Black Jack

Black Jack is recognized as Osamu Tezuka's third most famous series, after Astro Boy and Kimba, the White Lion. A rich medical drama that mixes mystery, intrigue, suspense and a dash of humor, with a fascinating main character who keeps his caring nature a secret, preferring instead to be perceived as a heartless cad. The Black Jack series is told in short stories. Each volume contains 16-20 stories, each running approximately 20-24 pages in length. This edition has been published according to Tezuka's wishes, including all the stories he wished to see included, in the order he wanted them compiled. Black Jack is a mysterious and charismatic young genius surgeon who travels the world performing amazing and impossible medical feats. Though a trained physician, he refuses to accept a medical license due to his hatred and mistrust of the medical community's hypocrisy and corruption. This leads Black Jack to occasional run-ins with the authorities, as well as from gangsters and criminals who approach him for illegal operations. Black Jack charges exorbitant fees for his services, the proceeds from which he uses to fund environmental projects and to aid victims of crime and corrupt capitalists. But because Black Jack keeps his true motives secret, his ethics are perceived as questionable and he is considered a selfish, uncaring devil.

Volumes

17 in the canonical sequence

English packaging

37 books, 40 releases

Publishers

Kodansha, Vertical, VIZ Media