Customer Reviews

Black Jack [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This full length medical thriller was created completed in 1996, base on a popular manga series created a decade before by Osamu Tezuka. It's plot, not particularly original then, and much hackneyed now, is the story of an experiment gone out of control. Brane Pharmaceutical has discovered a way to stimulate permanent secretion of endorphins. This has fueled the creation of a group of humans with superhuman abilities, who have just as suddenly begun to burn out and die.

The culprit it the same virus that stimulates the endorphins in the first place, and it has begun to affect others besides the original patients - an artificially created plague. When one of his own patients is affected, Black Jack, a wildcat surgeon, becomes involved. Jo Carol Brane arranged the kidnapping of his ward, Pinoko, to force his cooperation. Black Jack finds the cause, but this only unmasks the source of the danger. It will take a miracle to find the cure and preventative.

By rights, this should have been an exciting story. In the original Japanese, the script is terse and brutal, producing a stylized gothic effect that is enough to overcome a slow moving plot. Unfortunately, the dubbing took extreme liberties with the script and under-acted the parts. The result is a wordy and sometimes tedious performance. After all, the point of the story - the dangers of irresponsible medical research - is obvious enough so that there is no need to belabor it.

Even so it is an interesting film. The art and music are excellent, using a lot of tonality that is unusual in anime work. A little better editing and writing would have made this a memorable effort. Instead, it is only a near miss. A mistake that should never have happened.

Having fond memories of "Astro Boy" from my youth, one day I ventured into the bookstore and picked up "Black Jack" by Osamu Tezuka, the "God of Manga" and creator of my beloved Astro.

I was quite pleased. Tezuka's reputation is well-deserved. The collection of stories used a gifted surgeon on the outskirts of the law as a vehicle for some very interesting morality tales. My favorite story from this first volume has to be that of the young man who is about to kill himself at the beginning of the story, having failed his college entrance exams. But, partially thanks to Black Jack, he learns what a real life and death situation is, and ends up rededicating himself to become a doctor. Tezuka has a real knack for dramatic storytelling, and for cutting right to the heart (no pun intended) of the very unique issue he chooses.

I had all this in my mind when I bought the movie Black Jack, and I suppose I expected the same style of storytelling to be there. Unfortunately, and in hindsight not surprisingly, it wasn't. Black Jack the surgeon was, by all accounts, true to his character, but the story simply is NOT a Black Jack story. Gone are the vital issues of the life of an individual, into which a seemingly god-sent surgeon walks at just the right moment. Gone is the tale of moral absolutism, the evil men receiving their comeuppance and the good men learning from their mistakes. Instead, one is presented with a clumsy story treading the familiar -- and boring -- ground of "corporate greed" and "environmental responsibility."

Poor, poor Black Jack. Surgeon, heal thyself.

This film is about a medical scientist who tries to cure a very deadly disease in olympic athletes through brain sergury. It has a great complex story and brilliant animation. I wouldn't recomend it to children, because it contains some violence, but I'd recomend it to adult animation buffs!

Japanese manga genius Osamu Tezuka, still loved by many fans after his too early death in 1989, left many memorable characters to us, which became something like the cultural icons in Japan. Famous "Astro Boy" is just one of them, and some of them clearly influenced the artists outside japan, like 'Kimba' the Great Lion did -- so some say -- to be the inspiration of 'The Lion King.'

Now, "Black Jack" is one of Tezuka's most popular manga comic series, and it features the mysteries and adventures of one surgeon Kuroo Hazama, usually called 'Black Jack.' His stories have been made into TV series (more than three times, as far as I remember), and even today, at the time of writing this review, Japanese Yomiuri TV is televising animation series of his episodes, which are highly popular now. But, sorry, none of them has surpassed the joy of reading original comic books.

And here you have the 1996 animation version of theatrically released film (in Japan) featuring Black Jack again. The story has the same principal characters -- Black Jack and Pinoko -- and it is about the 'superhumans' and one deadly disease. Receiving a call from a mysterious lady wearing sunglasses, Black Jack is forced to uncover the truths behind the epidemic.

As you can easily guess, the film shows many operation scenes. (Tezuka went to a medical school, and had a lisence though never practiced.) Though shot in animation, some of the operation scenes are pretty shocking and graphic. The disease itself, howvever, is so incredible, and the 'cure' is laughable. Actually, though Tezuka was no longer with us when the film was in production, his own comic was full of such far-fetched episodes that the unbelievable story was no surprise to me.

But the problem with the film is how to present this interesting character Black Jack, anti-hero, lonely, cynical and unlisenced surgeon whose medical skills are one of the best in the world. He usually demands exorbitant amount of money from his patients, but often refuses to receive anything when he thinks it appropriate. The filmed version fails to make good use of his dark side especially in the latter half, where the director Osamu Dezaki is too busy to follow the story. And when it comes close to the ending, the disturbing (and intriguing) elements seen at the start have already disappeared.

