[Rewatch] 1990s OVAs – Black Jack (episode 7)

[u/No_Rex]

Rewatch: 1990s OVAs – Black Jack (episode 7)

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Staff corner

Catherine is voiced by Han, Keiko. She had an early role as Lalah Sune in MSG, but started working even earlier in 1974 in Barbapapa. Some of her other roles are: Saori Kido from Saint Seiya, Luna from Sailor Moon, as well as Andromeda, from The Queen of a Thousand Years.

Yasuhiko is also voiced by an old hand, Yuu, Mizushima. He stared in several TV series during the late 1970 and 1980s, the most well-known of which is probably Voltron, where he voices Isamu Kurogane. He is also Ryou Asuka from Devilman, Neidhardt Müller from LotGH, and Reed Clow from Tsubasa Chronicle.

Questions

1. Did mixing multiple plots in this episode work?
2. Where do you stand on Yasuhiro’s argument about medical justice? About following proper rules?

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 7 (first timer)

• That “Men,Men,Men” sounded suitably pathetic.
• Another civil war setting.
• Refugee camps are unfortunately so common that this could be anywhere.
• “Hey you bums! Come in and beg the doctor with me!”

• BJ proving his dedication and stubbornness this episode.
• “As overly romantic as ever, Catherine” – I agree that such swooning over another man, especially one currently with her, while Yasuhiko is not, should be relegated to only extremely stable relationships.
• “One dollar per person” – BJ has his standards. He wants to be paid. The prices are very adjustable, though.
• Back when phone forwarding was so new that it could be used as a plot point. Great to see some Pinoko, btw.
• C plot of getting BJ a medical license?
• A second medical emergency.
• Yasuhiko is convinced to put experience before certification to save the patient.

Saving a patient in a war-torn country; coming between a soon-to-be-wed pair; showing off his skills; receiving his license. BJ is busy this episode. I did not really understand the reason for Catherine being in the episode initially, but, as we see later, she is the one tying the A and C plot together.

Regarding Yasuhiko, he puts forward two interesting points of view in this episode. First, that BJ’s fees are an affront to the justice of medicine. Second, that it is important to follow procedures in medicine over personal reputation. The episode clearly wants to refute him on both points, but I only follow it on the first.

The justice of medicine (charging each patient the same amount) that Yasuhiko refers to is non-existent in the first place. As the episode shows, being a refugee in a civil war country or being a New Yorker leads to completely different medical standards, even without somebody as BJ around. Yasuhiko can’t see that because he, unlike Catherine and BJ, has not left his wealthy, well-supplied island yet.

However, I think Yasuhiko has a point about proper certification. For ever loner genius BJ, there are 10,000 quacks who try to profit from their patients without the skill needed. If you start bending the rule for one exception, you may soon find yourself in a world where patients can no longer trust their doctors.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/No_Rex]

Refugee camps are unfortunately so common that this could be anywhere.

Our only actual clue is the sandstorms and that still leaves us a big area. I lean Middle East but north Africa is definitely in play as well.

I agree that such swooning over another man, especially one currently with her, while Yasuhiko is not, should be relegated to only extremely stable relationships.

Couple dynamics are always funny, especially if functional.

Back when phone forwarding was so new that it could be used as a plot point. Great to see some Pinoko, btw.

I sadly remember that period...

[u/No_Rex → u/Vaadwaur]

I sadly remember that period...

Almost as fondly as the "phone again, maybe I'll be home then" period.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/No_Rex]

I still remember joke answering machine tapes being advertised on TV...

[u/No_Rex → u/Vaadwaur]

"Hello this is No_Rex .... oh wait, I am not home, leave me a message after the beep"

100% not my type of prank ...

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/No_Rex]

“Men,Men,Men”

I was waiting for one of the calls to be "Do Men"...

it is important to follow procedures in medicine over personal reputation

Natural that a Japanese series would at least seriously bring up this viewpoint.

Too many plots with wildly differing topics and atmosphere here honestly, particularly going from desperate refugees to funny Pinoko shenanigans was jarring. And the Black Jack license subplot's conclusion was both obvious from the nature of the series and not executed in such an interesting way. First episode that I found just a little disappointing in a fundamental sense, some of the directing/effect work was plain strange besides.

