Possibly the best introduction to Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack. This OVA series features a more mature & darker tone than its other anime counterparts. The focus of this version is Black Jack's character as he is portrayed more mysterious here especially when Pinoko is hardly around. Black Jack is known as the surgeon with the hands of god as he can accomplish difficult feats in medical science. The appeal of this doctor is his lack of a license therefore asking for huge sums of money & often dealing with shady customers such as mafia & the like. While his motivations can be unclear at first,it all comes full circle once the operation proceeds. This character best represents Tezuka's own beliefs & background as he did study for medical practice. Each episode is own tale ranging from medical epidemics, environmental issues, the consequences of war & the study of human emotions. Most tales are quite tragic questioning whether things were meant to be or could we learn from our past mistakes. While the original manga was more humorous & kid friendly such as Black Jack Tv, this OVA places emphasis on a seinen tone where nothing is sugar coated to hide the dark truths of society. Tezuka has always believed that life & peace are sacred, & Black Jack is the closest to a representation of those beliefs. While the world can be gray, there's always a shred of humanity that endures the struggle to eventually find solace on this Earth. Episodes can be hit or miss (definitely ep 6 & 3 was a bit out of place for me) but pull through & you'll see Tezuka's skills as a writer. Also Black Jack Final(eps 11 &12) are 2 recently made episodes from 2011 being the lastly made Black Jack material thus far. If you enjoyed this series then I highly recommend the following: Black Jack The Movie (1996) Black Jack The Two Doctors of Darkness Black Jack TV Black Jack 21 Monster Mushishi

Story 10/10 The story follows Black Jack tackling many cases. Each episode follows a different case. So, unlike the Black Jack TV show that came out in the 2000s, this "Black Jack" series is much darker. It is not family friendly. Art 10/10 For a 90s anime, the art is outstanding. It's got that neo-noir kind of feel. They had a lot of OVAs that came out in the 90s, then they stopped for a bit, I believe. And they resumed in 2011, and they pretty much kept the same art style. I'm amazed that after all those years, they managed to keep the same art style and modernizeit! So, the art is amazing and I really respect them for being able to keep the same art style while also modernizing it! Sound 9/10 The series has four openings and four endings: Just Before Sunrise by Rhodes, Kioku no Kimi eby Another Moon, Moon Shadow by The Orange Vox, Rebirth by Kudo Eiko (openings); I'll Be Back Again --- Moonlight by Rhodes, Kono omoi tsutaerareru (I Thought I Could Convey This Feeling...) by Another Moon, Black Jack by The Orange Vox, HOPE --- Not to be defeated, not to cry, and not to be daunted by Kudo Eiko (endings). I really like how they changed up the openings and endings depending on the episode. The reason I gave it a 9 out of 10 is because I thought ending 1 wasn't the greatest ending because it's pretty much a rock song and all their openings are pretty much rock songs, and at the end of each case, it's sad so I thought the best ending would be a mellow song and ending 1 wasn't a mellow song. But overall, the soundtrack is just great. Character 10/10 So, if some people recall my review of the Black Jack TV show in the 2000s, I said that a bit of an issue was that the TV show didn't really go in-depth on their patients. Well, in the OVA, this issue is fixed. Not only do they go in-depth on how Black Jack views his patients, but they also go in-depth on the patient's past. We also see Black Jack interact more with his patients and grow a bit closer to them even. Also, Pinoco does not follow Black Jack in the OVA series, but in the appearances she made, they are good. I honestly prefer Black Jack alone rather than with Pinoco (Pinoco always follows Black Jack in the TV series). Enjoyment 10/10 I honestly couldn't really find flaws with the OVA series. Everything is just good and the show keeps me intrigued and I feel some sense of sadness out of each case. I mean, this is a dark OVA, so it's suppose to make you a bit sad at times. But, I overall really enjoyed this OVA series. Overall 10/10 To me, this series is just perfect in so many ways. I really can't find a flaw. So now people may ask, which one should I watch: The OVA series or the TV show? Honestly, watch both! They're both really good, they just have a different tones. If you're looking for something really dark and edgy, then watch the OVA series. If you're looking for something fun, watch the TV series. But, honestly, I recommend both. To me, the OVA series was a bit better, but it honestly comes close 'cause I also really like the TV series. But, I really recommend both. Thanks for reading. Let me know your thoughts on this review and any feedback you may have for me. Until next time!

I enjoy shows about doctors and their stories about how they help heal the sick and injured, so when I came across a show called "Black Jack", I was intrigued. After reading the description, the show seemed too dark for me, so I was a little nervous to watch it. I'm sure glad I did end up watching it, because this turned out to be one of my favorite anime out there. I especially loved how the episodes were an hour each, giving more time for plot development and drama in each episode. The accuracy of the medical information is incredible and the stories of thepatients were amazing. I've watched the episodes over and over again and I still love them. Each episode is completely different from the last making you unaware of what will happen next. Some stories I wish ended differently, but they were still outstanding. It was a pleasure to watch.

