Black Jack 041: Human Vegetable (Manga)

Black Jack 041, “Vegtable”

Black Jack (1973-83), Chapter 041 ‘Human Vegetable’ (植物人間), was originally published on September 23, 1974 in Weekly Shonen Champion.  Please note: this chapter is sealed.

What it’s about

When a young boy‘s mother falls unconscious after an accident, the doctors declare her dead because she shows no sign of brain wave activity.  However, Black Jack suggests that her brain may still be alive and her son agrees to a risky medical procedure to find out.  He performs a surgery that connects the nervous systems of the mother and son‘s brains together using an electrode, in the hopes that he may still be able to communicate with her.  During the surgery, the boy (whether in a dream, illusion or in reality is uncertain) sees his mother, who confirms that she is still alive and conscious inside, and she asks her son to become a doctor and cure her.  When the boy wakes up, he vows to become a doctor and someday save his mother.

Why it’s sealed

Although the point Tezuka was clearly trying to make was that humans shouldn’t be judged and treated like machines – that brain waves alone are not the only sign of a person’s state of being.  However, there was enormous concern that this story it might give readers the “wrong idea” (i.e. that people may still, in fact, be aware while in a vegetative state) about brain death.  Another target of criticism was that electricity was used to connect the brains.  This is reminiscent of lobotomy, the ethically controversial surgical operation in which some of the nerves in the brain are cut in order to treat severe mental illness.

Although not included in any of the collected editions, it was originally included in the first printing of vol. 4 of the Shonen Champion Edition.  This chapter was removed from subsequent printings and replaced with Chapter 070, ‘A Body Turning to Stone’.  As such there exist two versions of vol. 4. The original first-printing is distinguishable only by a yellow banner on the front cover, as well as the table of contents.