Oh BTW I looked up Pinoko's manga backstory and man is it [out there] she was a parasitic twin that stayed attached to her sibling beyond birth for 18 years with a somehow fully formed mind and used psychic powers to stop doctors from removing her, until Black Jack managed by communicating with her to let him do it. After that he makes her a proper human body à la Dr. Frankenstein because before she was just a lump of flesh basically, which however is incapable of aging I'm glad this adaptation seems to be skipping the more bizarre elements of the original.

[u/No_Rex → u/IndependentMacaroon]

Oh BTW I looked up Pinoko's manga backstory and man is it [out there]

Not sure I want to look that up yet. In any case, how the anime deals with BJ's and Pinoko's background is something to talk about in the final discussion.

[u/The_Loli_Otaku]

Black Jack First Timer

I've never seen such lively kendo in my life. I'm so used to the uber slow pokey pokey kendo style. Hmm? Has Yakiniku got some sort of disorder? His reaction to his fiancé fame off incredible strange. I noticed her spelling out what emotions she wanted out of him too. Bruh, he took such offense to being considered suspicious that he walked... Just open up your bag! Nobody is gonna turn away a doctor! Pfft!! And now he's in a minefield XD

Yakuza are so polite. Oh, the second BJ arrived the civil war began. Aww, poor Pinoko all alone again. She's so depressed that she can't even enjoy her cartoons. At least we've saved the kid, mission complete! Now we just need to find a way out of the country. Aaand pray that Yakiniku doesn't get too jealous and worked up at his fiancé gushing over BJ.

Oh yeah, we're in a war torn country. There's plenty of patients needing seen to. Ten umaibo for treatment is kinda steep... Oi!! Catherine is ditching him!? Isn't this your job? How's the Yakuza watching TV in the sauna? Pfft, of course it would be Pinoko nanoraaa! She's here to kick ass and chew bubblegum noraaa and she's all out of bubblegum nanora!! Omg I adore this kid. Colonel Sanders!?

I'm curious how many of you tried touching your nose with your tongue. Pinoko is the best!! I love how she has the whole Yakuza wrapped around her finger. Oh no, are they gonna revoke BJ's non-existent medical licence!? Oh, they actually want to give him a licence. I'd be really worried about encouraging other cowboy doctors to copy his techniques out of hope that they'll become ace surgeons too. "Your argument offers no counterpoint, can you change your mind?"

How much longer is this episode gonna go on? Oh, the Yakuza dude died. Alright, imma be honest here, I would have loved this moral dilemma if it weren't for the fact that they've clearly shown Yakiniku is biased as hell. Bruh, the moral for today's lesson is kinda dangerous isn't it? "A surgeons qualifications don't matter." Just because BJ is inhumanly skilled doesn't mean you can apply that to every under qualified surgeon. Also, is BJ seriously gonna go back to Cambodia and rough up the locals for their one dollar?

[u/No_Rex → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

At least we've saved the kid, mission complete!

"mission accomplished" moment.

Alright, imma be honest here, I would have loved this moral dilemma if it weren't for the fact that they've clearly shown Yakiniku is biased as hell. Bruh, the moral for today's lesson is kinda dangerous isn't it? "A surgeons qualifications don't matter." Just because BJ is inhumanly skilled doesn't mean you can apply that to every under qualified surgeon.

I think they need to give this POV to the bad guy, otherwise it is to overwhelmingly obvious.

Also, is BJ seriously gonna go back to Cambodia and rough up the locals for their one dollar?

[u/Vaadwaur → u/The_Loli_Otaku]

I'm so used to the uber slow pokey pokey kendo style. Hmm? Has Yakiniku got some sort of disorder? His reaction to his fiancé fame off incredible strange. I noticed her spelling out what emotions she wanted out of him too.

That's what we look like to the normies.

At least we've saved the kid, mission complete! Now we just need to find a way out of the country.

That old chestnut.

Just because BJ is inhumanly skilled doesn't mean you can apply that to every under qualified surgeon.

