Black Jack

About Black Jack

Looking for background on Black Jack (ブラック・ジャック)? This action, adventure and drama series by Tezuka Productions (1993) starts out like this. The setup: In the medical profession, there is a name spoken in hushed tones, of an unlicensed genius physician who can save lives—for a price. His name is Black Jack, and he is a dashing, moody figure, caped in black, a Harlock of medicine, a man who lives by no rules other than his own—and the Hippocratic Oath.

Soon after, a man who would defy the will of God himself in the name of preserving life.

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Voice work is led by Akio Ootsuka as Kuroo Hazama and Yuuko Mizutani as Pinoko. If you count yourself among viewers who like fast, high-impact fights, put it on your list. With 10 episodes in total, there is enough room for the story to develop.

Production & Appeal

Animation is handled by Tezuka Productions, so the studio's house style defines how Black Jack looks and moves on screen. Within the action category, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. At 7.6/10 it earns a solid reception, a safe pick for fans of the genre. On the casting side, Akio Ootsuka voicing Kuroo Hazama gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 1993, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.