Black Jack 21

The sequel of Black Jack series, the story focuses mainly on Black Jack's real identity & happenings beyond his mother's death. I really love the series because..... Well, just watch it! The story is superb!

I guess my professional bias shows when the medical aspect of the show that bothers me most is the fact that researchers kept seeing viruses under a light microscope, and that these viruses were the same size as--or larger than--red blood cells. Maybe the term that was translated as "virus" can be used for multiple micro-organisms, because the B.O.P. looks more like an ameoboid or other eukaryotic organism, but that is neither here nor there. It's Black Jack, for fuck's sake; while it is more accurate than most medical dramas out there, it's still anime.

Nit-picking aside, I'm a sucker for medical dramas, and I have ... this long-standing affair with Dr. Black Jack. I was afraid post-Tezuka's death the franchise would start to suck, but this show proved that BJ has not lost his edge, no pun intended. Though I can't help giggling every time somebody calls him "B.J." with a thick Japanese accent. You keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means. But I digress.

This is one hell of a fun show. The pacing is tight, the action is good, and the characters are clear without being overbearing. There are equal parts action and science and character development. It is nice to see Black Jack's past further clarified, though I have to wonder what Tezuka would have thought of the way the writers dealt with his accident and his childhood. I, for one, enjoyed it, but I am not the original creator. The storyline is more linear and integrated than the original manga, but the overall effect is not in the least jarring. One could view it as a very long movie or story within Black Jack's saga. You have mysterious organizations, greedy bastards, assassins, deadly viruses, secrets, lies, conflicted characters with dark pasts, and all the good stuff.

Oh, and I love that America's answer to everything in most Japanese shows is "nuke it 'till it glows". Lulz.

I highly recommend this show. It's even a good starting point for those who are just getting into Black Jack, though a *little* background would be helpful. I call it the "Japanese Dr. House" when I'm trying to explain it in under a sentence, though Black Jack is significantly less of an ass than House is, but that is neither here nor there. In both shows you have a doctor of unparalleled brilliance being called upon to save those deemed un-savable. The recommendation strength goes up considerably if you are a sucker for medical mysteries.

Story 7/10
The story follows Black Jack and his fellow assistant Pinoco trying to uncover what the Noir project is and why he was caught in a bomb accident that killed his mother.

Art 9/10
Same art style from the first Black Jack TV show. Nothing much to say here, except pretty much the same opinion. The art style is great, just to me, I felt like the noses were weirdly drawn and that the background didn't really match some of the frames/drawings.

Sound 10/10
Black Jack 21 has one opening and two endings: Destiny -Taiyou no Hana- by Hitomi Shimatani (opening); careless breath by EXILE, Silence whispers by TRF. ... The opening and endings match perfectly the tone of the whole series. Don't have much to say here.

Character 8/10
So, they still don't focus much on the patients, but they focused on other doctors that Black Jack has encountered in the past (like "Black Queen"). They improved a bit their character development but the series still focuses on Black Jack. I wished they focused on the patients, but that didn't really improve here.

Enjoyment 7/10
Black Jack 21 is a good watch, but I really prefer the previous TV show. But, it is still a good watch and it's not bad: It has a decent story and it does a good job at keeping the charm that the previous show has.

Overall 8/10
I still enjoyed this series very much, but I recommend checking out the previous series first. You may not enjoy this series as much, but if you just need something to watch, then give this a try.

Thanks for reading. Let me know your thoughts on this review and any feedback you may have for me. Until next time!