka. Black Jack is a mysterious surgeon of incredible skill. He has no license and will only perform operations for large sums of money.

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Plot Keywords:

anime | medical | based on comic

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Genres:

Animation | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Germany Japan

Language:

Japanese German

Release Date:

22 May 1996 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Black Jack

Company Credits

Production Co:

Akita Publishing, Black Jack Committee, Tezuka Production Company Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

In each of the episodes, a medical advisor was brought in to assist in making the ailments and medical procedures as realistic as possible.

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Quotes

Black Jack: I don't believe coincidence can happen a third time... at least, not until now.

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Connections

Followed by Black Jack II (2000)

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Soundtracks

"Invisible Love"
Performed by Mai Yamane

User Reviews

Typically good

If you love anime (like me), chances are you will like this film. If you hate anime (like lots of North Americans), chances are you will dislike this film. Come to think of it, that may be all the review that's required, but I'll keep going anyway.

This film is an exemplary example of one of the things I love about anime: the fact that the scripts are not obsessed with backstory. This film is replete with fascinating points about the characters that are never explained; the hero has a pretty horrible scar/skin graft on his face; he lives with a little girl who may or may not be his daughter, adopted or otherwise; the MSJ (Medical Soldiers for Justice) is a neat concept which is simply taken as part of the story, without any exposition. The list goes on and on.

It's an irritating thing that lots of Western viewers seem so unwilling to use their imaginations or think for themselves, but instead insist on being led by the hand through stories. Lots of anime films are based on huge mangas, however, so Japanese filmmakers have refined techniques of paring the story down only to what's absolutely essential to move the films forward. The resultant films almost always work excellently.

Black Jack is typical anime -- short and concise, unrelentingly urban, occasionally gory and often cynical. It seems to have more heart than some of its brethren at times, what with the daughter subplot and the (rather heavy-handed) environmental moral.

Oh, and for a priceless moment, watch for when Pinoko does the jigsaw puzzle. It's a big picture of Astro-Boy, Osamu Tezuka's most famous creation!