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This is the third and final part of our 60th show and Osamu Tezuka spotlight, featuring Clarissa’s review of the Black Jack OAVs and movie from the 1990s.
Took a little while to up this one, but Otaku USA Issue 3 is now on sale! Please buy it so it doesn’t suffer the same fate as Pulp.
Review: Black Jack (0:00 – 49:25)
Clarissa reviews the only Black Jack anime that was commercially released in the US: the 1990s OAVs as well as the 1990s movie. It’s a somewhat different take on the character, since it’s by the dynamic duo who brought us such fine classics as Golgo 13, Space Adventure Cobra, and possibly Mad Bull 34. In other words, this anime is awesome. If you already know the basic premise of Black Jack, feel free to skip to about the 25 minute mark.
Promo: World’s Manliest Podcast (49:35 – 50:00)
Listen up. All you people who listen to Fast Karate then run off and start your own podcasts need to understand something: Dave and Joel don’t love you. Have THEY ever played your promo? HUH? That’s right, they have not. They only want you for your body, whereas the AWO wants you for your eternal souls. This is a podcast by two foreigners screaming about awesome things in an disorganized fashion. Daryl tried to set them straight by informing them that Nastasha Zabigov > Rain Mikamura, but they just wouldn’t listen. Perhaps playing their promo will make them live up to their names. If so, we demand this as tribute. Also, if not.
Closing (50:00 – 54:04)
It took an entire month for us to release what is technically one single episode. How much lower can we go at this point, really? The answer: our second all-mecha episode! Daryl’s turning all the dials to 11 and setting his age past 99 to 999 when he reviews Godannar, Clarissa’s doing her part to keep Masami Obari employed by reviewing Gravion and its followup Gravion Zwei, and Gerald realized that reviewing Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann would make people actually WANT to listen, so he’s breaking our Yoshiyuki Tomino seal with Space Runaway Ideon. Be fortunate, all of you, that we no longer live in the era of violence.
DAVID VIOLENCE.
Hey, gang. How goes? Haven’t been listening lately but will attempt to rectify that now. See I have a 3-part show to listen to. Knowing you cover two of my favorite anime creators (Dezaki and Tezuka) made me ashamed for not having listened of late but does my heart good knowing someone’s out promoting these legends. Especially looking forward to hearing your take on Black Jack since you already know my thoughts on the OAVs and movie. Think we’ll ever see the more recent TV/OAVs fare over here? I’m thinking not, myself given the current state of the U.S. market, but hey I never stop hoping.
Oh, someone asked about female-focused mecha-sci fi shows. Umm… Bubble Gum Crisis comes to mind. And although there a re many male characters, you could add Patlabor as well.
Anyways, till next time…
Oh PS: When’re you gonna give your thoughts on AWA 13? 😛
Dear Clarissa,
On the Wikipedia entry for HOUSE, it asserts that he decided to become a doctor at age 14 in Japan, after witnessing a burakumin doctor solve a case no other physician could cure. Is that true (I’ve only seen one episode of the series)? If so, that does sound straight out of Tezuka.
kenc said…
Have you tried abebooks.com? Right now there’s one seller there (with two listings – the first is apparently for used copies, the second for new, not overly expensive).
Also, searching with the isbn (1569709599) on google should throw up a few no-name shops with current stock, if you want to go that route.
Thanks Kenc for the options. I hadn’t thought about using them yet, though I didn’t think about the ISBN numbers yet in my search.
Anonymous said…
So it looks like the guy who fucked up LXG is no longer directing Akira…
Oscar nominated Irish director Ruairi Robinson (“Silent City”) is tipped to be up for helming Warner Bros. Pictures live-action remake of the classic 1988 post-apocalyptic manga feature “Akira”. The project is tipped to be moving forward pre-strike…”
Hmmm, so the guy who made this really amusing 3 minute piece that got him that Oscar-nominated distinction will give us his take on the classic epic, might prove interesting (still I hardly saw anything else he’s done than this)….
http://www.ruairirobinson.com/fiftypercentgrey.htm
Man, I used to think the Rocky Horror fans were crazy to suggest that Shock Treatment had catchy songs, but now I’m actually youtubing them, too…
I just heard from Organic USA than they’re releasing the 4″ Tezuka Moderno Labo Series this December for $9.50 each. The figures include Atom, Pinoko, Pluto, Tink, Unico and Leo & Coco. The design is more cutesy than Tezuka’s originals, but still pretty cool.
