Synopsis:
Black Jack is a master surgeon without a license, feared and revered in equal measure. He accepts almost any case for the right fee, and though those fees are notoriously steep, they’re justified by his ability to perform medical miracles that other doctors simply cannot. This dark medical drama sees Black Jack travelling the world, oftentimes with his assistant Pinoko, while being tasked with unravelling some of the most bizarre and deadly medical mysteries imaginable.
The Good:
The chance to see a director with such a distinct visual style like Osamu Dezaki take on a story from the most legendary anime and manga creator of all time, Osamu Tezuka, is something that simply cannot be passed up. Dezaki’s stunning visuals powerfully convey stories that explore themes ranging from environmentalism to political corruption—issues that resonate today as strongly, if not more so, than when they were first created. Considering the original manga was written in the 70s and these OVAs began being animated in the early nineties, the fact that this collection has aged like a fine wine is all the more impressive. Being able to see all of these episodes in HD quality for the first time is absolutely a feast for the eyes, especially with Dezaki at the helm.
This collection of two disks doesn’t just contain epic visuals and engaging stories, either. Episodes 1-10 have English dubs that provide a quality viewing experience, defying stereotypes of older anime dubs being painful to listen to. The entire collection is also available to watch in Japanese with English subtitles. The commentary tracks with director Dezaki himself are available on three different episodes throughout the series and provide so much insight into the process behind making these OVAs come to life. There are also interviews with the directors of episodes 11 and 12 alongside interviews with voice actors, not to mention some of the original promotion materials that are a delight to dig into.
Since episodes 1–7 can also be viewed in their original 4:3 aspect ratio, I had the absolute pleasure of hooking my Blu-ray player up to an old CRT via an adapter for a “retro” viewing experience. There’s something uniquely satisfying about experiencing a work as close to its original presentation as possible and then measuring that against how it looks today. It’s a small inclusion, but one that clearly comes from people who genuinely care about the show’s history, and it absolutely deserves praise.
The Bad:
Fans of medical mysteries who enjoy playing armchair diagnostician should know upfront that Black Jack is not a series that plays well with. Instead of nailing down symptoms until a final diagnosis of something like lupus is found, Black Jack will be doing things like uncovering an illicit drug trafficking ring after performing a nearly impossible surgery to save a patient or trying to keep a freedom fighter alive during an international military conflict. Episodes tend to be bizarre and over-the-top more so than typical medical drama. There will be episodes with downright mythical elements that defy scientific explanation. This is not necessarily a negative, but could be for viewers who go in with the wrong expectations.
Having all of these OVAs collected in one excellent package is undeniably convenient. That said, their highly episodic nature and lack of continuity make them ill-suited for binge-watching. Spacing out viewings, giving each episode room to breathe, reflecting on its themes, and fully appreciating the striking visuals that only a director like Osamu Dezaki could deliver is a far more enjoyable way to watch the series.
This ties into a broader issue with the series. None of the individual OVAs have outright bad stories, but several are genuinely brilliant, while others are merely serviceable. Taken together, however, this unevenness causes the collection to feel oddly average, which feels unfair to its standout episodes but is difficult to ignore when watching them consecutively.
Now for the elephant in the operating theater: Pinoko. If Pinoko has no haters, I’m no longer alive. I understand that Pinoko is supposed to be some sort of comedic relief, but Dezaki also considered cutting her from the OVAs entirely and that would have been a far better decision. I do not want to see a girl who looks like a child and seems to have the maturity of one flirting with fully grown men and I do not care that she is technically 18 years old. I’m not trying to be a prude here, either; I dislike her antics because rather than softening emotionally heavy stories were needed, Pinoko detonates like a pipe bomb, obliterating whatever gravitas most episodes she appears in had managed to build. Osamu Tezuka may have been the “Godfather of Manga” but even he was capable of making mistakes. Maybe she was better in the original manga, but I couldn’t stand her in animated form.
The Verdict:
Despite the strong visuals and compelling stories across both discs, Black Jack – The Complete OVA Series will resonate far more with viewers who actively explore anime beyond the mainstream than with those who stick to whatever’s currently trending on Netflix or the latest Shonen Jump sensation. The interviews and commentary tracks are excellent bonuses for viewers interested in how the anime sausage gets made, but they’re unlikely to appeal to those who simply want a strong narrative experience—something the OVA series’ uneven storytelling unfortunately doesn’t consistently provide.
With that in mind, it is the perfect gift for someone who either deeply adores work from either Tezuka or Dezaki, or anyone deeply into classic anime. Anyone also willing to put in the time needed to get the most out of the anime they are watching will also find this to be an incredible viewing experience they shouldn’t miss out on.
Where To Purchase: Available to purchase from MediaOCD.
If you liked Black Jack – The Complete OVA Series you might also like…
- Monster
- Pluto
- Mushi-shi
Credits:
- Chief Director: Satoshi Kuwabara, Masayoshi Nishida
- Director: Osamu Dezaki
- Script: Mayumi Morita, Masayoshi Nishida
- Screenplay: Osamu Dezaki, Katsuhiko Koide, Tomoko Konparu, Eto Mori, Yoshio Takeuchi, Kuniaki Yamashita
- Storyboard: Osamu Dezaki, Satoshi Kuwabara, Masayoshi Nishida
- Episode Director: Yoshio Takeuchi
- Music: Eiji Kawamura, Osamu Shōji, Seiji Suzuki
- Original creator: Osamu Tezuka
- Original Manga: Osamu Tezuka
- Original Character Design: Osamu Tezuka
- Character Design: Akio Sugino
- Art Director: Kazuo Okada, Masami Saito, Masato Shibata
- Animation Director: Akio Sugino
- Sound Director: Etsuji Yamada, Tomoaki Yamada
- Director of Photography: Keisuke Nakamura, Hajime Noguchi, Hirokata Takahashi
- Executive producer: Takayuki Matsutani
- Producer: Minoru Kubota, Sumio Udagawa, Hiroyuki Yumoto
- Licensed by: Central Park Media, AnimEigo
Special Thanks: Thank you to AnimEigo / MediaOCD for providing a review copy. Receiving this copy did not affect the reviewer’s opinions as expressed here.
The Good
- Incredibly striking visuals available in HD quality.
- More fantastic special features than you can shake a stick at.
- Some episodes are just as compelling today as when they were released.
The Bad
- Occasional supernatural elements may not appeal to typical medical drama fans.
- The series doesn’t feel particularly good for watching all in a row.
- Pinoko may live on in your nightmares for years to come.
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