First things first. My "reviews" system is explained on a blog entry. Which can be found through my profile. ------ ✦Story Watched OVA series after the newer TV series, nevertheless I found the story more boring. Had too much war mumbo jumbo, a really far-fetched cases, supernatural cases. Found at times story quite dull and boring. It wasn't bad, but probably story rating is affected by watching TV series beforehand (which had more earth-bound and medical cases) ✦Art & Sound Absolutely beautiful art, animation and artistic side. Casually naked breast, that didn't feel fanservice'ly, but more of natural occurrence. Surgeries also felt really well presented. But, It loses perfect scorewith those smiles. Smiles that character provided were straight-on ugly and disturbing. Music and OST was fine for the most part, did like some tracks, while some had no presence. But in the end I found music and OST quite good. ✦Character The usual, genius kind doctor, that built himself as greedy, evil blackmailing doctor. And a really, really annoying sidekick brat. Rest characters are case-specific and sidekicks. Most were build up fair enough. Some were intriguing, some I hated, some I liked. In short, characters were good enough. ✦Enjoyment & Overall As mentioned before. I liked TV series more as the cases were more medical and interesting. Whilst OVA had too much of war, supernatural and far-fetched cases. The earth-bound ones I liked, but in the end I still enjoyed overall newer series more, whilst this had beautiful Art & Animation.

Preview Review 3: Another spoiler-free review, I'll make this quick. If you're looking for a 90's OVA, this one's great to pick up. Here's why. Story - 7 Originally from the 60's, it isn't complex. It's a very episodic mystery-of-the-week-type deal, and done very well. I'd say 3 or 4 of the episodes felt a tad slow to me, but most were gripping and dramatic. A little larger than life, pushing the medical-based mystery to its peak. Exactly what I wanted from episode 1 on. Art/Sound - 9/7 A rehash of the original Tezuka series, the base character design is very simple. But with that 90's flare and serious mood,the OVA presents gritty experience for its time, and holds strong to-day. They were released throughout the 90's and hold their style well, with increased fidelity as the series progresses. And with the last two coming out eleven years later, the quality jump is a little jarring, but not bad. Character - 8 Perhaps the "weakest" part of the show, simply because there's nothing too crazy here. Say, when you compare superheros of the 50's to the 80's, you'd notice how new characters have more dynamic qualities to them compared to older ones. And very often those older heroes would have more details and nuance added in over time to keep up with their newer counterparts. Well this series doesn't really do that. Other than what's required for the medical practice needed, Black Jack sticks to his roots and keeps it simple. But the character writing is strong enough that it works. It keeps the show easy to watch, you won't get lost in any character dynamics if you missed an episode (as if you'd skip one) Enjoyment - 8 While the characters are perhaps a little vapid, it's because the strength of the show is the whole package. Every episode is easy to watch. Very good one at a time, and in any order if you wanted to try. This show presents each episode so well, it's like each is a stand-alone 50 minute movie. I can dig that. Overall - 8 I've known about this series for a long time, but never got around to it. Glad I finally did though, it is so solid throughout. A lot of people who watch newer shows would do well to watch this, it's entirely different than what's coming out today, but high enough quality to keep most anyone interested. If you're looking for a show you wanna watch a little bit over a long time, this is sitting right here for you.

The entire series is very entertaining to someone who knows very little about medicine, but if you know a lot about science and doctor stuff, then you may think it's ridiculous since there are a lot of supernatural diseases and made up cures, but still, I believe you can enjoy it. If you're unfamiliar with blackjack, this OVA is a good introduction. It has a very serious, dark art style. Each episode left me feeling something, and I don't think I was bored at all. Personally, I had a great time watching this OVA series of Black Jack. This may be the best so far.

Having decided to watch this anime out of pure boredom, I didn't know what to expect. God, what a beautiful discovery. Black Jack turned out to be a fantastic surprise, a dark and dark series full of melancholy with an incredible protagonist. The plot of the episodes varies from episode to episode, as the latter are self-contained. The story features Black Jack as the protagonist, a disbarred and unlicensed doctor who wanders the world in search of patients ready to spend crazy amounts of money to be treated. A fairly simple plot that develops with self-contained episodes. All different but with the common thread of ourprotagonist. The stories told in the episodes are all very interesting and well told, except for a couple, namely the first which I found a little too messed up and the eighth, definitely too strange. The rest of the episodes are iconic. The characters are excellent: Black Jack is an exceptional protagonist. The recurring secondary characters are few but those are good too. The protagonist characters, however, of the individual episodes are all very interesting with different stories each time and which touch on very different and profound themes, such as mental illnesses or love. I found the animation very enjoyable, despite the year of production. The art style and atmosphere are spot on with dark tones and episodes, especially the ones where Jack is alone, really dark. The soundtrack is very successful, with an excellent theme song and the right songs always at the right time. Truly recommended, even for those who understand nothing about medicine like me because, although there is attention from that point of view, the episodes focus more on the plot itself rather than on the "medical" scenes. The episodes that flow quickly despite the 50 minute duration. Excellent anime.