Customer Reviews

Black Jack, Vol. 6

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Being a huge fan of Osamu Tezuka's work, I immediately purchased this when I saw that it had been released. While I'll admit that not every story in the series so far has been something I'd want to re-read over & over again (mostly due to sad subject matter), each story has been a gem. Honestly, I have to wonder why it took so long for this series to come back into circulation here in the US, especially considering the glut of hospital & medical shows that have come out in the last 10 years. Vertical Publishing, I thank you for not only bringing this series back but also making a very strong attempt to keep the series as close to it's original adaptation as possible.

The stories in this volume are as always, self contained stories. So if you are a new reader, feel free to jump into this volume. While some of the stories in the series do mention a bit of a back story, almost all of the volumes can be read independently of the other. This one is no exception. The stories in this volume range from a persnickety old man caring for a tree to a story where a young man has fallen into an active volcano! I have to admit my favorite story was one that showed that despite being a surgeon who often demands insanely high prices, he does have very strong convictions. (The story I'm referring to is one where Black Jack was imprisoned for being an unlicensed doctor & was not allowed by the medical board to operate on a dying patient.)

I really can't say enough good things about this series. It's been one of my favorites ever since Viz first made the attempt to release it years ago & foolishly let their license lapse. (Among other wonderful titles that Viz let slip through their fingers.) While the average medical student (or just savvy patient) can notice the improbable feats that occasionally happen in the manga, it's the wonderful storytelling & beautiful artwork that really grips the reader. I can honestly say that while I've seen several people attempt to copy his style, I've rarely seen artwork as expressive & cartoonish as Tezuka's- let alone at the same time! Still, I do have to stop & realize that some people may not be used to this form of manga art, but I implore them to give the series a very good chance before they turn their backs on it!

If you're reading this review, you probably already know that Osamu Tezuka is known as the "God of Manga" in Japan. You know that before becoming an artist full-time, Tezuka graduated from medical school. Tezuka's most developed character is "Black Jack," a "super doctor," an un-licensed maverick who is a fantastic surgeon. His exploits are so over-the-top, he must be Tezuka's dream of what a doctor could be. He has his flaws, such as his scarred face, and his greed for money, which at this point in the series we don't really understand.

In this volume of Black Jack stories, Tezuka really puts Black Jack through the wringer- he's arrested, caught in earthquakes, fails at operations, threatened by organized crime figures- you name it. What is special about this collection of stories is the way the Japanese culture and Tezuka's philosophy comes through. It's obvious after reading dozens of Black Jack stories that the Japanese people live everyday with fear of earthquakes. They also struggle with the rigidity of the culture which has its good points and equally interesting bad points. Finally, the deeper question of man vs. nature comes up again, as Tezuka subtly shows his environmentalist views.

One note I've neglected to mention on my reviews of the various Black Jack books- the translation work is very good. I'm not fluent in Japanese, although I can read Kanji. What's especially helpful is when the author adds notes at the bottom of the page explaining ways Tezuka plays with names to create a sense of irony, or to even openly mock public figures and other Manga artists. We will never get 100% of the experience of a native Japanese reader, but this translator does a great job of getting us close.