… and now Black Jack is coming back http://tinyurl.com/3d9oea
Anonymous Coward wrote:
Man, I used to think the Rocky Horror fans were crazy to suggest that Shock Treatment had catchy songs, but now I’m actually youtubing them, too…
I didn’t get to see Shock Treatment until early this year, but I really think that its reputation is undeserved – Rocky fans expected more of the same (which it wasn’t), and more importantly, the film was ages ahead of its time. The thing Shock Treatment satirizes most effectively (reality TV) didn’t exist when the film came out. Viewed through a modern eye, it’s biting stuff and well worth revisiting – it’s a very smart film despite its lame ending.
Oh, and “Bitchin’ in the Kitchen” and the title song are made of total win.
Looks like hell has frozen over, as a Takashi Miike movie is number one in Japan. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975053.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
I apologize in advance AWO. Unfortunately, there is no way to private message someone who is anonymous.
Anonymous:
The 101 is an Airborne/Air Assault unit. We also have a SF unit. Repelling from helicopters is somewhat different then bombing from an aircraft.
Yes, you may have served time as well. And if this is the case, I would like to hope you still had the integrity to not hide behind the internet. Or perhaps you have forgotten your Army values.
In any case, why do you insist on the “My dad can beat up your dad” argument? Is it really so necessary to try and convince yourself of how awesome you are?
Sorry, AWO. I try not to repeat myself so this should be the last time I post something like this.
Just do yourself a favor, anonymous, and post under a name.
Thanks for the info Scott Green!
Still rather amusing to spot the flaws in this article!
An older version of the Black Jack anime, originally created in the 1980s, was made available unofficially by fans over the Internet and is now available on iTunes.
kevin: Out of respect for defending my country, and not being part of the Iraq genocide, er, I mean war, I decided to “come out” for your sake. I’m sorry I assumed you were one of the Bosnian carpet-bombers, but I really don’t like a President who invades a country to avoid being impeached for a blowjob any more than a President who invades a country, because he wants to impress his daddy.
I don’t personally have any combat experience, [And I hope they don’t bring back the draft, because Bush needs to expand his gas line to Iran.] but I’ve met a few vets over the years, and I’ve noticed that talking to them is almost like being there.
Anyway, I was just hiding, because I was lazy, but anyone who calls me a coward from the convenience of their own PC, while their brethren are taking it up the ass from IEDs on the battlefield ( http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-10-22/family-honors-anime-fan-killed-while-serving-in-iraq
) doesn’t know shit about real bravery. Goddamn assholes are watching crappy rendered robots duke it out, while real people are dying two continents away from them.
If you want to call me a coward, fine. Your experience entitles you to take a few pot-shots at me. (Although I appreciate you being polite.) But I’m not gonna let some
random geek use that word on me until they choose to stop masturbating to Metal Gear Solid, and experience the real thing.
Goddamn assholes are watching crappy rendered robots duke it out, while real people are dying two continents away from them.
Considering that my blog and podcast is largely devoted to the fine art of my being a goddamn asshole who watches robots duke it out despite the fact that real people are dying on the other side of the world, I am at this point going to ask that anyone wishing to argue about things such as who is or is not a real soldier or other exponentially more worthless topics [especially if it’s musical theater], to take that stuff where it belongs: the IMDB forums.
daryl: I was referring to people who resort to name-calling meant to question other people’s masculinity while not doing anything remotely tough. Sorry if my random comment accidentally encompassed you.
Considering how anonymity has only done good things for Japan’s internet, I’m always surprised to see how upset people get about it here.
Since the con report’s backed up through Otakon you’ll probably never hear our interview about AWA. Be glad.
