This episode was, good? Yes, the episode itself was good. However, as the ‘final episode’ it sort of failed? If it had of come earlier in the series it would of been amazing and probably stood out as one of my favorite episodes. However, it’s placement in the series is the episodes downfall.
Which is really unfortunate because it’s emotionally charged, it made you feel for a character you only knew for a short amount of time and really made you feel for Hazama.
The basic plot of the episode comes down to revolution and the story of the very first person that Hazama stitched up. A well meaning girl who wanted to help change her country for the better but got messed up in something she couldn’t handle. She’s a sweet girl, who gave Hazama a necklace the first time he helped patch her up as payment.
I am REALLY REALLY REALLY PISSED THEY KILLED HER OFF. I was thinking like, halfway through the episode I was thinking ‘if she dies, I’m going to be really mad.’ and then they did.
I get what they were doing, showing the corruption of the world. They were also making a point about not being able to save everyone. He did everything he could to patch her up in that tiny cabin. Only to have her go out and be shot by the police. An innocent, well sort of innocent girl.
Wrapped up in bandages. Unable to fight anyone, who only wandered outside to try to stop the fighting. Ends up being the only casualty.
Even with how angry I am they killed her though, I can’t be angry because of the humanity it brought out in Hazama. As he was holding her in his arms as she died, assuring her that he would keep patching her up. Forever and ever, and how she smiled and said that next time she’d pay him back properly.
I really liked the ending in which the narrator said that he would one say get rid of the name Hazama Kuuro and come to call himself ‘Black Jack’ I really like that whole, the narrator was the main character from the future thing. If they had of put that ending, on the previous episode? It would of made for an amazing ending!
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Overall review
I loved Young Black Jack, I think it worked on a lot of levels. What it liked most of all though was that it seemed very well thought out and well researched. The parts of the series that took place in Vietnam, didn’t feel like they were written by someone who was looking back from current times.
The race riots, and the episodes that took place there. I was worried half to death about those episodes, however, they were treated with care. It seemed like the team involved with making this show was trying it’s absolute best to respect Tezuka’s work.
From the way they handled those subjects, to the treatment of his other characters such as the characters from Dororo that appeared in the three part series before the end.
With that being noted, the animation was also fairly consistently nice. Something that I rather enjoyed was despite the fact that this show was a medical drama, there was never a lot of blood and gore. The scenes were always very tasteful, of course, it is a medical drama. There was some blood and every once and a while a shot of something inside the human body like a vain.
It was never gross, it was never over the top. Which was enjoyable.
Now onto characters. The main selling point of the series is Hazama, as the character the show was there to show us the story of how he became the character known as ‘Black Jack’. Hazama was a very enjoyable character with a lot you could connect with him with. He wanted to help save people and wasn’t much for all of the red tape and corruption that stopped people from getting the help they needed.
I think it was actually said best in the last episode. He is a little rough around the edges, but he’s got a very good heart. I’ve never seen Black Jack, I’ve made that very clear in reviewing. However, I think it’s that discretion of him that has made Black Jack such a timeless and famous character.
Then there is Maiko. She’s just cute, she plays a nice parallel to Hazama throughout the series. While he was a student, she was an intern. Someone who was allowed to do the things that Hazama did. She wasn’t as naturally talented as him, but she never got mad at him for being as good as he was either. She was curious yes, but never jealous or angry. If anything, she was a good support system for him in everything he went through.
Lastly, there is Yabu. Who we never heard from again after the Civil War arc. However, I loved seeing him in the series. If you look at him in the opening and in episode 1. The doctor who is afraid of blood, goes on to be a stunning war doctor. He was someone that Hazama inspired. Instead of playing the parallel to Hazama, he played the part of someone who wanted to improve himself and did so through seeing Hazama’s work.
Hazama aside, he is the character in this series that saw the most character growth from his first appearance to his last.
Overall, I can’t speak as someone who has seen the original series. However, from the perspective of someone who hasn’t seen the original series. Young Black Jack is most definitely worth the watch. With a solid 9.5/10, the point 5 is for not nailing the landing as well as it could of….Now excuse me while I go watch the actual series. Crunchyroll, here I come!
~Midnight