Black Jack: Two-Fisted Surgeon

A super-hero surgeon seems a pretty unlikely protagonist. but Tezuka pulls it off with his hero Black Jack. Like any proper rouge, Black Jack lives outside the rules of society, sweeping in when his skills are needed and making the corrupt pay for their mis-deeds. Hey, he even wears a cape.Each story manages to set up a situation where a super surgeon is necessary. However, due to Tezuka's fine writing skills, there is a humanist element to each tale, that is often melancholy. Black Jack makes other's happy, but he is rarely happy himself. He cannot taste the forbidden fruit that is peace of mind. Life, death, failure, lost love, childhood and age, these are all the themes presented here. Each story is some sort of morality tale, so the logistics behind the melodrama are not as important.Tezuka's cartoony style can be off-putting to those who are used to more refined Japanese manga artists, but it soon flows into the story and is admired rather than questioned. Those already familiar with Tezuka will find the art here as fine as anything done by the "God of Manga."All in all, a really excellent comic. Give it a chance, and you won't be disappointed.

This is manga at it's greatest! I admit, when I first picked this book and thumbed through the artwork, I had my doubts, but reading the first novel changed my view on Black Jack for good :) Black Jack has to be one of the most engrossing mangas that I have ever read. The storyline of this novel has yet to be surpassed in my mind. The depth of the storyline is fantastic. The stories themselves - although maybe seeing far-fetch at times - always have a great twist or turn. What is most intriguing about the storylines though; and the philosopical and psycological implementations in each story. All events have a good reason - there is no mindless play-fights or brain-knumbing stupidity. Black Jack is written with intelligence and intergrity. Although difficult to explain, Osamu Tezuka has a way off exploring the human interlect, in ways other manga artists cannot. (Many have tried, but never quite made it).To sum it up. Black Jack is for anyone who enjoys a good intelligent story. There is also a good spattering of comedy, (You see Astro Boy hidden in the odd corner, or running out of buildings occasionally!) and raw human emotion. The manga is rendered in Osamu Tezuka's typical loose style, but the characters have a feel of their own.An absolutely fantasic read.

Cool stories and one cool main character. Strong character designs and crystal-clear storytelling. I hope that more of Tezuka's work gets translated for the U.S. market -- I like his style!

BJ is one of best known works of the author Tezuka Osamu, the god of manga, the creator of the modern manga in Japan after the WWII. Tezuka Osamu was also a student of medical doctor, and he also obtained Medical Doctors degree in Japan. In his life he wrote more than 400 books of manga as many as 150,000 pages or more than that as well as directed many animations. We hope the US readers have access to more titles of his master pieces like BJ.

BJ is considered to be one of Tezuka's best comics. The whole series consist of twenty-two paperback volumes of short stories. The main character, BJ, is a genius surgeon who practices without a license. Although BJ is an outcast, many people rich and famous are willing to pay top money for his service. Through out the people and events that BJ encountered, Tezuka questions the value of Doctors in the medical systems, the meaning of a qualitative life, and the price of health.