Oh, and the final cut of Blade Runner got expanded. For the uninitiated, it’s like Bubblegum Crisis with actual cyberpunk elements. http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34675
Tee hee, “Black Jack the Whale Whisperer”.
I loved that episode. 😀
I asked this the last time but no one responded. Has there ever been a documentry or biographical film on Osamu Tezeka? Do they even do films like that in Japan?
Man, MW has got to be the most suspenseful and creepy manga I’ve ever read. The ending is predictable, but the way it’s done is still jarring. And unlike Kirihito, the mature material doesn’t come off as inserted for the purpose of shock value. Plus it doesn’t feel as dated, even though Tezuka clearly alludes to Patty Hearst and the Lockheed Scandal. It’s a shame it’s probably responsible for the introduction of shota into manga and anime, though…Still, if you want a post-Death Note series where the word bubbles don’t take up most of the panels, this is the way to go.
How come AWO doesn’t do crator spotlights anymore. I liked those. I think you’ve only done 2-3.
Do one on my favorite character designers Toshihiro Hirano, Haruhiko Mikomoto and Kenichi Sonoda.
Carl,
I do remember him talking about that in an episode. Though it’s been a while since I watched it, and I can’t remember whether that story was true or some BS he made up on the spot (as House has been known to do such things merely to annoy/distract/get rid of people).
I think I need to go back and watch that episode again to see.
I happened to see this:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6495413.html?nid=2789&
“Japanese pulp fiction and classic manga publisher Vertical Inc. announced plans to publish Black Jack, legendary mangaka Osamu Tezuka’s popular series about a genius surgeon, in its entirety beginning in fall 2008.”
So – I guess folks had better delete their scanlations ;).
Seriously – after hearing Ms. Clarissa talk about it, this is good news to me.
Nothing to do with anything, but I got the Princess Tutu complete collection in the mail on Friday and I just thought I’d say that I’m enjoying despite it being centered on ballet. I’m a fan of things like Adaptation, so the multiple story levels based around fictional storytelling hit the spot, and I wouldn’t have known about these things if it wasn’t for Clarissa’s review. So thank you. I should also note that I recently got the original Area 88 OVAs and loved the HELL out of them, but since “UN Squadron” is one of my favorite games, I was going to get that sooner or later.
John –
Yes, there was much cheering when we heard about that. We’ll definitely be talking about it on the news here, though unfortunately it’s come along with some much more depressing news (for me, anyway, I’m sure a lot of people could care less).
I’m not really a fan of Vertical’s policy of flipping their manga, but their translations have seemed very solid and their physical release quality quite good (with maybe just a couple of wonky covers) so it’s a good thing they’re the ones to pick it up. I trust them with the doctor.
I’m really glad that people are interested in Black Jack after the review. Hopefully you’ll like it after you check it out.
Joe –
I’m glad they’re releasing that complete collection, since I was worried that anybody who might be interested in checking it out would have a hard time finding it. I was just looking online for the single DVDs the other day, and could only find a few of them available.
Good to hear you’re liking it, even without the ballet hook to hold it up. Also glad you dug Area 88.
joe: The Area 88 tv series is pretty cool, too. It’d be nice if Viz re-released the manga, but they might end up passing on that one.
clarissa: Their translations for Buddha “updated” the anti-war protests for Iraq, and changed a political reference to refer to the Dems… Plus their mw translation didn’t bother explaining certain Japanese terms like gaijin in liner notes.
And yeah, I really hate when they flip them, especially when the character is talking about their arm or leg, and it’s really the opposite of the one translated. (*cough* Akira, Adolf *cough*)
Dan-I like the TV series (And it should be noted it follows more realistic dogfighting than the OVAs, where the pilots would often shoot off their entire cache of missiles in the first five seconds of battle), but the OVAs keep a simple intensity of character and purpose that makes it consistently entertaining and briskly paced, even if they occasionally skim things like the Wolfpack (They come off as total pusses in the OVAs). I guess it’s natural when you have more time to tell things, but the TV series does have points where it drags.