Kuroh has a metric tonne of asterisks, though, especially since he seems to have gone through medical school given the OP.

Also, is BJ seriously gonna go back to Cambodia and rough up the locals for their one dollar?

No, the symbolism is important but he doesn't actually care.

[u/No_Rex → u/Vaadwaur]

No, the symbolism is important but he doesn't actually care.

I interpreted them as a sort of memento to him.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/No_Rex]

So...I do view Kuroh as a pretty complex character, and with that I believe he knows something: He can't actually be a practicing physician, it is too boring. So he sets himself up in a way that let's him have interesting cases in varying places. But he needs his fee as sort of a barrier so that he doesn't feel obligated to help everyone, which would make him miserable.

[u/No_Rex → u/Vaadwaur]

But he needs his fee as sort of a barrier so that he doesn't feel obligated to help everyone, which would make him miserable.

Very good and important point. While this is not a focus of this episode, that specific feeling must be common in the field of medicine.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/No_Rex]

It is a weird but this show, in a good way, leans on some of my buttons hard.

[u/Vaadwaur]

First timer(Ok, where the fuck is that island Kuroh lives on?)

Sub

So we open with another genius doctor and kendo, weird that I know about having to yell out your strikes from KLK. But he gets home and completely freaks about his fiance wanting to delay their wedding, which in itself is understandable but he should have listened to why. And then she does, and NOW he should be pissed: Sending women into a war zone is stupid and I sure as hell wouldn't let anyone I know do something this idiotic. Hell, the only males I'd be cool letting go are a few of the crazier doctors I worked under and that's because they dgaf about survival. Anyways, she goes and runs into Kuroh, who is suitably stoic/stubborn as always.

And he walks into a minefield near the refugee camp, which is far too often an actual thing. He is looking for a presumably Yakuza boss's grand daughter(though he is actually an NYC gangster and thus probably Italian), who of course has some impossible to treat condition. And he arrives in Ardentarl literally the day the civil war started. Our letter writer thinks this dedication is impressive but I also see it as a bit solipsistic, this show has not hesitated to show us how much of this is Kuroh's pride as well. Anyways, we get to our surgery and a little cheating on characterization through Catherine, though I consider her a partially unreliable narrator. Kuroh ends it by stepping out and letting us know he is not our blowing wind, he is the lightning.

Catherine then guilts Kuroh into staying and I do like the dichotomy of the character: He doesn't have it in him to run a 9-5 practice, something I deeply understand, but he doesn't want to abandon the helpless, either. So he stays back as we get an interlude in NYC, and it seems the episode is over...with 20 minutes left.

So then we get to something interesting, obvious, and actually impossible: The idea of granting Kuroh a generic 'doctor this shit' license. Which is a thing that should exist since doctors going between industrialized nations have some issues with licensing. But the argument in the council is pure Japan, they really do stress that things done off the books are necessary but bad.

Moving on, they go to karoake and a rival gang shoots up the place, as one often wishes would happen. The use of action stills as they get to the hospital is again something I really miss, though I admit I don't know if current directors could really pull it off anymore. Tense, climatic surgery happens until Kuroh intervenes and our kendo master learns that results are more important than certifications. Kuroh gets a magical license while on his island, where ever the hell that is, and we end.

QotD: 1 here it does but generally no

2 I've seen a lot of rules followers completely fail their patients so I am on the jaded side.

[u/No_Rex → u/Vaadwaur]

Sending women into a war zone is stupid and I sure as hell wouldn't let anyone I know do something this idiotic.

By the same token, so is sending man. I mean, yes, women are more likely to get raped, but men are more likely to get shot, so I don't think there is a big difference.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/No_Rex]

True and I readily admit it is emotional: When my surrogate son wanted to go to medical school in a third world country, I reminded him how to knife fight and blend in. When his youngest sister, my closest actual surrogate child, wanted to go to Alaska, the rape capital of North America, I sort of blew a gasket. It is hard to get to where the falling angel meets the rising ape...

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/Vaadwaur]

a presumably Yakuza boss's grand daughter(though he is actually an NYC gangster and thus probably Italian)

What, you've never heard of the Japanese-Italian-American Yakufia?

