Black Jack: The Classic Manga Gets a Live-Action Adaptation

The Legacy of Black Jack

Black Jack, created by Osamu Tezuka, began its run as a manga in November 1973. The manga continued to be published for ten years, containing hundreds of self-contained mini-stories that averaged about 20 pages each.

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The story follows the adventures of a doctor named Black Jack, whose distinct appearance makes him instantly recognizable to most anime fans. Most of the stories involve Black Jack helping the poor and destitute with his medical knowledge, often for nothing in return.

Adaptations to Screen

Black Jack has had several adaptations from manga to the screen. In 1992, there was a theatrical movie along with a 10-episode OVA series created by Tezuka's apprentice, Osamu Dezaki. Then, a 61-episode anime series aired from 2004 to 2006, which adapted the original manga. Finally, in 2015, another new series called Young Black Jack was released, following Black Jack's years as a medical student in another original story.

This new live-action series by TV Asahi will be the first adaptation of the original manga in 2000 and will try to capture the original story more accurately than some other adaptations have.

The Upcoming Live-Action Series

The announcement included the 2024 release date, along with a promotional image and the news that the main character would be played by Issei Takahashi. Takahashi is known for his roles as Seiji Amasawa in Whisper of the Heart, Kazunori Morinaga in Ikebukuro West Gate Park, and the voice of Ultraman in Shin Ultraman.

The series will be directed by Hideo Joujou, with Yoshiko Morishita writing the screenplay and Takashi Ohmama composing the score. TV Asahi is not the only one making an adaptation at the moment, though, as Chinese studio Beijing Enlight Pictures is working on a live-action Chinese drama as well.