EELEASE NA REPISODE
seriously we don’t care if it’s four hours long and a 500-megabyte mp3, just GIVE US SOME CONTENT
have you guys ever considered taking turns and only doing on review per episode? Like Daryl do his review on whatever, then Gerald or Clarissa the next? Maybe doing that can shorten the length of the show and help the process speed up.
How about instead of cheaping out and releasing one episode as three, you release it as one (with an option for three separate downloads).
I sure I’m not alone when I say that you are the best anime ‘cast out there and I could listen to you talk forever.
Get Daryl off his damn XBOX and give us more AWO!
Completly OT but Im compiling a list of anime DVD’s I want to get.
Im want to get Angel Cop but can’t find it anywhere online except from aftersellers on Amazon that want $50-80 for it (like hell). Is there anywhere online that sells out of print DVDs?
I know of no such sites. Angel Cop is out of print and the rights have lapsed. Just download it already. I know there’s dual-audio DVD rips recently made, no doubt as a result of the AWO/Not-So-Fast Karate barrage.
have you guys ever considered taking turns and only doing on review per episode?
I proposed this a few weeks ago since doing so would effectively make each episode the standard 30-45 minute length, but that idea was vehemently shot down since everyone else thinks that if that were done, then a significant percentage of people would not download certain segments which in turn would lead to ego-related drama. My second idea of having the regular feed along with a second feed containing the exact same show only with each segment as its own download was opposed for the same reason.
That officially makes me completely out of ideas for ways to shorten the length of the show without actually removing content. For the record, of all the three parts of Show 60 we put up, the Astro Boy segment–which was mine–was listened to by far, far fewer people compared to the other two despite being out for substantially longer. I’m talking like, 50% as many. Personally, I don’t care; I figure as long as at least 100 people listen to me, that’s good enough.
Get Daryl off his damn XBOX and give us more AWO!
I barely play videogames. There are no less than about five or six Xbox 360 games that I just bought but have yet to even begin playing, and one of those is Halo 3. I have not actually been playing PC, Xbox, PS2, PS3, Wii, PSP, or DS lately. I have new games to play for all of them, with a ridiculous amount more all coming out at the same time. I played a tiny amount of Phoenix Wright 3 and that’s it. I bought a Xbox Live Gold subscription and played Marvel Ultimate Alliance for about an hour or two three weeks ago. That’s the only time I have ever actually played online with it.
The problem is not that I’m playing too many videogames. I also have not been watching anime or reading manga. In fact, I don’t know WHERE my spare time is going, since I’m not actually getting anything done. Regardless, I will try to release Show 61 tonight. Nearly the entire show has actually been done since last week, but we held off on recording the news segment in the hopes of making it less outdated. The show is something like three hours, which only lends credibility to Destroy All Podcasts ST not having much of anything to say that was insulting to us on the grounds that they’ve never been able to listen all the way through an entire episode due to being bored by my monotonous droning.
I love the three review format. If only for that fact that I find out about more shows more quickly.
Perhaps you should all plan for 30 minute segments; for the opening, and each subsequent review as an example.
On a side note; I’m this close (holds fingers slightly apart) to buying a used copy of Angel Cop. It’s the collector in me. I’ve got to have the box.
@VZ:
http://search.product.ebay.com/Angel-Cop-The-Collection_UPC_660200406325_W0QQfvcsZ1177QQsoprZ3334416
I like the length limit as it is now. Any longer and would be a bit tough to get through.
Why don’t you guys select one title and give it a three-input gangbang? As opposed to the current format of one person plowing the field while the other two fluff the talent? The shows would be shorter without having to be All-Gerald/All-Daryl/All-Clarissa.
anon: That’s pretty much what they do now.
I think the current three-review format works fine, whether it’s split up or not. I don’t care if it’s one 3-hour megaepisode or three 1-hour pieces, I just want my AWO fix!
How am I supposed to copy-edit THE KUROSAGI CORPSE DELIVERY SERVICE Vol. 5 without a new AWO?
Did you know–he said casually–that Publisher’s Weekly just picked MPD-PSYCHO as one of the top dozen graphic novels of 2007? It shares the list with such titles as Tezuka’s MW and Morrison and Quietly’s ALL-STAR SUPERMAN.
