Black Jack: The Movie (Anime – 1996 Movie)

Also known as ブラック・ジャック 劇場版 (Burakku Jakku Gekijou Ban)

Black Jack: The Movie (1996)

Release Information

What it’s about

Black Jack is an underground, master surgeon who processes impeccable skills, enabling him to perform operations impossible for most.  He is a man alone and full of mystery, appearing in operation rooms to fulfill his tasks, while charging millions for his secret operations. He is now faced with his most difficult task to date and must challenge the limits of medical science… before it’s too late! An extraordinary number of intellectual and athletic ‘Superhumans’ have the world caught in awe, wonder and excitement. These ‘Superhumans’ far exceed the framework of common sense and possess ability to outperform all of their rivals… but how did they get this way? Black Jack discovers the truth behind this unusual occurrence… a hideous conspiracy lurking behind this strange genetic phenomenon… and a dark secret that is about to endanger the existence of all mankind.

Black Jack & Jo Carol

What you should know

In late November 1996, the first full-length feature Black Jack film premiered throughout Japan in Shochiku affiliated theaters. Osamu Dezaki, who was already in charge of directing the 10-episode Black Jack Original Video Animation (OVA) series, also took over as the director for the movie and Akio Sugino was once again responsible for the character design.

While the majority of episodes from the Black Jack OVA series are based on Black Jack manga chapters (with two partially inspired by the manga), the movie itself contains an entirely original story.  Nevertheless it tried to carry on the philosophy of Osamu Tezuka, who had always been a severe critic of the medical profession for its attempts to “control and improve” life, and of the scientific world as well. The movie has received the Mainichi Film Award’s Animation Grand Award in 1996, an award which rewards large scale cinematic animation.

Pinoko

The setting of the story revolves around a mysterious disease, which turns ordinary people without any discernible talents into so-called “Superhumans”. This new race of human beings first occurs at the Olympics (and later on also in arts, science etc.), and suddenly shatter one world record after another by achieving extraordinary accomplishments. It’s safe to assume, that the setting revolving around the Olympics, wasn’t just a sheer coincidence but rather a link, in order to make the movie more realistic (due to the XXVI Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta USA at the same year).

The movie continues the overall style as well as the character designs from the Black Jack OVA series, like Osamu Dezaki’s most famous usage of visual effects such as pastel still images as well as split screen animations, but due the larger budget, the quality of the animations and effects had been improved.

Like the Black Jack OVA series, the movie is clearly targeted at a more mature, adult audience. This is evident from the dark and realistic setting, detailed characterization and environments, graphic violence, thrilling storytelling, as well as authentic surgical procedures.

Where you can get it

The US DVD was released on April 24, 2001, by Manga Entertainment.  The Japanese DVD was released on December 21, 2001 by Pioneer LDC and again on October 23, 2009, by Geneon Universal.

A soundtrack was also released in addition to the movie by Columbia Music Entertainment at the same day of its premiere.  It is interesting to note that some of the tracks have also been used in other Tezuka anime, such as Black Jack: Captial Transfer to Heian (2000) and the Tezuka Star System animated special, Osamu Tezuka’s Last Mystery of the 20th Century (2000).

Black Jack: The Movie OST (1996)