Genre: Medical Drama
Company: Tezuka Productions | Akita Publishing | Columbia Entertainment
American Liscensing Company: Manga Entertainment
Format: 1 movie
Dates: 11/30/1996
Original Creator: Osamu Tezuka
Age Rating: 15-18 and up

Synopsis: Black Jack is a reknowned and extremely gifted doctor and surgeon. But, his high fees (never more than what one can afford, however) and all his highly critical and taboo cases have made him a legend...and a doctor practicing without a license. At the 1996 Olympics, several records are broken, and thus the new age of so called "superhumans" is born. However, a few years later, it seems these superhumans are dying at alarming rates. The mysterious woman, Jo Carol, blackmails Black Jack to help her find the cause of this epidemic sweeping over superhumans. It seems that being superhuman isn't evolution, but a disease...and it may have not happened naturally either.

SCORE: 77%

Plot: The plot does exist! I didn't really care for this movie however, because it was a medical drama (even though it's a Osamu Tezuka creation, and I love Osamu Tezuka work). But, putting that aside, the plot was very good and worked well. Nothing extraordinary happens really in this movie that isn't at least halfway expected, and it rides more on visuals and the retro feel of old characters like Black Jack and his assistant Pinoko. But, it is a nice anime if you like medical dramas or if you have a boring afternoon or evening to spare. However, if you are checking out this movie just because it is a medical drama, expect to be a little disappointed. The medical subjects are all over the movie, but even I myself (who know little to nothing about medicine) knows that the situations and the surgery in this movie seemed a bit outlandish and unrealisitic.

The plot exists, but the background story of the character Jo Carol seemed a bit out of place and dumb, in an attempt to add more character to a character, which was unneeded. Her story was also told in just one scene, and a really unrealistic one at that (SPOILER: I mean, just how long can you talk about your childhood after being shot in the chest several times?). The way some characters died also seemed rather unneeded and out of place.

I did find it interesting how this movie took place mostly in the U.S. and especially in New York. There was a wide variety of characters with real different cultures and backgrounds, and everyone wasn't Japanese (although everyone spoke it!). This was kinda different for an anime, and nice to see how Japanese writers and animators see American and other world culture.

Visual: The biggest reason why I disliked this movie was the visuals, even with its retro feel. The visuals are beautiful, and the views of sugery or the structure of a character's insides are amazing. However, the use of detailed stills that would just pop up in scenes annoyed me to no end. These still shots are common in anime (such as Sailor Moon) and I hate them. A still is one thing, but I personally don't like these stills in all their exgerrated line glory.

Sound: Voices worked wonderfully. Sound effects were good. BOY, DID I HATE THE MUSIC!

The opening theme (or rather, the music theme for the whole movie) is an annoying, horrible Jpop song (or it might not even be Jpop. It sounds more like a bad Japanese Soul song from the 60s). I fastfowarded through the beginning of the movie because of this song (the very first time I saw the movie, so I wouldn't have to listen to it all)! But I sure did hear it later...as it was once again used in an escape scene. This song is annoying, sounds horrible, and is utterly out of place in this movie, and especially in the escape theme. The rest of the soundtrack was fine and worked, but not this song! This song has to be near to number one on my list of songs I hate.

The Dub: Not bad! Good voice matches, and the quality of the voices matched the quality of the movie. However, the desert boy at the end of the movie sounded like Hadji off Jonny Quest, which I found unneeded and stupid. The script was also screwed with a little, with slight, but noticeable line changes.

Dub Letter Grade: B

Extra Rants and Bitching: Not a favorite. If you're bored and like medical stuff, this is the movie for you.

Score Comments: I didn't dock this anime for it's plot or subject, even if it is a genre I don't like. I just could not stand some of the visuals, and most certainly the music. But, hey. You may like it!

Websites:
Tezuka Osamu @ World
Manga Entertainment

Have a website about this series, or do you know of a good one? Want me to link to it on this review? Well, the feel free to email the sucker to me! Just make sure to put "Review Link" in the subject.