Loved the review, Clarissa, and I’ll be on those Vertical releases like white on rice.
Interestingly enough, I just discovered an anime and manga series called RAY. The first volume or so was released by ADV’s manga line before it bit the dust. It’s basically the same premise: unlicensed doctor with some kind of disfigurement performs amazing medical procedures for fantasic amounts of money.
Only Ray’s a hot chick who grew up on an organ farm. Apparently she was inspired to become a doctor by the man who gave her her new eye: a mysterious – and strangely familiar – figure known only as B.J.
Coincidence? I think not.
~KK
KK –
Yeah, since Black Jack’s pretty popular he gets referenced or parodied every now and again.
Heck, apparently that (Nickelodeon?) cartoon Kappa Mikey just had a Black Jack reference in it a while ago.
I keep meaning to check out Ray one of these days.
Just wanted to add that one other appearance of Black Jack is available commercially in the US: BJ and Pinoko (and several other Tezuka characters) feature prominently in an episode of the second Astro Boy series (episode 27 in original broadcast order, 26 on Manga Video’s DVD, 36 by the Austrailian and iTunes numbering). The original title is ????????????? (Burakku Jakku no Daisakusen) – “Black Jack’s Grand Operation” (“Operation” as in “Operation: Cover-Up” or “Operation: Petticoat,” not as in “Surgery,” though that would seem appropriate). The dub, unfortunately, not only uses the more generic title “The Time Machine,” but also renames Black Jack and Pinoko “Dr. Roget” and “Penny.” On the plus side, I don’t think the episode was edited (one of these days I’m gonna have to bite the bullet and watch my LD’s simultaneously with the DVD’s and check for every single edit…)
E. Bernhard Warg
Otakon Classic Track
PS: Forgive me if I posted this previously, but I find it interesting that the first three CPM Black Jack OAV DVD’s (at least in their original release) say “No information regarding the Japanese voice actors is currently available.” I guess at some point before the second box set someone found this (which was up long before the first US DVD was released).
^ Guy above me: I think it’s not that CPM didn’t know the info, it’s that they had to actually ask the Japanese if they could print it. And the Japanese are SLOOW at responding. CPM probably couldn’t wait any longer so they started sending out the disks without Japanese info. Later they got a response I bet, so put the info out there on the disks. That’s my best guess. Other then that, their DVDs for Black Jack are top notch. Amazing dub, and great extras with the director himself giving a few commentaries.
Anyway…I think it’s Osamu Dezaki’s BROTHER who directed the trash Mad Bull 34. His un-talented brother is named Satoshi Dezaki. He did direct the amazing movie “They Were 11″ however, so I give him some credit. Although more likely the source material carried the weight on that one there. That movie is well worth watching . CPM put it out on DVD a few times, dub and sub.
I much prefur Dezaki”s storytelling style over the TV series and other stuff that try to be more true to the original manga. I think Dezuki really updated the franchise for the 90’s, and helped make it more mature and gripping. He really did a survice here. It’s a better show for his direction, and I really like the art style here. I do agree the resolutions are OUT OF NOWHERE, that is my only problem with the show. Other then that, it’s pretty flawless. I love the OVAs. Still have to check out the movie. The dub is top notch. I agree with you on that, this is an AMAZING dub. To me Thornton IS frigen Black Jack! Props to CPM for bringing out this great high brow show btw. And the DVDs do have the original audio and subs for those who care. The VHS was sub-only, but the DVDs have both. I started watching this with the second boxset, watched all of that, then went back to the first few DVDs (since I bought the singles for that, not the boxset and they came later in the mail. I think this was a good thing, because the first episode in the second boxset was a GREAT place to start. That’s where I always try and start people. It’s the episode about the war, my favorite episode). I too enjoyed the commentaries, gata thank CPM for actually getting such a respected director as Dezaki to actually give a commentary on their stuff, and not just once, but a couple times! This is why CPM rules.
Great episode guys! Nice job! Love your podcast!