[ONE UNIQUE STYLE] One unique visual style is employed at the key moments of the story, and that is what we call 'Gekiga-style' in which things get stop/slow motion, and the character(s) are drawn with exagerated facial expressions, This style can be often seen employed in Japanese manga comic, but Osamu Dezaki's idea of bringing it into the world of anime film looks, I am afraid, out of place.

The strength of Tezuka manga lies in its characters, and those characters are best expressed in his original manga comics. As a feature film, 'Black Jack' is so-so. But not everyone loves the world of original Black Jack -- Tezuka's comparatively darker works -- and whether or not you like this animated film is after all the matter of acquired taste. Perhaps you might prefer less dark animation 'Metropolis,' another film based on Tezuka's works.

Truly trivial things. Black Jack's real name is Hazama Kuroo, which, when written in Chinese letters and read in another way, can be read 'Makkuroo' which means (roughly) 'Pitch Black.' It is one of Tezuka's jokes in his comics. Anyway, you know, you should read the comics first, and then watch this film.

Black Jack is a specially skilled secret surgeon who can save anyone in surgery. The movie is good, and the series is even better. To watch Black Jack subtitled TV episodes, go to www.froth-bite.com

Before I even bought this movie, I read up on it a lot. I checked all the critics' reviews, and was encouraged by the fact that they recommended it. Bad mistake. When I first watched it, my hopes were very disappointed. I was not at all expecting what I got.

The animation, while good, was not quite spectacular. I didn't enjoy the character design very much, and constantly the animators throw in the manga-stop effect, which really irritated me. After watching it, I grumbled, "Great, now I have this stupid DVD and what am I going to do with it?!"

So why the four stars then? Simply this: I watched it again, after a space of a few months, and with a lot less expectations. And this time, I really enjoyed it. The story was involving, and the animation impressed me a little more than it had before, particularly the scenes in surgery. Black Jack's "daughter" Pinoko still annoyed me, since her character design was jarringly different from the rest of the characters, as though they tried to make her too cute even though her character is supposed to be 18. And the stop-manga effect was still somewhat irritating. But overall, these were only petty annoyances.

Black Jack the movie is an enjoyable hour or two. But don't make the same mistake I did, and blindly take my word for it! If you liked ER, you might like this. If you hate medical shows with a passion, steer clear.

I have to say that everything that Manga produces is amazing.This movie however, was a litle below my expectations of 5 stars, but more than good enough for 4.

The movie is about a Doctor named Blackjack who performs surgeries illegally without a license. HE is the best of his profession though.

One day, "superhumans" (a human with beyond-average skills) start dying through a sickness called "endorf-A"

It causes them to age inside but not out. So in a few days, they age and die.

Blackjack gets involved in the curing of endorf-a, and soon catches it himself.

I cannot reveal anymore of the plot, or it would spoil the whole column.

Anyways, this was an excellent piece of work by Manga, but there were some plotholes like who is that little girl that he loves so much.

4 stars.

awful, I tell you. Other reviewers I'm sure have never read the manga version of Black Jack. Kuroo Hazama, AKA Black Jack (Translation of Kuroo = Black Jack)is an unlicensed surgeon who is full of humanity but is for reasons unknown (actually it's known) don't want to show it. Movie is bad, it's not even watchable. Probably because Mr. Tezuka was dead when this movie went into production. Write to Tezuka production, tell them they need to spread the legacy Osamu Tezuka who was doctor himself. In Japan, there are almost no doctors that haven't read Black Jack. It also inspired many young readers to become doctors in Japan. DO THEM JUSTICE. Inspire more young readers to become doctors not because of the money but for the reason Black Jack does. To save people.
"But, I will still treat people. Because that's who I am."
"I don't want your pitty. All I want is respect. Not to me but to the patient you killed that his parents sweat blood for me to save."
Great lines by Dr. Black Jack

This is personally one of my most favorite stand-alone early anime movies (though there are more than one seasons to it, and quite a few OVAs, you can enjoy this movie without having seen any of them).

Black Jack is a near-miracle working private doctor who is claimed to have the hands of God-- renowned for his work though he doesn't even supposedly have a medical license. One need only to call, list their name and condition.....and offer what they will pay for his services.

When a mysterious new race of 'super humans' begin to fall ill and die, one by one, Black Jack somewhat both blackmailed and hired into finding a cure-- but some may not like the cost of being saved.

A well rounded movie with twists of comedy and a dark swirl of plot, this movie will no doubtedly be enjoyed more by adults, but can also be a good watch for teenage viewers.

I found this movie to be medically accurate, with some really well done anatomical drawings. The concept is plausable, and the mystery and strangeness of "black Jack" is intreging. If you are looking for a action packed Anime, this will not due for you. However if you are looking for a psycological story this is a phenominal watch... it does not have a lot of re-watchablilty, but it is a must see once. That and a surgeon blessed with the hands of God just sounds cool.