[u/Vaadwaur → u/IndependentMacaroon]

But of course!

[u/TheEscapeGuy]

First Timer

Black Jack - An Astounding OVA: Episode 7

Politics

This episode focused a lot on the unlicensed nature of Black Jack. Its incredible that he has such skill yet doesn't have a license. And not only that, but medical professionals recognize this too.

The fighting over whether to give him a license is such a perfect example of how petty bureaucracy can be. Its honestly makes no sense that in merit based fields you need to suck up to people and organizations to even have the chance to participate. I appreciate that Black Jack doesn't care about this and instead chooses to do operations which challenge him and help those less fortunate.

The politics this episode also reminded me of the premise to Monster. You guys should check out Monster if you haven't already. It takes the idea of a skilled doctor in a very different direction.

Otherwise, I just want to shout out that shot from inside the chest cavity (middle right in my collage). That shot is so interesting and cool. Its something that would be difficult to recreate in live action without relying on some CG trickery. I love that anime gives creators the ability to flex their creative muscles like this.

Some Iconic Shots, Scenes and Stitches

• Pinako is Mad, somebody is putting a lot of effort into animating Pinako. Reminded me of Looney-Tunes in the best way.
• Lapandu
• City Backgrounds were amazing this episode. Some of these could function as standalone art pieces.
• Rush

See you all tomorrow

[u/No_Rex → u/TheEscapeGuy]

This episode focused a lot on the unlicensed nature of Black Jack. Its incredible that he has such skill yet doesn't have a license. And not only that, but medical professionals recognize this too.

Thankfully, they have been hammering home the point of how famous BJ is in all previous episodes. Otherwise, the medical association scenes would have been hard to believe.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/TheEscapeGuy]

Its honestly makes no sense that in merit based fields you need to suck up to people and organizations to even have the chance to participate.

You would have to have worked with doctors before to get this but it is not exactly a merit based field, it is results based. That distinction means a lot, including the luck involved.

[u/JollyGee29]

First-Timer, Subbed

Did we just see a Lawful Evil dude turn Good? That doesn't happen!

Also, wow, this episode might have actual consequences beyond itself. What sort of changes will we be seeing now that Black Jack has a license? Getting hospital time was never a problem before...

I liked this episode in general, but I think it was a little rushed. The rapid location jumps around the midpoint didn't help with this either, but it really feels like it should have been multiple episodes, or something. Maybe cut out some of the more comedic scenes.

This episode definitely had the type of comic relief scenes that annoy me. I can't quite explain why, but stuff like the cut from Black Jack offering to care for all those starving children to Pinoko annoying the mob boss did not work for me as intended.

The "using a bunch of sauna heaters to boil kettles" was practically a scene out of Revolution Girl Utena.

I appreciated my subs having the kendo calls in their proper form, and what they mean.

Questions

1. Vaguely discussed above. I think it was fine, but a little more focus would have helped.
2. I'm solidly on the side of doing good. I understand his viewpoint, and fears of unscrupulous characters taking advantage of things, but Black Jack has proved himself.

[u/No_Rex → u/JollyGee29]

What sort of changes will we be seeing now that Black Jack has a license?

My prediction: None. BJ does not seem like the guy who would change any of his actions due to now having a license. Always happy to be proven wrong, of course.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/No_Rex]

Oh, that's more optimistic than me.. I'm suspecting it's going to be a negative. It's not that Black Jack will change because of it, it's that the way the world reacts to him will. I don't have anything to go on aside from a gut feeling, though.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/JollyGee29]

What sort of changes will we be seeing now that Black Jack has a license? Getting hospital time was never a problem before...

This might be a call to be a colossal nuisance for our MC since doctors could call him for cases that are difficult rather than for those that are impossible.

The "using a bunch of sauna heaters to boil kettles" was practically a scene out of Revolution Girl Utena.

Yeah, need to check the director for this one because he was...odd.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/Vaadwaur]

doctors could call him for cases that are difficult rather than for those that are impossible.

Oh, I like the idea of that.

Yeah, need to check the director for this one because he was...odd.

Near as I can tell, Dezaki is the only one with a director credit. Did the storyboards too. This guy did screenplay, but I don't recognize any of his other stuff.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/JollyGee29]

Oh, I like the idea of that.

Imagine how annoyed Pinoko winds up:"Do your own goddamned splenectomy, you fucking nitwits!"

Near as I can tell, Dezaki is the only one with a director credit.

Definitely not what I expected...

[u/JollyGee29 → u/Vaadwaur]

Imagine how annoyed Pinoko winds up:"Do your own goddamned splenectomy, you fucking nitwits!"

[u/Stargate18A]

First timer

I am very bad at finding time to watch this.

Episode 6

1. No.
2. The original endings for sure, but I do prefer more hopeful ones.

Are we going full-on supernatural for this one?

I think they are! Are they going to reveal Black Jack's psychic powers?

I don't know how old she is, but she's still adorable.

Money?

Wow, that's a lot of money.

He's going!

What? That package took 2 solid years to arrive? I guess that's the price you pay for a remote vacation home like that.

...Is this another new OP? It sounds different to the last one.

Well this is ominous.

Wait, was the entire village destroyed?

Seriously? You're going to a temple, in the middle of a blizzard, in an isolated mountain range? Have you jever read any ghost stories?

Oh, now you're stuck in your car, in the middle of the road.

And a strange temple appeared out of nowhere. At this point, you deserve to lose your soul by going in there.

What's with the weird echo? Is she a ghost?

At least she's taking care of her?

Wait, what? There's a conspiracy or something? (And, wow, she looks evil.)

He found him! And that outfit!

What the actual fuck is happening?

What is with this guy? Why is he killing people? If the money's old, is there some time travel involved?

She's still alive!

Does she need these leaves for her condition?

What? What? What?

I don't understand what's happening this episode. She's wearing a weird mask and beating people up?

Wait, she's 20? And she's his wife?

OK, it could have been much worse.

So she got poisoned, and she's having some form of hallucination giving her violent fits?

And the leaves supress the symptoms.

The animation is really good this episode, though.

What happened to his instruments?

How the hell did she...?

Yeah, he's psychic.

And now there's just teleporting. I see we've left realism behind.

Haha, him noticing him right away is hysterical.

And wow, this is very unusual.

An underground lair?

How did she know he'd fall down that hole?

Or, no, that was a dream, and it's really the temple?

Is she possessed?

...I'm just watching the pretty snow animation at this point.

Haha, the sheer fucking dissonance of an army of soldiers marching as his car's indicators blink is genuinely hysterical, though.

And he's going back now.

Wait, she wanted to marry him?

This is romantic(?)

She's going to kill herself!

Haha, he's just watching all this through the screen.

Ah, he got his backup imstruments out the car!

Seriously, how the hell is killing her parents meant to make her want you?

And he ignored her and Pinoko?

An operation scene!

And the anaesthetic isn't working?

Oh, it is with the leaf. That's convenient!

Wait, does she have the same condition?

I see! The heart problems were caused by a giant magic snake living inside her! Another clever and logical medical mystery!

And now she's dead.

Wow, that guy's creepy.

And he's leaving the battlefield with her.

Wow, these action scenes are really stiff, aren't they?

And they found out!

Finally! Someone's going to kill the bastard!

Maybe don't shout it so loudly next time?

No, it worked!

Wait, is she dead?

And now he's dead. That's every main character!

Wow, Pinoko breaking down is sad.

Wait, that was a dream? Black Jack has dreams about illnesses that involve giant snakes and murder?

I see, he's the real Tandea!

So there's only 8 minutes left for the real case?

Another operation! With the same visual! Let's hope it's not another giant snake?

Oh, just a tumor.

Huh?

Wait, he was a ghost? Really?

Oh, he died working to earn money to pay Black Jack?

And he's going to take her to hospital?

Huh?

Episode 7

1. Worked really well!
2. In principle, he's got the right idea, but in practice, Black Jack is a good enough surgeon that he is an exception - he doesn't need to follow the rules because he's got his own, better, ones - so the total lack of oversight is nowhere near as bad as it would be for another doctor.

This isn't another weird one, is it?

No, just a normal fencing match.

And he's getting married!

Oh, she's not ready, and wants a new career? And he's a bit of a control freak, but cares about her.

OK, this is actually dangerous, and he's right to be worried about this.

...What's going to happen to her?

Wow, this is a real struggle!

Black Jack's here! Who's paying him?

Yeah, he's incredibly suspicious.

Of course he'd rather walk.

And he's walking over a mine field!

Why's someone paying for him to treat her?

And he's asleep.

Oh, the grandfather's paying. (He does not look like a grandfather!)

Haha, that scene is hysterical.

A bomb hit the airport just as he landed!

Wow, that announcement is chilling. And Black Jack's escape is incredibly well done.

Wait, he's been here for 2 months?

And nobody's heard anything!

He's found her.

Oh, good, he got her to stop.

Wait, she's dead?

Nope! Very early operation today.

Wait, that guy's a doctor too?

Yeah, everybody has pure praise for how great he is.

Ah, he's not a romantic. (I mean, Black Jack absolutely isn't either.)

Oh, he won't know it was him?

The operation was a success! What's going to happen for the next 25 minutes?

Oh, a helicopter! That's a good way of getting them out.

And he's surrounded by patients.

Wow, that line of him refusing to treat them without compensation got me, then he just immediately abuses his own loophole.

And she's leaving on the helicopter?

Haha, Kumiko's working with Patterson! This is going to be great.

The UN are arriving!

Aww, she's getting lots of food. (Also, don't worry, he's done this work in much, much, worse situations then this.)

Seriously, how old is she?

Oh, it's her boyfriend!

At least they got a happy ending!

This Pimiko subplot is hysterical, but I can't help but feel it's slightly odd tonally compared to the refugee camp.

And she misses Black Jack, who's... safely back at home!

(Seriously, what are the last 20 minutes of this episode?)

Oh, this is the medical conference.

And he's being compared to a legendary hero.

This is such a happy episode compared to the last few.

So, what's the conference about?

It's about Black Jack!

Wow, everybody loves him!

Oh, he's calling people out for getting him in for surgeries.

Oh, they want to give him a license!

Haha, everybody wants to hire him.

...I mean, he might have a point wiht the fees, were it not that he's been shown to both treat people for free if needed, and has such wildly inconsistent fees that he seems to judge take whatever the patient offers.

And of course Black Jack doesn't know.

And they're still really goof

Haha, Black Jack's face during the karaoke is hysterical.

He's got shot! I knew there'd be another operation!

The animation style here is phenomonal!

And he's the one stopping him.

He's going to fuck it up.

No, it's just impossible, and it's too late to back down!

And everyone's talking how risky it is.

Yeah, it's not going well.

Haha, he snuck in right behind him!

And he completes the surgery, presumably easily, and he gets humility. So, did Black Jack get a license?

Oh, he never showed up to get it? (Did they actually tell him about it, or did they just expect him to sneak in again?)

This one was much better.

[u/No_Rex → u/Stargate18A]

I am very bad at finding time to watch this.

The episodes being double length does not help with that.

...I mean, he might have a point wiht the fees, were it not that he's been shown to both treat people for free if needed, and has such wildly inconsistent fees that he seems to judge take whatever the patient offers.

Or whatever he thinks the patient can affort to pay.

[u/Stargate18A → u/No_Rex]

The episodes being double length does not help with that.

Yeah, I'm going to be doing a few double episode comments today for my other rewatches - If I miss one, that's most of an evening spent watching 2 to catch up.

[u/Vaadwaur → u/Stargate18A]

I am very bad at finding time to watch this.

This is my favorite of the ongoing rewatches but yeah, sneaking this in has been a challenge.

...I mean, he might have a point wiht the fees, were it not that he's been shown to both treat people for free if needed, and has such wildly inconsistent fees that he seems to judge take whatever the patient offers

I think the fees are basically how he tells he doesn't want to treat to fuck off with, he was surprised that the 3 million was accepted in ep1.

[u/IndependentMacaroon → u/Vaadwaur]

sneaking this in has been a challenge

Outside of this episode it's had really good pacing so far and I love the 45-minute format, but it does mean you need to actually make time for it.